This post is sponsored by Atrium Health. All opinions are my own.

Hey friends! Back today with my second trimester recap so I can share how I’ve been feeling, the anatomy scan ultrasound, Braxton Hicks contractions and more.  I’ll be honest, the second trimester was a bit of a blur!! I tried to remember to take progress pictures here and there 🙂

The Second Trimester

How I Felt

Everyone kept saying that when the second trimester came around, I’d get all my energy back and would feel more like myself.  For me, I’d say at least weeks 13-18 were a continuation of the first trimester!  I was still really exhausted and my nausea also persisted when I allowed myself to get even the slightest bit hungry.  I continued to work out 6 days a week, but running became progressively more difficult and I eventually decided to stop.  Every now and then I’ll see if I can do a slow mile, but that is about the maximum I can do before it gets uncomfortable, so I usually only even attempt it about once a week.  Some women can run their entire pregnancy and I was hoping to be one of them, but that’s ok!  I’m glad I’m still enjoying walking, strength training, and yoga.

Around 22 weeks pregnant I started having heart palpitations. I have had these prior to pregnancy, so I didn’t think too much of them but they started getting more and more pronounced or “heavier” feeling.  I’ve had two EKGs in my life to check on this issue and the results were always normal, so I wasn’t really all that concerned and just chalked it up to a higher blood volume due to pregnancy.  But one Saturday night they just seemed so persistent and strong that I decided to call the Atrium Health nurse hotline at Charlotte OBGYN just to get peace of mind.  After speaking with the nurse and midwife on call, the midwife felt it was best if I went to the Emergency Department just to have everything checked out and so they could listen to my heart.  I understand they didn’t want to take any chances so in an abundance of caution, we listened to their advice and went to the ED around midnight.

We were there for about 2 hours as they did an EKG, hooked me up to an IV, ran some blood tests to check for pulmonary embolisms, and gave me an ultrasound to check on baby girl.  That was the silver lining to this whole scenario was that we got to see her again!  She was kicking away the entire time we were there so I felt like she was okay.  All the tests ended up coming back normal and everything looked great.  The doctor told me just to monitor it and I was going to mention it to my OB at my appointment that week.

At that appointment my OB listened to my heart and said everything sounded fine, and said it’s common for women to experience heart palpitations due to the hormones in our bodies changing.  So that was good to hear.  I’ve continued to have them off and on through the second trimester but it’s more annoying than anything just to be “aware” of your heart beat all the time.

I’ve been really happy with my visits to see the doctor and always feel so well-taken care of and heard.  I never feel embarrassed to ask a question or bring up something that I may be unsure about…and not only that but Dr. Stein goes out of her way to explain things to me and help me really understand what’s going on with my body, this pregnancy, and the different visits/test I would be having!  I am so grateful for that.

Nurse Hotline & Online Portal

Other than that, I’ve felt really great and it has been pretty normal!  I can’t say enough how nice it is to be able to pick up the phone 24 hours a day to call the nurse if I need immediate help with something.  I’ve definitely utilized it!!  I also love the MyAtriumHealth portal too, which you can access on your phone or computer.  It makes it so easy to message your doc on the go and receive your health messages.  I also use the app to e-check in on my phone before any appointment, so it eliminates me having to do the check-in process at the office!  Always nice in case you’re running a little behind 😉

The Anatomy Scan Ultrasound

Rewinding now just a bit to 19 weeks pregnant when we went for our Anatomy Scan Ultrasound!  We were SO excited for this appointment.  I mean, to finally get to see the baby when she doesn’t look like a tiny little jellybean was such a fun moment for us.  Of course this visit came with some feelings of anxiety and anticipation as well, knowing this ultrasound is to check the baby to make sure everything is growing and forming properly.

We got the first morning appointment and were promptly called back upon arrival!  Tip for future mamas: don’t empty your bladder before doing this…it helps the technician measure your cervix if your bladder is full!  I had just gone to the bathroom right when we got there (I couldn’t hold it, lol) and I think it might have made it slightly more difficult on her but she was still able to get everything she needed.  Baby girl was looking good!! She was moving so much the technician said it was kind of hard to get a picture of her profile while she was still.  But we love the pictures she got.  We still look at them today in such awe that is our daughter!  We even framed one for her nursery.

The Glucose Test

Another big test I did in the second trimester was the glucose test to screen for possible gestational diabetes.  For this test, I had to fast for 2 hours prior to the test and then had to drink an entire bottle of this sugary drink that they give you.  Everyone was saying how horrible this test is because the drink is so bad but honestly, I kind of liked it?!  I got the Lemon-Lime flavor (was given the choice between fruit punch, orange, and lemon-lime) and it was cold and really just tasted like a slightly sweet Gatorade.  I don’t know what all the fuss is about.  You’re given 2 minutes to drink it and I think I had it down in 30 seconds.  They then test your blood about 30 minutes later to check your blood sugar.  I passed the test so therefore didn’t need to do any more additional testing for gestational diabetes.  Yay!  But really, it’s not bad at all so don’t stress about it!

Braxton Hicks Contractions

I think around week 18 is when I started noticing what I now know to be Braxton Hicks contractions.  They were very mild and very sporadic earlier on.  They just feel like a tightening in your uterus, but for me at least they aren’t painful at all.  I notice that on days when I’m more active I get them more frequently.  It helps to stay really hydrated to combat these contractions because dehydration can cause them.  On the flip side, a full bladder can also cause them, ha.  So I think I’ve likely had them for the full bladder more than the dehydration because I’m pretty good about staying hydrated.  I also take a magnesium supplement everyday which I was told can help! At this point I get them just about every day but again, they’re more uncomfortable than anything else.  Not painful for me personally.

Babymoon

We took our babymoon to Hilton Head right at the end of the second trimester/start of the third trimester and it was so great! I highly encourage parents to get away for a little quiet alone time before babe arrives.  If nothing else it’s a great excuse for a mini vacation, right?!

What’s Next

Now that the second trimester is over, I’m now going to the doctor for routine check ups every other week.  I will be sure to document that in my third trimester post!!  I will also be including what maternity classes that I’m planning on taking and other labor preparations I am doing.

I am also going to be sharing a post about what I pack in my hospital bag, so stay tuned for that!  In the meantime, Click here for Atrium Health’s really amazing and in-depth Pregnancy & Motherhood guide.

PS: Atrium Health has an amazing women’s institute helping women with reproductive concerns, IVF, and other maternal-fetal medicine, so if you need that resource, click here to learn more about the CMC Women’s Institute.

xo,

Bess