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In this episode of The Healthspan Collective, host Nicole Doran sits down to share a real and honest second trimester pregnancy update at eighteen weeks with her sister and podcast producer, Mackenzie. Now visibly showing and feeling worlds better than she did during her first trimester, Nicole opens up about the mental and emotional shifts that come with this stage, including body image, weight gain outside of the belly, and learning to hold gratitude and discomfort at the same time.

From cravings and brain fog to her current supplement stack and early thoughts on her birth plan, Nicole walks through everything that has surprised her so far, including symptoms no one warned her about and the unexpected kindness of strangers once you are visibly pregnant. She also gets into how pregnancy is reshaping her boundaries, her work delegation, her relationship, and the overwhelming world of strollers and nursery prep.
What We Cover:

🤰 An honest look at body image, weight gain, and why two things can be true at once
💊 Her current supplement stack and what she added, removed, and kept through the second trimester
🩺 Early birth plan thoughts, midwife versus doula, and her stance on induction and epidurals
😴 Brain fog, energy shifts, and the symptoms that caught her completely off guard
🍞 Why she is temporarily reintroducing gluten and her current cravings and favorite foods
🛍️ Navigating strollers, nursery prep, and the overwhelm of baby gear shopping

Chapters:
00:00 Second Trimester Check In at 18 Weeks
05:05 Feeling Like Herself Again
09:23 Brain Fog, Nesting, and Baby Development
13:26 Body Image and the Reality of Weight Gain
19:24 Symptoms No One Warned Her About
23:16 Supplements, PMOS, and What Changed
27:15 Early Birth Plan Thoughts and Options
33:09 Energy, Sleep, and New Boundaries
36:19 Stroller Shopping and Nursery Overwhelm
54:25 Rapid Fire: Cravings, Purchases, and Advice

Follow Nicole! @nicolejdoran
Follow Mackenzie! @mackenziepetersonn