Second Trimester Pregnancy Symptoms

My second trimester of pregnancy was good, for the most part. Some days I felt really good and could almost forget I was pregnant, and other days I really struggled. The hardest part was dealing with dizziness and a rapid heart rate. It took me almost the entire 12 weeks to discover it was related to how well hydrated I was. Most mornings I would feel light-headed and couldn't catch my breath, but once I got to work and drank enough water I felt just fine! My nurse told me mornings were probably particularly bad since I hadn't been drinking water all night. Once I started drinking a glass or two of water before bed — and yes, I have to use the rest room in the middle of the night — I felt significantly better come morning and therefore, the rest of the day, too. 

One day I went to work but just couldn't cut it and came home. I was lying down in bed but my heart rate felt unusually high, and I started to panic. I had a very bad panic attack, like I haven't had in years, and actually ended up calling 911. I felt so silly afterwards, but I was terrified about what my body was doing, if I was okay, and if my baby was okay. It wasn't until the paramedics were at my door that it even dawned on me I was just having an anxiety attack. It's been so long since I've had a bad one, I nearly forgot what it's like. The firefighters and paramedics were incredibly gentle and sweet with me and told me they completely understood. They helped me calm down and helped me slow my heart rate to a normal pace. Everything was fine, beyond me panicking! Nathaniel was able to come home early from class, and that really helped me relax further. 

Besides that one incident, I haven't had any other clinical anxiety issues. The only anxiety I've had is normal, first time mom worries!

The best part about the second trimester is, of course, feeling my baby girl move. There is nothing like feeling another life move inside your own body! One night I watched my belly jerk around for probably a good 15 or 20 minutes. She would kick, kick, kick and settle down. Once I put my hand on my belly she'd get worked up all over again. We did this over and over. It was so fun. Feeling her move makes it much easier to bond with her and feel like this is REAL.

My second trimester symptoms include: insomnia, dizziness, rapid heart rate (when slightly dehydrated — otherwise in the low 60s), headaches, belly stretch marks, occasional bloating, hip pain, increased anxiety, feeling baby :)

Cravings: about the same as first trimester! Anything protein — meat, beans, nuts, dairy — spicy foods, carbs and cold things (drinks, sorbet, soft serve.) And thankfully, drinking tons of water no longer makes me feel sick or bloated! Hooray!

Always,