Alex Benso
- Aug 28, 2019
- 4 min read

SECOND TRIMESTER UPDATE

Wow! On one hand I can't believe that I'm already 3 weeks into my 3rd Trimester, but on the other hand the beginning of the 2nd Trimester seems like SO long ago! I wonder if it seems so long because when you find out you're pregnant in the 1st Trimester, you're already considered 4 weeks along. Kinda like getting a month 'freebie' because of the way they date your gestation with your last period. Anyways!! Let's get into the 2nd Trimester update!

SYMPTOMS

Luckily, the nausea, fatigue & food aversions that I experienced in my 1st Trimester went away! It was so nice to not be yawning at 7pm & ready for bed! It literally feels like you took a bunch of Benadryl with your dinner every night. And it feels amazing to actually eat your entire meal, rather than taking a couple bites & getting grossed out/gagging. A new symptom that started was back pain. Sonny's family was visiting from Austria when I was 16 weeks & we were out & about most of the day. By nighttime I felt like I wanted to walk hunched over like a Granny because my back was hurting so bad! And I didn't even have much of a bump at that time! I guess the slightest shift in weight/gravity can really pull on your ligaments & ache your back. Another new symptom is heartburn. Pregnancy hormones slow down your digestive tract & relax the muscles, leading to acid reflux. Tums have been my new best friend! For a little while I was experiencing carpel tunnel, which I didn't realize was common in pregnancy. I would wake up sometimes and my fingers would be numb. They would regain circulation, but it was scary at first! Lastly, is round ligament pain & stretching. Everything is continuing to grow, and you can feel it! The round ligament pain is more sharp than just the cramps I felt in the 1st Trimester.

CRAVINGS

Dessert! Early on in the 2nd Trimester I was craving dessert, which is so unlike me! It also goes against the Wives Tale of having a boy *eye roll* Why did I even listen to those? Lol! Sonny was so excited, because I was always the type at dinner to order wine & an appetizer over dessert. Whenever it came time to look at a dessert menu, Sonny already knew my answer, "I don't want any... unless you do..." haha! But suddenly I was wanting all things sweet! When we were flying back from my gender reveal party, we stopped at Dunkin Donuts in the airport so I could get a cake donut. Then I went in one of their convenience centers to buy some Tums & ended up grabbing a Snickers Peanut Butter Bar. Who am I? I would never even look at candy or desserts in the past! Unfortunately for Sonny, this craving only lasted a few weeks, maybe a month tops, and now I'm back to my normal self. "Babe should we get some froyo tonight?" Nope!! Towards the end of the 2nd Trimester I began craving pasta. Sonny says it's because I have a Little Italian in me (haha!). I make a grocery list every Monday, and somehow pasta & garlic bread end up on the menu every week. Also, there have been a few trips to Olive Garden as well!

BABY KICKS

I felt my first kick at 18 weeks exactly! My pregnancy apps had said that I might start feeling kicks about a week or so prior to this, so I was trying to pay close attention to any movement in my tummy. I was laying on the couch one night after dinner and felt the smallest bump against the inside of my belly. I looked at Sonny & said, "I think I felt something!" and a couple seconds later BAM! he kicked again much stronger! It's almost like he knew I was questioning that first movement. I immediately knew it was him & tears started rolling down my face (hormones!). This is something I never got to experience in my 1st pregnancy, so it was so special & I felt like I formed an even closer bond with the baby in that moment. Fun fact: A week or so earlier, my girlfriend mentioned that she heard popcorn makes babies kick. I had totally forgotten that she said this until we realized that the night I felt baby's first kick was the same night we went to go see Aladdin & I ate a ton of popcorn! So maybe there's some truth to that theory!

Sonny felt the baby's first kick at 19 weeks & 1 day, which was the same day as our Anatomy Scan appointment. It was so sweet to see his reaction. His face was so shocked & happy & I could tell he felt that same connection I did when I felt him for the first time. Now we feel him kicking, flipping, hiccuping & stretching at all times of the day. I can't say that it gets any less special :) A lot of people have messaged me when I've posted videos of his kicks & say how much they miss that feeling. It's a reminder for me to cherish each and every kick!

19 WEEKS ANATOMY ULTRASOUND