Second Trimester Favorties

 

It seems like just yesterday I was sharing our news on social media and beginning the overwhelming research project that is having a baby. But, it has somehow been more than five months since we shared our news and at 33 weeks, I am solidly in the third trimester. I’ve started to feel almost all the pregnancy symptoms I read about for so many months but luckily didn’t start experiencing until recently such as foot and calf swelling, bach aches, heartburn and shortness of breath after walking up our flight of stairs. While part of me feels like I’ve been pregnant forever, another part of me isn’t ready for this journey to end.

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Since I’ve finished the second trimester, I wanted to share with you all the things that I found very helpful throughout this “honeymoon” phase of pregnancy. Like many people said, these weeks were filled with energy and overall excitement though I did start to look and feel more pregnant as each week progressed due to my growing bump.  The first section are the items that I swore by during my second trimester while the second section are items that multiple friends and readers have recommended and loved.

SECOND TRIMESTER Favorites

Snoogle Pregnancy Pillow – By the time I hit 20 weeks I was desperately seeking pillows that would help me transition from a back sleeper to a side sleeper. My friend Amanda lent me her Snoogle and it was love at first sleep. I have used it both ways, wrapped around the front of my body and back of my body.

Tums – I’ve had mild heartburn and acid reflux through my pregnancy and have found that once I feel it coming on, I can take 1-2 Tums to relieve the pain. Luckily, I only need to do this 2-3 times per week.

Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salts – My favorite way to relax during the second trimester was with long, soothing baths. I made sure not to make the water too warm, as this can be bad for the baby. Instead, I added Epsom Salts and filled the bath with tepid to luke warm water before soaking and ready for 20 to 30 minutes. These Epsom salts are my favorite as they are inexpensive and can be found anywhere ranging from Amazon to CVS!

Xtend Barre, Orangetheory Fitness and ALine Pilates or barre and prenatal pilates classes – As I figured out how best to listen to my body’s needs, I had to take a break from certain workouts. But, luckily, throughout my entire second trimester I was able to enjoy classes at Xtend Barre and ALine Pilates. These studios feature classes that are catered to pre and post natal and/or teachers who are certified in prenatal fitness and know how to make perfect adjustments to keep me safe. If you’re not a Brooklyn or Manhattan local who can enjoy these studios, I recommend going to Yelp and searching for prenatal pilates studios or calling local barre studios to see if they have instructors who are certified to work with prenatal students.

Belli Fresh Start Scrub and belly oil – A few friends sent me their favorite belly butters and I spent most of the second trimester working my way through each one. The only one I bought more of was the Belli Fresh Start scrub, which I can use on my entire body and their belly oil. I loved that the belly oil provided me with lots of moisture but absorbed quickly.

Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter and Palmers Coconut Butter – While both of these worked well and were recommended by many of my friends, they were a bit too greasy for my liking and left me feeling like I had a sticky mess on my stomach, pajamas and hands after applying.

 Motherhood Maternity rouched v-neck t-shirts in multiple colors – By the middle of my second trimester, I was craving a few shirts that I could wear with jeans or workout pants for errands, relaxing, sleeping and even workouts. I found these on sale at Macys and bought two (black and white) initially but now own five of them. They are so comfortable and flattering that I’m tempted to wear them daily. During the cooler months I wore them under cardigand and wraps, but now I’m pairing them with shorts or jeans.

Workout Gear for a Growing Belly – I quickly outgrew my tigher workout tanks and had to purchase a few that would grow with me during pregnancy. These are my three favorite styles that I wore throughout my second trimester and continue to love during the third trimester. I found the Mumberry Activewear to fit even better as I grew larger whereas the For Two and Brooks fit perfectly as soon as I put them on since they were closer to my normal size and fit.

For Two Fitness Tank

Brooks Pick-Up Tank

Mumberry Activewear (Use code HEALTHYHAPPIER20 for 20% off)

Reader and Friend Recommendations

I hope any of you who are trying or newly expecting find this helpful. I’ll continue to share tips and tricks throughout pregnancy while also trying to have content that resonates with all my readers.

In case you missed it, here are my first trimester favorites.

Your turn: What did I forget?

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Baby Diamond–Weeks 24 through 29 & A Giveaway

 

bump pic

Happy Thursday! Today I have a bump update and giveaway for you guys. As you can tell from the picture below, now that I have entered the third trimester, I am definitely starting to look and feel very pregnant. There is no denying that I am expecting! In fact, each morning this week passengers on the subway have kindly offered their seats which has been such a sweet and appreciated gesture.

This past month of pregnancy was a whirlwind including some travel, some pain and a wonderful weekend with some of my closest friends and family celebrating Baby Girl Diamond. I want to do a separate post highlighting the wonderful shower as it was such a special day. So, for now, let’s focus on some of the feelings, cravings and thoughts around the past few weeks of pregnancy.  Don’t forget to enter the giveaway at the end of the post, especially if you live near NYC!

