2nd Trimester Must Haves

Since my second trimester is over, I decided to come up with a small list of the things I used most. These are my essentials, and may be different than someone else's. But I feel that it could be helpful if you're entering your second trimester. So here's a few must haves to help you through your second trimester. 

1. Palmer's Cocoa Butter for itchy skin- In the second trimester your belly starts to grow, which can cause it to become really itchy. I found this oil and it has been nothing short of amazing! I use it in the morning and at night. But I've been using it more since my stretching stomach has gotten more itchy. Thankfully I have no stretch marks as of right now! palmers.com

2. Tums- Pregnancy related heartburn is awful. NOTHING really helped but tums do take the edge off. I've been popping them like candy because it seems that no matter what I eat, I get really bad heartburn. 

tums.com 

3. Maternity Jeans- If you are in your second trimester...purchase a pair(or two) of maternity jeans. I still fit into my regular jeans but the material is really uncomfortable. I finally found a brand of maternity jeans that fit and are super comfortable. A Pea in the Pod has jeans that fit pretty true to size and I highly recommend them. 

apeainthepod.com 

4. Body Pillow- Uncomfortable at night? Try a body pillow. I really didn't feel like dropping $40-$50 on one of those pregnancy pillows, plus they're huge and take up a lot of room and I'd still like my husband to be able to sleep in the same bed as me. So I got a body pillow and I feel like it works the same. It might not have the support all around but I use a regular pillow to support my back. 

target.com

5. Olly Prenatal Vitamins- I really wish I had these during my first trimester. Every other prenatal I have tried has made me sick...these however have made me actually feel better! They're gummy vitamins and are easy to get down. I've tried other gummy vitamins but the flavor and consistency is just sickening to me. They're a new brand that only target carries at the moment. 

target.com

6. Water Bottle- Keeping hydrated is super important during your whole pregnancy. But in the second trimester it can really help with swelling and growing pains. The more hydrated you are, the better you'll feel. Buying a water bottle can help you get enough water without trying to keep track of how many glasses you have had. Usually I fill mine up 2-3 times per day and it's a lot easier to drink enough. 

target.com

27 Weeks

27 weeks! 

And I've reached my third and last trimester! Where in the world has time gone? The first trimester defiantly lasted longer than the second, so I'm hoping the third flies by. Can't wait to meet our little girl!

Baby is the size of a head of cauliflower and weighs about 1 and half pounds give or take. By now she is opening her eyes and can sense light...so another question, will her eyes be brown like her daddy's or hazel green like mine?! Time will tell! 

How far along are you? 27 weeks

Cravings: Defiantly prefer sandwiches in wraps for some reason. And ice cream. Caleb and I went to a local creamery…and they make the BEST ice cream. It’s so creamy and better than soft served which is what I was originally craving.  So now all I want is cookie dough ice cream with rainbow sprinkles. 

Weight Gain: +18 lbs…that’s what I was at at my last appointment. So until I go again I won’t know. 

Comments:

“It looks like you’re smuggling a watermelon” - husband

“Aw! Your belly is just so cute!” - random person

Favorite moment this week: Shopping for her, and we decided on what colors we want for her nursery! 

Fears: Feeling anxious about being in labor. Hoping that I can be a good mom. And being prepared for her. I had a dream the other night that she was born, but for some reason we just had a baby shower and all of her stuff was everywhere. 

General mood: Is tired a mood? Because I’m so tired. My body never got the energy memo. Therefore, when I’m exhausted I’m just pretty moody and rather be alone. Which is unlike me. I would always rather be around people! 

Sleep: I hate this one…I just can’t seem to be able to sleep well. 

Things I was surprised by: How comfortable maternity clothes are. Seriously, if you are pregnant, invest in some maternity clothes. I think people who say they don’t want to buy them are crazy…like regular clothes just aren’t as comfortable at all. 

Things I am most looking forward to: Caleb and I’s birthdays are this month, so I’m defiantly looking forward to both of those.  Our last birthday celebrations before becoming a family of three! 

What I think is really cool and crazy:  That I’m in my third trimester! The second trimester defiantly went by so much faster than the first. Most likely because I wasn’t as sick. But I’m just getting so anxious and excited to meet our little girl. I hope the third trimester flies by too! 

