Second Trimester
The second trimester is often referred to as the Golden Trimester for so many. Morning sickness fades away, energy returns, you aren’t experiencing the aches and pains yet, you begin to see the growth of your baby in the form of a baby bump, and so much more!
Embrace this semester and use that energy to enjoy your pregnancy and prepare for your baby’s arrival.
Your Checklist for Second Trimester
· Continue gentle exercise. Find some prenatal yoga videos and continue walking, swimming, or hiking.
· Eat healthy. You may have chosen to eat some things out of survival in the first trimester. Now is the time to resume healthy eating. Pick some foods from the pregnancy superfoods list and make sure you are utilizing coconut oil, ghee, tallow, avocado oil or grass fed butter for a healthy fat. There are several recipes for healthy “fat bombs” online such as:
o Ingredients: ½ cup nut butter of choice or coconut butter, ¼ cup cocoa or cacao powder, ¼ cup melted coconut oil, stevia to taste, and optional 1/8 tsp of salt. Directions: Stir all ingredients together until smooth. Add additional coconut oil if it seems too dry. Pour in ice cube trays or candy molds. Freeze to set. Store in the freezer and get one out a day when needed.
· Book a prenatal massage. This will help you feel more relaxed, help with any aches and pains, and helps release oxytocin—the feel-good hormone! Booking a massage once a month during the remainder of pregnancy can help you feel less anxious, and your body feel refreshed!
· Hire a doula if you haven’t yet. If you didn’t get around to it in the first trimester, now is the time! Make sure you interview a few to find someone who best fits your needs and beliefs!
· Sign up for a childbirth class. Not all classes are created equal so make sure you ask around. Do not take the first class you hear about. Gain all your options and then choose the one that is best for you. You will want to complete your class by the 37th week of pregnancy.
· Establish care with the best provider. Remember, YOU are hiring your doctor. Maybe it seems a little “off” to hire someone in the second trimester, but you did all that interview work in the first trimester and now you can confidently find who is best for you and your baby.
· Book an ultrasound. The best time for an ultrasound is around 20 weeks. You’ll be able to learn the gender and to make sure everything is going smoothly for any kind of birth you are preparing for. If you are planning a home birth, it is important to know through ultrasound if your pregnancy is low risk. Plus, it is just exciting to see that baby on the screen! There is beautiful life inside of you! There is data to support that ultrasounds in the early part of pregnancy can be harmful to the baby and cells developing. Many medical providers do an automatic 8 week ultrasound, I would prayerfully consider if you want to do that and know that you get to decide anything you want that aligns with your values and beliefs.
· Schedule a maternity photoshoot. Get it in the books. You will want these for the future even if in your third trimester you aren’t feeling extremely glamorous. Maybe you want a full-blown photography session with a professional or maybe you mark a date on the calendar and a friend takes a few photos. One day you will look back (or your children will) and see how miraculous this season of your life was!
· Start looking for a pediatrician for your child. Well, actually … You know how I feel about well visits. I am not a fan. But I do understand the desire to know that all is well, especially as a first time parent. Yes, the baby is still within but choosing your baby’s pediatrician is just as important as choosing a medical provider for your pregnancy and the birth. There are so many things to consider when choosing a pediatrician including their stance on vaccines. Starting now will give you plenty of time to find the perfect match instead of becoming overwhelmed and frustrated when their stances and beliefs vastly differ from your own. Note that it’s also completely ok to buck the system and opt for a chiropractor or other holistic alternative.
· Register for baby. While you have energy in this second trimester, make your list of all the things you want to register for and find the best place to do so. To be honest, babies do not need that much, but there are many items that can prove to be helpful. If you’ve already had a baby, consider having a “Diaper Shower Celebration” where people bring you diapers for the new babe or a “Freezer Meal Celebration” where people bring a freezer meal for you when baby arrives. Both of these celebrations can be just as helpful as the traditional baby registry.
· Take a babymoon. A baby does change everything and it’s okay to want to take a last vacation or trip before the baby arrives to enjoy and breathe with a friend or with your spouse. Life is beautiful now and will be beautiful after baby, so enjoy it!
