The Ultimate Second Trimester Checklist

Congratulations! You are in the second trimester momma! This is when many ladies feel their best and get so much accomplished. That dreaded nausea is lowering or completely gone, the constipation and cramps are hopefully dying down, and your exhaustion is lightening every day that passes by. But there are still to-do items to add to your pregnancy checklist.

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If you haven’t already, go check out my post “The Ultimate First Trimester Checklist” to make sure there aren’t any lingering to-do’s that you haven’t completed. It’s never too late to get some of those tasks checked off!

Month 4

Week 14

1. Start thinking about baby names! If you haven’t found out the gender just yet, this could be a good time to decide on a name for each gender. This will help alleviate any potential gender disappointment from expectations. You can read more about this topic in my post “How to Handle Gender Disappointment”. This helps you be better prepared for the unexpected.If you do know the gender (thanks to noninvasive prenatal testing), this can help when you are planning for your registry or nursery, in case you would like to request any customized items for baby or gender specific items.

2. Start looking at used maternity clothing options. Maybe you have some friends that still have their maternity clothes, or maybe there are some thrift stores near you that you can browse. Maternity clothes can add up quickly; which is unfortunate given the short term use of the items. If you can’t find any used, try to look for some sales or sign up for notifications for sales through some common brands like Motherhood Maternity. 
3. Announce your pregnancy! By now, those cute photos you scheduled should almost be ready from your photographer. Come up with something fun like announcement cards with a link to your online registry. Or just post all over your social media accounts. Whatever you (and your partner) decide. 

Week 15

1. Eat smaller and more frequent meals to curb heartburn. This can also help keep your blood sugar more stable for when lightheadedness begins (if you are the lucky bearer of this common symptom). It will also help make sure you are getting enough food for your baby.
2. Start marking and creating a plan for your job tasks to be completed when you leave work. Whether you are completely quitting or just taking a maternity leave, someone will need to tend to your tasks when you are gone. It can be especially helpful to create a guide or provide tips to some of the more tedious items of your job if it is going to someone unfamiliar. This will also give you some extra brownie points at work when you come back, or it will make sure you have a good reference if you are leaving permanently.

Week 16

1. Start figuring out your nursery space. Do you have enough room for all of the furniture you want? If you are co-sleeping, can you fit your crib in your master bedroom like a sidecar, or will you need a separate piece of furniture. We don’t have the space to use a crib in our master bedroom this time, so we opted for a sidecar like this! Beautifully handmade and designed to last. Researching the safety and practicality of items like these can take time (and plenty of measuring). Make sure you give yourself plenty of time for what you really want the nursery to look like. 

2. Ask friends and relatives (especially) about their birthing experiences. Every labor experience is different, and knowing many stories and scenarios can help you prepare for yours. You will experience a labor experience most similar to your family.
3. Find a good system for your daily reminders. Keep a notepad by your bed for those final to-do’s before bed. Create reminders in your phone. Post sticky notes to your bathroom mirror. Whatever helps you to prepare to combat that dreaded pregnancy brain!

Week 17

1. If you haven’t already, open a savings account strictly for baby expenses. We don’t mean a college fund. Think of it as an emergency baby expense account. Unexpected costs like unpurchased (or forgotten) registry items, unplanned medical complications, or even monthly living expenses can blind side you after delivery. Try being prepared by creating a separate account to draw from for all things baby related without dipping into your emergency fund.
2. Keep taking care of your body! Around this time, you may have needed to look at alternative exercises as your belly gets bigger. Finding substitutes for crunches for example. Make sure you are comfortable. Do not compare yourself to other pregnant women who may be more fit than you. Every pregnancy is different and everyone started at a different fitness level in their pregnancy. 

Month 5

Week 18

1. Nasal congestion bothering you? Pick up a cool mist humidifier for your room. This will help alleviate stuffy noses that commonly occur during pregnancy. We have this one, but will admit it worked much better in our son’s smaller 200 sq ft room. We don’t have to refill it often and it even has a little night lite built in. It does not work as well in our larger room. We have to have it on high for a few days running constantly in order for it to get to the right percentage. Then we can turn it down. If we forget to run it for even a day… we lose serious humidity that we worked so hard to gain. We also live in Colorado, so it doesn’t take a lot of work to lose humidity.
2. Decide on whether you are going to breastfeed or formula feed, and then prepare a back up plan. Many women can’t breastfeed as long as they would have liked, or it’s not as convenient to pump as they would have hoped. Life happens and plans change. Making sure to be prepared can help emotions and execution in the future. 

