Second Trimester Pregnancy Checklist

Second Trimester Checklist

Ah, the second trimester of pregnancy is often referred to as the honeymoon stage. It is a time when the morning sickness and fatigue of the first trimester becomes a vague memory and it is a time before the excessive weight gain makes you feel miserable. Maternity clothing fits good, you have energy, and you just feel good overall.

*Exercise.

Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you should stop the physical activity. Quite the contrary. Doing exercises helps to build the stamina needed to get through the third trimester and birth. Ask your health care provider what types of activities are safe for you to do during this time. Yoga, walking, and swimming are all excellent and safe exercises to do. You’ll find that exercising will also help you to have a good night’s rest too. Here is an article on relation and pregnancy exercises.

*Tests.

The second trimester is a time when the majority of testing is done. At this point, the baby is big enough to see all their body on an ultrasound. Normally, ultrasounds are done between weeks 16 and 20. Often, the sex of the baby is revealed during this screening. Other blood tests and some invasive testing may be performed such as a multiple marker test or an amniocentesis. These tests are not mandatory and check for chromosomal or genetic disorders.

*Maternity clothing.

Now is the time to wear the special clothing to accommodate a growing belly. While you may wear larger sizes, some clothes need to fit in the shoulders and be larger in the belly. The risk of just buying clothing a few sizes larger is that it won’t fit elsewhere aside from the belly. From here out, your stomach will expand. When shopping for maternity clothes, keep comfort in mind.

*Shoes.

Many pregnant women find their feet grow by half a size during pregnancy. Your feet will bear the brunt of the pregnancy. Try to avoid wearing heels and uncomfortable shoes. Go for shoes that will expand as your feet swell. You may want to invest in a wider style or a half a size larger or both. By the time you reach the third trimester, you will be thankful for comfortable shoes.

*Health and nutrition.

It is vital to continue with eating a healthy diet. Just because you feel good doesn’t mean you should eat whatever you want. Later this trimester, you may have your fasting glucose checked for gestational diabetes. If you have this condition, you will be forced to eat right. It’s best to make and keep it a habit to eat right before there’s an issue. Also, be sure to continue with drinking plenty of water every day. Some women may experience pre-term labor symptoms in the second trimester. Staying hydrated helps to stop pre-term labor that may stem from dehydration. The larger your belly becomes, the bigger the issue of heartburn. Avoid spicy foods and avoid eating too close to bedtime to help prevent heartburn.

*Gender reveal.

You will have an opportunity to find out the sex of your baby during an ultrasound. There’s a small chance the baby won’t be positioned right and you won’t find out, but the majority of moms can find out if they want. This is a decision you need to make if you want to know or not. It can be fun telling others what you are having through a guessing game. It is also just as fun to wait until the birth to find out the sex of the baby. Either way, you should have gender-neutral baby items on hand just in case the ultrasound is wrong.