How far along? 23 weeks + 2
Total weight gain/measurements: After losing almost a stone due to severe nausea and sickness in the first trimester, my weight remained static for another 2 months, but I've now finally started gaining and I've returned to my pre-pregnancy weight. It's a relief to be gaining again as I enjoy getting bigger in pregnancy. I remember how breastfeeding made the weight fall off and I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight about 6 weeks after having Henry. Although when I stopped breastfeeding I gained 7 pounds in a month - I clearly didn't realise just how much it was doing!
Bump: My bump (or lack of) caused a lot of worry this time around. With the twins and Henry, I had a bump at 9 weeks, in maternity jeans by 12 weeks and had people asking me about my pregnancy from 14 weeks. This time, my bump (which was clearly just pregnancy bloating) disappeared at 15 weeks and I was back to wearing regular clothes. I was so flat that I was still sleeping on my tummy at 18 weeks, and I was incredibly anxious that my waters had broken without me realising (as they did with Noah at 12 weeks). We spoke to our lovely OB/GYN and arranged to have a scan earlier than planned, and thankfully everything was as it should be - plenty of amniotic fluid and baby was wriggling around happily.
It makes me wonder if I always carry small at the beginning, I just haven't realised, as the first time I was carrying two babies and the second time I got pregnant again so quickly after giving birth to the twins that my uterus didn't have time to shrink back fully. Thankfully, my bump suddenly popped out of nowhere at 20 weeks, completely easing my worries and it's now about the same size it was with Henry at this stage.
Medical: We saw a maternal fetal medicine specialist for my 20 week scan due to losing William and Noah from PPROM. She prescribed me progesterone, which helps women carry to term who have had previous premature births, which I'm relieved to be taking, as in the UK they simply take the 'wait and see' approach, which causes a lot of anxiety.
Maternity clothes: I'm very much in need of maternity clothes at this point, but I'm really struggling to find anything I like. The high street options are as disappointing as ever, so I've been making do wearing stretchy vests paired with some maternity shorts, as it's so hot here in Virginia to wear anything else. I'm on the search for some pretty dresses for our holiday, but I may just do what I did for my
maternity shoot with Henry, and order a non-maternity dress, just in a bigger size.
Sleep: Sleep is generally alright, although I still need to get up once a night to go to the bathroom and every so often I have very painful hips from sleeping on my side.
Miss anything? Being able to wear all my pretty summer clothes that are lying unused and unloved in my closet. We finally live somewhere hot enough to wear them and I can't!
Movement: I've been feeling little flutters since 14 weeks, but now at 23 weeks they are full on kicks and turns, felt and seen on the outside. I love feeling our baby girl move and reminding me she's ok in there.
Food cravings: I recently went through a phase where I craved sweets, which is something I never usually eat. Skittles were my sugar rush of choice, but it seems to have passed now and my new current craving is pasta with tuna. I can't seem to get enough and I'd happily eat it every day if I didn't need to limit my tuna intake due to the mercury content.
Gender: A sweet baby girl
Symptoms: The heartburn started this week, but besides that, no symptoms to report. The second trimester is generally the most enjoyable one, and I'm finding that again with this pregnancy. I'm glad to have said goodbye to the extreme fatigue and sickness the first trimester brought, and looking forward to the third trimester.
Looking forward to: Buying a lot more for our little girl. So far we haven't been able to resist picking up a few cute baby clothes and some decor for her nursery. I have a huge wish list on my dedicated
Pinterest board, but we're going to wait a few more weeks before we go into full on buying mode. I know how I'd like her nursery to look so I'm very much looking forward to getting started on it once I'm in the third trimester.
