What you Need to Know About the Second Trimester
What you need to know about the second trimester will give you the confidence to enjoy the rest of your pregnancy and prepare you for the arrival of your progeny. This period gives you an eagerness to learn about your changing body and find a way to embrace it. It’s the time you’ll relish the comfortability you feel in comparison to the rest of the pregnancy. By this time, you’ve accepted the pregnancy and put some semblance of order back into your life. You have more energy, feel hungrier, more clear-headed than you’ve been, and may even have a lighter mood. At some point between 16-21 weeks, you will no longer be “guessing” if you felt a kick and will likely cherish these odd sensations. Maybe you’ve even announced your pregnancy or perhaps had a gender reveal party at some point in this stage. These weeks feel most awkward since you aren’t quite showing until the end of this trimester. Only you and your partner are fully aware of the changes your body is going through. Second Trimester Tips: Now is the time to re-evaluate your prenatal care decisions. Sometimes when we find out we are pregnant, there isn’t much thought put into where to get the best care. We want someone to confirm the pregnancy and tell us it’s healthy. So consider these; Who are you going to pay for their expertise in maternity care? Physician or midwife? Have the first few visits with your caregiver been helpful, accepting, informative, supportive, friendly, and comfortable? Will they teach you what you need to know about your second trimester or any trimester? Or will you have to learn on your own? How about the office? Nurses, secretaries, and medical assistants can give off good or bad vibes as well. Have you had to sit in the waiting room for extended periods? Are you more than a number in their practice? Have they called you the wrong name or had the wrong chart information? Do you feel like you could ask your attendant anything that is on your mind? Have you checked out the birthplace or taken a tour? Will you deliver at home, birth center, or hospital? It’s your prerogative to chose whomever and wherever to have your baby, even if you change your mind a few times. This decision will probably be the most critical step in preparing for a less stressful delivery. 2. An obstetrician or midwife is not the only specialist needed. Start putting feelers out for an expert that you’d like to bring baby to, a pediatrician, or family doctor. It could take weeks to interview a few prospects and make a decision. You’ll likely ask fundamental questions like these; What insurance they accept The days & times they’re open Whether they have separate rooms for sick children What emergency plans they have in place If they have privileges at the facility you are delivering Consider bringing a list of far-reaching questions and take notes. Examine the parenting philosophies that you and your partner have discussed. Decide how vital those key points are and talk to the prospective pediatrician. You’re paying their salary, so be critical. Start with some of these; How do they help with breastfeeding questions or problems Talk about the circumcision decision Vaccination schedule and the pros and cons What procedures are a necessary part of this practices routine Whether they do bloodwork in the office Educate Yourself 3. Take time to research a quality prenatal birthing class. Ask around for recommendations. While online courses, videos, and chat groups can give useful information, you’ll have a clearer picture of labor & birth in a class “off” your couch. For one thing, when we pay for a class that forces us to attend at a specific time and day, we listen and absorb the content and get our money’s worth. Secondly, having tangible props and physical exercises to practice together can be a game-changer. Be honest, are you and your partner going to practice breathing and squatting at home? Third, there is something to be said for meeting other couples and sharing the same journey. Creating long-lasting friendships on your break at the water cooler during a birth class can make your transition into parenthood even more fulfilling. In a world full of technology, let’s keep birth at the old fashioned level. 4. If you haven’t started a pregnancy exercise program, now is the time. With more energy, you can gain more benefits. A specific prenatal exercise class will have an instructor who is able to teach you what you need to know in the second trimester and all of the trimesters. If a class is not your thing, try swimming, dancing, walking, hiking, yoga, etc. Make sure to build your quads for birthing and upper body for munchkin holding. By creating your stamina and muscles, the third trimester should be a breeze, and recovering from childbirth will be even smoother. 5. Kegel, kegel, kegel: if you’re not aware of this exercise, practice stopping the flow of urine the next time you’re in the bathroom. Get familiar with this muscle and make it stronger by holding it longer and longer. Compose a habit of doing 100 per day. By making a conscious effort to keep this part of you healthy, you secure a quicker postpartum recovery. Try my favorite 10 rule to live by; ten in the shower ten on your way to work ten at break time ten at lunch, ten at break time ten on your way home from work ten while exercising ten at dinner ten while lounging ten before bed. Teamwork in the Second Trimester 6. Consider who you’d like on your birth team, outside of the birth attendant. How do you picture your birth? Is your partner squeamish? Do you want another family or friend there when you’re delivering? It’s essential to have an advocate with you every step of the way. Your partner or family can be too emotionally involved to be objective in decision making, so start looking
