The Bump Series: 2nd Trimester
They say the second trimester is the best, and I wholeheartedly agree. During the first I felt ill and bloated, and just ‘not myself’ for a lot of the time. I am now entering the third trimester as I write, and I’m starting to feel a lot bigger and unable to do simple things, like getting out of bed with any sort of grace. While bump got noticeably bigger - and permanent - during the second trimester, it was a relative breeze. I’m already missing it.
Physically, I stopped waking up with a flat stomach around about month five. It was not big by any means, and for most of the second trimester I was only noticeably pregnant in some outfits. The biggest difference I noticed early on however was an inability to sleep on my back without waking with a dull cramping pain. Apparently this is because bubba and the amniotic sac start to press downwards on a large vein in the spine called the vena cava, and this can place pressure on your circulation. My first pregnancy related purchase was one of those maternity pillows (I went for a Dream Genii) which was an absolute lifesaver. In our little London room, it felt like there were three of us in the bed already.
Exercise also took a turn. I went for my last run around month five, and spent most of it worrying I was going to pee. Yep, très glamorous. Even then, my bladder was competing with something the size of a sweet potato chilling in a pool. I take my hat off to those mamas who keep running up until their due date. I still went to Body Pump, which I love, and it is pretty easy to modify a couple of the routines to accommodate bump. That said, I have whacked it by mistake at least once during the clean & press...sorry bubba! I have migrated from the upright bike to one of those seated ones where you pedal outwards. I always thought they looked like the lazy option, and I still do, but they are the best for when you are trying to pedal around your stomach.
Food. FOOD. I c.r.a.v.e.d (and still crave) carbs - anything white, anything with sugar is my best friend. So I’m really having to consciously eat my fruits and vegetables, and reach for an apple instead of chocolate at three o’clock. I can’t eat as much meat as I used to before feeling too full, and am loving scrambled eggs and dairy like cheese and yoghurt. Luckily, charred broccoli still lights up my world - green veg in general is going down very well.
Towards the end, I’ve started to notice I’m getting pretty tired. My wardrobe options are getting more limited, with about half a dozen outfits on high rotation. Running for the train not only leaves me out of breath, but also induces bewildered stares from other commuters. On the positive side, I’ve made delightful purchases like a cute little Herschel backpack which will be perfect for bubba when it is about two. That forward-thinking purchase in our little storage-challenged London flat makes Sammy want to bang his head against a wall. Well, not really, he likes it too. But as he says there is probably ‘other stuff’ which might be a bit more necessary, like baby grows and a change table and piles of nappies. He’s probably right. Also, it’s time for a bigger place. More on the house move very soon!
With Love, Kate
