CHAPTER SEVEN
Weeks 14 through 26: Your Second Trimester Guide
What to eat and how to thrive
Ah, the third trimester, or what you commonly know as your second trimester. Most women blissfully welcome the second trimester because the less-graceful gifts of the first trimester, like flatline exhaustion and debilitating nausea, have usually abated sometime between weeks 13 and 16, leaving you with a newfound appreciation for energy (you finally have some!) and food (the nausea is gone!).
Another super-cool part of the second trimester is that the outside of your body is starting to catch up with what has been happening on the inside for the last three months. Your belly bump may be popping out and will soon be visible to everyone. Your clothes become a little tighter and you develop a new and deep love for spandex and flowy clothing, or maybe you are ready for a maternity clothes shopping trip! It is a time to love, accept, and be amazed by this incredible metamorphosis of your body as it continues to house and grow your little bundle.
Although the adorable baby bump may begin as a strange beer gut–type belly at first, hang in there because this, too, shall pass. This in-between stage—is she pregnant or just “letting herself go”?—can feel awkward for some women who fear appearing like they have inexplicably put on weight. But remember: You’re making a baby, sister! And that is an amazing gift.
This transition time was actually one of Willow’s favorite parts. It’s when you try to suck in your belly and for the first time it doesn’t budge and you realize you are rocking your very own baby belly.
Enjoy each stage and revel in the little gifts it brings. Because one day soon you will wake up, look down at a significant bulge, and say, “Wow, I’m really pregnant!” Then there will be no mistaking your round belly for anything other than what it is: the belly of a beautiful pregnant goddess carrying a new life.
Since each body is unique, know that visible bumps can come early or late and in all shapes and sizes. With this new gorgeous forward curve and a return of energy, you are feeling great and life couldn’t be better. While most women feel better around the second trimester, even if you’re still struggling with unpleasant symptoms, you’re one-third of the way through and doing great—hang in there, it gets better.
Now you can start thinking about what you can do to support your body and baby for this specific stage and what raw materials in the way of food you need to help your baby’s development. So exciting, your baby is now growing at Mach speed, your blood volume is in the process of doubling, and soon you will start feeling the precious life inside you tickle, punch, kick, and perform somersaults—a pregnancy highlight.
During the second trimester, your body continues to need everything you have already introduced to it, with a few extras. Right now, your baby is getting down to business and developing his skin and bones. Red blood cells are forming in your baby’s spleen, fat starts to accumulate, and the lungs and nervous system continue to mature. And although some tests allow you to find out the gender of your baby as early as week 10, most parents don’t find out until this trimester (if they choose to at all, of course). Let the nursery decorating and daydreaming of your future family life begin!
WHAT TO EAT DURING THE SECOND TRIMESTER
To support baby in these amazing developments, focus on getting plenty of the following nutrients:
Protein
Aim to eat 70 grams of protein a day. Revisit here in Chapter 6 to remind yourself why protein is so awesome and how to get in your daily recommended amount. Remember, protein loading in the morning is one of your best efforts of hormonal balance and deeper sleep at night.
Collagen
Collagen is a protein that’s found in tendons, ligaments, and skin and it is the main protein in your skin, hair, and nails. Collagen is also important because it thickens our intestinal lining so we can fight off foreign invaders, absorb more nutrients from our food, and synthesize protein better (equaling more energy and brain power). This is why it’s a crucial protein during the second trimester.
Bone broth is one the best foods for collagen production. If you remember from the superfoods discussed in Chapter 5, the bone broth we are talking about is made from raw chicken bones that soak in water with a splash of apple cider vinegar and are then cooked for 24 hours to draw out the minerals from the bones. This is serious food as medicine. Authentic bone broth that really supercharges your pregnancy is made with the chicken’s feet. We know, this sounds gross, but all the collagen is in the feet of the chicken.
