Here is a summary of my experience of my second pregnancy. Youtube videos linked at the bottom if you prefer to watch or listen.
1st trimester
June 24- September 8
First few weeks only:
- Hunger
- Diarrhea, loose stools
- Pimples all over face
- Uterine cramping
- Hot flashes
- So much joy and connection with pregnancy
- Trouble falling asleep and staying asleep some nights
Consistent throughout 1st trimester:
- Tired, absolutely no energy
- no appetite
- Bloated
- Emptier boobs
- Sore nipples
- Darkening nipples
- No libido
- Very emotional
- Desire to listen to positive home birth stories
- Dry lips
- Frequent thirst
- Waking at night to pee
- Craving abnormal foods: Craving spicy, sour, Mexican, savory, vinegary, chocolate
- Sore pubic bone when laying at night
- Ligaments overstretch and pull easily in abdomen and pelvis
- Firmer stools
- Wild, vivid dreams
Weeks 8-12 no energy, going through the motions
2nd trimester
September 9-December 22
Weeks 13-27
- Darker nipples & nipple pain
- Appetite seems to be getting better
- More energy
- Wild, vivid dreams
- Peeing 1-3 times during the night
- Insomnia from morning (~6am)
- Dealing with retroverted uterus & AUR
- Constipation
- Migraine twice (not resolved with sleep, possibly resolved with hydration + trace minerals?)
- Really emotional (hormonal shifts? Possibly due to reducing breastfeeding?)
- Breakouts on and off
- Body sore after sleeping
- Nipple pain came back
Week 13
- Milk supply ends- breastfeeding reduced to only night/morning
- Possible quickening
Week 16
- Feeling baby movements
Week 19
- Feeling baby move constantly
Week 21-22
- Heard heartbeat week 21 via fetoscope
- Acid reflux
- Lower back pain
Week 24
- Belly “popped”
Week 25
- Colostrum started leaking
- Braxton hicks started- when driving, when nursing at night, & randomly
Week 26
- Started feeling hiccups
Third Trimester
Dec 23-March 19
All throughout third trimester
- Full boobs, bigger boobs
- Super sensitive nipples
- Leaking colostrum
- Lots of sexual dreams & wild dreams
- Nursing aversions
28-31 weeks
- No energy
- increase of Discharge
- Reflux
- Thirst
- Lots of BH
- Breathless
32-34 weeks
- Sore pelvis
- More energy
- So much creativity
- Heartburn
- Less Braxton hicks
- Mucus chunks
- Nesting
- Baby dropped? Easier to breathe, lots of lower pelvic movement, frequent pinched nerves in butt, pressure on bladder & cervix
35 weeks
- Baby dropped? Less acid reflux & easier to breathe
- Hard to sleep, esp mornings
36 weeks
- Less acid reflux
- Breathlessness
- 1 Charley horse
- Hard to sleep, esp mornings
38 weeks – 40+2 (birth)
- Strong constant Braxton hicks
- Bigger appetite
- Want to sleep more
- Waddling
- Sore pelvis
- Lots of discharge
- One night horrible heartburn
- Nesting
- Lots of peace
- Desire to avoid social media, socializing & instead focus on spiritual growth
- Some nausea
- Lots of BM’s (constipated occasionally)
- Pulled upper right abdomen nerve bothering more frequently
- Very prone to heartburn
- Some headaches
During third trimester, I nested, prepared my daughter for homebirth, met with other freebirthers, didn’t really want to listen to birth stories other than a couple times. Preferred non birth related stuff. Took magnesium baths every night. Use Earthley’s goodnight lotion every night. Nourished myself. Spent time outside and with my toddler.
All throughout pregnancy:
- Shoe size grew
- Repulsed by eggs and garlic
