Tag: Pregnancy

Now that I’m well into the third trimester, I thought I’d share a quick recap of the second trimester.  Overall, this trimester was much better than the first trimester.  The second trimester is typically referred to as the honeymoon period, and although it was easier than the first, it still had its challenges!  

My energy did make a comeback during the second trimester and I found myself being able to successfully stay busy, check things off our to-do list, chase after Lilly, and in general move my bump more (big fan of yoga!).  But the second trimester wasn’t without its challenges.  I’m sharing some of the highlights and struggles below! 

Highlights 

Some of the highlights from this trimester included:

• Deciding on a baby name! (We won’t be sharing publicly until baby boy is born!)
• Feeling baby boy move and kick.  This one is definitely a swimmer and will literally swim across my belly.  It’s so wild and amazing to watch and feel.
• The return of my appetite (yay!).  I had such a hard time with food the first trimester and it was so refreshing to be able to eat food again and to actually have cravings. My biggest cravings this pregnancy have been strawberries and fruit in general.  For weeks now I’ve been eating a pint of strawberries every day or two.  I can’t get enough!! Lemonade was also a popular drink of choice during the second trimester.  I would all of a sudden crave it and need to drink some immediately (so strange!). 
• My energy made a comeback. I took advantage of the return of my energy to check things off our to-do list.  We cleaned out the attic, planted flowers, started a flower garden, cleaned out the guest room to transform it into Lilly’s big girl room, cleaned out Lilly’s clothes to make room for baby boy’s clothes, and the list goes on.  

Struggles

Some of the struggles from this trimester include: 

• Experiencing the physical challenges that accompany a growing bump.  I’m incredibly thankful my body is strong enough to grow this baby.  I truly am so grateful.  Being pregnant is challenging for me, but I do realize how lucky I am to be able to grow this baby.  With that being said, a growing belly does come with some physical challenges.  Those being extreme lower back pain, charley horses/cramps in my legs, shortness of breath, etc. 
• Accepting (or not accepting) the rapid weight gain.  This pregnancy overall has seen much more rapid weight gain than my first pregnancy and that has been mentally difficult to accept, especially when I know I’m not eating my best and not getting that much exercise. 
• Feeling like all my clothes are uncomfortable.  For some reason this pregnancy I’m having a hard time with clothes.  I can’t stand wearing pants (I actually stopped wearing them in March) and only want to wear dresses. But even some of the dresses I have proved to be uncomfortable.  Basically I want to live in nightgowns and that’s it. 
• Adjusting to the emotional rollercoaster of being pregnant during COVID-19.  The vaccine became available to pregnant women during the second trimester and deciding whether or not to get the vaccine was the most difficult decision for us to make (it was truly so stressful for me).  We had extensive talks with our doctor, we did our own research and weighed the pros and cons, we talked to other trusted medical professionals and we trusted our gut.  In the end, we decided it was safer for me to get the vaccine than to get COVID, as the side effects of COVID are incredibly severe in pregnant women. 

So overall the second trimester was easier and we had some beautiful moments, but it wasn’t without its challenges.  

As I enter into week 32 of this pregnancy, I am getting more and more excited to meet baby boy! We are in the home stretch, and I may be feeling exhausted and heavy, but I am so ecstatic about what’s to come in just a few short weeks.

Slainte,

Shannon

This isn’t a typical post for me to write.  Typically I keep my blog writing to classic style, home decor projects, and fun activities with L.  But this topic has been heavy on my heart and I feel called to share my experience.

Navigating pregnancy can be challenging for any mama, but throw in a global pandemic and a cold, gray winter and you have a recipe for an exceptionally difficult transition! Any woman who is newly pregnant probably experiences numerous types of anxiety and uncertainty.  Not only is your body changing, but your hormones are raging, you are exhausted, possibly nauseous, and on top of all that you are preparing to welcome a sweet new baby! It’s quite a whirlwind for nine months (and beyond – don’t forget the fourth trimester!).

I thought it would be easy being pregnant my second time around because I knew what to expect.  What I didn’t experience in my first pregnancy that I experienced in the first trimester of this pregnancy were mental and emotional challenges.   They say every pregnancy is different and that 100% holds true.  I really struggled those first 12-14 weeks.  Not only did I physically feel awful (nauseous, exhausted, so many food aversions), but I also felt mentally drained, uninspired, sad, grumpy, anxious, and just overall not myself.  Some days were very challenging and it took everything in me just to make it to bedtime.  I often would ask Rob if I would ever feel like myself again (spoiler alert: I do!). 

I do believe that raging hormones, physical discomfort, and the stress of being in the middle of a global pandemic (plus the stress of trying to decide if and how I should get vaccinated) really took its toll.  I’m so thankful everyday that I have such a supportive hubby and family.

I’m sure many other women experience these feelings at one time or another during their pregnancy.  I had to dig deep within myself to find ways to fight through this difficult time.  I’m hoping that by talking about the mental and emotional challenges that some women face during pregnancy and offering some ideas on how to cope will help other mamas feeling the same.  Before I share the things that worked for me, I want to remind anyone experiencing emotional or mental pain, to please reach out to your doctor or a trusted source for help.  

Below are three things I would try to do to center myself and find the joy in being pregnant. 

1. Yoga – Yoga is so healing for your mind, body, and soul.  Whenever I need to re-center myself, I grab my yoga mat and just breathe.  I subscribe to the Yoga with Adrienne App and she offers some great prenatal workouts that are safe for mama and baby. 

2. Communicate – Talk it out.  I can’t stress this enough.  I shared how I was feeling with Rob, my family, friends, my gynecologist – anyone who I felt safe talking to and it made a huge difference.  I am so thankful for a strong support system that listened to me and provided guidance when I was feeling my lowest.

3. Get Outside – Even though some days it was really hard to get outside, I would try and get some fresh air, even if it was walking to the mailbox and back.  Fresh air can clear your mind and give you a fresh perspective and even if I only went outside for a few minutes, I always came back inside feeling a little more like myself. 

I also recommend that pregnant women rest as much as possible, eat what tastes good, and drink lots of fluids.  Being pregnant with a toddler and working part time is definitely not easy.  I napped whenever Lilly napped and went to bed early every night.  Getting enough sleep and rest during the first trimester really is so important. 

I hope this post helps just one other mama-to-be who needs some extra love and encouragement.  And always remember, you have a beautiful human growing inside of you and your body is amazing to be able to do that! 

Slainte,

Shannon