Skin and bones need vitamins C and A working synergistically to develop properly, and collagen gives you this magical combination. Your baby will love the abundance of collagen you are providing from bone broth. Or you can just buy collagen and use it like a protein powder, mixed into smoothies, soups, sauces, mashed potatoes, etc.
Fat
Make sure you are getting enough fat in your diet: Remember, it is good to be anti–low fat and anti–low calorie right now. This will help baby pack on the important pounds she needs to keep warm outside the womb. Some of the best forms of fat to include in your daily diet now (and later, while breast-feeding) are:
• Avocados and avocado oil
• Coconut oil: 2 tablespoons a day—cook with it or use it on toast instead of butter. (You can also apply it to your skin and stretching belly to keep it nice and soft.)
• Coconut butter
• Free-range duck fat
• Seeds, nuts, and nut butter (raw is best; store in the fridge to inhibit mold growth)
• Grass-fed butter or ghee
• Pasture-raised eggs and meat
• Omega-3 fatty acids (See here in Chapter 6 for everything you need to know about omega-3s.)
Magnesium
Magnesium helps build and repair your body’s tissues, and according to an article in the Journal of Nutrition, deficiencies can lead to preeclampsia and poor fetal growth.1 Fortunately, it is fairly easy to get enough magnesium through common foods and your prenatal vitamins.
Remember, magnesium and calcium work together: Magnesium relaxes the muscles while calcium stimulates them to contract. Without magnesium, your muscles will not relax enough and will over-contract. In your case, the important muscles are your uterine muscles. Too little magnesium could cause premature contractions.2
We said it before and we’ll say it again: Our favorite way to load up on magnesium is to take a bath or have a foot soak with magnesium oil (4 ounces in a bath, 2 ounces in a foot soak). This way the body can absorb what it needs and leave the rest.
We actually love our options for magnesium-rich foods… and we’re pretty sure you will, too:
• Dark chocolate! Let this be your answer to your sweet craving, if you have one, and reap the benefits of all its magnesium. Make sure your chocolate comes from cacao (70 percent or higher), not processed cocoa. We love Dagoba and NibMor chocolate bars for this reason.
• Dark leafy greens: Are you tired of hearing about dark leafy greens? Sorry, but they contain so much nutrition that we can’t stop talking about them! Try our Pure Greens Stock (here), Christa’s Bliss Juice (here), or Plant Protein Smoothie (here).
• Dried fruit: raisins, figs, prunes, apricots, dates
• Bananas
• Avocados
• Gluten-free whole grains
• Beans and legumes
• Wild fish
• Most raw nuts and seeds
• Topical supplementation: Discover favorite brands in Supplements and Natural Products, here in the Resources section.
Willow’s favorite meal of grilled salmon with a side of Sweet and Tangy Raw Kale Salad (here) fills your magnesium (and omega-3 and calcium and protein) needs deliciously. Extra credit: All you DIY mamas can make your own chocolate almond milk with raw cacao, which is one of the highest-magnesium-filled foods!
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is essential for collagen production. In the second trimester, vitamin C helps strengthen the membranes of the amniotic sac that holds your baby, thanks to its antioxidant power. Antioxidants protect the cells from free radical (toxin) damage, keeping you and baby safe, energetic, and thriving. It also boosts your adrenal glands, the gas tank of the body, giving you more energy.
In the second trimester, vitamin C helps strengthen the membranes of the amniotic sac that holds your baby, thanks to its antioxidant power.
It has been found that the hippocampus of babies was stunted 10 to 15 percent if they were born from women with even marginal vitamin C deficiency during pregnancy.3 The hippocampus is the part of our brains responsible for memory, and this 2012 study by the University of Copenhagen found the hippocampus was even more affected if there was a severe vitamin C deficiency. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, “Daily supplementation with 100 milligrams vitamin C after week 20 of gestation effectively lessens the incidence of premature rupture of the amniotic sac membranes.” In other words, optimal levels of vitamin C help reduce premature labor, and thankfully it’s easily obtained through most diets!4
It has been found that women with even marginal vitamin C deficiency during pregnancy had a fetal hippocampus (memory center of the brain) stunted by 10 to 15 percent.
