Second trimester of Pregnancy To Do list for new moms
YAY! You’ve made it through the scariest part of your pregnancy, the unexpected first trimester.
Now that you’re in your second trimester things start to get a little exciting.
Many moms say the second trimester is the best part of the pregnancy. While there are some women who feel dull during pregnancy.
It’s different for all of us!
I found that to be true for me and my six babies. My morning sickness during the first months usually started to improve or disappear completely during the second trimester.
I suddenly had more energy than in my first trimester of pregnancy.
My belly was not yet uncomfortably large, and I was far enough away from the due date to feel okay with travel and most normal life activities.
What to do during second trimester of pregnancy?
I tried to get as much preparation done in the second trimester as possible.
I didn’t want to suddenly wind up on bed rest in the third trimester, or leave stuff undone if my baby decided to show up early!
Let’s dive into this second trimester checklist of pregnancy and go through everything you should do during weeks 13 through 26 of pregnancy.
So here’s a handy list of what to get done in your second trimester of pregnancy.
Get your maternity photo shoot scheduled.
Pregnancy is such a short and unique period of a woman’s life! You will love having these memories to look back on. I suggest putting the appointment on the calendar towards the end of this trimester.
You will have the best chance of feeling well and having that beautiful pregnancy glow, while also showing enough belly to be easily seen in photos.
Many photographers book several months out, so get this booked immediately.
Decide on hospital, doctor, midwife, or doula
Many hospitals prefer you to pre-register so that you’re not trying to fill out paperwork while dealing with contractions!
Some insurance companies will not allow you to switch providers past a certain point in the pregnancy unless there is an excellent reason (moving out of state, for example).
So if you are not happy with the doctor you have seen previously, make the switch now. If you want to work with a midwife or doula instead, you should also have that settled in this trimester.
Attend all doctor/midwife appointments
Healthy mama, healthy baby! The second trimester is often when health issues start to appear, such as high blood pressure.
Staying in close communication with your medical care team will catch many of these issues early so you can get the best care possible.
The tests offered in the second trimester can also tell you your baby’s sex, if you want to know!
Also, check in with your medical team about whether there are vaccines you should get caught upon. Some vaccines are safe to receive while pregnant, and the second trimester is a good time to do that.
Sleep on your side and sleep often
Sleeping can become much more difficult as your belly expands, so try to prioritize it now while you still can! Sleeping on your side in the second and third trimester of pregnancy helps with blood flow and digestion.
You can also use a pregnancy pillow to help support your back, hips, knees, neck, and head to help ease discomfort associated with pregnancy.
Continue eating Healthy Diet
Healthful meals are important throughout pregnancy, especially if morning sickness caused weight loss for you. If you are finally feeling better, fuel up with small, healthy foods as recommended by your medical care team.
You might ask, what to eat during second trimester of pregnancy?
During this time, having a wholesome diet can greatly benefit both – the mother and the child. A healthy nutritional diet during pregnancy can also prevent 3333health risks and complications.
If morning sickness is still bothering you, here’s a big list of remedies that can help beat morning sickness during pregnancy.
If you’re looking for healthy bedtime snacks to help you sleep, here are 15 foods that help promote sleep.
Start shopping for baby necessities
Babies can be expensive! However, you can save a lot of money on baby gear if you start looking for gently used items in your second and third trimesters.
CraigsList, Buy Nothing groups, consignment stores and sales, Goodwill, and yard sales are all great places to find what you need for your baby inexpensively.
A word of warning though—before purchasing or using pre-owned baby items, check online to see if any have been recalled, or have expired.
Many car seats expire after a certain amount of time because the plastic parts start to lose integrity over years in a vehicle where the temperature can fluctuate greatly.
You can check for the US recalls here.
For all the other baby necessities, we have got you covered! Here are the ultimate and only baby necessities you need when your newborn arrives!
We know that babies are expensive to raise, and this process takes many things along with money. Here are 10 surprising ways you can save money on baby clothes.
Start Amazon Baby registry
This takes a couple of minutes, max, so it’s a quick win.
But why specifically Amazon?
That’s because when you’re an Amazon Prime member you get a 15% discount on items remaining in your baby registry.
This equates to a $300 completion discount when you spend $2,000 on eligible products.
Amazon gives you 60 days to use the discount after your due date, so you can wait and see if there are any big-ticket items that your friends/family didn’t purchase.
Start adding must-have items to your registry. There are many questions to consider in this area: cloth versus disposable diapers; breastfeeding versus bottle-feeding needed equipment… I wanted items I could use over and over again with each of my six babies.
If you need ideas, check out the list of baby registry items from a mom of six.
Start planning for Maternity and Paternity leave
Start having conversations with your employer about maternity leave. Ask lots of questions! Find out if there is paid maternity leave, and how long is covered.
If your partner has the option of parental leave, now is also the time for your partner to find out those details. Start checking in with family, friends, or others who may be able to come to assist you in the first few weeks postpartum.
Also, find out from your employer what the process is for returning to work after the baby’s birth.
