Second Trimester Recap
I’m in shock that I finally made it to the third trimester! The weeks go by slowly, but the months are flying by. Only another two and a half months before our little one is here in our arms!
When I was in my first trimester, current and expecting moms told me that everything got better in the second trimester. They said I’d experience fewer symptoms and start to feel more like myself, and let me tell you, they were right!
It wasn’t exactly overnight, but once I got past that 13th week, everything started looking up. My awful food aversions from the first trimester disappeared. The crippling exhaustion went away, and I was able to carry on with my regular schedule. With less fatigue came more energy, so I was able to pick up my workouts.
Overall, I felt more like my usual self, just with a growing bump, which started to pop out around week 14. While it wasn’t super noticeable to a stranger walking by on the street, I could definitely tell. Once I hit around 20 weeks, there was no hiding it anymore. The bump was here and growing every day!
For the most part, the second trimester was a breeze in comparison to the first! I felt like myself just with a growing belly. But that doesn’t mean I was 100% symptom-free.
Here are a few of the pregnancy symptoms I experienced:
Heartburn. It started around eight weeks and I’ve had it ever since. The worst part is, it’s not always triggered by the food I eat. Sometimes I’ll won't have eaten in an hour, and it just creeps up. It’s literally the worst.
Pregnancy brain. I experienced this big time in the first trimester. While it got better in the second, it was definitely still there. Sometimes it makes you feel like you’re going crazy.
Clumsiness. I’ve been super clumsy (just ask my husband who’s cleaned up enough broken glass for a lifetime). I always carry a water cup with me at home, and I started spilling it pretty regularly. I’ve picked up glasses just to immediately drop them. I’ve also started running into things (mostly because I think I have more room, but my growing bump says otherwise).
Restless legs. I started to get restless legs before going to bed most nights. I’m not sure if this is because it’s growing harder for me to get comfortable, or it’s just mental. I can’t sit and watch TV for too long before bed before I have to get up and walk around or do some squats to quiet my legs.
Swelling. I’ve started to notice some swelling, but it hasn’t been too bad. I mostly see it when I’ve been on my feet for too long or if the weather is warmer. I’ve found that drinking a lot of water and exercising help to keep it at bay.
Sciatica and Back Pain. Next to heartburn, this has to be my biggest complaint. I’ve had sciatic and back issues pre-pregnancy, and now with a growing stomach, it’s only gotten worse. I’ve been seeing a physical therapist every two weeks for dry needling and cupping, which has been a HUGE relief. It’s kept my symptoms at bay. But currently, with the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve been trying to avoid going out in public if I don’t need to. This, unfortunately, has caused the pain to flare up. Stretches and pain relievers can only do so much.
Constipation. I listed this as a symptom in my first trimester, and I’m happy to report, while it hasn’t gone away completely, it’s gotten better. For any other pregnant ladies out there, the stool softener, Colace, is a lifesaver.
Frequent urination. This symptom has been here since the first trimester and I’m afraid it’s here to stay. It’s pretty annoying. I’ll go to the bathroom and by the time I finish washing my hands I have to go again.
Here are the first trimester symptoms that I talked about in my first trimester recap that, thankfully, went away:
Exhaustion. Thank goodness! I’ve heard it comes back in the third trimester, so wish me luck.
Bloating. While my belly started to get bigger, so it was a little hard to tell, I’m pretty sure my bloating went away almost entirely once the hormones of the first trimester settled down.
Food aversions. I’m eating everything I usually would pre-pregnancy. And no, I haven’t had any weird food cravings.
Sore boobs. 95% gone.
Irritation. Don’t get me wrong, I still have my moments, but for the most part, my emotions have been in check.
Weird dreams. While I still have some vivid dreams, they are nothing like what I experienced in the first trimester.
All in all, I would say I’ve had a fairly easy pregnancy. Compared to some of the stories I’ve heard, it could be a lot worse, so I’ll thank my lucky stars.
Currently, I’m a day away from 29 weeks, which means I’m almost single-digit weeks away from becoming a mom. It’s been a crazy journey and it’s incredible what the female body can do. I’m literally growing a human life inside of me! It blows my mind.
Side note: if you’re expecting or plan to be, I read some awesome pregnancy and parenting books this trimester that I would highly recommend. Check out this blog post for more details.
Current and expecting moms, tell me…how did your second trimester go?