We recommend you take a food-based vitamin C supplement. We like the supplement from Premier Research Labs or MegaFood. You can also get vitamin C from camu camu berry powder and add it to your smoothies if you prefer to take fewer pills. We like its slightly fruity, earthy taste. Just look for camu camu powder online or in the superfood section of your health food store; add ½ teaspoon to a smoothie or mix it into yogurt once a day.
Bonus: Here are seven more vitamin C–rich foods to add to your shopping list:
• Chili peppers
• Guavas
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Dark leafy greens
• Fresh herbs (thyme, parsley)
• Strawberries
UNPLEASANT PREGNANCY CONDITIONS: SECOND TRIMESTER
Hopefully you are starting to feel better in your second trimester—the morning sickness may be lifting, and your energy is probably starting to come back. On the whole, many women find that the second trimester is one of the most pleasant times of pregnancy, so there’s much to look forward to and much to enjoy! But the second trimester also brings its own set of unpleasant conditions—here are some symptoms that you can be on the lookout for over the next few months and their remedies.
Body Aches and Pains
Eeek! There are more? Back aches, front aches, side aches—ouch! As your baby grows, so does your uterus. This shifts your center of gravity. Have you noticed your balance is a little off lately? This can change your posture and make you act clumsier than you really are.
Making quick movements causes soreness, and the growing uterus also stretches out and weakens your abdominal muscles. Your new center of gravity with its compensated posture, weaker muscles, and extra weight conspires to create back strain.
This reorientation of your body may also press on a nerve, resulting in sciatica pain. You may notice your back feels worse at the end of the day after it has worked extra hard to manage the weaker muscles in front. If you suffer from back pain pre-pregnancy, please consider seeing a chiropractor during your pregnancy. Willow cannot stress enough how much it helped her. Her chiropractor was the key to alleviating the discomfort she experienced and was a huge factor in ensuring that her back didn’t go out. However, be sure the chiropractor is trained and experienced in treating pregnant women. We recommend always getting a referral from a trusted source such as a doula, OB, or midwife!
| HOW TO AVOID BODY ACHES AND PAIN | I HAVE THEM: HOW TO KICK ACHES AND PAINS TO THE CURB |
|---|---|
|
• Try chiropractic care. Make sure your doctor is trained or skilled in prenatal. • Do yoga. Always let your teacher know you are pregnant and if you are experiencing pain or discomfort. Prenatal yoga is recommended. • Take a calcium/magnesium supplement. • Massage magnesium oil into feet or use in a foot bath or soak. |
|
|
• Stay conscious of your movements and changing body. • Avoid getting out of a car or chair by leading with your hips. • When seated or lying down try to roll on to all fours or to a position where your weight is in your arms, not on your back or absent abdominals. • Swap out your office chair for an exercise ball at work if you sit at a desk, or use one at home instead of sitting on the couch. |
• Massage Traumeel (homeopathic cream) into affected areas 3 to 4 times a day. • Try acupuncture. Find a practitioner who is skilled in treating pregnancy. • Use homeopathy. Try bellis perennis; for more detailed remedies, see the Backache and Ligament Pain homeopathy section, here. |
Itchy Skin
Some pregnant women find that their skin becomes itchy, which is common because of the increased estrogen. Fortunately, this symptom usually disappears right after delivery. Please note that if itching is severe or constant, you should tell your health care provider, since itching can be a sign of other ailments related to the liver.
