Charlotte Russe Dress/Forever 21 Kimono/J.Crew Belt/Forever 21 Necklace/Merona Shoes

I entered the 3rd trimester this weekend and I’m in disbelief! Where did the past three months go?! I’m so excited to be on the home stretch! It’s becoming very real that we are going to be parents soon. I feel like there is so much left to do to prepare, but I’m also really excited to finally meet my boy!! The 2nd trimester was by far better than the 1st. I got my energy back and started feeling more like my pre-pregnancy self. I ditched symptoms like nausea and exhaustion , although I picked up a couple of new ones like frequent urination and an itchy belly. The highlights of the second trimester: We learned that we are having a boy, my belly totally popped, and I started feeling tons of kicks and movement. I also love that all of the big tests and blood draws are behind me, baby and I seem to be pretty healthy, and baby is now viable outside of the womb. Similar to the first trimester, there were a handful of things that made the 2nd trimester comfortable for me and they are all listed below.

1. Crystal Light Pure: I wasn’t as insatiably thirsty in the second trimester as in the first, so I needed a little incentive. I tried Crystal Light Pure and discovered that I LOVE THIS STUFF. It’s way better for baby than the original Crystal Light because there are no artificial sweeteners.
2. Maternity Leggings: I didn’t really exercise much in the first trimester because of exhaustion and nausea, but once I got my energy back in the 2nd, I was ready to hit the gym/sidewalk/pool. I picked up these Old Navy maternity leggings to exercise in and they are so comfortable, while also supporting my bump.
3. Nutribullet (or other powerful blender): I still wasn’t really feeling vegetables in the second trimester, so I thought of a solution: smoothies! We had a Bed Bath and Beyond gift card as well as a coupon, so I was able to get this Nutribullet Pro for around $30. It’s so powerful, I love it! Now baby boy and I start every morning with a nutritious smoothie and that makes me sleep easier.
4. Belly Band: This is a must-have for a burgeoning bump! I wore this white Ingrid and Isabel one with all of my pre-pregnancy jeans once I started to pop. Hopefully it holds up throughout the 3rd trimester too.
5. Maternity Work Pants: The first pre-pregnancy clothes to go into storage when my bump started to make an appearance were my work pants. They have no stretch and I really wanted to be comfortable for the 8 hours I’m at work every day. I found these Old Navy Pixies to be my absolute favorite.
6. Stretch Mark Lotion: Although I have yet to see any stretch marks, I once read that you need to start early with preventative measures. Like, before you pop. My belly was so itchy this trimester, it was easy to remember to put on lotion. I read good reviews for Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula, so that is what I went with. It smells like chocolate! And I don’t have any stretch marks so far.