My Pregnancy Journey: Baby 2 – The Second Trimester (12-22 Weeks Update)

 

Seriously I’m shocked I am already writing this blog! How on earth am I already over 23 weeks pregnant! This whole pregnancy is flying! It’s safe to say H keeps me so busy I haven’t even had time to process that in 4 months I will have another daughter earthside! Yep another little queen! Since my last pregnancy blog we had our big gender reveal and so excited to share H will have a little sister! Ryan and I are both just over the moon. I always wanted a sister myself so I cannot wait to see the beautiful friendship H and her sister will share (amongst many fights of course). We already have a name for our littlest queen but keeping it a secret until she’s here…and she will before we know it!

What can I say? Hormones are like old librarians at school…you never know if they are going to be sweet or an absolute bitch. I’ve been my fair share of both (poor Ryan). I’m not going to lie I found up until around 20 weeks my anxiety was OK and I was juggling everything OK. When 20 weeks hit ..holy shitballs! I’m not sure if I had a hormone surge or what but I was a mess. I was finding myself crying over stupid things, having anxiety attacks daily and kept getting into a negative headspace..which can be very easy when your toddler is going through a horrendous clingy tantrum phase. I started to turn this around by making sure everyday I would say what I am grateful for and also bought myself some positive quote books which I read every morning to set myself in a positive mainframe for the day. I also always make sure I exercise daily even if its for 20 minutes- this is one of my main strategies for managing stress and helping with my energy levels! When your hormonal especially a pregnant mama to a toddler, life can be really hard, exhausting and just chaotic…but I won’t let myself be stuck in a pessimistic mindframe! Taking these extra steps in the morning I believe really help me get through those hard days.

The body is obviously changing as my pregnancy progresses. Most days I feel energetic (until about 3pm) and I wasn’t feeling too sore until recently. With my first pregnancy I had sciatica and had fortnightly trips to the chiro to help…well the bitch is back. I find the sciatica hits towards the end of the day and the more H makes me hold her the worst it gets. So back to the chiro I go!

I also was genetically blessed with varicose veins. So lucky me have had a few new ones pop up on my legs which is fine they don’t bother me in the slightest and I know a lot of them can go away once baby is here. Besides these two gems and the ligament pain this mama is travelling pretty well! I have gained about 6-7kgs now which I am stoked with as I said previously with H I gained a lot more by this stage. I exercised the same with my first pregnancy but I know the extra calories I burn running after a toddler definitely is helping!

My skincare is still the same using my staple products from DMK Skin (again not sponsored I have been using this skincare for years). I definitely have more breakouts when I am pregnant but hey thats what makeup and a big-ass pair of sunglasses is for. As for my belly I use La Bang body oil on it everynight- I also use this all over my body as my skin gets super dry during this time (Use the code “lovesteph” for a discount with LaBang products- I also use their shampoo and conditioner too!).

 

No sugar-coating it here..but mum life as of late has been f*#king hard. I’m not sure if H senses I am pregnant but the past few months she has taken clingy to a whole new level. Most days I literally go to the toilet with her on my lap or its tantrum central. I was coping ok until I hit around 20 weeks then I found myself in a really hard place. I’m not someone to as for help especially when it comes to Harper I just deal with it even if that means at the end of the day I’m rocking back and forth crying in the corner. This tough time really tested my patience at a whole new level and I even asked the advice of other mums who actually went through the same thing. Many women have found their kids turned..(Ill try put this in the nicest way possible)…they turned bloody ferrel when they fell pregnant. So who knows how much our little humans actually know but I definitely didn’t expect terrible twos to start at 1 years old and I wasn’t ready! After a lot of advice and reassurance I felt better knowing I hadn’t “over-spoilt” H but she’s just testing me and its a phase we will get through together. Ive always given H what she wanted to keep her happy but I soon realised this isn’t always the best thing in the long run. So this mama is putting down some ground rules but in a kind, loving way not letting H get her way all the time. I am feeling more positive about H and I think (hoping) she will settle down one the baby is here…well one can only hope right!

