My Growing Bump, Anatomy Scan, Products, & More
I am overjoyed to be writing this blog and to inform you all that I have officially entered my third trimester of my first pregnancy! The second trimester has been the most notable so far with my growing belly, lots of ultrasound scans, and new symptoms. We are excited to be nearing close to the end when we’ll get to meet our girl. I hope you enjoy reading about my second trimester pregnancy experience! To get an idea of where we left off, be sure to read about my first trimester first before continuing.
Travel During the Second Trimester
In my 15th week of pregnancy I had the pleasure of photographing a DC engagement session for one of my sweet 2021 couples, Caroline and Marcel. Jumping on a flight from Jackson to Washington, D.C. while pregnant was definitely an experience! I unexpectedly developed nausea on the plane and vomited for the first time in my entire pregnancy. The poor stewardesses who were on the flights took such wonderful care of me. For that I am so incredibly grateful and I made it there safely and healthily in time for the session!
Feeling Kicks for the First Time
I can tell you FOR SURE I felt our baby kick me for the first time at only 15 weeks. It was on December 10th and I remember laying on the couch watching a movie with Michael. I had my hands resting on my belly and felt a gentle poke. It felt like a muscle spasm. I wasn’t sure at the time it was a baby kick, but after feeling baby move so much since then, I can confidently confirm it definitely was! My doctor did say I may feel them sooner due to my anterior placenta.
New Symptoms
Not only was nausea a new symptom, but I developed a few others throughout the weeks. I said goodbye to unpleasant food aversions and bloating in the first trimester, and hello to round ligament pain, heartburn, and interrupted sleep in the second. Most notably, heartburn has been the worst so far! Before pregnancy I ate in large quantities at mealtimes. Now I’ve learned to eat smaller meals throughout the day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with healthier snacks in between. I am also enjoying drinking coffee again (no more than 200mg a day as recommended), which I have missed. Thankfully I am lucky and did not experience nausea since the 15th week!
Round ligament pain is a unique, sharp feeling in the groin that happens because of a growing pregnancy belly. I experienced this 3-4 times between week 16-22 and found it can be very disabling. On the days had RLP, I found myself parked on the couch barely able to move. When I did move, my pace was as slow as a snail as I tried to avoid exacerbating the pain.
Lastly, let’s not forget to mention the interrupted sleep and insomnia that comes along with growing a human. As I have consistently gained weight, I’ve noticed getting a full night’s rest without waking up is extremely difficult. Between having to pee every 2-3 hours and not being able to sleep on my back or stomach, getting used to side-sleeping has been an adventure to say the least.
Cravings & Aversions
Cravings have been fairly tame in the second trimester! Although I have noticed I tend to gravitate towards sweeter foods, rather than savory. Most notably, that still includes fresh fruit (especially cherries), ice cream, and chocolate of any kind. There was a brief Bar-B-Que craving I experience for 1-2 weeks around Weeks 15-17. Soo unlike me to crave BBQ, haha! My appetite has picked up, as well. Both baby and I are gaining healthy weight every day!
My aversions in the second trimester have been eggs (in any form) and red meat. Even now into the third trimester, red meat is not appealing.
High-Risk Ultrasounds & The Anatomy Scan
My pregnancy is categorized as high-risk, so my doctor wanted to scan me with an ultrasound every two weeks from my 16th week until my 24th to monitor the baby’s viability. I like to say I unofficially had my anatomy scan with my MFM specialist at Week 16, but that was actually still too early to see all the baby’s new developments. My official anatomy scan date was in Week 22. Michael attended this appointment and together we found out that baby girl was perfectly healthy and beautiful. What a relief!
Products I’ve Been Using
I’ve had to make a gradual transition to bump-friendly products over the last 13 weeks. It has been somewhat of a challenge with clothing, but I think I’ve finally found my stride! Here are the new pregnancy products I’ve been using and enjoying so far (not sponsored)!
Belli Elasticity Belly Oil
I’ve been using this oil on my belly almost every night (when I remember) for the last 10-ish weeks. The smell is so relaxing and it seems to be working. No stretch marks yet (crossing my fingers it stays that way)!
Target Prenatal Vitamins
Since before we even began TTC, I have been taking this vitamin daily. My husband is a dietitian, so he informed me that each the vitamin bio-availabilities in this vitamin are adequate for pregnancy. It has folate, as well as all the other essential vitamins I needed. It does not have DHA, however, which is why I added this next vitamin around Week 7 of my pregnancy.
Nature Made Burpless Fish Oil
This fish oil has DHA and EPA fatty acids, which is important for baby’s brain health. I added fish oil into my vitamin regimen around Week 7 or 8 of pregnancy. I switched to the burp-less version after a week when I couldn’t tolerate the fishy smells and it caused me some mild nausea.
Jill & Joey Maternity Belt
I’ve been using this belt more and more under my clothes as my belly grows. The weight of the baby is something I’ve never been used to as I’ve been small my whole life. The belt helps support that extra weight and reduce back pain, something I expect to worsen in the third trimester!
Ingrid & Isabel Maternity Tanks and Tees
These maternity tanks have been a helpful addition to my wardrobe this winter. I layered these a lot with cardigans and leggings, another clothing item I’ve been living in for a few months! All purchased from Target.
Universal Thread Dresses
These easy-to-wear t-shirt dresses from Target are sooo comfy! I wore these often to my doctor’s appointments since I was getting ultrasounds at every visit. I purchased from Target in 3 colors/patterns—highly recommend and I always get compliments on them!
BLANQI Leggings
I purchased these leggings for 50% off when Blanqi held their annual Black Friday sale. They are on the thicker side and very stretchy! I have two pairs of the maternity version in Small, and one pair of the regular high-waisted leggings in Small. I recommend them if you can find them on sale! If not, go with a softer legging like Lululemon.
Kindred Bravely Bras
I began searching for better-fitting bras around the beginning of second trimester, and these from Kindred Bravely are so comfortable! I have slept in them and they are smooth under tees, tank, and everything else. Buy 3 at a time for a bundled discount! Note: Double-check the sizing on their website before purchasing. I went through two rounds of returns to find my perfect size because it didn’t match what the website recommended.
After receiving my dress for maternity pictures.
Stay tuned—I’ll be sure to share those in a separate blog post!
My Growing Bump
I’ve enjoyed watching my belly grow since Week 15, and I like to think I officially “popped” in Week 18. Here is a progression of my bump beginning at Week 14 through Week 28. So fun to watch her grow!
Second Trimester Pregnancy Recap
Thanks for reading this second trimester recap and following along in my pregnancy journey! To learn more about me and my family, be sure to check out more personal posts on the blog.
Read about my first trimester here!
If you enjoyed this post please leave me a comment below. I’d love to connect and talk all things pregnancy with you!
