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Back with a second trimester update! I’m trying to get all caught up with my updates before baby arrives (in 5 or so weeks)!

These stunning photos are by my new friend Alexandra Friendly. She came out to our home mid-February and snapped these heirloom film photographs. I will forever cherish these images. I’m amazed by the intentionality of film photography; it’s romantic, slow, and lots of just waiting for the right moment.

The Second Trimester

The first half of the second trimester was similar to the first trimester. I felt sick through the first five months, and barely did much of anything. For work, I scraped by, fulfilling contractural obligations and not much else. Our home was a constant mess, which bothered me, but not enough to do much about it. We did school, but not at the level or vigor I’d hoped for. But time kept passing and eventually the nausea went away (around 5-6 months) and I began to feel like my normal self again.

My belly was growing but still not HUGE, and the sickness was gone, so I was feeling GOOD. It was a new year, and I was inspired to get things done around the house, to re-vitalize our homeschool, and to make some longer-term business goals for the year. Let’s see if I can actually accomplish the goals after baby arrives.

At my 20-week ultrasound, we found out we’re having another girl! Three girls and one boy, the perfect little family. At my 20-week ultrasound I also found out that I have a low-lying placenta. Apparently, this is not unusual, and they typically move higher throughout the pregnancy. However, another scan would be necessary later in the third trimester (update coming), to ensure my placenta moved high enough. With a dangerously low placenta, a hospital birth/c-section could be included in this little one’s birth story. We’re planning on our second home birth, so I was a bit apprehensive over this development, and it constantly weighed on me.

I started seeing my chiropractor in the second trimester, which is always incredible. In the past, I started seeing a chiropractor much later in my pregnancies (maybe the last month or so), but our current health care sharing program covers up to 40 visits of chiropractic or massage therapy, and I wanted to take advantage of that, and set myself up for a successful home birth in every way possible.

Side note about seeing a chiropractor: I’m convinced (based on my very real experiences) that seeing my chiropractor during the last few weeks with Naomi, and last few months with Jojo, and DURING LABOR for both of them, helped immensely. Actually being worked on in labor was huge, and at that exact point on, my labors progressed dramatically, my Naomi and Jojo were born 4 and 2 hours later, respectively. So, I’m a HUGE proponent of mamas receiving chiropractic work during their pregnancies and labor! 

The kids and I were sick for the second half of my second trimester. We had fevers, chills, coughs, sore throats. But we consumed lots of elderberry syrup, vitamins C & D, fire cider, and all the things, and we eventually recovered!

Moving on and trying to remember all the things from my second trimester (so I’m referring to my texts with my midwife)….I had been gaining more weight this time around, so I decided to reallllly work on my carb intake. I never really strictly watched my carbs during my other pregnancies, but decided to try to stay under 100 g carbs/day, and really increase my protein intake with a goal of at least 90 g protein/day. I wasn’t eating “bad” carbs (mostly raw fruit, some brown rice, and Ezekiel bread) but carbs are carbs are carbs. This has been challenging, mostly because I love my bread (and it makes such easy options for breakfast and lunch when you’re feeling uninspired in the kitchen), but I’ve felt so much better with myself since making this switch.

As this pregnancy has progressed, I’ve slowly come to terms with the reality that we’re going to soon have four children. I’m excited to have another baby in my arms, I’m really looking forward to not being pregnant, and especially eager to see her older siblings love on her. The love they already have for her has been so contagious and heartwarming. From the moment we told them, they’ve been exploding with affection and tenderness towards my ever-growing belly. Especially Naomi. She’s so thoughtful and sensitive. She’ll just come over to my belly and whisper sweet nothings to baby girl.

Second Trimester Must-Haves & Supplements

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! This was a monster blog post! Now I want to share some of my pregnancy must-haves (some were mentioned earlier in this post), the supplements I’m taking, and a few survival tactics!

• Prenatal vitamins, these are the absolute best and didn’t make me sick in the first and second trimesters
• B-12 and methylfolate, to help increase my platelets
• Floradix, to raise my iron levels
• Probiotic
• Garlic
• Apple Cider Vinegar, mixed into sparkling water
• Natural Calm, magnesium supplement)
• Cranberry concentrate mixed with dandelion tea, to help prevent water retention
• Varicosity Herbal Tonic, to help with circulation and vulvar varicosities
• V2 Supporter, for vulvar varicosities
• Belly Band, to help support belly and back. This wrap has been my LIFELINE throughout my last 3 pregnancies.
  
• These three Storq dresses (I literally rotate them every single day): column dress, t-shirt dress, tank dress.
• Lavender vanilla body cream, to smear all over my body/belly.
• Comfy linen maternity pants from Old Navy.

Second Trimester Survival Tactics

• Embrace this time because you probably feel your best!
• Make your kids take a nap or have quiet time so you can rest during the day. When Jojo naps, I’d put a show on in the living room for the girls, close the living room door, and take a nap.
• Leave the house with your kids. Being isolated and lonely is no fun, and leaving the house helps to entertain bored children and pass the hours until daddy gets home.
• Find support. Whether it be your husband, a friend, your mom, your midwife, a facebook support group, or a combination of all of the above. Having people we can commune with, ask for prayer from, listen to and receive advice from, and simply know they are there will do wonders for you!
• Like the first trimester, go to bed early, wake up early (basically, sleep when you feel poorly, rise when you feel your best).

Thanks for reading; I’ll be back soon with my third (and final) pregnancy update!