Second Trimester Survival: Must-Haves

     No, I'm not a seasoned, professional pregnant girl, but I do feel like I now specialize in the area of surviving the second trimester! So many women told me that the second trimester was golden, and it took me about two weeks to realize that for the most part, they were right! I was hit with some bad back pain, but it beat the heck out of it being exhausted all day, every day, feeling as if I could sleep at my desk from 8 to 4!

     As I reflected on the second trimester and how wonderful it really was, I concluded that it definitely deserves it's very own blog post about what helped me get through it and enjoy it as much as possible! For expectant moms, I hope it's as golden for you as it was for me!

 

 

Old Faithful... AKA a heating pad/icepack

When the back pain began getting really tough for me, heat/ice pack was my best friend. Some days ice felt better for inflammation, while the heat was a great muscle soother for other days. This was $15 at my chiropractor's office, but you can find them much cheaper at drugstores. I've also heard of pregnant women wearing those icy hot wraps during the day. Never tried it, but I'm sure they're amazing!

Tylenol

 

The "safe" drug for pregnant women. Two tablets every morning helped combat the minor headaches that continued into trimester two and the back pain. I'm no longer popping pills every morning (except for that lovely prenatal vitamin that I forget nearly every day), but I still keep a bottle of these in my bag at all times.

Water

 

And LOTS of it. Trimester Two is a thirsty one, so keep a cold bottled water close by. While at school, I was making trips to the water fountain to fill up my tumbler every half hour. In addition, I was making just as frequent trips to the bathroom, but after a dehydration scare (accompanied by a $500 emergency room bill just to find out I needed something to drink), I learned to keep my fluids nearby! This summer, as I'm walking around the hot streets of Holly Springs running errands for work, I've kept this cup with me. I'm always sipping on my ice water!

Cute, comfy nightgown

 

At a certain point, pajama pants just won't stay put and are too uncomfortable on a growing belly. I love my Victoria's Secret gowns that I've had forever, but my mom and I recently found ones at Walmart that read "Drink Coffee & Be Happy." Of course, we each just had to have one, and now it's my favorite!

Yoga Pants

 For that awkward phase (mine was weeks 17-20) when you're not far enough along for maternity pants but your pre-pregnancy pants are a little too snug. I started wearing yoga pants to work every day with a t-shirt or tank top and cardigan. I'm sure I looked pretty basic some days, but hey, at least I was comfortable!

Fast Food

But not that kind of fast! I'm talking about quick snacks and even meals that you can throw in your bag on the way out the door because trust me, when hunger strikes, it strikes HARD. Just a couple of weeks into the second trimester I learned the importance of keeping something edible on me at all times. My mother and I were in a junk store looking around, and I knew I was getting hungry, but I still didn't suggest we go. After a little while, I told her that we were going to need to leave pretty soon and at least get me a Coke or something with a little sugar, as I was getting hungrier by the minute. My mother kept saying "Okay, I'm almost done... Just one more trip around the store..." After twenty minutes of this, I grabbed her arm and said "If you do not get me out of this store and to a place with food, I am going to kill you." She made a beeline for the checkout and since then, she makes a point to hurry it up the minute I tell her I'm hungry! Pregnancy hunger is like no other!!

Maxi Dress/Skirt

A great maxi dress you can wear anywhere. Church, parties, work, showers and more showers, maxi dresses become your go-to style. Coming from a self-proclaimed shop-a-holic who rarely wears a really great outfit more than two-three times, I've realized that with a pregnancy wardrobe, you just gotta find a few things that fit and get as much wear out of them as you can. It doesn't last forever, so don't go spend hundreds. Also, don't just head to the maternity section; shop for things a size or two up as well. It's much cheaper!

Comfy Shoes

I may "only" be 28 weeks, but so far, all of my shoes still fit perfectly fine, including my favorite Nike tennis shoes. I'm telling you, water-only is the way to get out of all that ankle swelling! I also love my Teva flip flops. These are the second pair I've owned (RIP to the first pair, destroyed by Anabelle). I suppose they are like Chaco rip-offs. I once saved my money for a pair of Chaco's, got to Kinnucan's and tried on five different pair in my size. I thought they were heavy and clunky and made my size ten feet look even bigger. Then I saw these hanging on the wall, and I've not looked back. They're amazing. The soles are a rubber, foamy material, so they're super squishy and great for people with high arches like mine!

NOT uncomfortable lace up your rear end...

A great pair of... underwear? Yikes, I said it, but it's true. "Sexy" panties kind of went out the window for me at about five months, so I now opt for comfort instead. It's my personal belief that since these come from Victoria's Secret, they are not "granny panties." :) Go for the hip-huggers or bikini styles from VS!

A good support system...

And I found that in stretchy sports bras. I wear these religiously anyway, but they've been especially helpful during pregnancy for days when I just don't even want to deal with a regular, wired bra. For years, I have only bought the meshy, spandex bras with no binding around the bust. I get most of mine at Target, but they also have some great ones for super cheap at TJMaxx.

Did I leave anything out? What helped you make it through lovely Trimester Two??

Only 12 more weeks until Vaught and I get to meet!