Cholestasis
Itching of the torso, hands, feet, or anywhere else on your body that is severe enough to keep you up at night could be a sign of cholestasis, a common liver disease that only happens in pregnancy.5 The condition is caused when the gallbladder’s flow of bile is altered by the increase in pregnancy hormones. While it can happen at any time during pregnancy, it is most common during the third trimester, so we thought it would be beneficial to give you a heads-up in the second trimester. (The more informed you are the better.) If you experience this kind of itching, call your health care provider immediately to be evaluated. Your best food-based defense when this happens is more leafy greens, especially dandelion greens and dandelion tea to support the liver, and raw, shredded beets to support the gallbladder.
| HOW TO AVOID ITCHY SKIN | I HAVE IT: HOW TO KICK ITCHY SKIN TO THE CURB |
|---|---|
|
• Apply lotion, calendula oil, coconut oil, or any other natural food oil (almond, jojoba, avocado) as often as needed. • Avoid hand sanitizers with alcohol. • Wear gloves while doing dishes or cleaning. • Get rid of laundry detergent with any added fragrances or irritating chemicals. |
|
|
• Lather up your belly with one of the emollients above before swimming (in a pool, ocean, lake, etc.). • Take a warm bath with 1 cup raw apple cider vinegar and ½ cup sea salt. |
• Wear more natural cotton. • Enjoy ¾ to 1 cup of Turmeric Ginger Lemonade (here) daily, or supplement curcumin (the main antioxidant component of turmeric, which supports the liver’s detoxification pathways). |
It’s Getting HOT in Here!
I’m running hot! Regular fluctuations in hormone levels, particularly drops in estrogen, are to blame for surges of heat that can drive us to kick the blankets off at night. Part of the added heat is due to the amount of blood in your body, which increases as much as 50 percent during pregnancy. The body’s blood vessels dilate slightly to handle this increase, sending blood to the skin’s surface and making you feel hot. And we are sorry to report that during the second trimester your metabolic rate also increases, adding to the heat. The recommendations below are only for “running hot.” If your temperature goes above 100°F or you are running a fever, call your health care provider.
| HOW TO AVOID OVERHEATING | I HAVE IT: HOW TO KICK OVERHEATING TO THE CURB |
|---|---|
|
• Take raw apple cider vinegar: 1 teaspoon in ½ cup water before bed or in the morning to support the liver. • Stay hydrated with water and electrolyte-rich fluid. • Exercise. |
|
|
• Eat ½ organic banana with about 10 raw cashews prior to bed to increase serotonin levels while sleeping, which will help decrease the amount of nighttime hot flashes and help you sleep through the ones you have, if any. |
|
Oops, I Peed My Pants!
The joys of sneezing, coughing, or laughing too hard combined with relaxed muscles from your hormones can lead to some close calls. Willow couldn’t believe it the first time it happened to her. She sneezed and peed a little and thought she was going to need adult diapers for the rest of her days. Happily, that wasn’t the case, but here are some quick tips to help get you through this time a little more gracefully:
• Keep a towel in the car.
• Keep a change of underwear in your purse or car.
• For more control in that area, do a few Kegel exercises, contracting the muscles that stop you from peeing if you feel a sneeze or cough coming. Change positions if you aren’t in a position that allows for a Kegel, like sitting cross-legged.
• Don’t do Kegels all the time, though, since they could possibly make labor and delivery more difficult. Since Kegel exercises are muscle contractions, they actually tighten that area instead of making it stronger. This could make it more difficult for the baby to come out. Instead, do squats or knee planks, which keep that area both toned and flexible and open for childbirth.
Squat 300 times a day, you’re going to give birth quickly.
—INA MAY GASKIN, CPM, KNOWN AS “THE MOTHER OF MODERN MIDWIFERY”6
STATE OF MIND
There are many clichés you hear during pregnancy, and they are clichés for a reason—most of them are true. Go to a movie now while you can. Get your sleep now while you can. Enjoy those dinners now… The list goes on. You are also hearing the do’s, don’ts, musts, must-nots, and “Wow! You must be having twins!” chatter from family, friends, acquaintances, and even strangers. Now that you are sporting a pregnant goddess curve, men and women who would have never spoken to you before are suddenly inclined to stop you in the grocery aisle to chat with you about your growing belly and upcoming birth, life change, and plans.
