I can’t believe that I’m already 22 weeks pregnant with my third baby boy and well into my second trimester! This pregnancy has absolutely flown by. But I guess that’s to be expected when I’ve been preoccupied with moving our family to a new state.

The second trimester is by far my favorite part of pregnancy. You’re past the sickness and fatigue of the first trimester. You’re finally getting your energy back. And you don’t yet have all the aches, pains and swelling that happen in the third trimester.

Although the second trimester is overall one of the easier trimesters, it does have its own set of challenges that come along with a growing belly. And I wanted to share the things that have helped me make this the most enjoyable trimester.

1.  Full Body Pregnancy Pillow –

This is hands down one of the best purchases you’ll make during your pregnancy. Pregnancy takes a serious toll on your body. Between a growing belly, loosening joints, and change in your center of gravity. Your back and hips take a serious beating. It’s common to experience back pain, and SI joint pain during your pregnancy. Sleeping with a full body pillow will help take the stress off your joints and ensure you’re maintaining proper alignment while you sleep. Which can help keep aches and pains at bay. At 20 weeks its recommended that you stop sleeping on your back and start sleeping on your side. But I highly suggest you starting to use one around 15 weeks or whenever your belly starts to really grow. 

I’ve used a few different body pillows during my three pregnancies but my favorite by far is the QUEEN ROSE Full Body Pregnancy Pillow . It’s large and firm enough to provide support for my lower body. It comes with a removable pillow case which makes washing it easy. But by far my favorite thing is that it provides enough head support so I don’t wake up with a sore neck. Other pillows that are more of a C shape just didn’t provide me with enough head and neck support. You can also use this pillow after you have to baby to provide you with support during nursing. 

2. Sleepytime Tea –

Between the demands of raising two little ones and being pregnant sleep is not something I can afford to miss out on.  Unfortunately, once first trimester fatigue wore off I started to become restless at night. And with my last two pregnancies, restlessness became insomnia towards the end of my second trimester. This time around I’m working hard on sticking to a nighttime routine to help me relax and unwind before bed. When I’m feeling particularly restless a cup of I’ll make a cup of Sleepytime Herbal Tea. It always does the trick and I’m sleeping like a baby in no time at all. 

3. Water Bottle –

Staying hydrated is super important during pregnancy. Keeping hydrated helps to keep your energy levels up, helps to reduce swelling, and later in pregnancy can keep Braxton hicks at bay. Unfortunately staying hydrated is easier said than done. It’s recommended that your drink between 2 and 3 liters of water a day. Which is a heck of a lot of water. 

One of the easiest ways I’ve found to stay hydrated is with a bottle like this Nalgene water bottle. It holds up to 32 oz and it even has the amount of oz printed on the side of the bottle so you can keep track of just how much you’re drinking. Drinking one of these is equivalent to drinking 1 liter of water. If you drink one in the morning and one in the afternoon, then you’ve had 2 liters of water. Which makes the idea of drinking 2 – 3 liters a lot day more manageable.

Another great thing about this bottle is that it is a wide mouth. Making it easy to add ice cubes as well as fruits to makes yummy infused waters. If wide-mouth bottles aren’t your thing, then you can buy a Nalgene Easy Sipper . It’s a cool little insert that makes drinking from them way easier!!

4. Belly Lotion –

It’s no secret that your body grows during pregnancy and it grows quickly. It’s important to keep your belly well moisturized. This will help prevent that tight itchy feeling that happens as your belly grows.

Another reason to keep your belly well moisturized during pregnancy is the ever-dreaded stretch marks. Although lotion alone cannot prevent stretch marks, it can help to reduce their appearance as well as help them fade quicker. The Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter is a great lotion for moms to be. Not only does it contain shea butter and vitamin E. It’s also fragrance-free and 99% natural. 

If you’re looking to keep your skin care routine 100% natural then I highly suggest you check out my post on how to make your own All Natural Whipped Body Butter with Lavender Essential Oil. I absolutely love homemade body products because you can control exactly what goes into them. This lotion is super moisturizing and nourishing without all the chemicals and preservatives found in store-bought lotions. 

