Second trimester to do list with free printable pdf

Once you’ve made it through your first trimester, you’ll find yourself rolling right into the second trimester with ease. One of the biggest differences between the two trimesters is that your belly is going to be growing at quite a rapid pace now!

You’re also going to notice that you’ll be getting more tired and anxious as well as you wait for the arrival of your little bundle of joy.  So this is a time that you really do need to focus and concentrate on everything that you need to get done within the next few weeks.

And let’s also take a moment of time to acknowledge the fact that you’re doing a stellar job of raising that beautiful little baby as well.

The first trimester can be a bumpy ride but now that you’re officially out of it, you can celebrate the fact that you’ll well on your way to “round 2”!

**This post may contain affiliate links to items that I own and love and am confident will benefit you immensely. Please read full disclosure here.**

What should I do in the second trimester?

Just as your first trimester was important, your second one is as well. Make certain that you take this time to acknowledge that you’re going to have to get a lot of things in order but you don’t need to stress out over it, either.

Just SOME of the items that you should be doing during your second trimester of pregnancy include:

• Buying maternity clothes
• Starting to research on baby cribs
• Start stockpiling on diapers when there is a sale if you’re using disposable
• Focus on your healthy eating habits because your nutrition can dictate your child’s generic makeup (The Perfect Pregnancy Plan nutrition course is THE ONLY course where you can learn about that in an easy to understand and implement format)
• Continue to stay motivated with your prenatal Fitness program
• Fuel your body with water and other ideal pregnancy drinks
• Talk to your partner about whether or not you’re going to learn the sex of your baby

Make certain that you’re also getting plenty of rest during this time of your pregnancy because your body is going to be rapidly growing over the next few months as well!

Can I start working out in my second trimester?

You know I’m a big fan of staying fit and staying in shape and that is super important during pregnancy as well. Not just to give you a more comfortable pregnancy, labor, and easier recovery… But also because it enhances your baby’s genetics and metabolism for their entire lives.

Just because you’re growing another human inside your body (you’re awesome, by the way!) doesn’t mean that you can’t keep your body fit and ready for labor.

If you’ve exercised before you became pregnant, that’s great. This means that your body is used to working out and staying fit as well.

If you’re new to wanting to work out for a healthier pregnancy, you’re going to want to work on low-impact exercises that won’t cause harm to you or your baby.

Exercising and during pregnancy is essential (with your doctor’s clearance of course) to having the healthiest pregnancy and baby possible.

And in saying that, it’s time to learn about starting a prenatal Fitness Program that can help you stay active and healthy during all the trimesters of your labor.

This program is not only affordable and simple, but it will literally teach you everything we currently know based on dozens of worldwide scientific studies about the importance of healthy eating AND exercise as well. (each course can be done individually or bundled with the most up-to-date prenatal nutrition program as of 2021 totally up to you!) For one super-low AMAZING price, you can rest easy knowing that you’re doing what you can to take care of your body to be as strong and healthy as possible during this time.

Since you know that health and fitness are important, let’s talk about a few other items that need to be on your second-trimester checklist to have done before the baby arrives.

Second-trimester to-do list to start right away

You’ll find that several of the items that are listed on the second-trimester to-do list are similar to the items that you’ll want to do in your first trimester, but they’re still super important to pay attention to!

Don’t forget to grab your free printable version too!

1. Continue taking your prenatal vitamins

It’s really important to start taking a prenatal vitamin from a month before conception if you have that ability. If not, start taking one as soon as you can. Personally I take essential prenatals because they contain all natural bioavailable ingredients, they are very straightforward about where they are sourced, and they contain real folate which means you can absorb that mineral in order to prevent neural tube defects. (Most women cannot absorb folic acid.)

RELATED: Learn more about the difference between folate and folic acid (and why knowing the difference is vital)

2. Start purchasing baby clothes/diapers, etc.

The second trimester is really exciting because you are feeling better and also not feeling the stress of baby being here too soon. This is the honeymoon period of your pregnancy. Enjoy being active, shopping for the best deals, and the stockpiling while there’s no pressure to get it done too soon.

3. Begin resting more often.

There’s a good chance that it is going to become very difficult to sleep at some point during the final trimester. Though you aren’t as exhausted as you were last trimester you probably still feel pretty tired. Making a human is no joke. So as often as possible get as much rest as you can now.

4. Understand and pay attention to your limitations.

You might feel really good right now but your body is changing and growing rapidly. You need to rest more, you need to eat better (not necessarily much more), and you need to know that you have different hormone levels and extra laxity in your joints right now.

You might be feeling a bit emotional, Lord knows my last pregnancy I cried almost every single day over ridiculous things. Seriously, my husband took a turn sharply while driving up a mountain and I burst into tears one time! Those pregnancy hormones are real, so any stress you could eliminate absolutely do it.

5. Continue to limit caffeine intake

Caffeine is not absolutely off limits during pregnancy but should be limited. It’s generally accepted that around 200 mg a day is just fine. So either go decaf or keep it to too small or one large cups per day tops. Don’t forget other things like chocolate and tea count as your caffeine intake too.

6. Create a birthing plan.

There are a lot of different options for where and how you would like to have your baby. At home versus a birth center versus a hospital? All natural with absolutely no medication or an epidural right from the gate? Who would you like to cut the cord? And how long would you like that cord connected?

Just forewarning, there’s a good chance nothing on your list it’s going to come to fruition. (That happened during my first labor and delivery… and not mentally preparing myself for that possibility really shook me for a bit.)

Then there’s the possibility that everything will go exactly at you dreamed. I’ve had three babies and my lists have gone both ways. So set up a good guideline of what you would love to happen and know in your heart that they still might not go that way on the big day.

7. Continue with your Pregnancy Fitness Program

Prenatal exercise is extremely important. 100 years ago we told women to rest in their “condition”, now we are much wiser.

Prenatal exercise provides a multitude of benefits to both mother and baby. Ideally you would have wanted to start this in your first trimester.

Only because your body hasn’t changed much yet and it’s a lot easier to establish a base fitness level to be able to continue through a 40 week prenatal fitness regime.

As you can tell, the items on this list are going to help you prepare for giving birth and the days, weeks, and months that follow after doing so. Make certain that you also talk to family and friends and pick their brains as well. If they’ve given birth before, they more than likely have some super helpful pointers that might need to be added to your checklist, too!

What should you not do in your second trimester?

Even though you might not want to admit it, there are a few things that you shouldn’t do in your second trimester of pregnancy. No matter how good you’re feeling or even if you’re just stubborn and refusing to realize that you need to slow down, it’s important to take notice of the items and actions listed below and not do them, at all.

Instead, think of this of “no-go” items as a way to hand off some of the work and expectations to someone else in the house!

• Avoid drinking, smoking, etc.
• Stay out of saunas and hot tubs or anything with a super high heat source
• Stop cleaning out the kitty litter box asap
• Don’t eat undercooked meats, lunch meats, etc.
• Limit picking up heavy items during this time

And those are just a few of the items and activities that you really do need to limit during your second trimester. This trimester is all about taking care o your body so that you can take care of your baby that you’re growing as well.

RELATED: How to best avoid common toxins while pregnant

Even though this second-trimester checklist might not be expansive, it does have some super important items listed on it that you need to be aware of and pay attention to. Since you’re in the middle ground of your pregnancy, you’ll want to stick to these limitations and guidance as closely as you possibly can.

Treat yourself and your body well right now so that you can bounce back quickly after your labor and delivery to not have to miss out on anything with your new little bundle of joy!

Want to print this out to check it off free? I gotcha! Grab your second trimester printable checklist right now.