My Second Trimester

My second trimester has me resting in this content space. The anxiety of my first trimester has subsided, but I’m not in the final stretch, so I have time to enjoy the bump and take care of myself right now. I wake up every morning to get the girls ready for school, make my coffee, squeeze in a workout, run errands, and then either chaperone sports or plan activities after I pick the girls up from school. I’m allowing myself to live in gratitude for these small things, these ordinary freedoms, because I know that life in March is going to look much more chaotic.

Garrett had a photoshoot for his brand last month, so we killed three birds with one stone and decided to squeeze in a maternity shoot and some family photos at the same time. I’ve never done maternity photos before because it honestly seemed silly to me. I didn’t feel confident in my growing body, I didn’t know what I would do with the photos, and I just didn’t want to put in the effort for something I felt insecure about. This entire third pregnancy has been a different experience for me, and I think it’s just part of where I am in my identity and my life right now. I knew I wasn’t going to take this pregnancy and this experience for granted, and I actually felt happy to capture photos as keepsakes of this time of my life where I feel beautiful, grateful, and grounded in who I am and where I am going.

Next week, our little family is going to Hawaii. The girls have never been to Hawaii, and River has never been on an airplane. Alba went on an airplane when she was too young to remember, so we’re all very, very excited. And it feels like the perfect time to take a vacation. I’m feeling good and still capable of keeping up. The girls are at an ideal age because they know and indulge in vacations and all the hotel amenities, and they’re old enough to handle some independence. Traveling with little babes can be exhausting! And it’s really our last big vacation as a family of four, which is bittersweet. Alba and River are such a dynamic duo; it’s hard to imagine them with Poet.

I’m just living in this second trimester lull because I can already feel the pressure looming of my third trimester. I feel like the stress of the holidays, finishing the nursery, and purchasing everything we need for Poet is going to hit like a wave in a few weeks. I know once we get back from Hawaii, it’s game on for holidays preparations. And I’m expecting the holidays to fly by, so that worries me a little bit. I’m trying to get on top of this nursery, but I’m stuck on trivial things like where I am going to fit a dresser. And as much as I want to start purchasing baby products, my mind is on our Christmas list. So, how do I cope? I went out and bought myself Gucci shoes…ugh.

SECOND TRIMESTER SYMPTOMS

When you’re pregnant, everybody always asks how you’re feeling. And in this second trimester, my answer has always been so boring. I respond that I am feeling great, this has been the easiest pregnancy so far, and aside from the belly, I hardly feel pregnant.

But here’s what doesn’t get shared in those quick conversations…

The good news is…those burps that I was belching during the first trimester have gone away.

Peeing: My urge to pee often and in the middle of the night is gone for now. But every once in awhile, at random times, Poet will put pressure on my bladder, and I feel like I need to go pee so intensely that it’s painful. And it seems to happen a lot when I’m in line to pick up Alba from school and can’t leave…go figure.

Armpit Lumps: This is probably one of the weirdest pregnancy side effects, but it happens to be every time! I get these hard, and somewhat uncomfortable lumps in my armpits. This time, they’re almost the size of a golfball. I’ve asked the doctor about them, and apparently they’re tails of breast tissue called Axillary Tails. Right now, they’re just inconvenient because they look weird. But I remember, when my milk came in with Alba and River, these lumps became pretty painful. I would try to massage them out in the shower, but they never fully went away until I was done breastfeeding.

Skin Glow: During the first trimester, and a little bit into the second, I was getting hormonal acne on my cheeks. It was painful and frustrating, but I could hardly complain since my symptoms were generally so mild. Now, the acne has gone away. I’m not sure what changed, but I’m here for it. On another note, my eye and forehead wrinkles are back in full-force. It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to get my routine botox, so I’m excited to get back to that once I can.

Kicks: Here’s a fun symptom! Garrett, Alba, and River have all been able to feel her move at some point. There were some days in this second trimester where she moved so much that it was almost uncomfortable. But then I’ve also had days where I hardly feel her and get worried. I don’t sit down much during the day, so I usually don’t feel her until late at night, around 10:00pm when I finally settle down and relax. Her movement has been inconsistent though, and I try not to worry myself over it and be patient until my next appointment.

