pregnancy / 2nd trimester / the good, the bad, and the hairy

I am very near the end of the second trimester (WHAT?!?! HOW?!?!) and while things have been pretty mellow around the Hudgins' house, I didn't want to skip out on a pregnancy update.

the good

Hallelujah, the nausea of the first trimester has subsided and my full appetite has returned! I'm trying to eat as many fresh fruits and veggies as I can but our summer budget is TIGHT (like all of my clothes) so I've had ramen for lunch more than a few times. According to my midwife my weight gain is on track to produce a nine pound baby. My first was 8 lbs 11.5 oz, so a few more ounces won't make much of a difference... maybe. I'm tryyyying to lay off the brownies. I have had way more energy, like, I stay up past my son and husband's bedtime and enjoy a quiet hour or two to myself, energy. It may or may not be insomnia. Or the coffee. My milk supply has also dried up, which honestly surprised me a little. I had heard other moms talk about pregnancy drying them up and my midwife told me it would probably happen, but I had my doubts. If I wasn't pregnant I probably would have spent some time mourning over no longer nursing my first, but he and I are still close in other ways. My breasts sure are enjoying the break between babies!

the bad...and the hairy

The second trimester is definitely the sweet spot of pregnancy, at least it is for me. There are very few things I can complain about, but I do like to complain so...

If you're squeamish, read no further. You have been warned.

Let's begin with something easy to stomach... body hair. There are new hairs in unexpected places, like around my belly button and areolas, and more hair in places I already have puh-lenty. It's easy enough to deal with in the shower and will go away eventually, but still an annoyance. Another beloved pregnancy symptom I've been suffering from... heartburn. EVERYTHING gives me heartburn, even milk. This is the worst during a southern summer because I love love love tomato sandwiches and pay the price for eating them. But wait, there's more. The prenatal vitamins I take have extra iron in them. Do you know what iron does? Causes gas AND constipation. Lovely. But pregnancy can (and does, in my case) cause constipation even without extra iron. After all, there's hardly any room for your intestines with the giant uterus taking over your abdominal cavity. Oh, and maybe you've heard about pregnant women having hemorrhoids. I'm here to say it's a real thing. A really uncomfortable thing. I never had them during my first pregnancy but a vaginal delivery puts a ton of pressure on your nether region and well, let's just say I left the hospital with more than my newborn. So when I do finally get to go, it's just not a good time. I suggest investing in a footstool for the bathroom. Other than that, I feel fine!

In all seriousness, this second trimester has been a breeze and is passing so quickly! It will all be worth it to have a snuggly, squishy newborn back in my arms.

baby

Baby is doing really well! He or she is quite the wiggler, especially if I lay on my right side. I regularly feel kicks and tumbles and it is just the best and weirdest feeling in the world. Pardon the gross analogy, but the best way I can describe it is that it feels kind of like your poop is alive. At least that's what I told my husband it feels like! Anyway... baby is almost 15 inches long and weighs nearly two pounds. He or she is practicing suckling on fingers and toes and the brain is active, which means he or she can sense light and sound. Big brother loves to be read to, so baby is definitely hearing my voice a lot lately.

I don't anticipate updating much through the third trimester, except perhaps to describe midwife appointments or the classes we're taking. We're starting to get excited about having another new baby!