As I mentioned in my previous post about my experience with the first trimester of pregnancy, I had it pretty good. The only real issue I was facing was fatigue. But as my energy came back in the second trimester, I got back into exercising more and was averaging about 2-3 times a week. I haven’t felt like running or doing heated yoga, so my exercise has been walking and a pregnancy strength training program called Expecting and Empowered. The ladies who put the program together are a women’s health PT and a personal trainer, and have been through 5 pregnancies themselves, so they have experience with what is good for my changing body.
It’s been nice to get back in the gym and lift some (light) weights since before this I was really focused on yoga and running. I had a trainer in college who made me love powerlifting, and this program has made me want to get back into true strength training after the baby comes.
There were a couple twinges and issues that cropped up in the second trimester. I had to teach myself not to go from laying to sitting up using my abs, because one time I forgot and it felt like my chest had ripped in two! I read I was supposed to sleep only on my left side, but my hip felt sore from having all the pressure on it. I didn’t really struggle with insomnia, but I did have to get up to pee about 5 times a night.
The worst little panic from the second trimester was what I call me “weird pregnancy rash”. I never got a good answer on what it was, or what the cause could have been besides “hormones.” But starting at about 15 weeks, I felt like the mosquitoes in our backyard were being particularly aggressive. It seemed like now that I had more blood flowing through my veins, they were targeting me specifically.
But then the itching got worse. And it didn’t stop with a bug bite here and there. After about a week of itching, I realized I hadn’t been attacked by mosquitoes, I had been attacked by my own body! I was covered head to toe in what looked like bug bites, and man they itched like crazy. Antihistamines really didn’t work, because whatever was causing the itch was triggering the response that the antihistamines targeted.
I googled and researched and crowd sourced, but I could never figure out what was actually happening. There is a pregnancy rash called PUPPS, (polymorphic eruption of pregnancy), but it was supposed to start on the stomach and usually not until the third trimester. I had barely cracked the second trimester and it started on my legs and arms so I was at a loss for what problem was. And the other disheartening thing about PUPPS? According to The Internet, there is nothing you can do about it, and it will clear up on its own- AFTER THE BABY COMES.
I was itching out of my mind so I could not FATHOM the idea of spending SIX MONTHS itching like I was covered in chiggers. I kept googling, and pursued just about every home remedy I could – I bought aloe vera gel and added it to my smoothies; I started drinking nettle tea in the afternoon; I bathed with black tar soap (it’s a thing?). Keeping cool helped, but here I was in the middle of a Georgia summer. At the worst of it, the only thing that really helped was ice.
Just when I thought I couldn’t take another day, and I was going to go out of my mind, the itchiness started to lift. Little by little, the bug bite looking spots started to heal, and I felt less and less of an urge to claw at my skin.The rash lasted probably 4 or 5 weeks, but it felt like forever. After it subsided, I felt completely normal and great! I had energy, I was motivated to work out, I wasn’t itchy any more.
We had the anatomy ultrasound and everything looked good so I was a happy camper! We found out we were having a girl, which was so amazing. 🙂
I started to have a real bump, which was fun to dress up. We had a wonderful gender reveal with family in Brevard.
Everyone says the second trimester is the best, and I have to say, from my experience, I agree.
Road to Ridges 