Just three months ago I wrote a post about my thoughts on the first trimester and how it compared to my expectations. To me it seems like AGES ago, I was suffering from morning sickness and wondering when I was going to show. But alas, it is time to write about my 2nd trimester experiences, because I am now in the home stretch of this whole journey.
The way it felt to me was that everything that was supposed to happen once I hit 2nd trimester DID NOT happen until the last few weeks of it. So here we go:Table of Contents
22 comments
Love reading this! So interesting! So with being sick and nauseous did you get super sick of being sick? Or is it more manageable because you know its for a reason?
Yes it definitely gets old. When it’s constant and non stop, even thinking about the fact that it’s because of the pregnancy/your baby doesn’t help.
I know that even women who struggled with infertility are miserable during morning sickness. And that’s normal, I think. It’s just hard regardless of how much you love the baby or wanted to be pregnant. Everyone’s feelings are valid regardless of circumstances. But the good thing is you know it will end, so that’s what keeps you going. Luckily in the 2nd trimester it wasn’t so bad. I really feel for women who experience it for 9 months.
What a great post…I wish I’d been able to read it when I was pregnant because it’s so informative. I know everyone’s pregnancy is different so other women’s experiences will vary but it is great that you’re talking about what can be expected.
Mine? Ha, I laugh at myself. I totally expected myself (and everyone else expected I would be too!) to be one of those glowing pregnant women who retain their pre-pregnancy body for the most part (and just have a little belly on the front) and are laughing and chipper and oozing maternal pride. I was sick. I was achey. I was nauseous the entire time. Everyone kept telling me, oh you’re almost out of the first trimester, it will go away then. Nope. Oh ok, I’ve heard it can go away at week 19. Nope. Oh well, guess it’s here for the duration. Guess what? It didn’t go away until I delivered the placenta!! I actually started worrying I’d be nauseous for the rest of my life because that’s all I’d known for almost a year!! And like you said in your comment above Elena, even though you’re pregnant with the child you’ve dreamed of and prayed for you just can’t make yourself not miserable when you’re feeling so sick! So I feel like I missed out on a lot during my pregnancy (Including keeping as good of records as you are..I had intended to, but that went bye bye after a while!) BUT the end result is SO worth it to me, so I won’t mourn my missed expectations and unexpected realities!
You may not get any additional symptoms in the 3d trimester: i am at the very end of my pregnancy: 40 weeks (and getting to be overdue) and I did not really experience constipation, sciatic pain or much swelling in my pregnancy. I do drink a gallon a day and try to be active (walking) and it seems to really work for swelling. Just not too much walking! Knock on wood: I have not seen stretch marks yet (oh, I so hope they will not appear after the labor, but anything can happen) and I did gain 33 lbs… I was convinced that I would keep it at 25 and not eat any sweets (I normally do not have a huge sweet tooth) but I am finding my willpower has gone completely, and it seems that the body does gain what it wants/needs to gain…
Best of luck in the 3d trimester and hope you have an easy time in the final few weeks!
Oh that’s reassuring! Hope my third trimester is pleasant. I do drink a ton of water and walk too- hope that helps.
As far as weight, I also thought id gain 25 lbs which seems silly now because if you count what you’re supposed to gain weekly (3-6 lb first trimester and then 1 lb each week till the end) that adds up to 28-32 lbs without counting any extra you might accidentally gain. Luckily normal weight gain is 28-40lbs so you’re good.
Good luck to you too and hope your little one comes soon
Oh it’s so interesting! I’m really glad you didn’t (and hopefully won’t) have some of really bad symptoms! 🙂
Time flies so fast when it’s not you who’s pregnant lol :))))))
Well, I had morning sickness – that was baaaad, but let’s hope the rest stays away. And yeah I’m sure to you my pregnancy seems to be flying :)))) it has been going faster since I hit my 3rd trimester.
Hello! Just started reading your blog a month or so ago and I have to ask: What did your rash look like? I am 16 weeks pregnant and just developed a horribly itchy one all over my upper abdomen. Was yours in a specific area? My nurse practitioner thought it might be a reaction to a new lotion I began using, now seeing that you had one I wonder.