Food Aversions:  Grilled chicken & turkey…just please don’t offer those to me. I’ve been better about stomaching veggies. Except corn, avocado, and carrots. Those three are just gag worthy. I have a feeling that I won’t be eating the foods I hate now for quite some time, even after she’s born. Before I got pregnant, if a food ever made me sick I wouldn’t eat it again.

Maternity Clothes:  Yes! Even though I love knowing I can wear my regular jeans, the material just isn’t comfortable at all. So I FINALLY found jeans that fit! I highly recommend A Pea in A Pod jeans! They are made to fit smaller sizes and are super comfortable. I also got another shirt from the same company because it was to cute to pass. 

Gender: Little Princess! 

26 Weeks

How far along are you? 26 weeks

Cravings: Soft served ice cream and cheesecake…wow I’m SO healthy. I haven't had ice cream yet, but I made a cheesecake and it's become a nightly treat. Also cheese...I have a feeling this little girl is going to love dairy.  I have been enjoying wraps lately. I prefer them over sandwiches. 

Weight Gain: +18 lbs…that’s what I was at at my last appointment. So until I go again I won’t know. 

Comments:

“Your belly is defiantly higher, looking like where a girl should be.” - my one sis-in-law who thought I carried to low to be a girl at first...those old wives tales..

“My goodness, you’re really popping out there!” - Literally almost everyone likes to say that. As if I didn’t know this.
"I see your belly button starting to stick out there" - my mom-in-law

Favorite moment this week: Caleb finally witnissed one of her bigger kicks! It caught him off guard because he was in the middle of talking. And he just stopped almost in shock. Also, I’m pretty sure I’m feeling her hiccup! They just feel like a small little heartbeat and it happens for a few minutes. And no, it’s not my heartbeat because I checked and it doesn’t match my pulse. 

Fears: The reality of labor hits me and I do start to feel scared. But I’ve also been doing a lot of research on all natural births and how to stay calm. I’ve just started researching so the fear is still there. 

General mood: Anti-social some days. Other days I’m a pretty happy person.

Sleep: I hate this one…I just can’t seem to be able to sleep well. 

Things I was surprised by: How little of an appetite I still have. Unless you put something sweet in front of me. 

Things I am most looking forward to: Being done taking medicine…the doctors found that I have an infection and taking antibiotics goes against what I want…but if it doesn’t get treated it could spread to the baby. So I’m praying it goes away and I don't have to take any more.

What I think is really cool and crazy: How amazing it is to watch my belly grow. Like our bodies are built for this and it’s pretty surreal to see it happening. 

Food Aversions: Still meat. I was able to stomach a burger the other day…but I really rather not have one again. I'm really not a fan of avocado still...I tried guacamole the other day...ehh is all I can say to that one. Which is super sad because that used to be my favorite.

Maternity Clothes: A few shirts, and two dresses. Crazy thing…I went shopping the other day for maternity shorts and pants, none fit me..still! The legs are just to baggy. So I went home and tried on my regular jeans, and they still fit me. A little tight but they defiantly went up. I think it’s crazy, but I don’t really know where this weight I’m gaining is going. 

Gender: Little Princess! 

24-25 Weeks

This is going to be a little longer post than normal. So get comfy :) 

24 Weeks! 
Baby girl was as big as a cantaloupe! Or a package or oreos. 
Her skin is filling out more and more and becoming less translucent. 



I decided to just combine weeks 24 and 25 for a few reasons. One: I just was way to exhausted and dealing with things that I had no energy to even want to blog. Two: I honestly didn't notice much of a difference between weeks 23-24. And three: at my doctors appointment she is measuring exactly 25 weeks to the day so I decided to switch things up and post the day the weeks change. Up until this point most babies in the womb grow at the same rate. Now is when genetics start to take over and babies will grow at their own pace. Which is why due dates aren't typically accurate and everyone delivers either earlier or later. 


So earlier this week I started getting cramps in the morning. They felt like cramps you get right before you start your period. But they were coming and going...of course that really worried me. They would subside with rest and drinking water so I figured I am just having more growing pains. I didn't really feel like it's any sign of labor, because I don't have any other symptoms of pre-term labor. But on top of cramps I've been feeling just overall exhausted and more crappy. I had a doctor's appointment scheduled so of course any period like cramping is/can be a cause for concern so they went ahead and did a few tests, check everything just to make sure I wasn't dilating. Thankfully everything is okay and they came to the conclusion that I am dealing with Braxton hicks contractions. I've upped my water intake and it does seem to be helping a lot. I don't think little miss cares for them either because she moves around like crazy after they subside. After a few worrisome days I'm glad to be feeling better. 

