The Truth about Your Second Trimester.

By all accounts, the second semester is generally the “sweet spot” in your pregnancy. Morning sickness has usually lessened or subsided completely, you can still tie your own shoes with any luck and you can sleep in most positions without feeling like you’re going to suffocate, but its not necessarily roses in spring time. The second trimester comes with its own quirks.

I lost five lbs in my first trimester, and at no detriment to my unborn child. I wasn’t TRYING to lose weight, but with a gratuitous amount of nausea, it happened. I was feeling good going into my second trimester. I felt like I could conquer the world. But I could also eat again. I wasn’t doing anything ridiculous and I was getting plenty of exercise, but when my body decided it was time to hold on to the pounds, the weight came in spades. I put on 20 lbs in my second trimester with our second baby. An unconscionable amount to pack on in less than fourteen weeks. It was hard. And its more common than you’d think. I had only added in 200 calories a day, but my whole body chemistry morphed to accommodate this tiny human.

I passed the blood glucose test, Woot! but… and theres a but all-too-often, I had signs of gestational hypertension. When doctor’s start bringing up things like stroke and death when they talk about your pregnancy, the gorgeous glowing skin doesn’t seem to shine as bright. It’s hard to know that yours or your baby’s health could be at risk, especially when you’re doing the “right” things.

While I could still breathe in my second trimester for both of my pregnancies, sleep was not good. It was hard to fall asleep. It was even harder to stay asleep. I wore a fitbit during my second pregnancy and was clocking an average of 400 steps a night, just in bathroom visits, and our bathroom is only about 15 steps from our bed. I didn’t feel comfortable cutting out fluids too early, because I regularly feel dehydrated even when I wasn’t pregnant, but it affected my sleep greatly.

Those are the worst to expect as my experience went, but those aside, the 2nd trimester can be the best trimester. Enjoy your pregnancy.