Baby Size: Over the past few weeks Baby Girl Diamond has grown and progressed from an eggplant, to a papaya and now a butternut squash.  At 29 weeks she is approxiamately 2.5 pounds and 15 inches in length! She’s doubled in size since week 24 which explains why my bump is growing so rapidly. The above picture was taken two weeks ago during a photo session with the lovely Alexis, and I feel as if I’ve already grown a great deal in just these two weeks.

Weight Gained: As of last week’s appointment I had gained 17 pounds. Even though both my doctor and I are comfortable with this healthy amount of weight gain, it is definitely starting to make me feel a bit awkward as I’ve reached the point where I can feel the burden of carrying the extra weight. By the time I go to bed each night, my legs and feet are swollen and my lower back has started to ache a bit. Based on advice from fellow mothers, I’ve started elevating my feet more often, asking Bo for nightly foot massages and taking more baths.

ashley stretch

Workouts: As I shared earlier this month, I’ve decided to take a break from running. Since I stopped running, about 75% of my pubic pain went away overnight which has allowed me to continue working out six days a week. While many people keep telling me to slow down, I feel best when I workout, especially in the mornings. Now more than ever before the workouts give me an extra boost of energy. Over the past month I’ve been able to maintain my habit of two Orangetheory Park Slope workouts, 1-2 Pilates classes at A-Line Pilates, 1 barre class at XTend Barre, 1-2 swimming workouts at our YMCA and 1 long walk each week. Now that I am in the third trimester, I am being very careful to work with instructors before class to get the modifications needed to stay safe and healthy. I can definitely feel the positive effects of these workouts as I’ve been able to increase the weight that I lift at Orangetheory during pregnancy and am finding each of these workouts to become easier with time, even while I am becoming larger and more awkward.

Cravings: While I’m still constantly thirsty and craving fruit,  some of my other cravings have defintely started to resemble those of a sterotypical pregnant woman. Each night I find myself enjoying a small bowl of ice cream or frozen yogurt. I also craved turkey burgers this week as well as gummy or fruit flavored candy.

Food Aversions: Similar to last month, I’m not having strong aversions except to food that typically induces heart burn as I’m still fighting daily heartburn.

Symptoms: As I mentioned earlier in the post, I just feel large. Even though I know I still have another eleven weeks of growth, I’ve started to feel very awkward and pregnant these past few weeks. I’ve had leg and foot cramps a few times the past week and, depending on where she’s positioned, I feel like my stomach is stretched to it’s edge especially after eating or if I have to go the bathroom. It’s a crazy feeling! I am starting to force myself to slow down a bit, making fewer evening commitments and plans as I grow more tired each week.

Sleep: After a few weeks of frustration with the Snoogle, I switched to using multiple pillows to support my body. I sleep with a long, king sized pillow behind my backside, one pillow under my head, wrap my arms around another pillow and put a fourth between my knees. I’m not sure why, but this has allowed me to sleep far better than the Snoogle as of late. Now, getting in and out of all these pillows is quite a different story. It’s hilarious to watch especially in the middle of the night when I wake up to go to the bathroom.

Wearing: As the belly continues to grow, I’ve found it impossible to wear pre-pregnancy size bottoms, even stretchy workout pants. Luckily, I had one pair of large Nike tights and a few pairs of Brooks bottoms which were previoiusly too large. These have become my go-to workout bottoms while I’ve been living in my Seraphine clothing at work. 

Other Random Thoughts: I can’t believe that in just 11 or 12 weeks we will FINALLY get to meet Baby Girl Diamond. It feels like pregnancy has flown by, but at the same time we are so excited to meet her and can’t wait. It’s crazy to type those words as I still feel like we have SO much to do these next few weeks. Bo and I finally got our act together and made a shared list in Wunderlist so we could keep track of the things we have to do. Here are just a few of the things on our list:

  • Interview and decide on a pediatrician
  • Finish the nursery (install new light/fan, touch-up paint, finish book shelves and hanging art)
  • Organize closets and cabinets in kitchen and upstairs to make room for everything
  • Work with our insurance to order the breast pump
  • Wash all her clothing and organize in drawers/closet
  • Take Baby CPR and car seat class
  • Decide if we’re going to do a maternity photo shoot

Giveaway Time

Now, for any of my readers who are based in the New York Area, I have a great giveaway – free family ticket to the New York Baby Show.

ny baby show

The 2017 New York Baby Show, on May 20 & 21 at Pier 94 will once again be the largest show for new and expectant parents in the country. Now in its 7th year, no other event provides a better experience for thousands of expectant and new families from New York and neighboring counties, seeking a family-friendly jamboree of top brands, great speakers and seminars, big giveaways, and lots of learning, support, bonding, and fun as you make your way into parenthood. I am giving away tickets for you and your family to experience the show. Normal ticket price is $30 per family (for 2 adults and up to 4 children), and $20 per individual. Click here to enter!

Images courtesy of www.alexisdamen.com

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My Experience with Pubic Symphysis

 

run happy

On Saturday, I entered the 28th week of my pregnancy.  This pregnancy, while a rollercoaster of emotions, has been a wonderful one for both Bo and myself. Overall, we were blessed to conceive easily and then I was able to make it through the dreaded first trimester with just some exhaustion and nausea.  In comparsion to the stories I’ve read and heard, this pregnancy has been very easy – until last week.

