Second Trimester Pregnancy: Cravings, Tears, and a Bump

Pregnancy in the Second Trimester: Not the Honeymoon I Expected

Second trimester pregnancy. We were more like on-again, off-again friends, my body and I. We finally ate better—y’all remember the first trimester struggle, lol—but it wasn’t all rainbows. ‘ If I’m being real about this pregnancy, I felt completely out of control. My body was doing incredible things, but I just wanted to be left alone. I just wanted to sleep. And the constant peeing? Seriously? You think first trimester peeing was bad? I raged every time I had to get up. Sometimes, I didn’t even want to drink anything because that would mean I’d have to get up. But, even with the constant peeing and lack of energy, my body was changing in other ways. I was feeling frustrated and overwhelmed during this pregnancy. But even though I was feeling all of these things, I was also feeling something else… or rather, not feeling something. I know around the second trimester you begin to feel the baby move. Yeah—not for me. That came later, because I had an anterior placenta. That added anxiety to my pregnancy. I just wanted to feel my son and experience that connection.

Bump Pop and Body Positivity

Then, my bump started to pop. Like, really pop. Around five months, it was like my stomach decided to go on a growth spurt. Every week, it stretched bigger and bigger. Forget jeans. Leggings and dresses became my go-to. Seeing my stomach really hit me: ‘Damn, I’m really about to be someone’s mother.’ Little ol’ me. Now, here’s the thing. And this is important. I was never insecure about my body, and pregnancy didn’t change that. Why? Because I was doing something amazing, growing a whole human. Bones, skin, organs—I didn’t care what my body looked like because it was a testament to what I was creating. So, YOU! Yes, you! Feel proud of your body and the incredible changes it’s making. And, speaking of changes, let’s get to the cravings.

Pregnancy Cravings: My Real and Specific Needs

Now, let’s talk cravings. Everyone expects these crazy, outrageous cravings, right? Like pickles and ice cream at 3 a.m. Mine were… specific. Now, I’ve heard about Taco Bell. They must have some kind of pregnancy magic. My craving for Taco Bell came out of the blue. I hadn’t eaten there in like double-digit years. But here I was, ordering a Crunchwrap Supreme, bean burrito, nacho fries, and don’t forget my blue slushie. I had to tell myself, ‘Jasmine, you have got to chill out with the Taco Bell.’ But apples? Bags of them. Two or three a day. Any apple, as long as they were there. And crushed ice. Don’t you dare bring me cubes. I crushed ice all day. And then, there was ‘Bruster’s Real Ice cream’: medium vanilla with Oreos and Butterfinger shavings. Amazing, and I’m not even an ice cream person.

Working While Pregnant: The Exhausting Truth

I worked my entire pregnancy. Yes, it was exhausting. Especially the hourly bathroom trips. I could practically hear people thinking, ‘Girl, sit down!’ But they knew better than to say it. Those last 2.5 months? I was mentally and physically done. I worked from home the rest of the time. But let’s be real: working full-time while pregnant? It’s a whole new level of exhaustion. So, if you are currently doing that now, I lift my hat off to you. Especially if you are doing it with other children as well.

Our Pregnancy Announcement: Including My Godson

Now, as in my first trimester blog, remember how we didn’t tell anyone till I was 3.5 months? Well, I had to have my godson, Maize, with me. He was my first baby, and I wanted him to be a part of the announcement. We didn’t have a party. It was quite simple. I just wanted it to be us three. So, my godson, who was 1.5 years old at the time, I put some blue paint on a white poster board, wrote ‘Baby Johnson is a…’ and let my baby have fun painting. Then, we went outside and got the poppers and popped them. I snapped pictures and recorded a 30-second video and sent it out to people we wanted to know, and that was it. Simple, and it cost less than $15. That’s a win in my book.

Preparing for Pregnancy: The Final Stretch

And as the third trimester started to creep closer, I knew I really needed to get ready. Not just physically, but mentally as well. I started thinking more about labor and delivery. Things we still had yet to do. Planning our baby shower and I still needed to rage clean, lol. Curious about my third trimester and how I was counting down the days? Click here to dive into the final stretch of my pregnancy journey.

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