My 2nd & 3rd trimester essentials

Essentials for the Last Weeks of Pregnancy

2nd Tri

In the early days of the 2nd trimester (13-26 weeks), I think the “things” that were going to happen in the future – like birth and bébé – were still feeling pretty abstract for me. I was still in the phase of obsessing over how all the elegant mothers on instagram were staying well…elegant, post – baby. I was looking at how they integrated baby’s needs into their interior design, or how they were still wearing the same brands instead of succumbing to the matronly looks of maternity wear. @bettinalooney‘s nursery, @kristinellenhockman‘s baby in the garden, @ashleykane’s “lifestyle training” (iykyk), @alaalison‘s entrepreneurial juggle, and @sarahirenemurphy‘s graceful wanderlust were all inspirations as I tried to imagine what my version could be like. I was mostly wrapped up in how to keep my style, my home and ultimately my identity – mine.

We decided to keep the gender of our baby a surprise until birth, which I do think is helpful for mothers (and partners) that want to keep ahold of their current reality for a moment longer. It’s also a great way to keep the plastic-y pink and sports related baby gear at bay. We’re not overly concerned with whether we are having a boy or girl, instead having more conversations about the kind of rituals we want to continue post birth and how to make sure our dog, Arlo will adjust comfortably. We spent these 3 months planning our garden (buying seeds from Baker Creek), going on dates, and continuing to furnish our bedroom – so that when the baby comes, and unsurprisingly takes over our attention, we have some of our favorite elements of home in good shape to support us throughout the transition.

3rd Tri

It wasn’t really until Noah and I were on our “spring break” trip to Hawaii with my in-laws during the beginning of the 3rd trimester (27-40 weeks), that I really started to feel really pregnant. It was a nice feeling, being able to lay out in the sun, float in the pools and generally be able to answer that call to …slow down. Comfort was king. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, I picked up a virus that after our return home, turned into pneumonia. I won’t go into all the details, but after a pretty horrific week of managing at home, and then 3 nights in the hospital – I was finally on the mend. Because they don’t really allow hospital tours anymore, being able to spend some time on the Labor and Delivery floor was actually in a way, very comforting. After that experience, I leaned in to putting my comfort and health first, and I purchased a few essentials that made every day a little easier. I ordered most of these things from Amazon, which are linked here.

I purchased a belly band because even before the apps started telling me that the baby would be shifting lower, I felt it, and this adjustable band helped me lighten the load, and be less tired after a day of errands or working on the garden. I sized up on a new pair of pjs, and also on my recent favorite t-shirt dress (that Noah got me for Christmas). For someone who loves a thong, these “under the bump” full coverage underwear have been just perfect. For my recent flight back east, I purchased these compression socks because all of a sudden I started having a little swelling in my right leg. These really helped and except for 1-2 days, the swelling has gone away. And finally, the softest “over the bump” joggers which made my plane travel attire a no brainer and super cozy.

Throughout the pregnancy, fruit has been my favorite snack. Sumo oranges are so easy to peel and they are always so delicious and not too acidic. Organic raspberries and blueberries – can’t get enough.

Now, I am always a chocolate fiend. But during this pregnancy, my sweet tooth has seen an uptick. There’s a See’s Candy super close to where I live and I think I’ve been in several times stocking up on truffles. My favorites are Dark Chocolate Marzipan, Milk Peanut Butter Pattie, Café au Lait, and last but not least, the Café Hazelnut. Omg I need to go right now! In addition, Noah and I have tasted through all the Dryers Rocky Road Collection! After the hospital, I had lost some weight, and I was happy to make up for lost time. “Cookie Cobblestone” and “Caramel Pretzel Path” were my all time favs. 😉

Speaking of weight, I don’t think my appetite has increased that much, but I will definitely need to shed lbs and get my strength back postpartum. Even in the next few weeks before my due date, I would like to work on getting more strength back. I signed up for Every Mother in the First Trimester but I think I pushed it a little too hard and pulled some muscles, and the soreness kept me from going back to the app regularly. That said, I found this app to be the perfect mix of research-based education and genuine encouragement for prenatal exercise and pelvic health. “[It offers] personalized exercise plan can be accessed anytime, anywhere, and the 10-15-minute express exercise regimens seamlessly fit busy lifestyles.”

I’ll try and put together a post about how my last few weeks go and how I’m preparing for postpartum. AND! Even more fun would be a bébé room reveal ~ stay tuned! xN