Now on to the update! I'm just going to skip over 24 weeks...because it would honestly be identical to 23 weeks. 


Here's a 24 week picture from a lovely wedding Caleb and I attended. 

The beautiful bride is a good friend of mine. Kind of funny how big life events bring people together! She's pregnant with a little boy! We've known each other for years, our husbands grew up going to church together and we met through them. But it took about...7 years until we started talking. No reason why! But we started to become really close after she found out I was pregnant. She's a first time mom as well so being able to have a close friend who completely understands all of your feelings has been a huge blessing. We have helped each other, able to complain about all the pains of pregnancy, and being able to share the amazing experience together! Oh, did I mention that she's about 3-4 weeks ahead of me! We wanted to get a baby bump picture together and I'm so glad we did! It's so funny to see how our bumps are compared to each other :) I can't wait to meet her baby boy in September! He's going to be the cutest little guy <3 

Can't wait to meet our little ones, and for them to meet! 

Currently 25 weeks!
Our little miss the as big as a cauliflower. And now knows which way is up and which is down. She is continuing to gain more fat and hair...which explains all the heartburn ;) AND her hair now has color....hmmm will it be red or blonde?!?!

How far along? 25 Weeks

Total weight gain: +18 lbs...that number is a little shocking to me, but I'm finally at a healthy weight which is good. 

Maternity clothes? Some maternity tops, but no maternity bottoms. I have yet to find any that fit me. 

Stretch marks? Nope, still using that lotion! I also use palmer's cocoa butter oil..seriously that stuff is amazing for itchy bellies..you just spray it on and instant relief! 

Sleep: What's that? I'm beyond exhausted and could sleep all day long. As soon as night hits I wake up all the time. I do find that if I go to bed later, I can usually sleep a little longer before waking up. 

Best moment of this week: Caleb had a four day weekend and it was so nice just spending quality time together. I've had a rough weekend dealing with some symptoms so I was thankful he was off to be with me. Also at the doctors finding out everything is okay, and getting to hear her heartbeat is always amazing! 

Miss anything? Not feeling so drained...so the second trimester that promised to give me energy sure didn't deliver. I have kissed my energy goodbye for now. 

Movement: Oh yes! Her kicks can sometimes startle me because usually they're lighter but once in awhile she has a good hard kick. 

Food cravings: Soft served ice cream..I haven't had any yet but I certainly want it. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Chicken and turkey mainly. But other than that I haven't felt to nauseous ..I'm hoping it stays that way because I'm enjoying not feeling the need to throw up. 

Gender Guesses: A sweet baby girl!!!!!!! 

Labor signs: No way! 

Symptoms: Horrible heartburn...or acid reflux. It's been so bad that my chest and throat hurt. Braxton Hicks contractions, exhaustion, and some aches and pains. 

Belly button in or out? Uhh..it's like flat. Not completely but I have a feeling it's either going to be flat or pop out. We'll see! 

Wedding rings on or off? On. Still on the tighter side though. How I just love humidity!

Happy or moody most of the time: In between. I have days where I'm in a great mood. Than other days I'm not. 

Looking forward to: Caleb and I are going to get maternity pictures done soon so I'm looking forward to figuring out ideas! We are doing some now, then again around 32-35 weeks. My mom is a photographer so it's a bonus that I can chose when to get them! 

10 Things That Surprised Me About Being Pregnant

Before I got pregnant, I always just assumed how pregnancy would be. You hear so many stories so I always wondered how I would handle being pregnant. I know everyone is different and pregnancy is different for each person. I'm currently 24 weeks, so halfway through pregnancy and I'm basing this off of what I have/have not experienced so far. 


Things that surprised me about being pregnant:



1. I expected to have crazy cravings, as in I would burst into tears if I was told no. This hasn't happened. I have wanted certain foods over others. But I can't say I was upset if I didn't have it. I would usually feel sick if I didn't eat what I wanted. I haven't wanted weird combinations of food either. 


