I’m well into the third trimester of this pregnancy and I simultaneously cannot believe it because it seems so quick, but also it feels like I’ve been pregnant forever. We’re going to meet this baby in about 2 months, and I’m once again left to wonder how my belly is going to stretch even one more inch to accommodate this growing baby! Yikes.
Now seems like a good time to recap my thoughts of the second trimester (which I’m defining as weeks 14-28 of pregnancy).
But first!
If you want to read about my second trimester…
My Thoughts on the Second Trimester, the Third Time Around:
+ Not being able to take Advil (or other ibuprofen) is killing me…I’m having TMJ issues and now I have a migraine and I need ibuprofen and a muscle relaxer ASAP.
+ This is my favorite child. Only 14.5 weeks of nausea (as opposed to its sisters’ 16.5 weeks…) I’ll take it!
+ I spoke too soon. The nausea lasted approximately 20+ weeks. This might now be my least favorite child.
+ The prenatal screen came back ‘positive’ for Down Syndrome (at about 15 weeks), which really just means I have a slightly increased risk compared to the rest of my age group, so in to take yet another blood test I go…
+ The Harmony blood test results came back at very low risk of any trisomy disorders, so that eased my anxiety!
+ My energy! It’s back! I am unstoppable! I forgot how capable I am when i’m not nauseous and exhausted 24/7.
+ Oh hey, big belly! It’s weird how seeing myself this way is so familiar by now! I actually love the way I look when I’m pregnant, before I get too huge, so it’s nice to see my body change and grow.
+ And baby kicks – at 16 weeks!
+ I stole this pillow from Isabelle (who was using it in her bed!) and I love it, once again! Tim thinks the amount of pillows I use is unnecessary, but I say one can never have too many – especially with a pregnant belly!
+ I am the most awkward person about (not) telling people I’m pregnant. I should probably get on that since I’m almost 17 weeks along and almost no one knows… whoops.
+ I feel like when we tell people we’re pregnant, most people are low-key alarmed for us. Like ummm guys, you can barely handle two kids! You are going to be a mess with three! (We know, we know.)
+ As soon as my nausea went away, I got a horrible cold (which I can’t take medicine for) and am so over not feeling well.
+ Now a sinus infection?! I’ve never had one of these in my life. What the heck, body?!
+ If my eyes and eardrums explode out of my head, they’re going to need to emergency land this plane in Kansas… (actual thought I had on the way between Seattle and Chicago).
+ 21 weeks and I feel fantastic! For the first time all pregnancy!
+ I’m going to join a gym! (Done and done – I joined a gym with childcare and it is one of my better life choices.)
+ I have a cute bump!
+ I’m going to wear alllll the maternity things, because my shirts are officially hanging awkwardly off my belly. Thank goodness I have friends who are done having babies and gifted me so many maternity clothes (since I gave mine away after I had Isabelle).
+ Babe is constantly moving and they had a hard time getting images at 20 weeks and finding the heartbeat at every appointment, so I think this one is a boy. I love feeling all of the kicking and rolls! (Note, I also thought both Clara and Isabelle were boys at this stage. I clearly have no maternal instinct.)
+ How is that lady (on social media) 28 weeks pregnant?! She’s way smaller than me and I’m only 25 weeks!
+ Should I do all of the things or just rest a lot? I’m torn on how to spend my time… on one hand I want to plan travel (A babymoon! But with the girls.) and tackle house projects… on the other hand I don’t want to overwhelm my future (third trimester pregnant) self, because I know I’ll probably be more tired in a few months. Decisions, decisions.
+ I’m depending on this stuff to help combat dry skin, and maybe (hopefully!) stretch marks.
+ It’s weird not having a doula this time around. Or doing hospital tours. Or going to birthing classes. Or even doing prenatal yoga…
+ Plus I haven’t read even one post from a birth board. (Advice: never, ever read posts on birth boards unless you’re having an especially stressful pregnancy and need specific support from women in the same unique situation as you!)
+ … And I haven’t even thought about what we’ll need for a new baby! Being pregnant this (third) time is kind of weird.
+ Clara (and sometimes Isabelle) loves feeling the baby move! These moments of us cuddling together are so precious to me. Clara is still firmly convinced this baby is a girl, so I’m not quite sure what her reaction will be if it’s a boy!
Basically, the second trimester was not as magical this time around. In other pregnancies I felt not-as-huge and I got my energy back much more quickly. Plus I wasn’t dealing with a sinus infection and travel and just general yuckiness. I was disappointed with just how many weeks I was nauseous this pregnancy! I thought the second trimester would be wonderful, but instead it felt like a continuation of the first trimester until suddenly I felt like I was in an early third trimester with a huge belly that made it a bit awkward to move around! Sigh. But it did go by quickly!
Now I’m almost a month into the third trimester, already! It’s almost countdown to baby time! Actually, later this week I will hopefully know the exact date of this little one’s arrival, so that will make it seem real. Like really real.