Belly: She has popped! This is probably the most prominent “symptom” for me right now, since I’m feeling good otherwise. My belly is large enough that it officially interferes in my exercises, my sleep, dressing the girls, cleaning up the house, etc.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

How do you deal with the changing body image?
Some days are harder than others. But I always go back to the mindset that this is temporary. It’s a sacrifice that is so so worth it.
When I think about how temporary this is, I’m more able to embrace the changes and the miracle of it all.
I use my exercise as a reset; I feel better immediately after a workout, both mentally and physically.

How are you staying motivated to work out?
Even though I feel great, I’ve been less eager to jump into workouts because it’s just not the same. I’m limited and weaker with the belly.
But I do it for the feeling after. I remember how movement makes me feel, and that pushes me to get on the mat.
The workouts help me manage feeling swollen and bloated.

What products do you use or have you stopped using?
My skincare routine has become so minimal that it makes me sad haha. I was trying to get back to basics after struggling with some mild acne, and then once I got pregnant, I really had to scale back. I had to stop using my Retinol and my Rodan and Fields eyelash serum. Now, I use the most basic and cheap cleanser and moisturizer, but I haven’t been having breakouts, so I don’t want to change anything now. I still use the BONDI SANDS PURE tanning foam every once in awhile. This stuff is amazing if you want a bronze glow from home! And I’ve switched to DIME eyelash serum, which is slowly but surely bringing my eyelashes back.

How are you preparing for delivery/fourth trimester?
In all honesty, the only preparation I’ve done for this is immersed myself in blogs, podcasts, books, and influencers who make me feel powerful, capable, and made for this. I’m building a lot of mental and spiritual strength right now, and maybe that’s why I haven’t even worried about a hospital bag, how many people are allowed in the birthing room, or which breast pump I will use. I’m so behind on those things…
Yet, somehow, I feel ready.

For me and my personality, so much of pregnancy, labor, and postpartum are a mental and emotional experience, so that’s where my energy has been focused. If I can feel at peace in my mind, the purchasing is just a matter of me going out and getting what I need when I need it.

What’s your Mom Car?
I drive the Quicksand 4Runner TRD Pro. We got this car about two days after Alba was born, and I absolutely love it! We haven’t been sure if we can squeeze three carseats into that one back row…but I’m adamantly refusing to trade in my car for a mom van.
We are hoping that when River transitions to a booster carseat in March, we will be able to make the squeeze with a third carseat.

Are you going on a baby moon?
We already did; check out this BLOG POST of our weekend in Portland, Oregon. We celebrated our anniversary with a baby moon!
It’s so important to schedule in that quality time as a couple before the newborn chaos.

What is your daily eating like?
Every day is different, and while I give in to what my body wants, I also try to find balance. Some days, I’m eating smoothies and proteins. Other days, I’m indulging in pizza and breadsticks. But here’s an average eating day for me these days:
Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs OR a peanut butter toast on wheat bread
Lunch: Salad OR Take Out
Afternoon Snack: Smoothie or Protein balls
Dinner: This is usually where I eat a lot more; I’m just hungrier at night. It’s usually a chicken, rice, veggie type of meal.
Late Night Snack: Apples and peanut butter OR a bowl of cereal with coconut almond milk
And I’m usually sneaking in chocolates or bites of my EAT PASTRY edible cookie dough here and there!

What has been your favorite part of this pregnancy?
My favorite part has been how connected I feel to the journey this time. Quitting my job last June has allowed me to slow down to a pace where I am able to enjoy being pregnant. All of my energy, focus, and love is going to my role as Mama, and it allows me to really feel connected to Poet and our journey.

Although I am in this boat of enjoying my pregnancy and this privilege of carrying baby Poet, I also am very aware that it’s not always the case for every woman and every Mama. I’ve said it before, but it took me years to get to this point. If you’re struggling with infertility, you’re not alone. If you don’t want children, you’re not alone. If you’re hating your pregnancy and your new body, you’re not alone. If you feel like there’s an alien inside you, you’re not alone. If pregnancy is your most confident and empowering version of yourself, you’re not alone. It’s a journey, and it’s where you are. Ultimately, I hope my blog can be a hand on your back. And I am so excited about our new “Village” category as a space where Mamas can find a hand in the our community that meets them where they’re at.

Please comment and share any symptoms that you experienced in your second trimester, and let’s connect if anything resonated.
Sending you all loving energy today!