Mothers can become inundated with conflicting information, which can be extremely overwhelming and off-putting. So while some people share priceless knowledge, there may be some bits of information or stories you wish you had never heard. Whether it’s about being pregnant, being in labor, or breast-feeding, Willow heard it all, from “Don’t breast-feed because it will hurt,” to “Schedule a cesarean so you don’t have to feel anything,” to “My labor was horrible, but I’m sure yours will be different.” Take it all with a grain of salt and make your own informed decisions in the end. Your experience is unique to you and no one else. Trust your gut, your heart, and your mind. These three will always steer you in the right direction. In doing so, you avoid making fear-based decisions.
If it makes you feel more secure, research for yourself. Visit balancingyourhealth.com to find all the latest research and options, or ask a trusted source. Then you’ll make an informed decision for yourself based on knowledge and gut instinct. Remember: Children have been born for centuries and survived the first weeks and months without any technology other than their mothers’ instincts.
Also, it’s worth mentioning that most women in their thirties know themselves far better than they did in their twenties, have worked for a while, invested time and built things they are proud of, and, overall, feel more equipped to take on the role of mom. This maturity usually enhances your intuition about what’s best for you and your baby, as well as enabling you to fully be present when baby finally arrives. You were born with everything you need to know to be an amazing mother. Trust in yourself and the process and you will be able to really enjoy the entire experience.
THE BENEFITS OF USING A DOULA
We briefly talked about doulas at the end of the last chapter. Now we will give you the complete lowdown. A doula is a professional who provides physical, emotional, and informational support continuously to the mother before, during, and just after birth. There are also postpartum doulas who provide emotional and practical support during the postpartum period (see here for information on postpartum doulas).
Studies show that when doulas attend births, labors are shorter with fewer complications and babies are healthier and breast-feed more easily. One study in particular, published in the Journal of Perinatal Education, found that out of 100 women in a hospital setting, half who were given a labor doula and half who were not, only 2 percent in the doula group needed a cesarean, while 24 percent in the non-doula group required one.7
A doula helps alleviate some of the angst of this time, and will answer questions and concerns parents have by providing the information to help them make confident and informed decisions. A doula will generally be with the parents from the time they are ready to have her support (whether it’s in early labor or not until active labor), through the delivery, and for a few hours after birth. Part of this labor support involves emotional and physical support to help the family experience their very own sacred labor and birth.
To find a doula near you, visit DONA.org; even better, ask for a referral from a birth center, midwifery practice, OB, or trusted friend. Not everyone can afford the additional out-of-pocket expense for a doula and not everyone will be able to find a doula in their area. Willow, being a sought-after doula in San Diego, realized the need for an alternative and so created a virtual doula program: See Labor and Birth Prep, here in Resources, for more information.
If you want to interview a doula to help you in-person, Willow recommends asking the following questions:
• What is your training and experience? How many births have you attended?
• Do you offer support throughout pregnancy and postpartum, or only during labor and delivery?
• What is your availability for questions during my pregnancy?
• When do you join women for their birth—at their home, the hospital, etc.?
• How do you see yourself supporting the birth experience that I want?
• Are you okay with me getting an epidural?
• What are your specialty skills (i.e., chiropractic, homeopathy, massage, birth educator, nutrition, apprentice midwife) that set you apart from other doulas?
• Do you have a backup doula? If so, how do you determine when to use a backup and who she will be? How can I arrange to meet or speak with the backup?
In addition, ask yourself what role you see a doula having in your pregnancy, labor, and birth. And most importantly, do you and your partner like her? Is she someone that you and your partner can see sharing in one of your most intimate experiences?
See our Doula Questionnaire here for Willow’s questionnaire that she has all her mamas fill out. It will create a dialogue between you and your doula so that you are both on the same page.
Many of Willow’s testimonials for her doula practice are not just from the mother, but from the father, and even grandparents of the birthing mother. If your partner doesn’t want a doula, please have him read the quotes and Marcus’s story below. It might change his mind. Support comes in many ways.
