Pregnancy Unpacked Weeks 24-26: 2nd Trimester Myths, Glucose Test, and Baby Growth | 182

Pregnancy Unpacked Weeks 24-26: 2nd Trimester Myths, Glucose Test, and Baby Growth | 182

Author: Trish Ware, RN July 2, 2025 Duration: 30:15

Hey Mama! Welcome back to Pregnancy Unpacked for weeks 24-26 of your pregnancy journey. This episode is all about busting 2nd trimester myths, diving into what’s happening with your body and baby, and empowering you with the facts to trust yourself. Let’s unpack the real stuff.

What’s Happening with Baby

  • Size Check: Your little one is about the size of an ear of corn - 13-14 inches long and close to 2 pounds!
  • Big Developments: Baby’s building fat stores, fine-tuning hearing and touch, and growing stronger lung tissue. They’re practicing breathing movements, opening and closing their eyes, and even having hiccups (so cute).
  • Brain Boost: Rapid brain development means more kicks, rolls, and jerky jumps. Keep an eye on those movements!

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What’s Happening with You

  • Shortness of Breath: Try deep breathing exercises or get on hands and knees with your booty in the air to ease it.
  • Carpal Tunnel: Swollen wrists or tingling fingers? Elevate your hands, shake them out, or grab a wrist brace. Talk to your provider if it’s intense.
  • Round Ligament Pain: Sharp pains in your lower belly? Move slowly, support your belly, or try a belly band and prenatal yoga.
  • Leg Cramps: Stay hydrated, stretch calves before bed, and consider magnesium lotion or gummies (check with your provider).

Your Appointments 

  • Glucose Screening Test: Screens for gestational diabetes. Options include the glucola drink, Fresh Test, or home blood sugar checks. Mama, it is not your fault if you test positive - it’s hormones, not your diet. 

Helpful Timestamps:

  • 00:59 Weeks 24-26: What to Expect
  • 01:55 Baby's Development: Weeks 24-26
  • 03:18 Common Pregnancy Symptoms and Remedies
  • 11:12 Debunking 2nd Trimester Pregnancy Myths
  • 13:46 Emotional Well-being During Pregnancy
  • 16:43 Important Appointments and Tests
  • 26:01 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

More from this episode: 


More from Pregnancy Unpacked:


Resources:

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Calm Labor Confident Birth Pod

First Trimester Prep Pack

Second Trimester Prep Pack

Third Trimester Prep Pack

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Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services

Next Steps with LNM:


If you are ready to invest in your pregnancy & postpartum journey, you are in the right place. I would love to take your hand and support you in your virtual labor room!

If you are ready to dive into a birth class and have your best and most powerful birth story, then Calm Labor Confident Birth or The VBAC Lab is your next step.

If you have a scheduled cesarean, take our Belly Birth Masterclass and own that experience.

If you are a newly pregnant mama or just had the babe, you want to join our private pregnancy and postpartum membership, Calm Mama Society.

Remember, my advice is not medical advice. Always discuss what you learn with your team. See my Disclaimer here! Also, We make a small commission from some of the links (you don’t pay any more for using our links); however some of the recommendations, we do not earn anything; we love ’em and want you to know about them.


Ever find yourself scrolling through endless forums late at night, wondering about the real, unfiltered details of childbirth that no one seems to talk about plainly? The Birth Experience with Labor Nurse Mama is here to change that. Hosted by Trish Ware, RN, this podcast draws directly from her years in the delivery room, where she’s helped bring thousands of newborns into the world. She knows the questions that keep you up at night, from the logistical-like how to effectively push or what Pitocin actually does-to the vulnerable fears about epidurals, VBACs, or those embarrassing but totally normal moments. Trish moves beyond clinical jargon to offer honest, compassionate, and evidence-based insights that feel like a conversation with a trusted friend who’s seen it all. Each episode tackles a specific aspect of pregnancy, labor, and early parenting, like navigating breastfeeding challenges or figuring out newborn care, with the goal of replacing anxiety with practical knowledge. Tuning into this podcast means getting a seasoned labor nurse’s perspective delivered with warmth and a deep understanding of what you’re going through, helping you feel more prepared and empowered for your own journey.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Birth Experience with Labor Nurse Mama
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