Unfortunately, last week I began to think that the pain and discomfort I was feeling in my pelvic area was more serious than I once thought. Since I started feeling the pain, about three weeks ago, I assumed that since it wasn’t causing many of the emergency signals, cramping, bleeding, piercing pain or contractions, that it was just “normal pregnancy discomfort” associated with carrying extra weight.  After speaking with my OB-GYN, I adjusted workouts that immediately caused pain – jogging instead of running and avoiding any jumping movements.  But after spending an especially active few days, I woke up last week barely able to walk to the end of the street without stopping to breathe through the discomfort. Luckily, my friend Abigail Bales is a Physical Therapist who specializes in pregnancy and post-partum care.

I sent her a quick text, describing my pain and within minutes she squeezed me into her appointment schedule and let me know that nothing is “normal” during pregnancy. Some feelings may be common, but nothing should be ignored.

While I waited for Friday’s appointment to arrive, I spent much of last week listening to my body and taking note of the things that caused pain.

  • Getting out of bed
  • Anything on one leg (i.e taking off pants, trying to take off shoes quickly, barre moves on one leg, etc)
  • Getting out of cabs/cars
  • Running (I dashed for a subway and squealed in pain on Wednesday.)
  • Non pre-natal yoga

As soon as I sat down on the table Friday, I started to make excuses. “Maybe I’m a hypocondriac. Maybe being here is stupid. I’m sorry I’m wasting your time. I’m sure this is normal.”

I have no idea why these words came out of my mouth or why asking for help from an expert felt so dramatic and difficult. Luckily, Abby is far smarter than me and within minutes she calmed me down enough to make me feel at ease, assess my body and diagnose me. It felt wonderful to have someone describe the symptoms I was feeling to me. Everything she said matched the pain in my body that I had such a difficult time articulating.

Since I knew I would have a hard time describing the diagnosis to you guys, Abby did the hard work for me.

Image result for pubic symphysis dysfunction

During pregnancy, the connective tissue of the entire body is swiftness by a hormone called relaxin. And relaxin doesn’t discriminate. It affects your feet, your teeth, and in a major way, your pelvis.

The joint that connect the two sides of the pelvis in the front of the body is called the pubic symphysis. There isn’t supposed to be a log of movement at that joint, but when it’s softened by the relaxin hormone, the joint can move excessively or even separate partially, both of which are extremely painful. The weight of the baby plus the forward tip of the pelvis puts a ton of extra pressure o this joint during pregnancy. Combined with the softening of the connective tissue, it’s the perfect storm of pain during pregnancy.

Running, jumping, and straddle positions can exacerbate the symptoms or increase the possibility of developing pubic symphysis dysfunction during pregnancy as the pelvis becomes more unstable and the ability to contract core and pelvic musculature decreases. The natural tendency toward a forward tilt of the pelvis, turned out position of the hips/femurs “waddle walk”, and additional weight all contribute to the pressure on the pubic symphysis and further the risk of developing pain.

I now realize that the pain I was feeling over the past month was my body trying to tell me to stop running. It is so easy to see in 20/20 hindsight and I wish I’d listened. But, unfortunately, as a first-time pregnant woman, I thought it was just the normal trials and tribulations of pregnancy. There is both good and bad news with this diagnosis. The good news is that there are certain things I can do to control it such as limiting exercises that cause pain, foam roll, focus on strengthening my pelvic floor, and enjoy epsom salt baths. The bad news is that there are certain things which I have less control over such as hormones, natural body mechanics and weight gain.  Each week, Abby and I will work together for an hour to release pain and tightness in my lower back and inner thighs which is exacerbating the problem, strengthen my pelvic floor and work to improve the situation.

Unfortunately, this diagnosis, leaves me in a place of having to say “see you later” to my good friend running for the forseeable future. While some people’s bodies allow them to run through their entire pregnancy, my running days are over. It isn’t goodbye as I know that in time, once my doctors and body tell me that I am ready to run again after giving birth, running will once again be an outlet that allows me to spend time with my thoughts or a best friend, enjoy endorphins after the sweat and leave me feeling strong and empowered.

But, until then, I’ll be finding those endorphins through other workouts. I spent some time working with Abby to put together the best schedule possible that will allow me to still enjoy the sweat and endorphins I crave while also being gentle on my body.  Here is an example of this week’s workout plan

  • Monday – Swimming & PT exercises/foam rolling
  • Tuesday – Orangetheory & PT exercises/foam rolling
  • Wednesday – Prenatal Pilates & PT exercises/foam rolling
  • Thursday – Swimming & PT exercises/foam rolling
  • Friday – Orangetheory & PT exercises/foam rolling
  • Saturday – XtendBarre or Power Walk & PT exercises/foam rolling
  • Sunday – Pre Natal Yoga & PT exercises/foam roll

Please, friends, learn from me. Do not wait to get help or ask questions especially when you have doctors and resources whom you trust.

Your turn: If you have any questions about this, Abby and I will do our best to address them in the comments section!

brooks 3

Photo Credit – Alexis Damen photography

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