5. Sinus Rinse Kit

Pregnancy does all sorts of things to your body you might have never expected. Did you know that one of those things was a constant stuffy nose? A vast majority of women will experience an almost constant stuffy nose during pregnancy due to their body producing more estrogen. This causes your body to create more mucus which shows up in places like your nose! It also causes the lining in your nose to swell up. 

One great way to help relieve this without the use of medication is by doing a  Sinus Rinse . It uses water and a saline solution to clear out your nasal passages and can help you breathe clearer at least temporarily. I use the Sinus Rinse Complete Kit almost every morning as part of my morning routine. It gives me some relief from the stuffy nose I’ve had since the middle of the first trimester. It’s super simple to use. Just fill the bottle with water (bottled water not tap water), mix in the saline solution and it’s ready to use!

6. Comfortable Shoes 

Did you know that the hormones estrogen and relaxin case the ligaments in your feet to loosen? Which can lead to the flattening of your heel and arch, also known as plantar fasciitis! So not only do you have to deal with swollen feet, you have the potential of developing painful flat feet.

The best thing you can do for your feet during pregnancy is to start wearing a supportive pair of shoes early on. Swelling and relaxin peak during the third trimester. But if you ditch the heels and unsupportive shoes early and invest in a pair of shoes with good arch support and plenty of room you can help to prevent or lessen the severity of third-trimester foot pain.

As far as shoes I love my New Balance FuelCore . They provide me with good support and they also run a little wider than other running shoes. They are also very light and breathable which is perfect for warmer weather.

Since I’ll be pregnant during the summer I also wear Birkenstock Sandals. I hold a special place in my heart for Birkenstocks since I grew up in Vermont, and they’re pretty much the official state sandal.  They might not be the prettiest sandals but they offer some of the best support you can find. And they’re also coming back into style!!

One last thing to consider when looking for shoes during your pregnancy is that when your ligaments loosen it also causes your feet to widen. So remember to look for a pair of shoes that offer plenty of room or consider going up a half a size.

7. Maternity Clothes –

When shopping for maternity clothes it’s easy to spend a ton of money outfitting your growing belly. There’s no need to buy an entire new wardrobe of maternity clothes when you are only going to be wearing them for a short time. 

Building a capsule wardrobe of a few key maternity pieces you can wear along with nonmaternity clothes and accessories is the way to go. Investing in a few key items such as a good pair of maternity jeans, well-structured T-shirts, and dresses are really all you need.

Once you have a pair of maternity jeans you’ll be surprised how long you can wear nonmaternity shirts. Maternity Jeans are one thing you should spend a little money on if you are planning on having additional kids. I’ve worn these  Signature by Levi Strauss Women’s Maternity Skinny Jeans for two pregnancies and they still look great.

Once you need maternity shirts, buy a few well-structured t-shirts like these Maternity Tunic Tops in basic colors. If its winter you can wear maternity t-shirts and dresses with cardigans, unbuttoned flannels or other shirts that are open in the front. If you’re pregnant in the summer then focus on dresses. At 22 weeks I am still able to wear some of my looser fitting nonmaternity dresses and I’ve bought a few of these Maternity Dresses off amazon. 

Don’t forget second hand and consignment shops. You’ll be surprised at the quality of second-hand maternity clothing you can find. You can also ask friends if they have any maternity clothes they no longer want or need. 

Hopefully, you find these products as helpful during your second trimester as I did! Once you get into your third trimester don’t forget to check out my Hospital Bag Checklist with free printable. It covers everything you need and don’t need to pack in your hospital bag!!

Related Links

• What’s In My Hospital Bag – The Second Time Around – with free hospital bag checklist pdf
• Get Your House Ready For Baby With These Nesting Tips and Ideas
• The Ultimate Guide To Surviving A Summer Pregnancy