Tag Archives: Second Trimester

Second Trimester Recap

What to Expect and my Pregnancy Calendar app let me know that second trimester included weeks 14 to 26. We hit week 14 on February 7th, which was the same day we got the key’s to our new house!

Because Mike wasn’t moving out to Port Alberni until early March he came out to Vancouver Island to visit for the Family Day long weekend. We booked a room at Blackrock Oceanfront Resort and did a pregnancy announcement photoshoot! Before we headed out to Ucluelet though I brought Mike around to our different office locations and introduced him as he would also be working for the Coulson Group when he arrived later in March. We actually had the opportunity to tell my boss that we were pregnant together which was pretty special.

I only had to manage another month on my own before Mike arrived with the pups on March 13 which was the start of week 19 for us. I was barely showing at week 15 and then the belly really started growing around 20 / 21 weeks. By week 26 you could have mistaken me for a full-term singleton pregnancy.

Week 15 vs. 26

Most of the symptoms from the first trimester went away except for insomnia and heartburn. And insomnia all but disappeared later into the second trimester. Once Mike arrived I started sleeping well again, which was such a relief. So that just left me with lots of heartburn to contend with. Thankfully it usually just bothers me in the evening so I don’t have to worry about it during the workday.

The Twins First Flight

The babes got their first chance at air travel during the second semester! I flew to Sacramento at the beginning of March for the North American Aerial Firefighting Show and I got to go up in my first helicopter ride for an air to air photo shoot. I had a few concerns about the noise in the helicopter as we were going to be flying with the door off (so the photographer could snag amazing shots such as the one below). However, I was assured that one of our C-130 pilots has flown that aircraft through 2 pregnancies and it was even louder than a helicopter. I had the chance to speak with her and her firstborn son’s hearing tested fine upon birth which made me feel so much better.

COVID

Mike, the pups, and the bus arrived on March 13th and we went into COVID physical distancing practices starting the following week. I started working from home as of Monday, March 16. This was a blessing in disguise. As my body started to grow I slowly started growing out of all of my clothes. Bras started hurting so I would pretty much spend the day braless unless I had a zoom call. Even comfy pants that fit were unconformable so my uniform of choice became flowy Bali pants.

Renting Maternity Clothes

Before COVID hit I had started a monthly rental box with the Sprout Collection allowing me to rent maternity pieces perfect for the office. We returned back to work as of May 11 so I was able to quickly start up my monthly rental box again. I had also purchased 2 pairs of maternity jeans after trying one out in a previous month’s rental box. So those and my Lululemon Align tights have been the only pair of pants I can wear out in public.

I’ve tried to wear a few of my own dresses but they just weren’t built for a twin pregnancy belly so thankfully the Sprout dresses are stretchy. I’m wearing a size medium in most of the dresses and everything is fitting and accentuating the curves quite nicely!

I think one of the hardest parts about being pregnant during these pandemic times is having to go to appointments alone. Mike is so excited to become a dad and so present in being there for everything that it’s been a bit disheartening to go to ultrasounds or midwife appointments alone.

Gender Reveal

And last but not least, the most fun was had week 24 of our second trimester when we finally were able to learn of the babies’ sexes for our virtual gender reveal! We are so excited to be having a boy and a girl!

Gender Reveal

Two trimesters down! One to go!

Essential Oils for the Second Trimester

Disclaimer: I personally use essential oils to help support my body during pregnancy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada. I’m sharing my personal experience with the oils. As always, please consult with your health care team when incorporating new products into your health care routine.

I’m getting asked all the time which essential oils I’m using in my pregnancy so I thought I’d do a round-up of oils that I’m using throughout the trimesters. You can read about the oils I used during my first trimester here. And now as I roll into third trimester here are all the oils I used in my second trimester.

Essential Oils for Second Trimester

Many pregnancy blogs, apps, and videos say that the second trimester is where you gain some new energy and feel much better if you were experiencing sickness in the first trimester. I definitely gained a bit more energy but in my experience, my second trimester with twins was still fairly challenging.

Heartburn: So I went from nausea to burping. My solutions here actually didn’t involve essential oils but I thought I would include. After getting by with DigestZen/Zengest essential oil, ginger chews and ginger cookies in the first trimester I needed something stronger in my second. We ended up purchasing Ginger Gravol (US Amazon Link) or (Canadian Amazon Link) at my midwife’s recommendation and I would also peel and cut up fresh ginger and add chunks to my water. I also found that I couldn’t eat too late in the evening and I would need to remain upright for at least 30 mins after eating to avoid getting heartburn.

Growing Belly & Boobs: I knew I was going to have a big belly by the third trimester (since I’m carrying twins) but I wasn’t expecting to look full term by week 24! I’ve been using the dōTERRA body butter and Yarrow|Pom everyday on the growing belly and boobs!

Nasal Problems: My sinus problems have persisted since the first trimester. I didn’t cover this in my first-trimester post but it’s been sticking around. It’s especially bad at night. When I lie down on one side one nostril fills and then drains to the other side when I roll over. I’ve been diffusing Breathe/Easy Air at night and literally shoving CorrectX up my nose to soothe the dry skin or help heal when my nose starts to bleed.

Gum Bleeding: One of the lovely body changes is that your blood volume increases during pregnancy, which unfortunately can contribute to bleeding gums. I’m brushing my teeth twice a day with OnGuard toothpaste, scraping my tongue in the morning, and also using the OnGuard mouthwash after flossing to soothe the gums.

Aches & Pains: I’ve had this weird ache across the top portion of my belly, it’s like a strip of pain and at times it even goes numb. I thought it was associated with my bras being too tight or even just the pain of the bra sitting on that area. It definitely feels better after taking my bra off for the day. One thing that has been amazing about working from home in the past 2 months has been the joys of a no bra lifestyle! I purchased 2 nursing bras for after the babes arrive and they are much more comfortable than my underwires. The other habit that’s been helping immensely is using Rose Touch and Copaiba topically on the band and massaging it into the skin!

What essential oils did you find helpful in your second trimester?