Everything You Need to Survive Your Second Trimester in the Summer

Mamas, it is hot. And that means pregnancy is even less fun if you’re in the same boat I’m in this summer. I’ve all but decided that if I’m not in the AC, I better be in a pool. It’s really the only way. 

For the times I’m not in a pool though, here are a few of my 2nd trimester pregnancy favorites. 

I tried so hard to have a winter pregnancy this time; God had other plans and it didn’t work out. Instead, I’m due in the “fall” (second summer) and am prepping to not swell up like a blimp in the coming months. So all of the following items are essentially centered around growing and not swelling in the summer months. 

2nd Trimester Survival Guide

 

Everything You Need to Survive Your Second Trimester in the Summer

  1. Sleeveless Swing Dresses – Old Navy has a ton of them at the moment, and they aren’t maternity. Perfect for transitioning back into real clothing in a few months. The best part is how easy breezy they are right now. At a time of the year and part of pregnancy that I can live without pants … these dresses are a staple for me at the moment and are easily dressed up or down. 
  2. Red Raspberry Leaf Tea – This tea is great for uterine toning and helping to shorten delivery time. Mama Natural says you can start taking in a few weeks into your 2nd trimester; I started around week 16 to be safe. I also don’t drink it every day, just every few days. Once I get closer to my due date, I’ll kick it into high gear. I attribute this and a few other tinctures to helping me have a shorter labor than you could sometimes expect with a first baby / induction. 
  3. Coobie Bras – I discovered these at a baby store in New Orleans when I was newly pregnant the last time and haven’t looked back since. They are comfy with zero underwire and transitioned well into nursing and beyond. With the girls expanding, stretchy and soft is the name of the game. 
  4. Cucumbers  – A few weeks ago at the Red Stick Moms Blog Bloom Event, a friend mentioned to me that cucumbers were great for reducing water retention. Since then I’ve eaten at least one a day, and they’ve become an addiction. Doing a quick internet search the other day, I found out that cucumbers are high in Vitamins C & K, Magnesium, and Potassium. Even more reason to gobble them up during pregnancy. 
  5. Lemon & Grapefruit Essential Oil – Always check with your doctor first, but I saw on the all knowing Pinterest that this combo helps again with … swelling. I had awful edema and hypertension last time so I’m going above and beyond to fix it this round. I simply mixed a few drops of each in a small jar of coconut oil and slather it on my feet every day. It smells amazing, and if it helps even a little, I’ll be happy. 
  6. Maternity Support Belt – In my last pregnancy, I didn’t break this out until my third trimester, but this time I had to bring it out sooner. Blame it on the large toddler. Picking him up and putting him in the car seat has done a number on me. But I’ve found that when I’m having to lift him (or weights at the gym), this maternity belt is helping tremendously with my lower back pain. 
  7. Belly Balm –  A friend told me her secret to not getting stretch marks during her pregnancy was basically greasing herself up with belly lotion during pregnancy. I took it to heart and grabbed some that even had collagen in it. So this time I’m still slathering, whether it actually helps or it’s simply genetic luck is up for debate. But I’m still swearing by it even if only to keep the big dry itchy belly at bay. 

While this list doesn’t cover every issue you might face in this trimester, hopefully it will at least help solve a few of them. 

So mamas, tell us what your 2nd trimester essentials are! 

Emily Babb
Emily, originally from North Louisiana, lives with her husband Jeremy and sons Harrison & Elliot in New Iberia. She's an elementary teacher by day and blogger by night at her personal blog Louisiana Bride. She began blogging to document planning her wedding and has since moved to sharing recipes, meal planning ideas, and the humor in daily life. Emily enjoys yoga, gardening, camping, and is a closet hippie. When she isn't having a toddler crawl all over her while she attempts to workout while simultaneously cooking dinner, you can find her reading a good book or watching old BBC documentaries on YouTube. She use to be cool, but somewhere in adulthood all those concerts quit happening and a mini van showed up in the driveway.