My Second Trimester [symptoms, supplements + several must-haves]

SECOND TRIMESTER SYMPTOMS:

Cravings

I have been craving fruit, (mainly watermelon + pineapple), sauerkraut + kimchi. I’m not sure what it is, about any of these, but they are stocked in the fridge at (almost) all times. I think I’ve been loving watermelon and pineapple so much because they’re deliciously sweet, and very refreshing in this heat. I’ve always had a huge sweet tooth, and I basically need something sweet after every meal. Yes, that includes breakfast! The sauerkraut and kimchi is a little comical, especially to Greg, as I’ve never eaten as much in my entire life as I have during this pregnancy. As a matter of fact, I never tried kimchi until I was pregnant. It tastes somewhat similar to sauerkraut which I’ve had before pregnancy and enjoyed. I not complaining though, because they’re both healthy snacks and full of probiotics for healthy digestion! Heck yes. 

Side note: I did write about these cravings in the beginning of the 2nd trimester, and now, as I’m at the end of it, I have noticed that these specific cravings have definitely decreased. I no longer crave sauerkraut and kimchi, however I still love alll the fruit – mainly watermelon. 

Headaches

These kind of came out of nowhere, and they come and go randomly. Some weeks I won’t experience any at all, while at times I’ll have one just about everyday. They are more of the annoying kind that just don’t seem to go away. Some nights I would fall asleep with one and still have it when I wake up.  That was the worst. Knock on wood, they’ve stayed away since the beginning of the second trimester and hopefully it continues that way! I’ve definitely ensured that I’m drinking plenty of water which may be helping.

Insomnia

In my opinion this is one of the most frustrating and hardest symptoms that I struggle with. I pride myself on getting enough sleep lol especially now that I’m pregnant as I know it’s so vital. So when I started having a hard time with this, it was very difficult for me to deal with it. I knew having trouble sleeping is a common symptom during pregnancy, but I more so expected it later on during my 3rd trimester when my belly would be a lot bigger (assuming it would make it more difficult to get comfortable). Some nights it felt like I never fell into a deep/REM sleep until a couple hours before I had to get up – I would toss and turn the majority of the night.

Now, as the second trimester has come to an end, I honestly think the anxiety and stress that I was unawarely putting on myself about getting enough sleep was making it all worse. When I got that under control and tried to just ‘let it happen’, I started sleeping much better. I also got more tired as the second trimester went on, especially the last few weeks, so by the time 8:30pm rolled around, I was ready to get in bed and hit the hay. 

Lower Back Aches/Pains

These are not too severe, and I hope that they don’t get any worse, although I won’t be surprised if they do as the belly is only going to continue growing, placing more pressure and strain on my lower back. I have been going to the chiropractor which I can tell has definitely been helping, and I plan to continue doing so regularly throughout this pregnancy. I was seeing the same chiropractor beforehand and will continue to do so after pregnancy. It seriously makes a huge difference for me when I get adjusted and when everything is aligned — I sleep better, less aches/pains, better digestion, etc. 

Less Bladder Control

Say what? Uh huh. Feel a sneeze coming on? Ya better prepare your lady parts, squeeze tight (think kegel ladies) and pray that you don’t have a full bladder, otherwise, yep, you’re peeing yourself. Sometimes a lot. Sometimes just a little. Either way, by the end of the second trimester, I masted the ‘squeeze and sneeze’ method. Well, almost. But hey, it’s pretty normal and common, so no worries. It is what it is!