SURPRISE, WE’RE PREGNANT! If you follow me on Instagram [@karavallari] then you know that we’re expecting baby #2 this coming June. Kevin and I are beyond excited to be growing our family and can’t wait to watch Palmer become a big sister! It still feels a little surreal to be on this journey again and I feel so blessed to be growing a second life.
Since we’re already past the halfway point, I thought it would be fun to do a mini pregnancy Q&A about my experience thus far. I find pregnancy super fascinating because it’s such a unique experience and so different for everyone that I love reading these myself. Honestly, it’s nice to be able to relate to someone and feel like you’re not alone or that the grass isn’t always greener and you’re actually better off than you realized. Plus, I want to write this all down somewhere to remember and look back on because it’s crazy how fast the details start to blur.
Before I dive into the questions, I just want to preface this by saying I know conception, pregnancy, labor & delivery, and even those early newborn days can be a sensitive topic for many. If you are in a difficult place anywhere along this journey, my heart goes out to you. This post is simply our story and is not intended to inflict pain, envy or anger in any way and I am sorry in advance if you find this triggering.
Alright, let’s dive in!
When are you due?
We are due June 13, ironically just four days before Palmer’s second birthday. I’ve had a few conversations with our doctor about potentially being induced at week 39 to avoid them being born on the same day. I’m not sure how I feel about being medically induced so I’m still thinking about it and doing research but will definitely keep you all posted!
Do you know the sex?
No! We’re through the genetic testing and anatomy ultrasound with no slip ups either so we’ll find out the sex on the day baby arrives. We chose this route with Palmer too and loved being surprised. We do not care at all about the gender and are just praying for a healthy baby. However, I will say that we both think it’s another girl.
What pregnancy symptoms have you experienced?
I actually hate answering this question because I know it can be a touchy subject but my pregnancy symptoms have been super minimal. I haven’t experienced any morning sickness, nausea, body aches/pains or food aversions. I was a little fatigued during the first trimester but it’s really difficult to discern if it was from pregnancy or chasing after an active toddler. I will say that I’m more alert at night now whereas before, I was bone tired around 9:30/10PM and could barely make it through a movie or show.
Any food cravings or aversions?
No food aversions. If anything, I’d say I’m craving more sweets but, again, it’s hard to know if that’s my pregnancy or simply the fact that I’m more lenient with what I eat during pregnancy. I really try to eat a balanced diet, drink lots of water and allow myself to indulge without guilt. One thing I’m loving this time around is decaf green tea + a mint chocolate in the evenings after dinner.
Have your pregnancies felt different?
They feel the exact same! I do think my cravings were stronger with the first and I’m starting to show much earlier this second time around. I think with Palmer I switched to maternity clothes around week 26 [which sounds crazy now] but I’m 20 weeks now and already popping out of my clothes. Everything else is about the same – symptoms, how I’m carrying, etc. Hence why we think it’s another girl!
Are you still working out?
Yes! I know this is super specific to the individual so you should definitely consult your own doctor before doing anything but I haven’t really altered my workouts much. Essentially I just avoid targeting my abs specifically, doing anything on my stomach or getting my heart rate/temperature up high for extended periods of time. I worked out right until I delivered during my first pregnancy too without any complications.
How much weight have you gained?
Six pounds so far! With Palmer, I gained almost 40 lbs but my starting weight was a little lower. I personally don’t care how much I gain as long as the baby is healthy and there are no medical concerns.
When did you start feeling the baby move?
Consistently at 18 weeks. Before then, I think I may have felt a flutter here or there but it also could have been gas or something – LOL.
How did you tell Kevin?
I enlisted Palmer’s help! After work, we were hanging out as a family in Palmer’s princess tent when I slipped her the pregnancy test. Of course she had no idea what it was and immediately put it in her mouth [luckily, the non-pee side] and Kevin was in the middle of reading a storybook so he didn’t first notice. When he finished reading, he looked up and saw the stick and the word ‘pregnant’ on the stick and freaked out [in a good way].
How long did it take you to get pregnant?
We actually were not trying but knew we wanted more and wanted them relatively close in age so it worked out well!
How has it differed being pregnant during COVID?
The biggest difference is that Kevin can’t come to any of my appointments or ultrasounds whereas he attended every single one the first time around. It’s definitely a bummer but I’ve been able to Facetime him so he doesn’t miss anything. My doctor also seems to be taking a pretty strict approach with travel, social gatherings, and general exposure to the virus through restaurants, workout studios and grocery stores. Ultimately, we’re following all state/county/CDC guidelines, being extra careful to wear masks, wash hands/sanitize if we’re out in a public setting and limiting our social circle. I imagine that restrictions will tighten as I get closer to delivery to ensure neither of us are infected when we arrive at the hospital.
How is baby?
So far, so good! I’ve been extremely fortunate to have a ‘normal’ pregnancy thus far. I definitely do not take that for granted and anxiously look forward to each appointment when I get to hear the baby’s heartbeat. At my next appointment [24 weeks] I’ll test for gestational diabetes so fingers crossed everything checks out there!
Favorite pregnancy items so far?
I actually haven’t bought a single thing outside of a few tops to try and some clothes for the baby. I’m not big on traditional maternity clothes so I’ll definitely be shopping for things that can work during and after pregnancy. I imagine I’ll need more pants this time though since I mostly wore dresses when I was pregnant in San Diego. I’ll definitely share my pregnancy fashion finds so be sure to follow me on LTK.
That’s all for now! If you have any burning questions, feel free to comment on this post or reach out directly. I plan to do another update once I’m in my third trimester.
xo
Kara
KARA VALLARI 
So, just an FYI on being induced. The doctor just checks the baby’s development. Primarily the lungs. When I had baby #2 (my daughter), she was due in December, pretty close to Christmas time. It was important to me that my gyno deliver our child, like she did our son. But she was leaving on vacation for the last 2 weeks of December. She said she’d watch and if she felt it was completely safe then we’d do it. And she said the lungs looked fully developed and she looked good. Sooooo, just giving you a heads up of someone who did it. My birthing was a lot easier too. I went two weeks over-due with my son and they had to induce because he was getting big and he was a long delivery. My daughter is fine. She’s 15, and bright and taller than I am – no asthma or anything like that. The only medical issue she had, was She did have a herniated umbilical, where it never closed up and at 3 she had a mesh put in and that hasn’t been an issue. Again, I don’t know if that can be linked to early delivery or not, as that is a common procedure for kids to have. It was never brought up as such.
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Thank you for sharing! I need all the information I can get because it’s such a tough decision but I love hearing about other people’s experiences!
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