The diet front has improved greatly since the fist trimester. I am still listening to my body and fuelling it with what it needs but ensuring I continue to make my healthy choices. I am finding now that the nausea is gone I am able to eat more meals that I was eating previously without needing to spew! My normal day of food looks like this (I have added links to some of the recipes for you!):

Breakfast: Overnight Protein Oats + Lemon water

Post-Gym Snack: 3 Rice Cakes with natural peanut butter, banana and a drizzle of probiotic honey or a protein banana muffin

Lunch: Chicken and Salad Wrap or Rye Bread Sandwich

Snack: Yogurt + Fruit (and a protein ball if I crave something sweet)

Dinner: I plan this out every week and varies from roast lamb and veggies, salmon and veggie, stirfrys, healthy pizzas/nachos etc (for my healthy meals recipes click here)

For my protein powder I am still using HappyWay as it is all natural and safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding! (Discount code is “happySP”).

My fitness routine is still going strong which I am very pleased with! Some days I feel heavier than others and just adjust my workout if I need to! I am still doing a mix of weights, HIIT and light cardio 5 days a week. I have found my strength is staying the same which is fantastic! I never get hard on myself if some days I’m not up to lifting as heavy or if my body isn’t feeling like doing much cardio because it is so important to listen to your body!Below is my current exercise routine!

Just as I did with H I plan on training throughout my entire pregnancy and I really found this helped immensely getting that strength back post-baby! I know a lot of women find it a mental battle when they are pregnant to exercise as they feel like there is no point. Your programmed to think that when you exercise your doing it for the exterior look and women struggle with the fact that they are getting bigger each week. Just remember your muscles have memory and your keeping active for not only your health now but also post baby!

Happy to say I have progressed out of that awkward baby bump stage and now have a well established baby belly. I am having a lot more fun with maternity fashion! I am loving a casual tied up t-shirt paired with a high waisted midi skirt! I also just live in my white sneakers which gives the casual look a sporty touch! I also love ribbed midi dresses with a cute cardi! My favourite maternity brand I live in is BAE the Label and Bamboo Body! I have been struggling to find a pair of everyday black maternity tights that aren’t see through and don’t have that annoying band around the belly that gets twisted and I’m happy to say I finally found a pair! Blanqi tights are now my everyday gym and casual tights- I had been looking at them online for so long and decided I was desperate to take the plunge into my wallet (actually pretty decent priced at around $60). They feel like stockings so at first I freaked out that they weren’t tights but they are and they are opaque and just so comfy!

Fave Maternity Fashion Labels

BAE the Label

Frankie + Co: stocks gorgeous maternity fashion and post-baby pieces

Blank : Loving the black tights

Bamboo Body: Have nice maternity dresses and skirts!

 

Laughs hysterically…what baby preparation?! Unfortunately this child already has second child syndrome. I have organised absolutely nothing for our little girl BUT we do have all the things we had for Harper and because she is still so young most things are basically new(ish). Many of you know we are moving house when the new baby will be a couple of months old so unfortunately I don’t get to decorate a nursery (yet again). But in the coming months I will rewash some newborn clothes and start to get organised!

In terms of birth preparation I also haven’t given it a lot of thought (probably for good reason). I however hired myself a doula again as I did with H. A doula is a trained birthing partner that is there to help support you and guide your partner during labour and birth. I found having a doula who you know has getting you through labour as their priority very comforting and with Harper’s birth we found our doula to be the best help to Ryan! Guiding him how to help and what to do and just reassuring me that I’m doing a good job. Besides organising our doula I have done nothing else to prepare for the birth. I do plan on practising my calm birth meditation again like I did with H and that helped immensely with controlling my breathing and helping me have that natural birth I wanted. However I will not be putting so much pressure on myself to have a drug free birth again –  I am just gonna go with the flow. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and so many first time mums put such uneccesary pressure on themselves to have their “ideal” birth. Now coming from someone who has been through it all I can say is just do what you need to do.

 

I hope you all enjoyed this pregnancy update! I hope the next one doesn’t come around too fast!