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Everyone says that the second trimester of pregnancy is so easy. You get your appetite back. You will have energy again. You will feel great! That was not the case for me.
I want to clarify that nothing in this pregnancy has been horrible. You can read about my first trimester here. But just because you aren’t throwing up every day, doesn’t mean that you are enjoying it. If you are like me and finding the second trimester to be not as wonderful as was promised, I hope you will find this helpful in learning how to help make things better and feel not so alone in the struggle.
Appetite
After surviving on fruit, I was looking forward to being hungry again and wanting to eat food. That didn’t happen. Thankfully, it was easier to get a variety of foods down, but nothing ever sounded good, and I didn’t start to feel hungry again till about 20 weeks.
I found that eating the same things over and over made it easier, because I didn’t have to decide. I knew that I was drinking a smoothie for breakfast and eating a grilled ham and cheese for lunch. I relied on my husband to tell me what to make for dinner.
Things like smoothies made it easy to get a good variety of nutrients without having to eat them all individually. The only category I haven’t figured out how to put in a smoothie is grain.
Exhaustion
Saying exhaustion feels a little dramatic. While it became easier to get off the couch, I still found myself taking many naps to get through the day. I never had this big burst of energy that everyone says they get. As a typically high-energy busybody, this was a big disappointment. I was looking forward to being able to get some projects done that I had been putting off.
I did my best to give myself some grace and to let myself rest when needed. I found more ways to be productive while sitting so I wouldn’t feel like I was “wasting time”. I did things like sew, crochet, and start this blog. I did a lot of research into pregnancy and health care.
Insomnia
I am sure my tiredness throughout the day was not helped by the fact that I was hardly sleeping at all at night. I would do all the good things of not looking at screens for an hour before bed, and take a nice stretch to relax my body. It would still take two hours sometimes to fall asleep. Then I would get up to use the bathroom and not be able to go back to sleep again. Not ideal.
I eventually discovered the magic of magnesium. I have been sleeping so much better since starting to take it. I can fall asleep and stay asleep, and I highly recommend it. There is the added benefit of it helping to replenish electrolytes and prevent cramping if that is a struggle for you.
Pain
The aches and pains of pregnancy began to settle in as my stomach began to grow. Particularly, as I got towards the back half of the second trimester. Blanket advice for this is to keep moving in any way that feels good, be it a HIT workout or a gentle walk and nice stretch. Don’t sit too long without getting up to walk around. If you are drinking enough water, bathroom breaks make a perfect excuse. Feel free to take the long way or an extra lap around your house.
Tailbone
As soon as I hit 14 weeks, my tailbone started to hurt. For the first couple of days, I could hardly sit. Luckily, it dulled down, and I was able to do so as long as I maintained perfect posture. I also found that sitting on a hard surface, like the ground, was easier than sitting on a squishy couch.
Back
I don’t know what pregnant lady doesn’t struggle with a bit of lower back pain. I had most of my problems when I would be on my feet for a long time, particularly in the kitchen working. I alleviated a lot of my problems by wearing shoes, which I normally do not do inside. I also got new tennis shoes, which helped with the pain that came from going on longer walks.
My midwife recommended using athletic tape to help support my belly. While it definitely helped, I did not enjoy wearing it, and at the time, the cons outweighed the pros. (Later this changed.)
Hips
I have had hip problems since high school, so it wasn’t a big surprise to me when they started to feel the weight of my growing baby. I started doing the home exercises to strengthen them that my physical therapist back then had me do, and I found that they helped a lot.
Sciatic Nerve
I had a horrible pain in my right glute for a very long time. It was so bad that I couldn’t stand up straight first thing in the morning till I loosened things up a bit. I eventually broke down and went to a chiropractor, and it was life-changing. I highly recommend it for anyone during pregnancy, especially if sciatica is a problem for you. They are able to help align things and alleviate tension you didn’t even know you had. Make sure they are Webster Certified so they know how to work with pregnant women.
Groin
This one has been the worst, and I have not, unfortunately, found a good fix for it. The chiropractor has helped a bit, but it is still very painful to squat or stretch. If you have any recommendations, I would love to hear them.
Constipation
I had a good bit of issues with movement for most of my pregnancy. Towards the end of the second trimester, I started taking a probiotic, and that helped to get things moving along and to be more consistent.
Heat
My second trimester was May-August, and I had a lot of problems with the heat. I, previously a lifeguard, couldn’t be outside for more than 5 minutes sometimes before I felt like I was going to pass out from the heat. In past summers, we would keep the AC at 77, and this year the most I could tolerate was 74.
Towards the end, I was also always hot. In church, everyone around me would be putting on their sweaters, and I would be sweating. Thankfully, my sweat has stopped smelling.
I had to start staying inside more than normal and found comfort in lightweight dresses that were loose and breathable. I started carrying a small fan around in my purse everywhere I went to help me stay cool. I tried to stick to dark colors that wouldn’t show my pit stains so badly.
Unanticipated Challenges
Several things happened in my second trimester that I feel like no one talks about, and I was therefore not anticipating. I found out that they were normal things, so I figured I would share them with you to help you not concern yourself like I did.
Stuffy Nose
Another 14-week surprise was a very stuffed-up nose that started to bleed regularly. I didn’t think much of it at the time, thinking it was the changing seasons getting to me. I have always been more prone to nosebleeds than the average gal. I later learned this is a very normal thing. A friend of mine told me she knew she was pregnant when she woke up all stuffed up.
I know it is kind of gross, but I found that using a nice hot shower to loosen everything up and clear out was very helpful. Giving my nose a good blow before bed also helped to prevent it from getting too stuffy while I slept.
Bleeding Gums
I am a very orally hygienic gal. I brush my teeth at least twice and floss every day. I was so confused when, as soon as I reached 14 weeks, my gums started to bleed when I was brushing, let alone flossing. This is normal, and pregnant women even get their own special kind of gingivitis (lucky us)! I kept going with my normal routine, and the bleeding eventually stopped. If you are not already using one, finding a soft-bristle brush could help with some of the irritation.
Circulation
I had heard that circulation can become a problem when pregnant, but I didn’t expect it to be as bad as it is. My hands and feet start to tingle very quickly if bent. To combat this, I try to keep my legs extended. Ground breaking, I know.
I hope you found this helpful if you are struggling in your second trimester. If you have any tips for any of the things I struggled with or anything additional, I would love to hear them in a comment below. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your pregnancy!
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