Pregnancy Update: My Second Trimester and Gender Reveal

Maternity dress of dreams (shop here). 

So, I’m around 29 weeks as I write this and with less than 80 days until we have an actual baby in our home I thought it was about time I posted another little update on the blog all about my second trimester or as I like to refer to it as three months of eating carbs lying down. It seems like forever ago that I sat all teary eyed in Dubai airport clutching a pregnancy test. The second trimester has been carb heavy, (I’m craving jam rolly poly) and packed with online orders as I try to navigate the minefield that is finding clothes that fit and then growing out of them in 3 seconds. Oh and heartburn. LOTS of that. Also, where the f**k is this thick super glossy pregnancy hair everyone keeps talking about?

Second Trimester Highlights

Since my last update, we’ve been on a road trip around America, which heavily focused on pancakes and we experienced the Sugar Factory for the first time. I mean, yes to places that bring you milkshakes with wedges of cheesecake on top.

In terms of everyday life, not much has changed in terms of my working day unless you count the not one but two naps that I currently have. What has changed is the kicking. There is so much kicking. Visible kicking! Now the kicks are strong enough that my other half can feel AND see them! Our new Sunday morning activity is just watching her kick. I’ve excitedly sent videos of this to friends and I would like to apologise to anyone that has been subjected to this as I’m not sure anyone needs to witness my giant veiny belly and not so great bikini line maintenance before 8am.

Then we had the scan as soon as we returned from Boston. WE’RE HAVING A GIRL!

I’m shocked to tell you that I haven’t bought one single thing for our baby girl yet but I have confidence that my purchasing power will go into overdrive in the next few weeks. I’m scared that once I start I won’t be able to stop and will end up with 789 of those adorable hats, pramsuits and jackets with ears. I have, however, done my sexiest Boots haul yet. Maternity briefs, breast pads and nipple cream anyone? Swit Swoooo. While I haven’t purchased anything yet, I’ve made an epic list online at J Lewis. And I mean EPIC. If you haven’t been in there with a scanner and scanned all the cute things, you haven’t lived. Pregnancy highlight right there. I’ve pretty much scanned everything but a post pregnancy tummy tuck and tit lift.

There has also been another midwife appointment where I was caught off guard and given a whooping cough injection by a nurse that was stealthier then my dog when he wants to eat my M & S leftovers. Sneaky. My bump measures 28 cm and this will be monitored at the next 235 midwife appointments running up to the birth. We did get to listen to the heartbeat again which makes me cry every time without fail. It was mostly run of the mill apart from the urgency with which my midwife told me to monitor the movements of the baby and unlike the previous weeks where my thought process has been ooh a kick! It’s now more along the lines of ooh a kick, wait, was that the first kick of the day? When was the last kick? Have I felt one today? Shouldn’t I have felt one by now? Is she kicking enough?? 

What I’ve Been Wearing 

I’ve been living in leggings and floaty tops and maxi dresses, I did a bumper maternity wear essentials post if you are in need of a few bits. I also found a potential baby shower dress from BooHoo which I’m in love with. This maternity dress is so comfy it’s like an acceptable version of stretchy pants that you can wear for fancy occasions which makes it perfect for dinner, or afternoon tea. I’m obsessed with the colour and really impresses in general with their maternity range. I’ve grown out of my fave maternity H & M jeans *sad face* so I plan to buy another pair of those and I’m also on the hunt for some good gym kit as I still haven’t found anything suitable which means I’ll have to put off those grueling gym sessions I had planned. Very convenient.

How I’ve Been Feeling 

Pregnancy hormones mean I’ve been flipping and flopping between Oh isn’t this a blessing and ugh I feel like a whale. Some days I feel blooming and some days I feel heavy, cumbersome and generally waddly. I feel genuine sympathy for the friend who had to capture these outfit shots, (when you give someone the impossible task of finding a good angle when we all are fully aware there is no good angle at 29 weeks). Sleep is still a favourite activity, I can go for a nap and emerge 6 hours later with no clue of the date, time, or day. On the whole, I’ve been feeling fine, just a little tired with lots of urges to put my feet up. My bump has grown significantly over the last 6 weeks and I’m finding it a little harder to get out of bed, get out of the bath and get in and out of the car. My feet and hands are approx 500 degrees at all times which is odd but normal as far as I can tell (there’s been much googling). I’ve taken my rings off as my hands have been a little swollen but I think the heatwave is partly to blame.

What I’m Loving

Milky iced lattes, iced peach green tea and lilt. Food-wise, it’s tuna and avocado sandwiches with hummus instead of butter and pizza but then when did I ever not crave pizza?

Beauty Bits

I have these amazing sheet masks for my bump that I’ve just tried out! I’ve yet to get one stretch mark BUT there are still 11 weeks to go. The itching has started and I’m genuinely contemplating bathing in 100% clarins tonic body oil. Review coming soon! If you have any genious beauty hacks, leave me a comment!