Get your Birth plan Ready
It’s great to have a birth plan! The thing to keep in mind about birth plans is that they are only tentative. Anything can and does happen, and the priority should be a safe and healthy delivery for you and your baby.
So definitely write up your birth plan with your preferences for medication, water birth, home birth, people present, cord banking, placenta preservation, and so on. Just keep in mind that this is something to hold on to loosely.
Here are some benefits of home birth if you’re deciding to give birth at home!
Decide on a pediatrician
New parents often take a lot of time and effort to research pediatricians for their babies. Our favorite newborn pediatricians were also veteran moms.
They had both medical experience and mom experience so they could tell the difference between a fad and fatal.
Also, if you have specific genetic health issues that may impact your baby, take your time researching and getting recommendations from people you trust about pediatricians now.
Go on a Babymoon
My husband and I made a point of trying to have a vacation with just the two of us during the second trimester. We knew it would be the last time we would be able to travel freely without having to care for an infant.
I strongly suggest that you enjoy this opportunity before life changes completely with the arrival of your little one.
Note that skydiving, horseback riding, or extreme sports will probably be banned by your doctor at this point, so check with him or her first!
Make a Newborn checklist
Newborn babies have different needs than older infants and children. They eat often, need to have their bowel movements and wet diapers tracked, sleep sporadically, and require round-the-clock care.
Look into tracking apps, or printable newborn baby checklists for the first few weeks of a baby’s life, before you are too sleep-deprived to think about it!
Plan for meals after the birth
If someone in your life is wondering how they can help, ask them to coordinate meals for you postpartum.
My grandma came and made dozens of freezer meals for our family of 8 when our youngest son was born. It was such a lifesaver!
Meal planning will help you a lot postpartum and is one of those frugal living tips that anyone will give you to save your time and money.
If you’re new to meal planning and wondering how you can meal plan on a budget, I have found the best way for you already. The $5 meal plan!
Have A fitter Pregnancy doing Exercise
Moderate walking, pregnancy yoga stretches, and doing Kegels will prepare your body for birth and make the recovery process smoother. However, if you can’t manage exercise because you’re still feeling awful, don’t stress about it.
it is best to keep yourself moving by doing simple exercises of your choice at home or it cannot do any, the simplest trick is to go on a brisk walk.
I remember I regularly went on a brisk walk for half an hour during my first pregnancy and I can swear by the results. I was in a good shape my whole pregnancy and not just that, I had a smooth delivery.
Here are some best health and fitness tips for moms to keep themselves on track!
Have conversations with older children
I have six amazing children. When we found out we were pregnant with each one, it was so much fun to tell our older children and watch their excitement build as Mom’s belly grew.
It’s normal for children to look forward to having a new sibling. It’s equally normal for them to have some fears and doubts about it.
There are lots of great books on the subject! Have conversations about your plan for childcare around the time of birth.
Your children will hand the unpredictable timing of your baby’s birth much better if you talk with them about it ahead of time.
Here are some of my favorite and popular ways you can tell your kids through books.
- My New Baby – This book is great to teach kids about newborn babies. The best thing about this book is the illustrations are simple but colorful and that several pages show the mother breastfeeding. This is perfect to normalize breastfeeding to our kids.
- I’m a Big Sister – It focuses on the positive aspects of being older and explains some things that will happen with a new baby at home.
- I’m a Big Brother – This book will help your son acclimate to the idea of being a big brother and he will turn into one for sure.
- Baby Makes Five – This is a great book about sister bear having some jealous feelings about a new baby sister. This book teaches how to love one another and can be a great keep to teach kids this simple way of loving their new baby born.
Make a plan for pet care during delivery and postpartum
Pets will have to adjust to the new baby as well. Take the time to plan for their care and to make a plan for introducing your beloved pet to your new baby.
Check out rover or madpaws to find a pet sitter for your furry babies.
Shop for maternity clothes and nursing clothes
Your belly and breasts will still be growing during the second and third trimester. The end of the second trimester is a good time to buy maternity clothing and nursing bras or tops because you will have a more accurate idea of what will fit you through the postpartum period.
Buy comfortable clothing, and decent shoes to support the additional weight you’re carrying.
There are many postpartum body changes that take place during this postpartum period. Preparing for your postpartum time can help you feel more relaxed and capable.
Here’s a list of postpartum essentials that help you transition from expecting mom to a new mom in an easier and enjoyable way.
Join Baby classes/ birthing classes
If you haven’t taken birthing classes in your first trimester, it’s time you join now!
Taking a birthing class reduced a lot of my anxieties around having my first baby. Infant care classes are a great way for you and your partner to brush up on the latest developments in baby care (they change frequently!).
Some of my favorite pregnancy and childbirth classes are:
- The Online Prenatal Class for Couples – This class is for both husband and wife. This course is created by Hillary who is a labor and delivery nurse. In this course, she will walk you through the process of labor and more.
- The Ultimate Breastfeeding Class – Now seriously, this class is a lifesaver if you decide to breastfeed your baby. I chose to breastfeed both of my babies, so I was amazed after going through this course. Know that breastfeeding is highly recommended and this course will help you go through the process smoothly.
