Second Trimester Must Haves

In case you missed it or are newly pregnant, my can read my first trimester must haves here!  We are now officially in the 3rd trimester, which I can't believe! It's definitely one of those experiences that seems super long and super short at the same time, at least to me. On one hand I can't believe we only have about three months left, but on the other hand, I feel like I've been pregnant for years. As I did in the first trimester post, I'm going to start with a little update on the pregnancy thus far: Sickness: I think it was around week 15 or 16 that the sickness/nauseous finally passed. There were a few random days where I had a few small bouts of being nauseous but overall I felt great! However, towards the end of the 2nd trimester, around week 25, my back started to hurt and it's only progressively gotten worse. If I do too much in one day, which if I'm being honest is most days (I can't sit still!) I really pay for it at night. A heating pad has been my best friend and tomorrow I start a 6 week Prenatal Yoga class so I'm hoping that helps since I can imagine it will only get worse with the growing bump!  Weight Gain: As of last Friday, I had gained a total of 15 pounds so far in the pregnancy. All of which was during the second trimester :)  Eating: Luckily, eating has gone back to normal! I don't find I have any weird cravings and am pretty much eating what I normally would. I do still try to eat relatively heathy but sometime's the only thing that sounds good is a good ole' box of Annie's White Cheddar Mac & Cheese! I haven't noticed being extra hungry or eating more than I normally would either. If anything, I find I feel fuller faster, my guess is it has to do with the baby taking up the room where my stomach used to be. So I do snack on fruits and veggies a little more than normal to make sure I'm getting enough nutrients for the little one. I will say, one thing I do crave is a glass of wine...only three months and it will not only be rose season but I'll be able to enjoy it again!  Showing: Oh yeah! I feel like this belly is growing more and more everyday! I think it was about week 27 or 6 months pregnant that it all of a sudden was very obvious. There are still some outfits I can wear that it's not super obvious but overall it's definitely there! I have found I prefer to wear tighter clothes while pregnant, I like to show off the little bump I'm growing :) normally, I would rarely wear tight clothes but I'm enjoying it while pregnant.  Mood: I still wouldn't say I am moody, I'm generally very happy and content and feel like myself. However, I have noticed that I've started to cry more over things I shouldn't be crying about. Like the other day I was carrying packages into the house from Fedex and I misjudged the opening, bumped boxes first into the door frame, and they all crashed on the ground. I then proceeded to ugly, hard cry for like 10 minutes. My guess is that had to do with the hormones.... Alright, now on to my must haves for the second trimester! 

Maternity Leggings and Maternity Jeans - As I've mentioned before, I'm trying to avoid as much "maternity" clotheing as possible. Mostly because they aren't always my style and the cute clothes I love fit if I just size up! However, there is totally an exception to that rule, pants. I have one pair of leggings and one pair of jeans and love them both! I prefer the kind that go all the way over the bump rather than rest below it. I will say these leggings are VERY thin and have a weird ribbing around the top of the legs but as long as you wear a longer top, they are great!  Heating Pad - As I mentioned up above, I've had really bad back pain and it only seems like it's getting worse. Since most medications are to be avoided, a heating pad has been my best friend! I typically sit with one for up to two hours a day, which is long, but it definitely makes a difference!  Massage Body Oil - One word, foot rubs. Only made better by using a massage body oil, I personally use one with a lavender scent, which is also a relaxing scent and adds to the experience. It is by far my favorite time of day. The only down fall is Mike usually travels a few nights a week so I can't get one every day :)  Comfortable Pajamas - Since a lot of my clothes no longer fit or are tight, when I'm home you can usually find me in pajamas. Getting a comfortable/stretchy pair is essential for a growing belly! Nursing Bra - My pre-pregnancy bras no longer fit and while I still try and squeeze into them, it's just not comfortable at all. Rather than purchase bigger bras, I bought one of these nursing bras on recommendation of a friend and they are awesome! They are kind of like a bralette mixed with a bra and it's sooo comfortable. Bonus, you'll be ready when the baby comes! I definitely need to invest in a few more of these as the due date gets closer.  Maternity Tank Top - I've been loving to wear tighter clothes while pregnant to show off the bump so my go-to outfit has been jeans or leggings with a tank top and a cardigan. These tank tops are cheap, well made, and super affordable! Coffee - My doctor has recommended 8oz of caffeine a day and while I couldn't stomach the idea of coffee the first trimester, I've been loving it again during the second trimester. I usually drink a cup in the morning though sometime's I "save" it for a Starbucks if I know I'll be out and about! Sleep - I read a ton during the first trimester that with the second trimester comes a ton of energy. Well, that definitely didn't happen with me. I was just as tried as the first trimester and with the back pain towards the end, I found I was even more exhausted.  *Most of first trimester must-have's are still my go-to's this trimester as well, besides the Lindy's since I'm not nauseous anymore, yay!