Second Trimester During My Second Pregnancy

I am not sure how I could be closing the chapter on my second trimester already, but here we are, 28 weeks pregnant with baby girl and entering into my THIRD AND FINAL trimester - Let's do it!

This is my second pregnancy. (I am not sure how we already have a two year old. Time really does fly when you're having fun with family.)

Looking back at the last trimester, I am in awe of how different it was compared to the first.

My first trimester with this beautiful baby girl was filled with all day sickness. (Whoever coined the term "morning sickness" either has never been pregnant or was a male - sorry guys, but the sickness isn't just a morning symptom, it's an ALL DAY occurrence.) Per my doctor's recommendation, I stayed hydrated (thanks to LMNT), and ate when I could.

With our son, Micah, I didn't have any symptoms during my first trimester. So, I had a good inkling that this pregnancy was with a little lady just based on how different my body responded during the first trimester.

My second trimester with baby girl was awesome.

I was able to eat, exercise, and chase around a toddler all day everyday.

I felt healthy and really strong. My workouts prior to getting pregnant were all at home insanity style workouts with my hubby.

I have continued the "insanity" style workout, but I modify whenever I feel necessary. (No core and ditched the push ups - I will add them back in once I am cleared post-partum by my medical team.)

Beyond workouts, one of the reasons I believe I have stayed healthy and gradually started gaining weight was due to my "Fab Four" smoothies in the morning.

If you haven't heard of "Fab Four" or Kelly LeVeque, check out her website and her book "Body Love".

These smoothies have been life changing for me. I never knew I was making a smoothie "wrong" until I read her books and was taught how to make a smoothie that kept me full and healthy all morning long.

The weather also began to get nicer here in Wisconsin as I entered later into my second trimester. I am an outdoors person. If it's not freezing temperatures, you can find my family and I outside enjoying the fresh air as much as possible. We go for family walks and play outside WHENEVER possible.

Having a summer baby (due July 27th) has been extremely fun so far. Micah was born in February so my second and third trimester were in the winter months where I feel less active. With this pregnancy, I can already see why some women say summer babies are the way to go. (I might answer this differently when it gets hotter, but for now, I am loving it.)

Some things we accomplished during my second trimester with baby girl:

-Found out the gender at 20 weeks

-Shared the exciting news with our families that baby Tanck #2 is a happy, healthy little girl! (Tancks and Schenks)

-Told Micah he's going to have a little sister, even though he guessed it all along! :)

-Got items for her nursery space and put them together. (Ikea has great stuff, but man those cartoon directions can be fun to follow.)

-Transitioned Micah from the nursery into his very own big boy room. (Can't believe our little boy is growing up so fast.)

-FINISHED the nursery space so it's ready for baby girl when she arrives in late July.

-Read parenting books that have already changed me for the better :

No-Drama Discipline: The Whole Brain Way to Calm Chaos and Nurture Your Childs Developing Mind

The Yes Brain: How to Cultivate Courage, Curiosity, and Resilience in your Child

-Shared little girl kicking and moving with my hubby. At around 13-15 weeks I began to feel butterfly sensations and her kicking. Now, she is full blown barrel rolling and karate chopping inside my womb every day and evening.

It's been a blessing to have Trevor see and feel her kicking and moving around.

-Upgraded our stroller to a used double Bob stroller. This will sound like the most parent thing to get excited about, but this stroller is AMAZING! We have a really good friend who found someone local selling this boss stroller and we JUMPED on the opportunity to purchase it. Micah is already enjoying rides in it and he can't wait to stroll with his sister.

-Props to my husband for rubbing my feet EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. He did this when I was pregnant with Micah and he has continued the kind gesture during this pregnancy. My feet and I thank you for your massages.

Overall, my second trimester has been spectacular.

I am growing bigger and bigger by the day it feels, and I might start to slow down in the third trimester, but for now I feel grateful that this second trimester has been so good to me.

Growing this baby girl is a blessing I am thankful for every single day.

Giving Micah a sibling and a new best friend is something my heart cannot wait to witness.

Knowing my husband and I will have a daughter to call ours is indescribable.

We are in a constant state of awe and gratitude that Micah and his little sister chose us to be their parents.

I am excited to see what the third trimester brings. (Probably stretchy pants and lots of foot rubs!)

TANCKS for reading.