Baby on the Way! The Ultimate Second Trimester Checklist
The Second Trimester of pregnancy is often referred to as the honeymoon phase because irritating symptoms like morning sickness begin to fade, and the baby isn’t quite big enough yet to interfere with your day-to-day life. Because of this, the second trimester is the perfect time to prep your home and life for a new addition to your family. Go through our checklist below to see what we think are absolute must-dos during these middle months!
Planning Your Nursery
Many moms-to-be have lots of ideas about all the creative ways they will design and decorate their new baby’s nursery and the second trimester is the perfect time to follow through.
Research Crib Safety
In addition to colors and prints on the wall make sure you also spend time learning about the safest places for your baby to sleep. Learn about safety standards and decide how this will affect your nursery plans.
Determine a Budget
Nursery furniture isn’t always cheap, but that doesn’t mean you can’t build the nursery of your dreams! Once you decide on a spending limit, stick to it. Our article Where to Splurge and Where to Save on Your Nursery can help.
Browse all the Options
There are so many different choices when it comes to Nursery Furniture. Modern vs. Traditional Cribs, Rocking Chairs vs. Gliders, Changing Table vs Topper. Some of our most popular nursery styles are Rustic Finishes and Modern Shapes, but you can check out our Nursery Inspiration Page for even more ideas.
Buy Nursery Furniture
Once you know what you want, actually making the purchase is the next step! Most Nursery Furniture is delivered, especially if you’re ordering it online, so be sure to schedule your delivery at a time when you’ll be home and remember that a large order might take a few weeks.
Paint & Prep
If you’re planning to paint the walls or redo a room in preparation for your new baby, there is no better time than your second trimester. Carpets or hardwood floors? A whole room or a shared space? Keeping these old boxes in the corner or throwing them away? A new clean space dedicated to baby will decrease stress in the coming months.
Finding Out Your Baby’s Gender
Most women can choose to find out the gender of their baby around 16 to 20 weeks, either at the mid pregnancy ultrasound or through genetic or prenatal testing.
Do You Want To Know?
For many women, this decision is either a hard yes or a hard no, but if you’re feeling less sure, you can often have your doctor write it down for you and keep it in envelope in case you make a decision later on in the pregnancy.
Decide If and How You Want to Tell Others
Gender reveal parties can be a fun way to celebrate your new baby with your friends and family, and there are hundreds of fun ways to do it. If you decide this is right for your family, the second trimester is the perfect time to plan and host your mini celebration.
Planning for any Travel
The second trimester is undoubtedly the best time to travel during pregnancy, so get your wanderlust out of the way now.
Will You & Your Partner BabyMoon?
No matter how strong your relationship is, adding a baby to the mix is bound to change everything. Lots of couples like to take time mid-pregnancy to go on a mini vacation to just celebrate them. Check out our tips for Planning a BabyMoon.
Plan Ahead
If you have any other travel plans over the next few months, weddings or family events, check to make there aren’t any travel restrictions for pregnant women and always consult with your doctor before traveling.
Exercising While Pregnant
Exercising during pregnancy is perfectly safe, and if you stopped during the first trimester now is the time to start up again.
Do Your Kegels
Those funny exercises you didn’t know whether to take seriously in your pre-pregnancy days are actually extremely helpful for strengthening your pelvic floor in preparation for labor.
Keep Up Your Cardio
As you second trimester goes by, even one flight of stairs might have you winded. Keeping your body in shape and doing light cardio a few times a week will only make it easier as your body continues to change and baby continues to grow.
Tracking You & Your Baby’s Health
As your baby continues growing, you and your doctor will be setting new milestones and discussing new options that will keep you and baby happy and healthy as your pregnancy progresses.
Consider Any Genetic Testing
The Second Trimester is when you should consult your doctor about any genetic testing that might be right for your family. Remember, most infants were born healthy but sometimes it’s good to know the risk factors that could surround your pregnancy.
Keep Track of Your Weight Gain
As much as the baby will grow in the coming months, you will grow even more! Most women should be gaining around ½ -1 pounds a week, but consult with your doctor to figure out what your pregnancy weight gain should look like.
Eat for Two!
Now that your appetite has returned post-morning sickness, fill your diet with nutrient dense foods that will fuel you and your baby. You will probably naturally be hungrier than pre-pregnancy, but on average you should be eating around 400 extra calories a day.
Looking Out For Baby Milestones
In the second trimester, your baby grows from around the size of a lemon to the size of an eggplant and develops hair, fingernails, and senses!
Feel Them Moving Around
During the second trimester you will probably feel your baby move around for the first time, known as quickening. As the trimester passes, your baby will begin to move more and more.
Sing & Speak to Them
Many moms play music or sing to their child while they are pregnant to help their development and initiate familiarity. The second trimester is the perfect time to begin this bonding ritual as your little one begins to develop their hearing.
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