Second Trimester Update

Hello loves,

This pregnancy is literally flying by. Cannot believe that I’m almost done with my second trimester already! I’m trying not to buy a ton of things for pregnancy, including maternity clothes, because I know how temporary each stage is. (Also a lot of maternity clothes are not cute 😂) A good reminder to not go overboard on all the adorable and tiny baby clothes.

The below looks like a list of complaints but honestly, I am so so so grateful and excited to be pregnant. All of my symptoms have been pretty mild and not too bad. I know a lot of women have hard pregnancies and I’m grateful that mine has been relatively easy. I truly am loving being pregnant!

As always, these are just what I’ve experienced. Please always contact your doctor for advice on your pregnancy.

Headaches. Oof I’ve been having lots of intense headaches that last all day no matter if I take Tylenol or not. I go to bed and wake up with them. That kind of headache. I spoke with my doctor and she had several recs for things to try, one of them being to consume a small amount of caffeine at the same time every day. So, I’ve been having a cup of green tea every morning (about 30-50 mg of caffeine) to keep the headaches away and I have to say, it worked! I used to be a mega coffee drinker before I was pregnant but cut it out completely as soon as I found out. This small dose of caffeine really helps me. These headaches kicked in around week 12 and only lasted until I started drinking tea so for a couple weeks.
Cravings. Ice cream, potatoes, lots of fresh fruit like watermelon, honeydew, strawberries, kiwis etc. Poptarts had a moment as well. To be honest, now I will pretty much eat anything if it’s in front of me. I’m just hungry all of the time.
Heartburn. I’m not getting it every day or all the time. But, as someone who never really experienced it before pregnancy, I’m definitely noticing when I have it now. I’ve been taking Tums whenever it hits and also, sounds silly but a nice glass of cold milk (I usually drink almond milk) also seems to help me. I first had it around 13 weeks.
Lower back pain. As soon as the bump really started popping, on came the back pain. It’s definitely gotten worse in the last couple of weeks. I have started using a belly band on walks which has been helpful. It helps transfer weight from your lower back to your hips. It almost feels like it’s helping to keep your tailbone slightly tucked (also working those pelvic floor muscles!) while you’re walking. I’ve also started using a heating pad most nights and I’ll have hubby rub this muscle gel (preggo safe) on my low back and calves for a little pampering sesh. Feels fabulous!
Insomnia. Sleeping through the night just isn’t really a thing anymore. I’m trying to resist buying a pregnancy pillow (they’re huge and will just sit in a closet for years in between kids) but totally will if I think it’s necessary. For me, a big fluffy king-size pillow between my knees has helped drastically! The extra length on this pillow is what makes it perfect. I wake up less since I’ve been doing this.
Weight gain. This is so different for everyone but figured I’d share cuz I’ve gotten lots of questions about this. So far, I’ve gained about 10 pounds. I’m 25 weeks so still have a ways to go!
Cellulite. I feel like this is something I never really heard of before in relation to pregnancy but wow – it can definitely be a thing. It’s mainly on the backs of my thighs and even on my ass which I’ve never had before. And I’ve been 10 pounds heavier and didn’t have this cellulite so I really feel like it has to do something with pregnancy? I’ve read that as you lose the baby weight the cellulite diminishes. I am remaining active. Walking 2-3 miles a day, short and light-weighted arm exercises + squats a couple days a week and a Zoom pilates class with my other preggo mama friends once a week.

There’s my second trimester update! I’ll update this if anything else comes to mind! Feel free to ask any questions in the comments below or send me a message on instagram!

If you’re pregnant or a mama already, let me know if you experienced any of these! I’m curious.

Tessa