GOOD NEWS! Second trimester is generally the best trimester.

After the first 12 weeks are over, the symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and aversions are *generally* gone. You’ll start to show that cute little bump and sport some maternity wear! You’ll get some energy back, too!

This trimester you get to see baby on ultrasounds! At 12, sometimes 16, and a 20 week ultrasound are pretty typical. Each time, baby grows and you’re able to see more and more features!

Your doctor will start measuring your belly, or fundal height, at checkups to assess baby’s growth. You’ll start to put on some weight (which is normal!).

IF YOU’RE STILL FEELING SICK:

See my first trimester tips.Talk to your doctor about medications:

• • Unisom and Vitamin B6 combo
    • I never did this combo with Finn, but with baby #3 it was a life saver! Unisom not only helped me sleep, but when combined with B6, can help ease nausea throughout the day. ALWAYS check with your provider before starting any medications.
  • Prescriptions
    • If you’re struggling to gain weight and/or keep anything down, talk to your provider about prescriptions that can help ease nausea and vomiting.
    • Zofran is a meltable tablet that helps cure nausea in a flash!
    • A new FDA approved drug to treat morning sickness in pregnancy is called Dicligis, read more here.

TROUBLE SLEEPING:

Try a pregnancy pillow:

• After 12 weeks, it’s recommended to sleep on your side or elevated on your back to support the best blood flow to baby.
• I love this bbhugme pregnancy pillow because it’s filled with Biofoam beads to help relieve pelvic pain and mold to your body during different stages of your pregnancy. 
  • This is my favorite budget friendly pregnancy pillow – it’s extra long (I am 5’7’’) and supports my whole body! I mean, is there anything better? Christian and Finn try to steal it all the time!

CAFFEINE!
YES, you can still have caffeine!

• If you’re wanting to learn more, my favorite book is “Expecting Better” and talks a lot about modern pregnancy, including alcohol and caffeine!

UNISOM

• Unisom is safe for pregnancy and can also help with nausea when combined with vitamin B6 (see above!).

Be kind to yourself
Take a nap or personal day!

ACID REFLUX!

You’re LUCKY if you don’t experience this! The change in position of your bowel from your growing uterus pushes up against your stomach, and can cause some pretty bad acid reflux.

TIPS:

• Keep some Pepcid AC/antacids on hand and next to your bedside. (get the berry Pepcid AC – the mint makes mine worse!).
• Avoid spicy foods, caffeine, coffee, citrus, or anything that makes your reflux flare up. For me, it’s tomatoes and chocolate!
• Snack and keep meals smaller.
• Try not to eat before bedtime to let your stomach digest a bit. My reflux was always the worst at night.
• Sleep elevated on your pregnancy pillow!
• Talk to your OB if acid reflux persists. There are medications you can take!

TRY TO EAT HEALTHY!

I still was on a smoothie kick at this point – I had nausea and dry heaving until 18 weeks.

• Load up on leafy greens and proteins as you can tolerate. Good protein intake is what helps baby grow!
• Talk to your provider about foods you should avoid. During pregnancy your immune system is weakened, making you more susceptible (and therefore baby) to certain food-borne illnesses (and just illness in general). Generally, raw or undercooked meats should be avoided, some unpasteurized cheese (very rare in the US). Read more about general guidelines here.
  • AGAIN, this is all personal choice – always do your own research and ask your provider.

GLASS OF WINE? I SURE DID!

After the first trimester, I would enjoy the occasional glass of wine. I’ve talked about alcohol during pregnancy a few times on IG, but my personal motto is “ALL IN MODERATION!” Of course, this is a personal opinion and you should do what you are comfortable with and should always talk to your provider.

• “Expecting Better” is a great resource on modern pregnancy does and don’ts.

SKIN CHANGES:

• Stretch marks – stretch marks are totally genetic in my opinion! BUT you can apply some creams and oils to help minimize the look of stretch marks.
  • I love the BeautyCounter Citrus Mimosa Body Butter for all over my body, but especially my tummy! It’s thick and creamy, but absorbs easily, PLUS it’s EWG verified and safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding.
  • I alternate the Body Butter with this BeautyCounter Body Balm– it can be used all over your body for intense moisture.

HORMONAL CHANGES:

• Breast tenderness – You may even notice this before you even take a pregnancy test! This was the first indicator that I was pregnant with Bee. I was still nursing and pumping and it was SO SENSITIVE!
  • Upsize your bra or wear a bra without underwire.
    • The Larken X bra is wire-free and is an all in one nursing and hands-free pumping bra (get your money’s worth while wearing it during pregnancy!).  use code BUMBLEBABY10 for discount.
    • Budget friendly option: try this Amazon one!
• Areola and nipple darkening and increase in size
  Yup! The things to look forward to! This is all NORMAL! So don’t be alarmed if you see this.
• Hormonal acne
  Back to highschool again! My acne with Finn in the first trimester was horrible – I tried everything! It settled down after the first 12 weeks.
  • Beautycounter makes a pregnancy safe acne line called CounterControl with salicylic acid (and yes, topical SA is safe for pregnancy. Read more here!) to help battle acne. They also make this amazing charcoal cleansing bar that absorbs impurities without drying out your skin (great for back acne). If you want something more nourishing for your skin, try this Beauty Counter body wash or Dr. Bronner’s organic soap!
  • Benzoic acid worked better for me personally (also safe for pregnancy, read more here) and I love and still use this Humane 10% BA wash. It can make your skin dry, so make sure to load up on moisturizer as well. I love and use the Beautycounter CounterMatch line – extremely hydrating without clogging pores. It has a “mimic” technology that allows your skin to absorb more if it’s dryer.
  • A good facial peel will help ward acne away as well. My all-time favorite Beautycouner product – The Overnight Peel – will do your skin wonders! Uses fruit extracts as a gentle peel. Pregnancy safe.

