Looking for second trimester tips for your pregnancy? Your Cherry Blossom Doulas have you covered in this post dedicated to your best pregnancy, birth and postpartum!

Pregnancy Tips

Lots of families feel like once they are beyond the first trimester of pregnancy, everything is smooth sailing. And while this can be the case (we speak life into you life around here!), there are still things that you can do to make pregnancy a little bit easier on your (or your loved ones) body and mind. Here are a few of our favorite recommendations:

1. Remember to stay hydrated. While the digestive imbalances of the first trimester are experienced less-so by many pregnant people, all digestive complaints can be supported by drinking enough water. Consider whether flavoring your water with herbs or electrolytes might make your water more palatable.
2. Listen to your body. Perhaps, some of the fatigue from your first trimester has been relieved. Welcome second trimester! If so, you might be itching to do all of the things you put off to the side throughout the last few months. Your body will do much better throughout this trimester and the next if you continue to listen to it’s needs. Basics needs can be met through simple choices like adequate hydration (see above), regular meals (3-5 a day), early morning sunlight, getting into nature and regular times of mindful rest.
3. Start preparing for your birth and postpartum. Have you started to educate yourself on what labor, birth and postpartum are like? Start reading doula-approved books (ask your doula what they recommend for your unique path) and/or register for or attend some classes toward the end of your second trimester to support you on the journey to come. If you haven’t booked your birth or postpartum doula yet, it’s time to make some phone calls, inquire about care, interview and book both birth and postpartum care. Your preferred doula most-likely books up fast!

Do you have questions about birth or postpartum doula care? Learn more about birth doulas here. And, scroll down for some wisdom from our postpartum team!

Are you prepared for your postpartum?

Here at Cherry Blossom we are honored to support you not only through your pregnancy and birth, but through the fourth trimester (yes, there is such a thing) and beyond!

We thought that the best way to prepare you for postpartum is to offer you a few simple things you can do to land on solid ground when babe arrives earthside. Let’s go.

1. Identify and build your support system. We suggest that our mothers and families identify at least three and preferably seven (plus) safe and fairly unconditional people who will support you through this time socially, emotionally, and physically – with opportunities for rest (including naps and nighttime sleep) and delicious, nutritious meals. Take a moment today to list out your people, and start texting!

 2. Prepare your closest personal relationships for change. Are you ready for the impact this transition will have on your family? In our postpartum planning sessions, we recommend reading or listening to books and podcasts about how to best communicate with your partner during this sacred transition. Do you have kids at home already? We often highlight feeding baskets during postpartum planning sessions, too. (This can curb some of the jealousy some littles experience when a new baby or babies arrive.) We’ve also written a post on Sibling Care that might be supportive of your path.

Sibling Care

3. Prepare for feeding your baby. We cannot highlight this enough. Feeding your baby – understanding the dynamics of breast, chest, and bottle feeding – can very well make a significant impact on your postpartum. If you plan to breastfeed, take a class or meet with a lactation counselor. This is the time in life when you’ll finally understand the anatomy of your breast (which is important throughout the lifespan) and your baby’s mouth, allowing you to have your very best experience.

A quick introduction to lactation can be found at https://firstdroplets.com/

As an inclusive collaborative, we want you to know that our families may choose expressed donor milk if they are unable to feed or fully feed babies – and at times formula. We support all families, regardless of feeding choice.

Here, we say the first 42 days are equal to the next 42 years. Each postpartum is the opportunity to heal your relationship with your body and your life; and, your next postpartum can even resolve challenges from previous postpartums! This means how you tend to yourself and are tended to deeply matters during this time.

Birth & Postpartum Care on a Budget

On a budget and still need birth or postpartum care?

There are so many different ways to pay for your birth doula or postpartum doula (or both)! We get this question so often, we even created a blog post for you. Check it out here. Additionally, our sister cooperative The Birth & Postpartum Institute offers opportunities for full spectrum, accessible in-person gatherings and virtual support, honoring folks with a trauma/loss history (Hope & Healing), complex body-mind journey (My Postpartum), those with an interest in newborn care, conscious parenting and more.

Cheering you on,

Your Cherry Blossom Doulas