I can’t work out what’s worse, the first trimester or the second trimester! They both definitely have their downfalls. The first trimester was filled with sickness and anxiety, the second is again filled with anxiety but with a lovely helping of intense back pain (whoever said pregnancy was glamorous?!)
This pregnancy is flying by. In one way I’m glad because I’ve found it super tough this time around, but on the other hand, I’m sad as I’m certain this is the last time I’ll ever be pregnant. I just want to make sure I don’t forget to do everything I wanted to do whilst pregnant, take enough bump photos (which I’m totally slacking in!) and actually enjoy the time being pregnant.
19 Weeks
I’m currently 19 weeks as I write this post out. I can’t believe I’m this close to the ‘halfway mark’. Though technically I’m already over halfway since they are expecting to induce me at 37-38 weeks this time around. The back pain has definitely eased from a few weeks back. Weeks 15-18 were filled with such a horrific backache and pain that was mostly in my coccyx and actually bought me to tears most nights. I’m not sure if it was a fluke that it has started to ease or if its the exercises and stretches I’ve been doing with my birthing ball. Either way, I’m internally grateful for the ability to sit on my bottom again.
The Bump
I am so much smaller than I was this far along with Theodore! I am sure that this baby is going to be measuring small when we go for our 20-week scan. Though saying that Theodore was measuring big at his 20-week scan and they had to give me some extra growth scans to check he wasn’t going to be super-sized! Luckily his growth rate balanced out after 20 weeks so I didn’t end up with a giant of a baby. I’m actually the same weight I was when I began this pregnancy which I think is totally strange since I’m definitely bigger! Perhaps it was the weeks of sickness in the first trimester or the fact I’m going to bed around 8 pm instead of staying up until midnight binge-watching Netflix with all the snacks…
Kicks, kicks and more kicks!
I felt the first few flutters around week 16, and now at week 19, I’m feeling the baby moving around multiple times a day. It’s a wonderful reassuring feeling, especially with the long waits between scans and midwife appointments.
Taken up some exercise
If you know me at all then you know I don’t mix myself with exercise. Like any, not even easy stretches. BUT I’ve added it into my nightly routine to try ease my back pain and it’s working. I bought this exercise ball in the correct size for my height (totally didn’t know you had to do that!) and I think I might just keep it forever. Nightly stretches and gentle exercises feel SO good before bed.
Chosen names
We have a little girl and a little boys name picked out ready. We have actually loved both of these for a while, I think we might have decided on them whilst we were trying to conceive, and I believe we’re pretty set. We’re just struggling on choosing middle names for both.
Cravings and aversions
I haven’t had a single craving or aversion so far. Which is strange because I definitely had some early on when I was pregnant with Theodore. I have a very sweet tooth lately, usually I’m a chocolate girl but I keep reaching for all the hard-boiled sweets and lollypops pops, but I’m definitely not craving them, I don’t need them, I just like them more than usual. Perhaps I’ll get some cravings when I’m further along.
Now rocking maternity clothes
By week 15 I could no longer fit in my regular jeans, but to tell the truth, they were a little tight for me anyway. I’ve managed to rummage around in the loft and find my maternity jeans from the last pregnancy, and now I’m living in them and my favourite leggings from Love Leggings. I’ve been super frugal and not bought anything new. I picked up a maternity bundle from Facebook marketplace and grabbed a few statement pieces from Depop. I don’t see the point in spending megabucks on some clothes I can only wear for around 9 months.
Looking forward to?
Mostly our 20-week scan. I can’t wait to see baby again and see them in a much more developed state than our last scan. We’re not finding out the sex so we’re skipping over that exciting bit, but I’m more looking forward to just having this baby here in our arms and complete our family.
How lovely! I think I flew through the first trimester with little to no symptoms but boy did the second and third kick my ass!
Enjoy your 20 week scan and hope baby is neither too small or too big x
Author
Thank you! x
Ah so exciting! I remember the second trimester was no more fun for me with my second and third babies, as I still just felt sick. You have a. lovely bump! Wondering if a girl, if a different pregnancy!
Author
Oh that’s awful! I get the occasional wave of sickness but I have some meds left from my first trimester so I usually take one and it subsides! xx
That’s great to hear that you’ve been incorporating exercise into your second trimester. Glad to hear it’s been helping with the back pain!
Author
Thank you! I never did any in my first pregnancy so I’m glad to make the change! xx
Glad that the sickness is going away!! You do look lovely with that neat bump! Second and third pregnancies seem to fly by
Author
Oh thanks! Yeah it seems to be going so quickly! xx
Such an exciting time! I remember those first kicks so well – my first baby was super active, we nicknamed him Karate Kid. My second, in contrast, was so quiet that at several points I panicked whether he was still alive. Turns out he just wasn’t as crazy as his big brother.
Author
Yes I am experiencing the same thing! I often worry something has happened because I haven’t felt a movement in a while, but then as soon as I start to worry they start to kick about! xx
The highlight, for us, of the second trimester was finding out if we were having a boy or a girl. It only felt real to me once I’d given the babies a name and could visualise the nursery decor etc! I didn’t start shopping – but I was writing lists!
Author
I’ve been writing tonnes of lists! We have most of the big stuff left from my firstborn but there is certainly stuff I want to differently this time! x x
I personally think the first and third trimester are the hardest, but in general I find pregnancy a bit of a slog. For back pain, I had it quite badly in my third pregnancy and going to see a chiropractor with experience in pregnancy really helped.
Author
Honestly, I’m not looking forward to the third trimester! I remember it being hard with my first, and this time I’m giving birth right in the height of summer! x x
Congratulations! I love that you aren’t finding out the sex, I didn’t find out for either of mine and was so glad I didn’t. It can be tough not to because you’re so curious and you know they know when they re scanning but finding out when are born is just so special, THE best surprise in the entire world.
Author
Oh, I’m so glad to hear you say that! Some people have been so shocked that we don’t want to find out this time! (We found out with our firstborn) but the idea of a surprise seems so wonderful! x x
Aw this is such an exciting time for you and your other half…congrats to you both. Looking very pretty in your pregnancy picture too. .I hope all goes well xx
Author
Oh thank you so much! x x
Oh wow what an exciting time especially feeling those kicks! I think I was in maternity clothes by this point as well and it makes for a really nice transition.
Laura x