• Increased sense of smell – You’ll be able to smell your partner from a mile away! Pungent smells may make you gag – I couldn’t stand the smell of eggs with my pregnancy! Unfortunately this one you’ll just have to ride out.
• Increased gum sensitivity – Did you know that your blood level DOUBLES in pregnancy? It also makes your gums super sensitive – pregnancy state causes mild immunosuppression. So good dental practices are very important in pregnancy – you may find that you have a few cavities postpartum (try 12 over here :/ ).
  • Try a soft bristle toothbrush and natural mouthwash.
• Metallic taste in mouth – This was quite possibly the worst symptom for me with all my pregnancies – and one of the first signs that I was pregnant! I felt like I had constant bad breath and a bad taste in my mouth. The ONLY thing that got rid of it was lemonade! CRAVED IT. Careful with the sugar!

LEG CRAMPS:

I never had these (luckily!) but I have heard that leg cramping during pregnancy is PAINFUL! Try to stay hydrated and drink your electrolytes as well. I love this Swig water bottle and these reusable straws – I always drink more out of a straw!Try adding an orange or lemon slice to your water to keep the flavor interesting and add natural electrolytes. I love coconut water, too!

BACK PAIN/SCIATICA:

UGH! This can happen in second and third trimester. You can try a supportive belly band like this 2-in-1 BellyBandit for belly support and to take pressure off of your back .Supportive shoes are key!

PELVIC PAIN:

THIS. IS. THE. WORST.

• I had a condition called symphysis pubis dysfunction toward the end of all my pregnancies, but got it pretty early (12 weeks) with baby #3. It’s also called pelvic girdle pain (PGP), happens when the ligaments that normally keep your pelvic bone aligned during pregnancy become too relaxed and stretchy too soon before birth. This causes a firey pain in your pubic/pelvic region, especially when walking, sleeping, and going up stairs. You can read more here.
• A belly band and/or a girdle band will help offload pressure.
• Physical therapy can be helpful, too!

A GROWING BELLY

FUN ULTRASOUNDS!

• You’ll get to see baby pretty close up in second trimester! The anatomy scan around 20 weeks looks for normal anatomy in your baby, INCLUDING GENDER!
• You’ll start to show in second trimester! Possibly a little earlier if this is not your first pregnancy.

THING TO LOOK OUT FOR:

• Preeclampsia is high blood pressure accompanied by increased chance of damage to the liver and kidneys, as well as decreased blood flow to baby.
  • Signs and symptoms:
    • BP over 140/90 on two occasions
    • BP over 160/110 on on occasion
    • Upper right abdominal pain
    • Vision changes such as blurriness or seeing spots
    • Rapid swelling of the face and hands
    • A persistent headache
    • Vomiting

**Preeclampsia untreated can lead to eclampsia, or seizures during pregnancy. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, call your doctor right away! You can read more about preeclampsia, it’s symptoms, and when to call your doctor here.

• Bleeding
  • Anytime you experience bleeding during pregnancy, call your doctor ASAP. Some bleeding can be normal, but let them be the judge!
• Pre-term labor
  • Braxton-Hicks, or practice contractions, can start in the second trimester. These contractions are typically not regular and do not grow in intensity. They are your body’s way of strengthening up for the big day!

CALL YOUR PROVIDER ASAP IF:

• Your contractions become regular and less than every 5 minutes
• Your contractions are growing in intensity to where you cannot talk through them
• Your water breaks
• You are having vaginal bleeding

UTIs/YEAST INFECTIONS:

UTIs and yeast infections are common during pregnancy, so don’t be alarmed if you get one! You’re a little immunocompromised during pregnancy, which makes you a bit more susceptible to illness, especially down there. You’ll want to get treated ASAP as these conditions can induce labor later in pregnancy.

CONSTIPATION:

…yup! All that rearranging in there for baby’s growth can disrupt the flow if you know what I mean.

• OTC stool softeners such as MiraLax and Colace can be helpful – and make sure to keep drinking water!

**Starting to think about your baby registry? Check out our first time baby registry blog post with all of our recommendations and favorite things to add to your registry!

Checkout out these labor and delivery virtual classes to prepare:

Use code BUMBLEBABY for discount on all mommy labor nurse virtual classes!

• Birth it up: epidural series

• Birth it up: natural series

• Birth it up: planned c-section

Have more questions? Schedule a text or video chat consult with Kate, Lauren or Natalie (NICU RNs) and they can help answer any questions that you have!

Other helpful blog posts:

• First time baby registry
• How to get through the third trimester of pregnancy
• Kate’s favorite trying to conceive, pregnancy and breastfeeding safe products
• Labor and delivery – everything you need to know
• Collecting colostrum while you’re pregnant
• How to navigate twins
• Everything you need to know about hyperemesis gravidarum

**This post is educational and not meant to take the place of your provider. Bumblebaby makes a small commission on some of the items listed above.