Second Trimester Pregnancy To Do List

Second Trimester To Do List: 15 Things you can’t miss the chance to do during your second trimester of pregnancy! Here’s the perfect Second Trimester Pregnancy To Do List with everything you need to do and want to do from a mom of four who’s been there done that (and regretted not doing some things!)

If you’re anything like me the first trimester is a bear! But, when I get to the second trimester, I start to feel like myself again! Here is the perfect pregnancy checklist of everything you need to do in your second trimester!

SECOND TRIMESTER TO DO LIST

#1 Book That 20 Week Anatomy Ultrasound

The most exciting thing to happen during your second trimester is getting to see that beautiful baby up close and personal at 20 weeks! With all four of my pregnancies, I only had one (my first pregnancy) or two ultrasounds (my next three-pregnancies), so I savored the chance to see pics of my baby at the anatomy scan. Make sure to coordinate with your husband so he can be there too! TIP: Book it early in the day–the doctors are always running more on time!

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#2: Start Your Baby Registry:

I always waited until 20 weeks because I was superstitious; but, once I got the “baby’s all healthy!” from my doctor I plunged right into nesting with planning a nursery and starting my baby registry

Of course, the first and easiest place to register is here. It has the best rewards hands down of any baby registry. You’re making a mistake if you don’t register there.

But, I also recommend starting a baby registry in a brick and mortar store as well so you can see first-hand what the baby products look and feel like in real life.

Read all my baby registry checklist here! I share what you need to register for, where exactly you should register, and all the baby registry must haves that I’ve used time and time again! Take the first step today and register for one! It has the hands-down best policies, best savings, and best return and shipping policies! Plus, it was super easy for our family to order from! I even made one for my second, third and fourth so I could use their amazing 15% off completion discount!

#3 Knock out that nagging project you haven’t been feeling up to!

Like I mentioned above, first trimesters in my pregnancies always knock me on the floor. With all four I had horrible morning sickness or better described as all day sickness.

But around 14 weeks, I usually started feeling better, and after 16 weeks, I got my energy back (and it usually stayed that way until 28 weeks 🙂 Nevertheless, to say, your second trimester is the best time to knock some things off your house to do list, whether it’s painting the nursery (always use zero-VOC paints and open up those windows!) or getting organized!

#4: Start designing your nursery:

Nurseries are my absolute favorite rooms to design. Whether you are finding out the gender or waiting for a gender surprise like we did, I always recommend starting to decorate during your second trimester. Start thinking about the big pieces of furniture and the aesthetic direction you want to go: serene and airy or dramatic and colorful? Do you want to have a gender-specific nursery or a flexible gender-neutral nursery? See my little girls nursery here, our gender neutral first nursery here, and our gender neutral first nursery here!

#5 Take bump pictures:

You’re just starting to reach that adorable pregnant lady stage and not yet to the “I’m really pregnant and hate life phase.” Or is that just me? 🙂 Stick out that belly with pride and take some fun pics commemorating this stage of your pregnancy! Here I am proudly showing off my bump on top of Mount Stowe in Acadia National Park with my first child–I was 20 weeks pregnant and had just had the ultrasound three days before!

#6 Go on a babymoon:

The second trimester is the best time to travel. Technically you can fly domestic until you are 34-36 weeks but you aren’t recommended to travel internationally past 28-32 weeks. Of course, consult your doctor and see what they are most comfortable with!

For our first child, we went on a babymoon (with family) to Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine. With my second child, my husband and I went for a mini babymoon in Chicago for 24 hours. And with our third, we went on a big babymoon to England to visit my in-laws. We’ve done it all and loved each trip for a different reason! Remember, it doesn’t need to be fancy to be a babymoon–it just needs to be relaxing, which brings me to my next point…

#7 Book a prenatal massage and/or start seeing a chiropractor:

Pregnancy is hard on your body. As much as I am a huge believer in “our body’s were made for this” I also know firsthand how uncomfortable pregnancies can be. With my first child, I swear it was all the round ligaments stretching in ways they’ve never stretched before.

I saw a chiropractor regularly and it helped immensely. Talk to your doctor or midwife and see if they can recommend either physical therapy or a chiropractor if you are feeling uncomfortable! I found this undershirt to be incredibly helpful as the baby got bigger–it gave me more and more support and helped immensely! It is definitely a pregnancy must have! It is one of those purchases that I made with my third child that I wished I made sooner!

#8 Get your hair did!

I only highlight my hair a couple times a year, and although you can technically highlight it during your first trimester, I chose to wait until after 12 weeks gestation to be on the safe side. When you get to 12 weeks, treat yo’self and get your hair done! It’s a nice treat for suffering through first trimester and surviving! PSSS! If you have long unmanageably thick hair like me, this brush is a lifesaver!

#9 Hire a doula and start assembling your birth team:

See more here on why you might want to hire a doula for your birth. We had a doula with my first born and I still think it was one of the main reasons I was able to have such an easy (albeit long) labor and delivery, including a medication-free vaginal delivery. We didn’t have one for my second or third children but didn’t feel like we needed one. See more about why you need a birth plan and my tips for managing natural childbirth pain here.

#10 Flaunt that bump!

I always joked that I just looked like I had a food baby until I was about 24 weeks pregnant, so this shirt entertains me quite a bit! Regardless of when you start to show you are going to notice things changing, and your pants tightening. Save yourself some money and headache and buy one of these. It will save you so much money when you are in between maternity and regular sizes. I used this through the first 7 months of my first, second, and third pregnancies!

Similar shirt shown below andmore available here

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#11 Sign up for birthing and breastfeeding classes:

Whether or not you a medicated or unmedicated labor and delivery, you should register for a birthing class either at your hospital or a local birthing center. Schedule a time to do it with your husband so he can be well-informed and helpful. We chose to do an intensive class that met once for four hours. Attending both the birthing classes and breastfeeding classes, my husband was able to be my greatest ally and advocate during all four of my children’s births. He even got to cut the cord for our second, and catch our third!

As much as we think breastfeeding is nature’s instinct, I cannot express how thankful I was to take a breastfeeding course. I attribute a lot of my success with breastfeeding to the classes, and it has set me up to exclusively breastfeed all four of my kids until 14-15 months when they self-weaned.

See more things to do before you give birth here!

#12 Continue or start to do gentle exercise and prenatal yoga:

Around 16 weeks, I started feeling more like myself when my nausea subsided and I resumed doing regular light exercise. I found this pregnancy workout DVD to be helpful while still challenging and it takes you month by month through your pregnancy, so things are tailored for what stage you are in.

#13 Start reading birthing books and parenting books:

While you still have time and aren’t too tired, it is the perfect time to start reading birthing books! This was my favorite book on natural childbirth hands down–it’s a classic for a reason! If you want a book on what to know about pregnancy and birthing, then this book is a great place to start!

#14 Plan a gender reveal:

We chose to wait to find out the gender of all of our babies, but I know there are a million great ideas on Etsy and Pinterest for planning a gender reveal party. Whether you want friends and family to come over for an announcement, or you want a private surprise with just your husband, planning a gender reveal is quite exciting!

#15 Talk to your employer and start thinking about childcare after the baby and your support network:

Last but not least, it’s time to talk to your employer and decide how much time you want to take off postpartum. I don’t have firsthand knowledge of this discussion since I became a stay-at-home-mom with my first but I know friends have found it was a good time to start discussing it with their employers. There are lots of options for childcare involving nanny-shares, private nannys or daycares whatever your budget!

Long story short there are lots of things to do in your second trimester of pregnancy that are both fun and necessary! Cherish this time!