- The Ultimate Back to Work Pumping Class – This class will help you familiarize yourself with the Breast Pump and to actually pump. It has numerous ways to increase your milk supply, so don’t miss this course.
- Milk Minutes Breastfeeding Crash Course – This is a 5-day course that explains the fundamentals of how to feed your baby. It’s comprehensive and will explain breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, and pumping. This simple class can be easily explained and get benefit from your own home.
Plan Financially before baby Arrival
You will be super tired with a new baby, and having some extra room in the budget to buy take-out or hire a home cleaning can really make the transition smoother.
Save a little for unexpected expenses, if possible. You will need to update health insurance, and life insurance policies.
Final Dental Appointments
Some women develop dental issues during pregnancy, due to hormonal changes. The second trimester is the best time to handle these issues.
Schedule a dental cleaning and checkup, and get any issues resolved now. I once had to have a wisdom tooth removal in the third trimester—never again!
Declutter, Clean, and Renovate!
Well, this point is for all 3 trimesters of pregnancy. That’s because preparing for a new family needs a lot of planning and care. Finish any major home projects that should be done before the baby’s arrival.
If you are working on renovations or remodels, wrap them up in the second trimester. A clean and decluttered home is peaceful and calm in itself.
If you’re doing major work for the nursery, get that finished too. You don’t want your baby to arrive early and have to live in a half-finished DIY project!
Want some motivation here’s a simple step-by-step way to declutter your house in a weekend!
If your home is cluttered and disorganized, Hilary’s THE ORGANISED HOME COURSE will help you make it a more peaceful place. She offers simple tips to keep items organized so that clutter becomes less of an issue!
If you need someone to TEACH you how to address clutter and get organized, Hilary is your girl!
Wear a belly band
Even if you’re not uncomfortably large, a belly support band helps to prevent major back issues from the second trimester onward.
why wear a belly band during pregnancy?
Belly bands stabilize your pelvis and may improve your overall balance. This helps to reduce pregnancy pains and aches.
The belly band helps to distribute the baby weight over your abdomen and your lower back. This will help alleviate pressure on your lower body muscle and your back lessening the pain.
Talk/sing to your baby
Your baby can hear sounds outside the womb, so sing and talk to your baby whenever you can. Let your partner talk to the baby too.
Around week 18 of pregnancy, the structures inside your baby’s ear are well-established enough for your baby to hear some limited noises within your body.
A few weeks later like around weeks 27 to 30, babies can listen to outside sounds as well and can react in response to voices and noises that filter into the womb.
Studies have shown that a fetus’s heart rate increases when the baby hears his mother’s voice. So it is suggested reading out loud, carrying on conversations to help the baby to get to know your voice.
When our first child was born, she quieted IMMEDIATELY to the sound of my husband’s voice—she clearly recognized it from hearing it in the womb!
Gender reveal party/baby shower plans
I didn’t do a gender reveal party, and only had baby showers for two of my six babies. If a friend is planning one of these for you (or you’re doing it yourself), this is the time to get the details nailed down.
Your hostess may need a guest list or registry info from you. It’s practically nice to give expectant mama things she needs and will use, but sometimes going a little different and unique is never a bad idea.
Here are my top 30 unique and cheap baby shower presents for moms!
Decide/Research breastfeeding vs formula
I learned the hard way that breastfeeding doesn’t work well for everyone— I ended up pumping for six weeks with my first baby until I and my baby finally figured out breastfeeding. Feed your baby the way that works best for you.
If you’re not sure you can register for Milk Minutes – All about Feeding your Baby class. This is the advanced version of the previous 1-week course. It’s a 14-day course that explains everything about how to feed your baby.
It goes into more detail and explains everything about breastfeeding, bottle feeding, and pumping. If you’re looking for an in-depth course, go for this one.
That concludes our second trimester of pregnancy checklist…But if you get all this stuff done and want to get a head start on more pre-baby to-dos, refer to our other articles.
Related Articles:
Nutrition During Pregnancy: 14 Best Foods To Eat
First Trimester Of Pregnancy: Ultimate To-Do List
11 Morning Sickness Home Remedies In Pregnancy
7 Benefits Of Using Doula Services For Your Birth
9 Reasons To Consider Giving Birth At Home
Tips To Treat Cough And Cold During Pregnancy
Gentle Cesarean: How To Have A Gentle Birth
29 Best Postpartum Essentials For Moms For Quick Recovery
20 Best New Mom Products On Amazon You Need
Don’t Forget To Pin It For Later!
Second trimester of Pregnancy To Do list for new moms
I am the Wife, Mommy, & Blogger behind All Moms Blog learning to run my own home and raise up kids while chasing my dreams. I work to support, inspire, and encourage moms in the journey of motherhood to make their lives easier without losing your sanity.
What a great checklist! I’m 24 weeks pregnant right now, right in the middle of my 2nd trimester. I found this post to be extremely helpful.