How Should I Feel in the Second Trimester of Pregnancy? - Part 2

Continuing in this series, I’m reflecting on the second trimester of my pregnancy and how I felt, just in case it’s of interest, help or comfort for other mums-to-be.

So onto weeks 15 –

How should I feel in the Second Trimester?

Weeks 15-16

I started to notice some significant growth in the little bump area over weeks 15 and 15 of my pregnancy which I remember being super happy and relieved about.

I had started to feel like nothing much was happening or changing with my body and was even a little bit envious of other mums-to-be at this stage who seemed to have bigger bumps then me (silly I know!).

But I realised that EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT and everyone grows at their own rates. Each body is different and responds in different ways. That’s an important thing to remember!

My appetite was well and truly back and I definitely needed my maternity jeans and started to live in leggings when at home. My boobs had settled from the previous tenderness and heaviness and didn’t seem to be growing that much any more (nice to not be in agony either!).

I lost another 1lb in week 15 and then stayed the same in week 16, so seemed to be plateau-ing in my second trimester. I remember wondering if the growth would now start with my bump getting bigger and hoping that it’d only be pure baby weight that I gained!

I had more energy during the mornings and days, but was still very tired again by late afternoon. I was getting a mix of really good nights sleeps and then some really broken ones and the midwife said this is totally normal and is a hormonal thing. Just means some days I’m more tired than normal…joys!

Headaches were still there at the beginning of the second trimester and I remember it being frustrating not being able to take Ibuprofen or anything like that! It’s the things like that you take for granted, popping over-the-counter painkilllers without a second thought!

We were on countdown to our next scan…eek! I’d be 19 weeks pregnant by then and desperate to meet our little bean again!

I remember during the second trimester, really looking forward to the bump growing more, you know, so that I didn’t look like I’d just had a big lunch or so that everyone would start worrying that I’d let myself go a bit. I was excited to actually start to show it off a bit…and constantly wondering if I’d get stretch-marks…s

How have weeks 15 and 16 of pregnancy been for you?

__________________________________________________

Weeks 17-18

My pregnancy during weeks 17 to 18 was when I finally saw a bit more growth to my bump, but not quite as much as I expected! Although it may have just been because I was looking at it every day, so not really noticing the changes….hubby said it looked like a “proper bump”.

Glad that my appetite was still there but I wasn’t eating loads like I know some mums-to-be are at this stage. I was really conscious of trying to be as balanced as possible with my meals, but did find that I was enjoying carbs and stodge most…so I had to make a concerted effort to eat more fruit and veg (and was secretly jealous of the other mums-to-be I’d met who said they were “craving fruit”…whatever!).

The guys at work had a couple of nights-out during these weeks of my pregnancy and I just didn’t have the energy to go and in honesty, was struggling going out in the evenings when everyone was drinking and I couldn’t. I would just get sleepy and frustrated! Although in general, not drinking was easier than I expected…you sort of just get used to it…and it’s a great detox!

Aside from that, not huge amounts to report. Feeling surprisingly normal!!

Do you feel your bump is growing yet?

______________________________________________

Week 19 (diary entry)

Yay! I finally have a bump worth writing home about and I’m so happy.

Does that sound really silly? I should probably be glad that at Week 19, I still haven’t put on a single lb, but I was starting to feel like Mother Nature was depriving me of that all important signature of pregnancy…the perfectly rounded bump. But, as if by magic, one has sprouted up almost overnight!

I woke up with a smile on my face towards the end of week 19, as I was starting to see some significant change in my body. Hubby was noticing too and it really felt special – I’ve been on cloud 9.

My pregnancy this week has actually been pretty enjoyable and I’ve felt surprisingly normal and even, dare I say it, energetic. I don’t like to speak too soon, but I seem to be sleeping well, feeling energised in the mornings and getting off to sleep ok at night too.

I have been making a concerted effort to vary my eating a bit more this week (I was eating pasta all day every day it seemed) and have introduced more fruit into my diet by drinking smoothies and buying small snack packs to munch on at my desk throughout the day. I guess it’s working.

Physically, other than my bump, I’ve noticed my fingernails are stronger and therefore remaining long, and my hair is thick and moulting less.

I’ve been told to make the most of this second-trimester feeling, as I’m sure it all becomes a bit of a struggle in the third trimester, so that’s what I’m going to do. I’ve been trying to fit my pregnancy yoga DVD in some evenings (usually managing just the 20-minute session) and have had a personal trainer come round on Saturdays.

Oh, and what topped my pregnancy week 19? The scan!! That’s right, we got to meet our little one again and I’ll be writing a whole separate post on that soon…

my pregnancy week 19