The Pregnancy Journal of a Late Bloomer: Chapter 2

Hannah Haehn: Wrapping up the second trimester, which takes place week 13 through week 27, is a big shift in the pregnancy. You have passed the halfway mark and are now in countdown mode for baby’s arrival. The past few months you have experienced significant bodily changes and perhaps are feeling baby’s movements quite frequently now. Also, if you’ve asked to know the gender of your baby, this can be known during the second trimester!

There are so many things to think about and feel during this period. For some, the pregnancy starts to feel more “real” as your baby bump grows and more planning starts to take place.

TMH: After we made the official announcement, we received so many nice messages from friends and found out that many others were also expecting. What a great time to share these experiences with so many friends!

Reached out to my amazing and talented friend Khanh of Nha Khanh to see if she could design some fun maternity pieces that I could wear for Super Bowl weekend. I just can’t bring myself to sport bows and silly prints—like I need any more attention to the obvious.

HH: Finding flattering maternity wear or trying to rework your own clothes can definitely take some time to figure out, especially while trying to maintain your own style.

Some women prefer to show off their bump as much as possible with tight maternity tanks that can be paired with cardigans or blazers. Others prefer flowy tops or dresses that hang loosely over their growing bumps. Choose what makes you feel best. There is no right way to dress while pregnant. If you are going to make purchases, opt for things you can reuse in postpartum period such as elastic waistbands for pants. You can wear them below your belly for now and keep them after pregnancy as well.

TMH: I upgraded my camera lens to get ready for the arrival. It’s been so fun documenting my life and these changes as of late. Model Behaviors readers, are there any things that I can’t forget to take a photo of?

The bump is finally real. Before, I was just looking like a tall girl with a big midsection.

There’s a new H-word in my life— HEMORRHOIDS! I’m on a mission to get rid of them. Read about Witch Hazel pads and Preparation H ointment. Gonna give them a whirl.

HH: Hemorrhoids might start toward the end of the second trimester, and unfortunately, these are very common. Hemorrhoids are normal but very uncomfortable—swollen veins in your rectum cause them. The best way to deal with them is to avoid getting constipated. Eat high fiber meals, lots of fruits, and lots of vegetables. You can even drink prune juice in moderation (Grandma drank it for a reason). If you do get them, you can use witch hazel on a pad (you can even freeze these for added relief).

You can try doing a sit bath as well. Fill the tub just a few inches so that your bottom is submerged, add baking soda or calming herbs such as lavender, chamomile, ginger, peppermint, lemon balm, and nettle.

TMH: Which brings me to, how much is too much? I want Model Behaviors to be a place of truth and sharing, where women can come be themselves. But lately, I’ve been noticing mothers-to-be posting photos of their pregnancy “pee” sticks. That seems a little gross to me, but so are hemorrhoids. TMI? Oh well!

Still haven’t used my bellybands yet. As of right now, the rubber band around the jean hole and tab has been the perfect way to rig my jeans (click the image above for a tutorial on DIY Maternity).

HH: The bellyband can be an option to get some extra waist width out of your jeans and some people find that it helps relive lower back pain by adding some strength to the ligaments supporting your belly. You can also use a rubber band looped through the hole and over the button of your jeans like Toni. A great and affordable solution!

As you gain weight and your body changes, try to enjoy it. This time in your life doesn’t happen very frequently and your body is doing exactly what it needs to do to support your baby’s health and well-being.

Rest through moments of fatigue. It’s okay—in fact it’s great—to give yourself permission to nap. Think of a nap as something on your to-do list, not as a time you are taking away from other things. Multitasking modern women love to get stuff done—so get your nap done!

TMH: Stretch marks! I have sensitive skin, and I’m worried about them. How do I prevent them, besides the obvious shea butter and Vitamin E? And what are my options if I do get them? I remember seeing an episode of Keeping Up With Kardashians where Kim gets a laser treatment for her stretch marks after she gave birth. What laser is this? Does it work?

HH: Stretch marks are something that might start to concern you during this time. While various creams and oils might purport to be able to help you avoid them, the truth is that they are not necessarily avoidable. Stretch marks take place in the fascia layer of your tissue, not on your skin. Therefore, putting things on your skin won’t affect this. The way your fascia stretches is a matter of genetics, health, and overall elasticity. If taking baths daily and lubricating your skin with olive oil feels like it is helping you, then go for it. You aren’t doing any damage.

There are some cosmetic procedures that you can go through after birth to remove stretch marks if you get them, talk to your doctor about the risks of this or of people in your area who can do these treatments. Also, it’s okay to keep your stretch marks just the way they are! Many women find that after birth, though their body has changed, it can feel well received and serve as a marker for the new chapter.

TMH: I didn’t know if it would be possible, but I’ve been modeling through my pregnancy. I feel pretty blessed to share this time with my little peanut—gratitude!

When to start looking for pediatricians? How to choose? What to look for? Is it common for them to meet before the baby is born?

Schedule vs. No Schedule. I keep getting conflicting opinions here. I grew up in a very European environment. My parents took us everywhere and we basically adapted to their schedule. I think it made us all pretty laid-back people. However, my husband and I have hectic schedules ourselves, so maybe a schedule would give us a sense of peace and normalcy.

HH: There are a range of options and opinions in pregnancy and that doesn’t change with parenting. This is your practice for defining the way that you parent and take care of yourself. You have to trust your own style and your own decision-making ability.

TMH: My friend sent this article. I disagree about sharing with others when one’s trying to conceive. Each person’s journey is different, and having too many opinions could be overwhelming if someone was having trouble conceiving. Luckily, this go around I was able to avoid all of this, and I also really enjoyed waiting to tell people I was pregnant. It gave Dan and I time to bond with our baby. I’m now completely bombarded with prenatal and postnatal opinions—guess it comes with the territory.

Had my 6-month doctor visit. Everything is still great and on track.

Still running 4-5 miles each day, and I cherish these runs. I feel such a spiritual connection with my baby. But, my doctor (because my husband was worried) just put the STOP on my 10-mile days once a week, now that I’m entering my third trimester. My husband never heard the saying that I grew up with on the Border, “Snitches get stitches!”

Hemorrhoids are gone!!!! MAJOR GRATITUDE!!!