“The Best Is Yet To Come...."

This is part 2 of my “9 things you will need” for each trimester series. For part 1 "9 Things You Need In Your First Trimester" click here. 

When I first got pregnant I scoured social media looking for all the pregnancy "need to know hows". I loved seeing what other people said were their "go to" items and I found reading about their experiences really helpful.

In this post I will share the 9 things that I relied on most during my second trimester during the spring months of March to May.

With that said, here is a list of the 9 things that helped me survive the second trimester of pregnancy.

1. Comfortable Shoes

No one else really mentioned this but I’m putting it at number one on this list. If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to invest in some comfortable walking shoes. In my first trimester I barely wanted to get off the couch (I still managed to pull on my winter boots and walk the dogs everyday) so I wasn't thinking about my feet just yet. 

In my second trimester my energy came back and I was determined to stay active for as long as I could. Thankfully, I didn't notice my feet change or swell (that happened later in the third trimester), so I recommend you opt for a pair that will stretch a bit if needed. As your belly grows you might start to notice more aches and pains and you will want to be as comfortable as possible. Comfort is key for these shoes.

Personally, I fell in love with my first pair of Vessi shoes (this is not an affiliate ad, I just really love them!). Living on a dirt road with two dogs, my first pair of light blue Vessi shoes stopped looking cute pretty much right out of the box, so I decided to get a second pair that I could wear with my new maternity outfits. (COMING SOON my post How To Build A Summer Capsule Wardrobe to see how I styled them). I wore these pretty much all of spring and most of the summer tandso!

Nearing the end of my third trimester my feet ballooned and I wasn’t able to wear any of my shoes. One day, after walking around IKEA in flip flops for a couple of hours I finally made the impromptu decision to walk into a local shoe store and buy ANYTHING that would relieve my aching feet. Fortunately, I was able to find a comfortable pair of Sketcher sandals with straps so I was easily able to slide my swollen feet in and out. Luckily they were also on sale!

Hopefully your feet won’t swell as much as mine did, but don’t get caught having to buy expensive shoes in a pinch. Keep your eye out for sales on comfortable shoes that will stretch for you!

2. Liquids

Drinking water was #2 on my 9 Things You Will Need In Your First Trimester but I felt it was worth mentioning again here. In the first trimester, I often felt dehydrated and because of the nausea it was easiest to go straight for water. As the nausea lessened, I noticed that I wasn't drinking as much water and so I needed to find different ways to keep myself hydrated. It's so important that you drink lots of fluids throughout your entire pregnancy,  it doesn’t have to be just water! Here are a few things you can drink if you need to switch it up a bit. 

1. Add fruit to your water like strawberries or cucumber for flavor. I personally just ate a lot of fruit which you can do too. 

2. Lemon water or lemonade (you can use honey or sweetener instead of sugar if you’re like me and trying to cut back). Lemonade is especially hydrating and lemons are great for gut health!

3. Chia fresca - add a tablespoon of chia seeds to water with some flavors like lemon, lime and sweetener. Let sit in the fridge for 30 min to an hour. Chia seeds have protein which is an added bonus for your protein intake (see #7 below).

4. Herbal tea - hot or iced (see #5 below)

5. Natural fruit juice 

6. Milk - dairy or non-dairy like oat, almond or soy milk

3. Prenatal Vitamins

Make sure to continue taking your prenatal vitamins! Though you will likely be supplementing your vitamin intake with healthy food options, it's best to ensure you're getting at least the minimum recommended requirement of folic acid. 

My doctor didn’t seem too concerned with the brand that I purchased, but she said it’s important to ensure that you’re getting the daily recommended amount of folic acid. The mayo clinic recommends 400 - 1,000 micrograms (mcg) per day.  

There are other vitamins you can look for on the label such as vitamin C, D, magnesium, iron, calcium and choline, but you don’t want to just rely on one pill to get all your nutrients through your pregnancy. Make sure you’re also getting vitamins through your foods, beverages and other means (like getting that much needed vitamin D from the sun!).

4. Healthy Snacks

You can count on the fact that your appetite will increase in the second trimester. However, contrary to the old saying, you do not have to "eat for two". While you will feel more hungry because you're nourishing your baby, the tiny little human is not eating full meals. You really only need to be adding a couple hundred more calories to your diet so while you don't need two helpings of dinner, it’s always great to have extra snacks on hand

Like I mentioned before, vitamins and minerals become vitally important for the health and growth of your baby, so if you do get hungry between meals having healthy snack choices available is going to benefit you both. 

Some of my go to snacks were:

• Fruit - lots of fruit, whatever you is available especially apples and bananas as they’re so easy to just grab and go

• Veggies - carrots, celery and cucumber, they can help you feel full without adding too many extra calories

• Hummus - with veggies is a good option but I also like pita bread and crackers for dipping

• Yogurt & granola

• Cereal with milk

• Homemade Muffins - store bought muffins tend to have a lot of sugar and can be high in calories. Check the label and opt to make your own homemade snacks if possible. Bran muffins are great choice if you find yourself constipated at any point

• Smoothies - there are so many great recipes out there and you can switch up ingredients in any way you.

