My Second Trimester

As I entered the second trimester I was looking forward to the end of morning sickness. Or so I thought it would end. Boy, was I mistaken! All the troubles from the first trimester carried over. For some silly reason I believed that once the day came when my pregnancy app on my phone said "Welcome to the Second Trimester" all the sickness, exhaustion, and troubles would disappear. News flash!! It doesn't work that way.

However, halfway through, I finally had some relief! The nausea wasn't so bad, I had energy again, and I felt human for the first time in weeks! I did however have to take Prilosec for my awful heartburn. Remember, ask your OB before taking any medications during pregnancy.

Above: Look at the difference!

Above: 26 Weeks!

My monthly appointments continued throughout the second trimester. At each visit they weighed me, took my vitals, listened to the baby's heartbeat, and measured my belly. They also answered any questions I had. They also scheduled my 20 week ultrasound, which was very exciting to my husband and me, because we were very anxious to find out the gender! Some ultrasound technicians can determine the gender earlier, but the standard time is around 18-22 weeks. There are also places that offer 3D and 4D ultrasounds for entertainment purposes, not medical purposes, that you can pay out of pocket for. Most of those places offer gender determination at 15 weeks.

Above: IT'S A BOY!

During the 20 week ultrasound the technician will measure the baby's body thoroughly to make sure he or she is growing properly. 

Most women say their libido increases during the second trimester, so if you feel comfortable, have sex! Have fun with it too, before your belly starts to get in the way! 

A few tips for the second trimester:

• Continue to eat healthy
• Exercise is possible, but talk to your OB about what you are allowed to do. I stuck to just walking.
• Drink plenty of fluids still, although your bladder might not be happy about it. You will be visiting the bathroom more often as the baby grows and puts pressure on your bladder. I found it helpful to not have anything to drink and hour to two hours before bedtime.
• Continue prenatal vitamins
• Start registering for your baby registry if you are having a baby shower. See the links below for some great registry options!
• Most people wait until the second trimester to announce the pregnancy, I couldn't wait past 8 weeks. Each person is different.
• Look into maternity photographers! This was one thing I really wish I did.

A few great websites to create a baby registry at: Babies R Us, Target, Amazon, Walmart

Here are a few shots we got from the 20 week ultrasound!

Thanks for reading!

~Sarah~