Lauren,
mine started on my boobs and then spread to my back and right below my boobs ( not exactly upper abdomen but the skin right under my boobs). It looked like a heat rash or something and was very itchy. I was very concerned it was Pupps ( especially starting this early in pregnancy- pupps usually starts in 3rd trimester). But since it seemed like it was mainly in the areas that are always covered with clothes ( I wear support/sleeping bras at home and pants but nothing else, and it was exactly in the location of my bra). So we first tried eliminating anything that could have caused it. I switched detergent to a different brand ( all free and clear), I stopped using Mother’s Blend oil, I changed the soaps to super organic natural soaps ( the hard soaps at whole foods without any fragrances- I picked out the olive oil one- check out the ingredients and pick the most natural one) and avoided super hot showers and the rash started to ease up SLOWLY and then within 2 weeks or so it was gone. So I still don’t know whether it was the measures I took, or it just ran through its course, but I would suggest you take the same steps and hopefully it’ll go away as well. Good Luck!
Thanks for the response Elena! I began using Burt’s Bees Mama Bees Belly Butter a couple days ago and mine began showing up two days after that. Small, red raised bumps on my upper abdomen and down my sides – pretty much everywhere I put the lotion. So frustrating when you buy something mainly natural to use and then you might be allergic to it! I plan to try some natural oatmeal baths and I’ll keep my fingers crossed mine will run it’s course as well!
I know some people are allergic to Bee’s Wax… I’d recommend Mama Mio Tummy Oil. I’ve been using it for a few weeks and in love with it! And the fact that it passed my “all natural, no harmful ingredients” test means a lot because I am very strict on that.
It’s amazing how sensitive our skin is during pregnancy.
I’ll have to give that a try, thanks for the recommendation!
Awesome post. 🙂
A lot of those symptoms didn’t show up for me until week 34-ish.
Oh yay smth to look forward to haha!
Are you really planning on getting an epidural? I thought I had read that somewhere, but it sems like it doesn’t fit at all with your organic, baby-focused planning. What kind of 2-3 hour/day preparation is needed if you plan on being numbed?
No I’m no longer planning on an epidural since I found a method that seems reasonably effective in dealing with pain , hence the intensive relaxation technique practice. However even a labor with an epidural can benefit from relaxation skills. And any type of labor could use daily kegels, labor muscles strengthening( essentially just strengthening exercises) and perineal massage.
Darn it, my comment disappeared.
I’ll make it shorter this time. Was strangely excited when I got my stretch marks (at about 36 weeks). Not so excited after baby was born to have them but I’m 8 months pp now and they’ve faded back to skinish color.
Pregnancy was way rougher than I expected. Miserable doesn’t even begin to describe me. Sick or in pain the entire time. So much so that we’re stopping at one. Glad it’s not been so bad to you and that you’ve been able to handle any discomfort in a positive light.
Good luck with the rest of the 3rd trimester!
I am not a fan of being pregnant. The first trimester was miserable, the second was better but still rough, the third is when I feel best so far. So I totally get what your saying.
great post. maybe i’ll revisit it if/when i get preggers with a second!
the first was like this:
no morning sickness {i don’t know what i’ll do if i get with the next one!}
leg cramps — BAD ones.. all night long. always. groin pain. ouch. was not fun.
stretch marks – i had absolutely no stretch marks until AFTER the birth — and still, you know… they are barely noticeable.. and i honesty don’t care — it’s true when people say “once you see your child, you won’t care” — it puts everything in perspective: like — here i am with this magnificent little being.. who gives a crap about some faded marks on my belly! still — i do wish my boobs would have recuperated a little better.. but ah well. such is life!
moodiness – i wasn’t moody — but i did cry a lot.. at happy things. at songs. at commercials. at pretty much everything. haha
hunger – hit me in the last trimester.. at around 36weeks.. right around the time of my shower — i devoured my shower cake. say no to cake!!
ps. looking great =) get ready to slide into home – almost there!
Great post. I got round ligament pain in the 3rd tri and they were really uncomfortable. It’s funny how when you first learn your pregnant it’s like, wow I have so far to go. And before you know it your 30 weeks and still have so much to do lol. I’m interested to see your birth plan. We didn’t really have one, I just wanted Alexis here and safe and healthy by whatever means. I know you have certain things you want, like an hour bonding time. I’m curious to read that. Welcome to the almost end of your pregnancy 🙂 you make me want to be prego again lol
Oh thank you! I don’t know that I’ll wish to be pregnant again but it’s definitely nice to be almost done.
I am very flexible on a lot of things when it comes to birth but I have a few strong points (mostly have to do with Alexis)
My first two babies were horrible while this time I have pretty much no symptoms at all.