Things you need for the Second Trimester

The second trimester is a time when you start to feel better, the sickness starts to lift and you can start to tell people you are pregnant.

The second trimester is also supposed to be a time when you will begin to bloom with luscious hair and glowing skin although I still looked like shit!

between 18 and 21 weeks is when you will find out the gender of your baby, if of course you want to know and its time to start thinking about booking on to pre-natal classes.

If you’re not quite in your second trimester you can read about my first trimester must haves here.

Here is my definitive list of things that I would recommend you need for the second trimester. After having gone through pregnancy 5 times and having wasted money on countless useless items I thought it would be a nice idea to put down what I felt were the most important things needed through my experience.

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1. Maternity wear  

In the second trimester you actually look pregnant rather then a bit flabby around your middle. It is now time to start investing in a few maternity items. Apart from the 10 identical yoga pants I practically live in you can buy some nice maternity T shirts and vests. Here are my favorite yoga pants and some T shirts that are both comfy and breathable. I also lived in my husband’s hoodies and found that men’s clothing is very comfortable.

2. Maternity pillow

If you haven’t already invested in one, I would wholeheartedly recommend that you buy one. In the second trimester you will notice your baby bump is expanding rapidly and you are beginning to find getting comfortable extremely difficult.

From 16 weeks onward, it is recommended that you sleep on your side rather than your back, this will stop the baby pressing on blood vessels which can make you feel nauseous and faint.

This pregnancy pillow will sit under your bump and between your legs to relieve some pressure and will help to support you. For bedtime, I loved this maternity pillow. and for the couch I used a smaller pillow as I spent most of the day downstairs around my other children.

3. Lavender and Ylang Ylang essential oils

Now that you are in the second trimester you can use some essential oils that are safe

Lavender essential oil was an absolute must for me during my second trimester and really helped me wind down and get relaxed at the end of a long day.  I use a few drops in my diffuser and it really did help me relax and fall asleep.

You can also add a few drops of ylang ylang which is another great essential oil that can aid sleep and relaxation. I have tried so many brands but I always find this one to be of the highest quality.

They may seem pricey but they last absolutely ages, some of my bottles have lasted for over a year and it looks hardly used. A few drops of this oil really does go a long way.

4. Glider or Rocker

A glider is something that most would think of as the third trimester or a nursery item but for me, it was an absolute lifesaver.

When I struggled to sleep laying down, the glider and footstool coupled with my small maternity pillow meant that I could sleep in a semi-upright position. This was amazing for the days that I was feeling extremely nauseous and sick.

When the baby was born the rocker lived in the nursery and I would spend all night feeding the baby whilst on the chair. I remember having it moved downstairs at one point because I found that I was spending a lot of time upstairs feeding the baby and wanted to be around my other children a bit more. 

The rocking chair is not cheap but I got so much use out of it that it was worth every cent. I just wish I had known about how invaluable having this rocking chair was when I had my first child.

You can read about the best Pregnancy gliders here

5. Pregnancy books

The second trimester is when I start reading and preparing for labor. Even though I had been through it four times previously I can tell you, hand on heart that every single labor and birth was completely different.

I love to read books and prepare myself for all eventualities. You never ever know what can happen in that labor room on that particular day.

The books that I found truly inspiring and what I really enjoyed reading was the Hypnobirthing book by Marie Mongan. It is a completely different way of viewing labor and the accompanying CD is easy to listen to and understand. This book answered a lot of my questions and gave me a great deal of confidence.

My other favorite is What to expect when you’re expecting which is a comprehensive book covering the whole pregnancy. This is a very long book and contains so much information, I would, therefore, recommend you read it in small chunks or use it as a point of reference.

Another fantastic read for the second trimester is Ina Mays guide to childbirth. I found this book to be excellent throughout, it was easy to read and informative. The book felt unbiased on the standard care offered in both the US and the UK. This book helped me find closure after my first birth which didn’t go to plan and move on without fear to birth my second child.

6. Pregnancy belt

If you are suffering from back pain, pelvic pain, hip pain or sciatica then investing in a support belt could really help take some of the weight off your pelvis.  

As your pregnancy progresses and the baby starts to get bigger you will find that you are beginning to get uncomfortable. Pregnancy belts can aid you by relieving lower back pain, hip pain and groin pain.

Hand on heart it is an absolute essential for the second trimester. The belt helped take the weight off my pelvis and I could be a lot more mobile then without it.

I was at my wits end and the hospital had offered me crutches as the pain was so bad but the belt helped so much that I didn’t need to use the crutches. I used this pregnancy belt

7. Tums or Gaviscon

Now that you are starting to feel better and the sickness is going you may find that you are battling with indigestion and heartburn after eating.

This could be caused by your baby pushing up against your stomach. The symptoms of indigestion are sometimes accompanied by heartburn and for this I recommend either Tums or Gaviscon for instant relief. Also, if this has become an issue for you try and avoid the following:

Greasy, fatty and fried food

Spicy food

Garlic

Onions

Caffeine                                                                                  

You may also find that indigestion and heartburn only affect you at night, for this try and elevate your pillow or sleep in a semi upright position in a safe manner of course.

9. Facial spritzer

The second trimester is when you start feeling like you are in a hot sweat all the time. My husband once referred to me as a blast furnace and this was in the winter. I started to carry a small bottle of facial spritz as I could feel myself getting hot and sweaty all the time, especially if i had an appointment.

A small bottle was easy for me just to have in my handbag.  I used this one that I just refilled when it finished.

10. A soft bra

Go into a store and get measured for a new bra. You will be surprised how much your ribs have expanded I went from a 32 to a 36 by the second trimester. I bought a few bras and was told to come back every couple of weeks because pregnant women can change sizes a lot during the second trimester.

Try and make sure of the following;

The cups fit snugly with no overflow at the top

The seamline in the center sits against your breastbone.

Your bra fastens on the top set of hooks leaving room for growth.

11. Magnesium oil for leg cramps

Leg cramps or Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) are normal in the second trimester. RLS could be caused by the extra weight of baby or due to a lack of vital vitamins and minerals. The pains usually happen at night in the foot or the calf areas making it very difficult to rest or sleep. It is thought that RLS affects between 10 and 25% of pregnant women.

I tried eating bananas to get my potassium levels up and I tried massaging with coconut and olive oil but nothing worked. This was until I started using magnesium spray diluted with some coconut oil on my calves. I couldn’t believe how effective it was and really has helped me throughout my 5 pregnancies.

I started using it diluted with coconut oil as I had heard it can sting. Over the course of a few weeks I gradually reduced the amount of coconut oil I was using until I could spray it on my legs neat. Here is the one that I use:

All the products and treatments I have mentioned are things that have helped me during my pregnancies. These are the things that I recommend to family and friends when they ask me my honest opinion on what I would buy for my first pregnancy knowing what I know after 5 kids.

12. Online Prenatal class

Taking a prenatal class is one of the most important things you need to prepare yourself for birth.

I struggled to go to a class with my third child so opted to take this fantastic online course which covered everything I needed.

The fact that my partner could also watch was a huge bonus as we both would have struggled to attend a local class due to having no childcare

Read my Honest review of Birth it up here

13. Breastfeeding Class

If you are a planner like me and want to learn everything before the birth then taking this online breastfeeding class is an absolute must. For the price of a book, you can arm yourself with enough knowledge to be successful at breastfeeding. I just wish this course was available with my first child.

The beauty is that with the milkology course is that you can log in whenever you like and have lifetime access so if you are planning other children this is an added bonus!