They should be called angels, not doulas.
—GRANDPARENT OF CLIENT LISA, AGE 37
I tell every dad-to-be that they have to get a doula. There is no way we could have had our beautiful birth without her.
—HUSBAND OF CLIENT MARY KEVIN, AGE 32
Still wondering if your partner will be on board? Read this story by Willow’s husband, Marcus, and his experience using a doula.
GET ACTIVE
The second trimester is a time when you can ramp up your to-do list thanks to the return of actual energy. If there are any exams for school or work, extra classes you want to take, moving, or remodeling (non-toxic, naturally), do it now—it’s the perfect time. Willow actually moved during both of her pregnancies. Although she doesn’t recommend it, she did find that moving in the second trimester is much easier than moving in the third.
AFFIRMATIONS FOR THE SECOND TRIMESTER
Stating an affirmation is the act of confirming something to be true. Mindset is crucial to pregnancy, but also to living a happy, joyful life. Here are a few affirmations to help you get through the second trimester. Silently repeat them before bed, when you wake up, or during a walk or yoga practice:
Harness the goddess beauty within you during this time of internal and external change. Embrace the curves and what they represent—wisdom, universal connection with all mothers, with life, creation, and the magic of miracles.
I love and care for my body and it cares for me. So many changes are happening throughout pregnancy. Love your body and it will love you back.
I have patience with my body. Every mother is unique and therefore every woman’s body and baby changes in their own way and time. Have patience with your body and your individual process.
I embrace the wisdom of my body. When we get sick our bodies go into action before we even know it, sending white blood cells and T helper cells to fight a virus or bacteria. The same is true with pregnancy and birth; the body innately knows how to grow and birth a baby—embrace this wisdom.
Harness the goddess beauty within you during this time of internal and external change. Embrace the curves and what they represent—wisdom, universal connection with all mothers, with life, creation, and the magic of miracles.
PREPARING FOR THE GLUCOSE CHALLENGE TEST
The glucose challenge test (GCT) is usually scheduled between weeks 24 and 28 to test for gestational diabetes, a high blood sugar condition that some women get during pregnancy. This test often requires moms to drink a less-than-appetizing concoction that tastes like you’d imagine a glass of melted Jolly Ranchers tastes like. This drink is also equivalent to 50 to 100 grams of glucose. Can you imagine what a shock to the system this can be if you don’t normally ingest sugar?
Many mothers have told us that they felt sick and needed to rest immediately after the GCT, and even felt lethargic and quite off two or three days later because they were experiencing a gigantic sugar crash. Luckily there is a food alternative that many midwives and some doctors recommend and allow. The food given attempts to mimic a real-life breakfast, and is pretty similar to eating two eggs, two pieces of gluten-free toast, one glass of orange juice, and one cup of coffee or tea, and then walking for ten minutes. Ask your health care provider if this could be an option for you. If the alternative isn’t available to you, our Immunity Spice Mix recipe (here) will help combat the effects of the high glucose intake.
Now you are ready to sail through your second trimester (or what we call the third trimester) with confidence and ease—we hope! The next trimester is truly about feeling your baby toss and tumble in your belly, and connecting with her. You’ve set yourself up with preconception and trimesters one and two and you already are being an exceptional parent, so pat yourself on the back.
The third trimester (our fourth, according to our five-tri approach) will come quickly with all the preparing for baby’s arrival, birth classes, shopping, baby showers, and more that keep you busy. We have your third trimester plan set up for you to continue to enjoy the journey with grace and ease.
Second trimester lessons to remember:
• Get moving and take action.
• Bounce back and get on track if the first trimester knocked you on your bum.
• Find a love for healthy fats.
• Continue to enjoy pastured-raised meats.
• Add high-quality vitamin C foods daily.
• Inquire or decide about utilizing a doula.
• Embrace and love your new belly curve.
• Talk to your baby—he or she might love-kick in response.