• Nuts - nuts are full of healthy fats and can help you feel full. If was craving dairy I found eating a handful of almonds would help

• Glass of milk - dairy or non-dairy

• Bone broth - there are so many benefits to eating bone broth. You can turn it into a soup or sip it like tea. 

You'll want to avoid processed foods and anything high in refined sugar. I found that if I ate too much sugary food in a day I would feel awful the next day. You’re going to feel tired but at least you can manage it with healthy snacks!

5. Moon Milk

Late in my second trimester I started noticing that I would get acid reflux after consuming certain foods and drinks. While doing some research I learned that there were in fact a list of foods that make acid reflux worse including

• Chocolate (*sigh*)

• Fast Food

• Acidic fruits like tomatoes and citrus

• Peppermint tea (this was all I wanted when I was nauseous)

On the plus side there are certain foods that can help with this such as fruits and veggies like apples, bananas, pears, zucchini etc. Whole grains like oatmeal and whole wheat toast, eggs and milk can also help limit the symptoms. 

I noticed that tea was especially irritating so, unlike the first trimester when I only drank peppermint tea, I opted to stay away from most teas altogether. 

Instead, I found a recipe for Moon Milk, which is essentially a cup of warmed almond milk with a tablespoon of honey and a teaspoon of cinnamon. Some night this recipe worked so well, and put me right to sleep. You can find many different variations of moon milk on the internet using different ingredients like turmeric or ginger as well. 

As I entered the third trimester the acid reflux was so bad that no matter what I did I couldn’t sleep. At that point my doctor prescribed medication for me to take daily. If you’re suffering, it’s best to speak to your health care provider. 

6. Moisturizer

At some point I noticed that my hips became really itchy. I also heard other women say that the itchiness started in their 2nd trimester. I started using Cocoa Butter Oil almost every night, especially after baths & showers. If you haven't already you might want to get a good cream or moisturizer for your growing belly. It not only helps to keep your bump moisturized but it is believed to help prevent stretch marks. 

There are a ton of options out there so shop around and make sure it's safe and effective.

7. Protein

We all know the importance of getting protein in our diet, but did you know that protein becomes even more important during pregnancy. The American Pregnancy Association recommends pregnant women eat 75 - 100 grams of protein a day. This can vary however based on your size, weight and the trimester you are in. Eating protein is vital at any stage, and it becomes more important during the second and third trimesters when the baby is growing more rapidly. 

A good rule of thumb is to eat at least one protein enriched meal a day including meat or legumes. Another way to get in some much needed protein is through a protein shake or smoothie. 

I’m in my third trimester during the summer so I knew smoothies were going to be breakfasts and when craving a sweet treat. I put together a post with my favorite protein shakes (COMING SOON)

8. Maternity Clothes

Let's talk about my favorite thing to shop for - clothes! During the first trimester I was able to get away with wearing most of my regular clothes. It was winter and I was working from home so I wore hoodies and sweatpants.  When my jeans and dress pants became too hard to button I bought belly bands, stretchy pieces of fabric that help hold up your pants. It wasn't until about week 20 when I really started to show. 

In order to prepare I had a lot of fun putting together a maternity capsule wardrobe ( post COMING SOON) which helped me stay focused and on budget. There are so many great places to shop online so having a plan really helped me pick out pieces that worked together and would last me for the coming months. 

Something else I discovered while planning my maternity wardrobe is my color palette. I happened upon the company Created Colorful, and signed up immediately. The color consultation was so helpful! I learned a lot about myself and what colors suited me best and the results played a big role in how I shopped for maternity clothes. 

For example, I used to think that Black just looked good on everyone (didn’t they say it makes us all look slimmer?) but I found out that Black is actually a color on my “you might want to avoid” palette. Most styles come in black so if I liked something but didn’t like any of the other colors I would just automatically go with the black option. Well no more! If you’re interested in learning more about what I learned from my color consultation, check out this post here (COMING SOON)

9. MINDFULNESS

When we see mindfulness touted online we don't often associate it to pregnancy. However, if you're not already practicing mindfulness techniques like meditation, breathing exercises, journalling and being in the moment, now is the time to start!

Your body is going through some significant changes during pregnancy and there is a lot to discover about yourself. Take note of what foods you consume and how they make you feel. Pay attention to your breathing and use breathing techniques if you notice you're feeling anxious or your breathing becomes shallow. 

In my first trimester, because of the exhaustion, I noticed I was feeling more anxious than usual and needed to take time out to just breathe. Meditation is a good way to just be present and allow yourself to experience whatever it is you're going through. It can be hard to predict what's to come at any point during your pregnancy so it’s best to just be aware and take action when you feel you need to. Don’t push yourself. If you need to take breaks and rest to allow your body to do whatever it needs to, you’re growing a tiny human!