Second Trimester 101

Congratulations for getting through the first three months of pregnancy. You are probably super excited to be moving onto the second trimester. Many people say that the second trimester is the babymoon of being pregnant. Things start to get a little easier and you can enjoy being pregnant for a little while. Although there are still some things to keep an eye out for, you are about to relax for the next few months before having a baby gets really serious. Check out these tips for the second trimester.

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Tips for the Second Trimester

{Week 13 to Week 26}

Get out for walks: During the second trimester, as long as you are feeling good, don’t be shy about getting a few walks in. Your body probably appreciates the movement and exercise just makes you feel good all around. Plus, burning those extra calories is a bonus and will make loosing weight post pregnancy easier. It will also help the labor! Please consult your health care provider before any exercise!

Enjoy eating healthy foods: The second trimester you will experience a growing baby like never before. It’s important that you stay on track with healthy eating because you want your baby to grow strong and healthy as well. Talk to your doctor about taking a prenatal vitamin and supplements to give you body and baby all the nutrients they both need. Two additional supplements that are known to be  important are Folic Acid and DHA supplements – I liked Expecta. Again, consult your doctor first.

Start making a list of everything you want/need: If this is your first pregnancy, you have the fun task of going through and making a list of everything you want/need. The best part about this is that you can make it fun. It’s always a good time dreaming about all of the fun baby items that can be purchased. It’s also a good time to start thinking about a baby shower and when you’ll have it. It’s also okay to ask someone if they’re willing to help you plan it!

10 Must-Haves for a New Baby

1. Stroller – We love the Britax USA B-Ready Stroller (as it can convert to a double).
2. Travel Crib – We love the Graco Pack ‘N Play Playard Portable Napper and Change.
3. Carseat – We love the Britax B-Safe 35 Infant Car Seat (it’s wise to keep your car seat and stroller in the same brand so you can snap the carseat in the stroller.)
4. Baby Wrap – We love the Boba Baby Wrap.
5. Bouncer/Swing – We love the 4Moms Mamaroo Bouncer (favorite with my last three kids!)
6. Breast Pump – We love the Medela Pump in Style Advanced Breast Pump. (Update: I have officially pumped for five kids. the Spectra S2 is my all time favorite. I preferred it over hospital grade it was so great!)
7. Swaddle Blankets – We love the aden + anais Classic Muslin Swaddle Blankets.
8. Thermometer – We love the Kinsa Smart Thermometer.
9. Baby Monitor – We love the Motorola Remote Wireless Video Baby Monitor with 3.5-Inch Color LCD Screen.
10. Tub – We love the Safety 1st Newborn to Baby Tub.

Enjoy the baby’s movements: Before long, you’ll start feeling baby move inside of you. While it’s the coolest thing in the world, it may catch you off guard. Try to enjoy those movements because before long, those movements will be stronger and stronger and after baby is born, you really will miss them!

Get out when you can: Like mentioned before, the second trimester is usually when moms feel the best during their entire pregnancy. If you can, try to get out and do things before baby gets here. Perhaps a manicure and pedicure is on your list or maybe you want to get some traveling done. The second trimester is an excellent time to get some of those “want to do’s” done – you are not too big and probably over the nasty feeling of morning sickness!

Get educated on childbirth and babyhood: Although a lot of understanding how motherhood and babyhood works comes naturally, there is no harm in reading up on it. It’s always best to come to your own conclusion about how you will do things, but it’s always best to be educated first. Start researching a few books to read or you can even as for advice from others. Trust me, there’s always a veteran parent out there willing to give advice on parenting. It’s also good time to sign up for a Lamaze class. If you are looking for a good laugh and some tips along the way, take a look at the book Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy.

Start budgeting: Yes, it’s completely possible to start budgeting for the baby to be. You can create a budget based on the price of diapers and the going rate of how quickly babies go through those diapers. You can also start looking at day care centers if you’ll be going back to work. The list of having a baby is so long that it’s really nice to start crossing these items off your list as you can.

Keep track of your growing baby: One of the best parts about being pregnant is watching your baby grow. A great way to pass the time in the second trimester is to keep track of how you baby is growing. I personally enjoyed doing this through a baby journal!

10 Popular Pregnancy Journals and Keepsake Books

1. The Belly Book (I had this book with my two girls.)
2. Expecting You: A Keepsake Pregnancy Journal
3. From Pea to Pumpkin: A Pregnancy Journal
4. Letters to My Baby: Write Now. Read Later. Treasure Forever
5. The Nine Pregnancy Countdown Journal
6. Pearhead Pregnancy Journal
7. Fitbook Mama2B: 40-Week Pregnancy Journal for an Active Mom and Healthy Baby
8. Waiting in Wonder: Growing in Faith While You’re Expecting
9. Pregnancy Journal: A Week by Week Guide to a Happy, Healthy Pregnancy
10. Hello, I’m Pregnant: A Pregnancy Journal

These tips for the second trimester are to help you plan for your baby accordingly. There will be so many new experiences that it may be hard to process it all at once. Some of the best advice is to keep things simple and cross things off your list as you can. What tips do you have for other moms during the second trimester?

Also check out these Tips for the First Trimester. Pin to Pinterest.

… and our Tips for the Third Trimester. Pin to Pinterest.

Once baby comes, enjoy these Tips for a Newborn – AKA the Fourth Trimester. Pin to Pinterest.

Also take a look at our popular post – Newborn Tips and Hacks. Pin to Pinterest.

Enjoy these Monthly Baby Photo Ideas. Pin to Pinterest.

FREE Stuff for Baby

Shopping for Baby? Check out these Baby Freebies on Frugal Coupon Living.

a FREE nursing pillow,
a FREE Eskimo hat,
a FREE nursing cover,
a FREE baby sling,
a FREE car seat cover,
a FREE belly bands,
a FREE nursing pads,
a FREE baby leggings.

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