2. I thought morning sickness would be easy to handle. Since dealing with so many stomach issues in the past, I felt like I was well equipped to handle pregnancy sickness. Oh, I was so wrong. Everything I knew just went out the window and didn't even matter. I won't lie, I had ALL day and ALL night sickness. I felt like death. I couldn't move my body without it aching and just feeling so sick. Every single thing I ate made me sick. I was sick if I didn't eat, sick if I ate. I had to go to the doctors more for testing because I was dizzy and passing out. I was so deficient in a lot of key vitamins. The baby was taking any nutrients from me and leaving me with nothing. Mentally I didn't care how I felt as long as the baby was healthy and growing. But physically, it was really hard. After a few months it eased up. But I do still get nauseous, and have days where I don't feel well. 

3. I thought I'd have crazy mood swings. I'll admit, I am more emotional than before, and can be pretty moody. But nothing like I thought. I expected outbursts, breakdowns, and how you see in the movies. Nope, nothing like that. I get angered and annoyed more easily. But usually for a reason. 

4. I thought I would have uncontrollable hunger. You see and hear about pregnant woman constantly eating and being hungry. Well that symptom skipped me. Whenever I feel hungry, I can't even finish a whole meal. I feel really full in just a few bites. Breakfast is the only meal I can eat more of. I may eat a little more than I did before I got pregnant, but nothing crazy at all. 

5. Being able to eat gluten and dairy. This one still shocks me. If you've been following me for a few years, you know just how sick both of things made me. Well not right now. I've been able to eat just about anything. I haven't tried milk, mainly because I haven't ever liked it, or ice cream. Since they're straight dairy I'm not to sure how it'll effect me. But I haven't really wanted either of those things. I'm honestly thankful that I can eat both of those things because I feel like I can give my baby nutrients that wouldn't have been possible on a restricted diet. And to be honest once I started eating those, I started to feel better. Didn't cure my sickness but it really helped. Right now, anything gluten or dairy free makes me gag...which is so ironic how things change. 

6. Being able to sleep: I figured with being pregnant and exhausted, I'd sleep like a rock. Nope, I barely sleep. I have had a few nights where I can sleep through the night but those are rare. I wake up so much that I never fall into a deep sleep. Most of the time I don't even wake up to pee. I'm just restless. And now I'm starting to enter into the phase of getting aches and pains. So my future with sleep isn't a very bright one. 

7. Gaining weight: Gaining weight is inevitable while pregnant. It's just healthy, well as long as it's healthy weight gain. Being really tiny before I got pregnant, gaining weight kind of scared me. But I know it's what's best for me and my baby, and I have fully accepted that my body is going to change and I'm okay with it. 
I am currently working on a post all about the weight subject in pregnancy. 

8. Constantly having aches and pains: It never crossed my mind about having growing pains during pregnancy. Now knowing it's a real thing and it makes sense. Since I'm smaller I'm going to feel every change my body goes through. I can tell when my belly is getting bigger because of the pains I have. It is miserable at times but during those times I just do my best to rest so my body can do what it needs to do. 

9. How uncomfortable and itchy my skin would be: I knew your belly would get itchy from stretching, but I wasn't prepared for literally my entire body to be itchy. I was so itchy early on that I broke skin and looked like I had hickies on my back. Also, I find most clothes to be uncomfortable. If there's a tag I rip it out. If the material isn't soft, I don't wear it.

10. Loving someone so much that I haven't even met yet: Okay, I know that I would have a deep love for my baby. But even early on, I felt such a love. It's really indescribable, but it's a love that I think only a parent feels. Just knowing that this little person is mine and is totally dependent on me just makes me feel so much. Everything I do is for her. And every single day that passes is one day closer until I get to meet her. I seriously can't wait. 

23 Weeks

23 Weeks! 
Baby is the size of a grapefruit, but so much sweeter! 
Time is sure flying by now. Probably because most of my time is spent feeling and seeing this little girl kick. I've began her clothes collection, and this girl is going to have more clothes than her mommy and daddy combined. But I don't mind one bit! Girl clothes are just so much fun. 

How far along? 23 Weeks

Total weight gain: Last time I got weighed, I was 116. So until my next doctor appointment I won't update. 

Maternity clothes? My normal clothes are defiantly fitting weird...not tight, just to me don't look right. I have a feeling I'm going to need to invest in some new clothes soon. 

