The second trimester - also known as the honeymoon phase of Pregnancy. This trimester begins at 14 weeks and at this point a lot of the first trimester symptoms ‘should’ start to ease and/or disappear. This trimester will also see a lovely little bump begins to show. You’ll begin to feel baby's movements and hopefully gain some energy back.
For me, I began to feel more human again around 14 weeks. Nausea began to fade and my energy levels began to perk up a little, although I was still very much ready for bed by 9pm!
This trimester sees a lot of physical changes happen. Firstly, breasts and bump start growing and pre-pregnancy clothes start to feel a little uncomfortable. Restless legs became an annoying pregnancy symptom for me and as my bump got bigger, sleep became more uncomfortable (hello pregnancy pillow!!).
Aromatherapy really helped me with a lot of these symptoms. I was using my bump blend morning and evening everyday to help keep my ever growing bump hydrated. Once I began to feel baby move this became such a beautiful ritual for me. I would massage my tummy and follow the subtle little kicks moving around my tummy. It was such a lovely moment between baby and I.
Dilution rate are advised to be kept low throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding . First trimester I kept my blends at 0.5% -1% and second + third 1% dilution.
Bump Blend
50ml Sweet Almond Oil
50ml Jojoba Oil
1 drops of Tangerine/Mandarin (Citrus reticulate, C. nobilis)
* Massaging the abdomen clockwise aids digestion. I also applied this blend to my breasts and buttocks.
Restless Legs
Unfortunately I suffered with restless legs most nights from around 16 weeks on wards. Sometimes the cramps were so bad they would keep me awake for hours. Finally I made a blend to help and I spent time each evening doing calves stretches and massaging the blend into the whole of my legs before bed.
100ml Frationated Coconut Oil (won't stain bed sheets!)
1 drop Lavender (Lavendula augustifolia)
Note on Lavender - There really isn’t anything this precious oil can’t help treat, especially in pregnancy. Lavender is also known to have adaptogen properties. An adaptogen is a natural substance that works to help the body adapt to the internal and external factors that cause stress. They help by bringing the endocrine system back into balance and promote overall optimal health.
Headaches
I struggled with frequent headaches during the second trimester. I found that drinking a big glass of water helped to relieve the intensity of the pain. Warm baths helped too. I also used a 1% Lavender roll on blend that I applied onto my temples and across my forehead.
Self Care
Self care became a huge part of my daily routine whilst pregnant. I (mostly) stayed committed to daily meditation practice and found great benefits in having acupuncture treatments every 2-3 weeks. As bump grew bigger my joints began to ache a little more. I found great relief in Yoga to help keep things loose and tension free.
If you'd like to discuss essential oil usage during pregnancy and/or you're interested in having a custom blend made for you to use, I'd love to be of service. Please shoot me a message via the contact us form to book a health & consultation appointment.
Disclaimer: While I am a certified Aromatherapy Health Practitioner, I am not a Doctor and would recommend that you talk to a medical professional before using essential oils or using any of the recipes I have mentioned in this post during your pregnancy, especially if you have any medical issues, concerns or underlying illnesses. I use Dr. Robert Tisserand as a point of reference for essential oil safety. Check out his website www.tisserandinstitute.org/ for a wealth of information on essential oil safety. He has also written some incredible books too. As always I recommend you do as much research as possible before using essential oils, especially during pregnancy. Also be mindful of what you read - i.e, Dr Google isn't an advised source of research.
What tips and tricks did you find help you throughout the second trimester?
The third and final part to this three part blog series - Pregnancy and Essential Oils - Third Trimester