28 weeks today! Time is absolutely flying! We are 12 weeks away from Baby Girl's due date, although I have a feeling she is going to come early.
Pregnancy after Baby #1 has been so different! I have shown so much sooner, already am "bigger", and everything seems to be happening earlier and is more intense! In my first trimester, I noticed so many differences between my pregnancies and that has continued (for the most part) through the second trimester.
A Cliff Notes version is that the second trimester started with continued nausea and fatigue, but that subsided after 13 - 14 weeks. I felt like I was in the "sweet spot" of pregnancy from weeks 16 - 21. And then things started going downhill at 21 weeks (more on that later).
Here are some other things I experienced this trimester (weeks 13 - 27):
Between 12 - 14 weeks, I experienced round ligament pain when standing after being in a seated position. My doctor said this was common and would subside and it did after about 2 weeks.
I continued to have low energy and be out of breath when walking, but that improved around 16 weeks.
I started feeling Baby Girl move, and Tyler saw my tummy moving at around 13 - 14 weeks. I started feeling actual kicks around 15 - 16 weeks, which was so much sooner than Lainey! Both girls are/were incredibly active in my belly but Baby Girl seems especially so, particularly at night, often making it tough to fall asleep.
Braxton Hicks contractions started at 23 - 24 weeks. I had these with Lainey and they were by far more intense with her. Still not enjoyable with Baby Girl, but less frequent and less intense - at least for now.
Heartburn started at 24 weeks. Heartburn has been especially different this time around. I had intense heartburn with Lainey - to the point a sip of water caused me to feel incredibly full. My heartburn with Baby Girl is a hot, burning sensation in my throat, even when eating something dry and cold. Over the past two weeks, my heartburn has been incredibly intense, especially throughout the night.
Also this trimester, we went camping (14 weeks), we went on our first flying family vacation (16 weeks), we found out baby was a girl (18 weeks), and we started preparing our room for a mini nursery. I also think we decided on her name this past week (27 weeks)!! (Choosing Baby Girl's name seemed so much tougher than it was with Lainey! I don't know why but it did! But I think we found *the one*, and we love it!)
In the second trimester, I went through the same wives tales that I did with Lainey. Again, so many differences there! I was also so convinced we were having a boy! The news of another daughter and knowing Lainey was going to have a baby sister brought me to tears! I was so happy! Tyler was equally ecstatic and is so excited to continue to #girldad status!
Even though my pregnancies have been so different, our girls’ ultrasound photos look pretty similar to me!
So getting back to that 21-week marker - things went downhill after I pulled a groin muscle while playing with Lainey. Since that injury, I hurt and have had a ton of pelvic pain and pressure. For about a month, there were times I physically couldn't move my right leg to walk - for real, I couldn't even drag it along the floor! Which I definitely tried most nights getting to bed.
At my 22-week appointment, I brought all my concerns up with my OB, and we also discussed my pregnancy with Lainey. My OB recommended Pelvic Floor Therapy. She said that the therapy can't help with baby's position, but can help bring me some relief from the pain I've been experiencing.
(Back story on my pregnancy with Lainey - I had a fairly good pregnancy with Lainey, up until the end. Starting at 35 weeks, I was on unofficial bedrest with Lainey - I physically struggled to walk/move. Medically speaking, Lainey was at a +3 station for 4 weeks, which essentially means she was in the birth canal until I was induced at 39 weeks, 2 days.)
Also to note, I asked my OB if my experience with Lainey being so low was specific to her, or if she thinks that is how I carry babies. She answered (and my PT also agreed with this) that is likely how I carry babies. Very alarming but we’re making the best of it.
At 26 weeks I started PT. After reviewing my symptoms and previous experience with Lainey, my physical therapist started treating me for Pubic Symphysis. She believes my groin issue, the pelvic pain/pressure, the feeling of being bruised/sore is all related and how my body carries babies. Our goal in PT has been to strengthen my pelvic floor, which should in turn, give my pelvis a little relief from all the pressure it is experiencing from growing Baby Girl.
Last week (27 weeks), I was given a SI belt to pull my muscles in together a little more, helping with the Pubic Symphysis pain. It does seem to help but I feel like I don't have many opportunities to wear it. Also at PT last week, my therapist checked the strength of my pelvic floor. The results were very telling and confirmed what we expected - my pelvic floor is very weak. We also learned that it takes about 5 seconds for my pelvic floor muscles to relax after they are engaged. This is quite long so we are working on that too.
My experience so far with PT has been good. I feel like I am getting stronger but I still hurt. Transitions especially hurt (rolling over in bed, getting up from the floor or a seated position, getting off the couch - all things that require the separation of my legs / use of my core and pelvic muscles). Walking can also be challenging and painful, based on all the pressure I feel. Most hours of every day I feel bruised and sore. I don't expect all the pain to go away, especially as Baby Girl gets bigger and lower, but I am very thankful that I have started going to PT because I have been getting a little relief.
I still can’t believe we’re in the third trimester now! I am so excited to add Baby Girl to our family but I am also not wishing the time away with Lainey as my only daughter! So here’s to staying healthy, resting, preparing, and enjoying life’s amazing moments with my growing family!!
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