Hallelujah, the second trimester has ARRIVED!
For me, the first trimester was the most difficult with both of my pregnancies.
The second trimester has a reputation for being nothing but cupcakes and rainbows, but that’s not always the case.
After a ROUGH first trimester, it’s easy to have extremely high expectations for the second trimester, given all of the chatter about how wonderful it is.
For me, it wasn’t automatically magical and amazing. Sure, I wasn’t completely miserable every day anymore, but I had to really adjust my mindset to enjoy the second trimester.
I assumed I would just wake up one day and be happy, productive and “glowing“. I thought it was owed to me, since the first trimester was so tough.
It wasn’t. But I’m here to share how I turned things around and was able to truly enjoy the remainder of my pregnancy!
If you experienced a difficult first trimester, you need to give yourself credit. In my opinion, this was the most difficult part of pregnancy (yes, even more difficult than labor!)
Give yourself a pat on the back, treat yourself to a prenatal massage, have a pint of ice cream, SOMETHING! You deserve it!
Now, it’s time to move forward.
It’s sad to say, but I had even felt a pinch of resentment towards my little miracle. I was frustrated they put me through this!
But with the second trimester comes a clear mind (aside from the pregnancy brain). A clear mind to realize how amazing this process is, and what your body is capable of.
Hopefully, there is no more morning sickness, and if there is, it’s most likely drastically decreased. (fingers crossed)
Your body has caught up a bit, and the debilitating exhaustion has subsided! Yes, you’re still tired and you still need to get your rest and take it easy.
BUT…you now have enough energy to be a fully functioning human!!! (HAPPY DANCE)
Here are some of my FAVORITE perks of the second trimester that I recommend you focus on:
YOU’RE SHOWING!
No more looking like you over-ate, or are just plain fat. Now, you have an adorable little bump that you can show off and don’t have to worry if people will realize that you’re pregnant.
Enjoy all of the cute and bump-flattering clothes, because when you’re significantly bigger towards the end of your third trimester, they’re not QUITE as cute as they are in the second trimester. 🙂
EXERCISE!
It can be tough to snap out of the self-pity you feel in early pregnancy. However, getting out there and doing some mild exercise feels SO GOOD.
Take a walk, hit the gym, do some yoga. Just be sure to clear it with your doctor first.
SHARING THE NEWS!
Most people recommend waiting until the second trimester to share the news of your pregnancy because the first trimester carries the most risk for miscarriage.
Once you hit that second trimester, the odds of miscarriage drastically drop, and that is something to celebrate! Feel free to share the news with confidence now!
That baby is growing, and growing FAST!
YOUR SKIN IS GLOWING!
Yes, you finally have that pregnancy glow!
The initial surge of hormones that can throw your skin out of whack has leveled out, and you are now reaping all of the benefits! Also, your hair is most likely more thick and shiny.
Yes. We needed this.
Focusing on these amazing perks is how I learned to ROCK the second trimester.
After I gave myself time to recover from the sh*t storm that is the first trimester, celebrated the fact that we survived it, I cleared my head a bit and allowed myself to realize the truly miraculous things my body was capable of, and I felt like a new person.
I allowed myself to let go, and enjoy the rest of my pregnancy. Yes, there will be difficulties. Of course, there are uncertainties. And I WILL feel defeated and want to give up at times. But, I WILL get through it, and I will have a beautiful little angel in the end.
Now let yourself be a little vain and enjoy that glowing skin, thick hair, and the fact that you don’t have to suck in for once in your life! (haha)
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