Second Trimester Recap: Navigating New Emotions and Familiar Challenges

How are we here already? Sometimes it feels like time is flying and other times I’m asking “Are we there yet?” We will officially say goodbye to the second trimester on Sunday, and it feels like the perfect time to reflect on the past few months of this pregnancy journey. From surprising symptoms to emotional revelations, this trimester has been a whirlwind and a window into the complex layers of second-time motherhood. Here’s how things have unfolded—the wonderful, the challenging, and everything in between.

Second Trimester Symptoms: Same Ride, Different Stops

Every pregnancy is unique, and this one has certainly proven that point. While some symptoms mirrored those I experienced during my first pregnancy, others took me a little by surprise. Here are a few second-trimester symptoms I’ve experienced this time around. 

• Energy Boost… and Then Lack of Sleep: The classic second-trimester energy burst arrived—just in time for me to tackle a growing to-do list, expanding schedule of commitments, holiday travel, and a wild time of year. On the other hand, pregnancy insomnia is real, friends. This one caught me a little by surprise– I did not experience this with Bryson at all. I average about 4-5 hours of sleep right now, and while I’d love to blame it on my ever-changing body, it’s more of a mental thing. I typically wake up between 3 and 4 AM and cannot shut my brain off.  I’ve heard from other moms that this gets better in the third trimester, so I’m hoping for a little reprieve before Gianna arrives and “Operation No Sleep” begins again. Pray for me. 
• Aches and Pains: This time, I’ve become well-acquainted with these sharp, fleeting pains that catch me off guard when I move too quickly, energetically stand up, or lift something on the heavier side. I’ve noticed that even during my walks, there is a lot of pressure on my pelvis. Don’t worry, I’m not stopping my walks (sorry Bryson and Paul). But, it is a humbling reminder to slow down—something I’ve struggled with as a mom, a professional, and, frankly, in life. 
• Heartburn, Constipation, and all that fun GI stuff: This isn’t new for me, and honestly, it’s been surprisingly a little better this pregnancy. However, my pregnancy supplement support lineup is stacked right now. From Tums to Colace, the gang’s all here.
• Mild Anemia: I went in for my Gestational Diabetes screening this past week, and on the bright side, I passed with flying colors. On the not-so-bright side, I am mildly anemic, so the doctor prescribed iron supplements. Of course, that is now affecting my other symptoms listed above, so it’s a super fun game of “take this to help with that.” Still worth it. 
• Baby Kicks:  Feeling those little flutters turn into distinct kicks has been a highlight of this trimester. I was informed after the anatomy scan that I had an anterior placenta, so I’m less likely to feel kicks as strongly or as soon as other moms. Well…Gianna did not get that memo. She has been wildly on top of letting us know she’s in there and moving around like only my daughter would. 

Second Trimester Emotions: A Second-Time Mom’s Perspective

If the first trimester was about grappling with the initial shock and joy of being pregnant again, and working through some of my initial fears and anxieties, the second trimester has been a time of deeper reflection on adding another little one to the wolfpack. 

• Balancing Two Mommy Loves: You know I’m always honest with you all, and I’d be lying if I didn’t share the reflective moments I’ve had wondering how having a second child will impact my relationship with Bryson. For most of Bryson’s early years, it was just us; a first-time mom and solo parent, navigating the depths of grief while also learning how to be a mom, and a baby-turned-toddler trying to understand the chaotic and ever-changing world around him.  Over the past couple of years, Paul entered the mix and we’ve morphed into a family of three, life has settled down a bit (knock on wood), and to be quite honest I know that these are the phases of life Bryson will remember the most. But I remember it all. At my core, this is what I’ve always wanted for all of us, and I know having a sister will be so special for Bryson. Navigating this shift has brought its own set of emotions, from guilt to wonder, but I’m learning that love only multiplies and there is enough mommy love in my heart to spread equally around. 
• Parenting Through Pregnancy: Parenting while pregnant is an entirely different ballgame, my friends. I’ve had to balance nurturing his needs while preparing to welcome his baby sister. As Paul and I chat about the nursery, gifts for Gianna, and all the things that come along with a new baby, I’m hyper-aware of Bryson’s reactions. More on that in the next section.  However, watching him talk to my belly and plan for his “big brother” role has been heartwarming beyond words. He will be the best big brother. 
• Fear and Change: Even as a second-time mom, I’ve found myself worrying about things like labor and juggling life with two kids. On paper, I had an easy pregnancy and delivery with Bryson. Will that be the same for Gianna? Will we have complications? How will life be with two little ones at home? How will I balance all the things? I know these thoughts are normal and parents grapple with them all the time– we are entering another season of change. It’s a reminder that life is a constant evolution, and change is scary, exciting, complex, and part of it all.  