Week 19

1. Check in to the variety of childbirth and parenting classes at your disposal. Since COVID-19, many places made online classes available. Or you may prefer to attend in person to get that better instructor attention. Research what is available, and see what works best for you and your partner. There are even daddy boot camp classes out there!
2. Speaking of classes, look at CPR classes for you and your baby. You would be surprised how different performance of CPR is and it never hurts to be ultra prepared. 

Week 20

1. Sign up for your registry! By now you should know the gender and can add all the little details over the coming weeks for adorable nursery themes and cute outfits for your little one. Don’t forget to sign up for the larger items like car seats and furniture as well! You never know who is willing to help with those large ticket items.
2. This is the perfect time to enlist help for your baby shower. Will you be doing a small get together at you (or your friends’) home? Will you book a party room at a restaurant? Do you have people all over the country you would like to attend and decide to do a virtual baby shower? Now is the time to think about these details so you can ask your host/party planner to complete the final details. 

Week 21

1. Start preparing your nursery space. Clean out the room to a complete care space if you can. This will help you have a place to store and begin organizing the babies room for their arrival. By doing this now, you are less rushed and can plan for last minute items or ideas you didn’t think of, such as a closet organization system. 
2. “Wooooooah, we’re halfway there…” Celebrate this milestone! Maybe a special dessert or dinner. A pedicure for those sore legs and feet. Make it special and celebrate what is soon to come.
3. You may have increased in breast size (again). If so, buy another maternity/nursing bra to accommodate your growing bust. 

Week 22

1. Start keeping track of out-of-the-ordinary bodily symptoms. Things like swollen hands and feet are signs of potential severe conditions like Preeclampsia. Your doctor will want to know about these at your next appointment. Keep track in a journal, planner, or through this free appointment tracking sheet download. It’s never too late to begin tracking your questionable symptoms, questions for your next appointment, and appointment overviews and vitals.

Month 6

Week 23

1. Plan a date night. If you read the first trimester checklist, then you know how important this is! If you didn’t, don’t worry. I have included it again because it is sooooo important. It’s easy to change plans and not see your partner as a commitment when it comes to fun activities. But date night is just as important as signing up for a childbirth class.

COVID-19 Edit *During the pandemic, it can seem like you don’t need a date because you are spending so much time together already. But quality time is much different than just seeing each other or talking about the budget. We love our Happily Co subscription because they give us date boxes full of activities and treats that we can do ALL at home. It makes date night at home so much more special and creative. If you want to try, click this link to explore and get $10 off your first box. The box is even cheaper than a date night out on the town and way more fun than the same ol dinner and a movie. We have made homemade ice cream, completed an at home “escape room”, played word challenge games, made coconut macaroons, played a youtube scavenger hunt, made candles, asked thought provoking questions, listened to custom playlists that come with our date boxes, and more! 

2. If you are able, try to test drive or see in person strollers, car seats, pack and play’s, swings, and other larger items for your registry. You may not like how they operate in person and have some quirks you don’t like. 

Week 24

1. Start shopping around for pediatricians. Let them know your due date, your insurance, and ask any questions about recommendations or policies they may have (like do they aggressively push the flu shot). 
2. Begin looking into legal services for a will. While extremely grim to think about (I know) you never know what is going to happen. Even after you have passed, you can remain in control by having a will that determines your assets, what happens to your child(ren), and other important factors. 

Week 25

1. If you do not have enough assets to cover your circumstances after death, you need life insurance until you can provide for yourself. Sign up for a term policy to cover you inexpensively until you can cover yourself with your own finances. 
2. Start researching breast pumps if you plan to breastfeed. If you have talked to your insurance provider, then you should know the requirements for your pump to be covered or discounted. If you haven’t talked to your insurance company, download this Insurance Questionnaire to ask the right questions about your pregnancy, including coverages about your breast pump.  

Week 26

1. Update your 401K beneficiaries.
2. Try to finish up major furniture builds and room renovations (closet remodeling, built in book shelves, building dressers, etc.). This way you are able to begin storing and setting up the nursery with smaller items when they start arriving. 

Week 27

1. Start thinking about your birth plan. By now, you should know what kind of facility you are delivering in. You should also know about what options the facility has for your labor process, or what can be brought to your home if you are scheduling an at home delivery. Many facilities have templates for a birth plan that list all of the available options. You will also want to think about pain relieving methods like an epidural or nitrous oxide (aka laughing gas). This birthing plan will typically be included in your hospital registration. 
2. See if you can begin discovering your babies kick patterns. This will make it easier to know when to count regularly and determine any days that are out of the ordinary. Mark them in your pregnancy journal or appointment tracking sheet so you can talk to your provider at your following appointments.

So there you have it! 30 more things to add to your to-do list. Don’t worry, they will get knocked out before you know it! Do you have any other tips for things that should be done during the second trimester?