Stretch marks? Nope, still using that lotion! I use a mix of cocoa and shea butter lotions. 

Sleep: I slept great the first two nights we got home. Didn't even wake up once to pee. But now it's back to being horrible again. I just want to sleep! 

Best moment of this week: I start teaching at a new dance studio and summer classes start this week. So I'm really excited to be back in a dance studio again. Now let's just hope my energy can keep up! 

Miss anything? A good nights sleep. Please don't tell me "oh, well you better get used to it" I'm well aware of that fact. But telling a pregnant woman to get used to not sleeping really isn't a good idea. I have to take a nap during the day because I feel like I can't make it through.

Movement: Yes! I could sit with my hand feeling her move all day long. Also I can see her movements as well. She defiantly moves more when music is playing, or when her daddy is talking. 

Food cravings:  B.L.T sandwiches with cheese, and blueberries. I've almost eaten half of a big carton myself of blueberries. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: I can't stand the thought of meat, mainly chicken. This past week, and weekend I dealt with feeling really awful and I think milk is to blame. Not like a lactose reaction, just making me extremely nauseous. I stopped drinking it and I'm starting to feel better. Go figure because I used to crave it and drink two big glasses a day! 

Gender Guesses: Baby girl!!!!!!! 

Labor signs: No way!

Symptoms: Fatigue. I've been having some hip pain, which really bothers me at night. Restless leg syndrome happens at night...no matter how active I am during the day. 

Belly button in or out? In...well truthfully my belly button has always been an innie/outie...and now it's starting to bump out just a little bit. 

Wedding rings on or off? On. Which I really hope they stay on the whole pregnancy. They are starting to feel a little tight...but I know summer heat doesn't help. 

Happy or moody most of the time: So moody. I think the combination of being tired and sick just make me not a happy camper. 

Looking forward to: Caleb has a four day weekend, so I'm excited to just spend some quality time together. 

Our Babymoon

Have I ever said how much I love the beach? Well I do a lot. And some day Caleb and I plan to live near the beach. I've always loved the beach. It's so relaxing and peaceful. Caleb grew up going to Oak Island, NC and I grew up going to Assateaugue, MD and Outer Banks, NC. A few years ago, he took me to Oak Island and I haven't wanted to go to any other beach since. It's the cutest little island and it's exactly what I picture when I think of a little southern island. It's also close to Southport, NC which I adore that little town. If I could chose right now, that's where I'd love to raise our family. Maybe one day...but for now we will just take our family there for vacation. 

We went on vacation, which we called our babymoon. We had it planned probably sometime last year that we were going to be going with his side of the family this year. Little did we know that it was also going to be our babymoon. It's our last vacation "just us" and I was excited to spend time on the warm beach. We went to the beach for our honeymoon, but it was quite cold. 

We also had an oceanfront house. Which I've never been in but it was amazing. To wake up each morning and see the ocean, and be able to eat breakfast with the sound of the waves. Oh. I could defiantly go back there right now! 

So here is a few pictures from our week. I didn't take as many as I would have liked, just because I didn't have my phone on me all the time. 

But enjoy! 

 The view from our top deck! 

Evenings at the beach are always beautiful. 

A beach bump

Can't forget that we had a golf cart rental for the week! It was so fun being able to quickly drive places. We were spoiled and now we need one for every year! 

Out to dinner with the fam

Love these crazy people!

The biggest B.L.T I have ever eaten. Yes it was amazing, no I couldn't eat it all. I barely could eat half of it. 

We learned that it was National Donut Day...we didn't get free donuts but we got these amazing donuts from a local store on the island. Still tasted amazing. 

Clearly Caleb has an extreme love for donuts...and we wonder who's pregnant? ;) 

 Pool and spa day! Unfortunately I wasn't able to be in the sauna or steam room, but everyone else got to enjoy them! 

They are all a bunch of goofs and insisted they needed their picture taken.

Our amazing view! Oceanfront

 Soundside

Our last evening on the beach. 

I do have more pictures, from other family members. But I haven't received them. Once I do I'll add them to this post. 

We had such an amazing week. Couldn't have asked for better weather either. 

Also during our babymoon, we figured out our baby girl's name and her Mimi, gram gram, and auntie all got to feel her kick! 

So many memories with the ones we love and I look forward next year when our little girl sees the ocean for the first time. 

<3