Preparing Bryson for a New Sister

One of the most rewarding and challenging parts of this pregnancy has been preparing Bryson for his new role as a big brother. At five years old, he’s old enough to understand that a big change is coming but still young enough to need guidance through it all. Here are some of the ways we’ve been getting him ready:

• Involving Him in the Process: From helping pick out nursery items to brainstorming names, Bryson has been actively involved in preparing for his sister’s arrival. We chat openly with him about life post-baby arrival and enforce that he is a part of this instead of overshadowed. He thoroughly enjoyed our baby name game, even if we didn’t end up going with his top pick!
• Creating Exciting Moments for Him: He loves to look at new “pictures” of Gianna on my phone and gets pretty excited when she hits a new stage of development. He felt her kick for the first time the other day– I’m not sure if it terrified him or if he thought it was cool. The jury is out. We’re letting him pick out a new “theme” for his bedroom, something he was due for anyway, and of course, he’s getting all the big brother gifts from our family and friends. 
• Talking About Feelings: We’ve had honest conversations about how it’s okay to feel a mix of emotions—excitement, nervousness, all of it. We ask him questions and make sure we’re giving him the space to express everything going on in that big brain of his. Right now, his biggest concern is losing sleep because of her crying…join the club buddy.
• Creating Special Moments: I’ve been mindful about carving out special time with Bryson and making sure that, even though I’m pregnant, we’re making this era a fun, memory-making time for him. Whether it was our trip to Dutch Wonderland, simple movie nights, or supporting his ever-growing love of soccer, I’ve been extra mindful of making sure that we don’t miss what’s in front of us while focusing on the future. 

Second Trimester Milestones and Memorable Moments

This trimester hasn’t been all about symptoms and introspection—there have been plenty of milestones worth celebrating:

• The Anatomy Scan (times two): Gianna’s anatomy scan went so well! She looks fabulous and it was so fun seeing Paul’s reaction as a first-time dad. She didn’t completely cooperate on the first go around, so we had to go in for a follow-up a couple of weeks later. An extra ultrasound? Fine by me. In all seriousness, the relief I felt after the anatomy scan was massive. The first trimester is so scary– and even with the promising results on our NIPT, you just never know what will happen. I am so grateful for a healthy pregnancy and baby girl, thus far. 
• Baby Shopping, Nursery Design, and Registry Construction: You all know by now that I am a planner. Whether it’s a birthday party, renovations, wine tastings, wedding planning, or nursery design, I love creating a vision and getting it done. I have done my absolute best to stay out of the baby shower planning and not micromanage the process- you’re welcome family.  Over the next couple of months, the rubber hits the road and all my vision work will be catapulted into reality. It’s time to roll up our sleeves. 
• Connecting With Paul: One of the coolest experiences of this pregnancy is doing it alongside Paul. This is such a new experience for him, and when I tell you how excited he is to meet Gianna, it’s enough to make you cry. Watching him step into the role of an expectant dad, asking all the questions, and, even watching him balance being Bryson’s dad with the experience of being a first-time baby dad, has been such a unique experience. He is supportive beyond measure and I am so grateful to have him by my side. Extra props to him for telling me how beautiful I am all the time, even when I feel like an elephant. 
• Our Baby Name Bracket and Reveal: This was so much fun, everyone! Big thank you to everyone who participated. The enthusiasm was off the charts and I can’t wait to tell Gianna about all the fun we had with her village before she was born. We ended up revealing her final name at the beach in Maine. Despite some challenges in finding the right spot on a blustery, 45-degree day, it was perfect. My parents came down to the beach with Bryson before we shared the name, and, of course, my mom cried. Bryson asked to go back home, and my dad just smiled. It was perfectly on brand.  

Looking Ahead

We are going to have a busy third trimester, my friends. It is go-time. My doctor’s appointments have now been reduced to every two weeks and, barring everything stays on track, my weekly scans will begin in about a month. We have our maternity shoot on Saturday with one of my favorite local photographers, Brittany Dunbar Photography!  I’ll share some behind-the-scenes with you all over on Instagram. I’m ready to tackle the nursery checklist, soak in the final weeks of feeling her kicks from the inside, and prepare my heart and home for the chaos and joy to come. Here is a quick rundown of what is on the pre-arrival to-do list before her arrival, as noted on the Trello Board Paul requested. 

• Complete nursery
• Visit the hospital (we will be delivering at a new hospital, most likely)
• Find a new pediatrician and schedule a meet and greet (I still drive into Baltimore for Bryson)
• Decide on cord blood banking 
• Create a birth plan (like anything goes according to plan)
• Finalize work/maternity leave plan
• Prepare hospital bags
• Install car seat
• Prep for postpartum

I’m sure there are things that I’m missing. Moms out there, any thoughts? Whether this is your first or fifth pregnancy, the second trimester has a way of grounding you in the miracle of it all. I’d love to hear from you—what were your most memorable moments or surprising symptoms during this stage? And to my audience in general, what would you like to hear about as we enter our final trimester? Many of you responded that you’d like to hear Paul’s take on this trimester; he must have impressed you in his first blog appearance! Make sure to follow along on Instagram for his take on trimester number two.

As always, thank you all for following along on this wild ride.

Until next time,

Christina