Second Trimester Pregnancy Tips and To-Do List
Second Trimester Guide
So far being pregnant may have been a rocky road of nausea and exhaustion, but that is all about to change. It is smooth sailing for most women in the second trimester. The next three months are the favorite of many mommyies-to-be — the time when you can really enjoy being pregnant.
TIPS FOR YOUR SECOND TRIMESTER
During the second trimester, your urge to eat will return and you will love food again. This is when you start to see some pregnancy weight gain as the baby can quadruple in size, weighing in at just over two pounds.
It is around this time that you can expect the arrival of the highly anticipated ity-bity baby bump. Prepare yourself for people wanting to rub your belly like a good luck charm! Along with touching your belly, people will start to comment on your well-earned pregnancy glow. Your skin and hair will be radiant as the body’s blood flow increases. Enjoy the glow and have people take lots of photos of you to add to your My Pregnancy book.
You may also start to experience movement of your baby during this time. It starts as a small fluttering feeling, but can soon feel like your baby doing a gymnastics routine in your belly. Be sure to journal about this experience so you can share your excitement with your little one when they are not so little anymore.
You will feel like the energizer bunny during this trimester. Make the most of this surge of energy by checking off the to-do items on your get-ready-for-baby-list. Once the nesting instinct kicks in, there is no stopping you. It’s the perfect time to start planning the nursery and baby proofing your home.
DECORATING THE NURSERY
Picking a theme for the baby’s nursery is a super fun part of preparing for the new arrival. Remember there is no right or wrong here. Go with what feels right to you and create a space where both you and your mini-you will enjoy spending time.
Baby Girl Room Ideas
One idea for a girl’s nursery, that is a step away from the old-style pink, is to go with a whimsical mix of feminine colors, giving the nursery a bright and fun feeling. This mix of patterns and designs can grow with your daughter and last longer than other, more traditional baby themes.
Baby Boy Room Ideas
One of the more popular trends in decorating a nursery for a baby boy, is to choose colors in shades of grey, with a nice accent color for pop! Grey is a very versatile color as it matches almost everything and the theme possibilities are endless.
Just because you have chosen not to find out the sex of your baby ahead of time, doesn’t mean you have to skip decorating the nursery. There are many gorgeous gender-neutral themes that would be a perfect fit either a girl or a boy.
TEAM PINK OR TEAM BLUE
It is during the second trimester ultrasound when most women find out if they are playing on the pink team or the blue team, or maybe both teams! Whether it is a boy or a girl, be sure to include the ultrasound photo and your memories of this special time in your Pregnancy Memories journal.
GENDER REVEAL PARTY IDEAS
Now that you know the sex of your baby, it’s time to have a little fun with your family and friends by hosting a gender reveal party. There are several Mixbook customized invitations that could be used to create a gender reveal party invitation. Like our Colorful Banners on Eco theme. We changed the default Birthday message to what we were looking for.
Once you are ready to let everyone in on the big secret, you and your partner can cut the cake in front of all the guests to reveal either pink or blue inside.
Another artistic way to reveal the sex of your baby to your loved ones without hosting a party is to stage a fun photo op and have the photo prints sent to family and friends.
One photo shows you wearing a white t-shirt with your partners hand on your belly in the shape of a heart. The second photo shows the hands covered in either pink or blue paint with hand prints on your belly.
CHOOSING A BABY NAME
With thousands of options and so many things to consider, choosing the perfect name for your bambino can be more difficult than completing a rubik’s cube. It is one of the biggest decisions you will have to make in your life and may take longer than picking out your first house. No stress there!
If you are having problems choosing a name both you and your partner can agree on, try each making a top 10 list of your favorite names and see if any of the names appear on both lists. Maybe you will luck out and 2 names will be on both lists and you will have found your perfect first and middle name.
The most important thing to consider when picking a name is to go with one you will love.
TOP 10 NEW MOMMY MUST HAVES
Every new mommy-to-be knows they need the essentials like a crib, diapers, stroller and car seat, but there are so many more must haves that will help make life run smoothly when you bring home your new baby. We have created a top 10 list of items mommyies need, but seldom get, before the baby arrives. These make great baby shower gift ideas too!
- 1. Scent free laundry detergent – anything that touches baby's skin needs to be treated with special care and washed in detergent that is free from irritants.
- 2. Laundry bag – We all know the washing machine eats big people socks. Imagine the buffet it will have on socks made to fit teeny-tiny feet.
- 3. Nursing reminder tags – Once you bring home a new baby it is hard to remember the last time you showered, let alone which breast the baby last fed from. These clip onto your shirt or bra to remind you which side to use at the next feeding.
- 4. Nose aspirators – These little snot suckers will save your life when your baby gets its first cold. What comes out may leave you grossed out for life, but baby will be able to breathe again.
- 5. First aid kit – The kit should contain items like fever/pain reducer for infants, thermometer, bandages, antibiotic cream & disinfecting hand soap for you. It’s a good idea to have one for home and a smaller one in your diaper bag.
- 6. Baby mittens – You will soon find out babies have sharp little nails that can leave a nasty scratch on you and them. These little hand covers keep your baby from scratching themselves and you.
- 7. Nail clippers – Cutting your newborns nails can be a nerve-racking experience. It is best to use clippers specifically designed for babies. Don’t fret if it takes a few days to get all fingers and toes done, just take baby steps as you learn how to cut those miniscule nails.
- 8. Bottle brushes – It is important to clean the baby’s bottle after each feeding. A bottle brush makes this task much easier and saves you time trying to fit a dish cloth inside the bottle - a task that is very close to impossible!
- 9. Humidifier – You will soon find out how hard it is to comfort a baby with a cold. Adding moisture to the air can help clear your baby’s nasal passages and they breathe better which leads to more sleep for both you and baby.
- 10. Nipple cream - You just carried a little human inside you for 9 months, gave birth and are now completely sleep deprived. The last thing you want or need are cracked, sore, bleeding nipples. Use this cream to sooth and protect your breasts!
