Second Pregnancy, Information about Second Pregnancy
If you had a normal, healthy first pregnancy experience then it is likely you will go into your second pregnancy feeling positive and relaxed, but you will also have the additional responsibility of your first child to look after during your pregnancy, and this can make things challenging in different ways. If you had a bad experience with your first pregnancy then it is likely you will have some concerns and fears regarding another pregnancy, and so you may be even more stressed out than the first time around.
When you become pregnant the second time, it can be tempting not to place so much emphasis on your pregnancy as you previously did, especially if you have a young child to look after. However you must make sure you take good care of yourself both physically and mentally during this time, and remember that each pregnancy is different and you may not experience either the problems or joys of previous pregnancies again.
It can also be difficult to find the energy to look after a small child during your second pregnancy and you may find that you are become very tired and emotional. You may feel guilty for being torn between your developing baby and your first child, and worried that you are not devoting enough time and care to each of them. It is important that you get enough support to help you through this time, either from close family members or friends, who will be able to help you with childcare so that you can get some rest, or help you with household chores so that you can devote more time to your child.
During your second pregnancy it is important to keep your strength and stamina up by practising healthy, active living and also to make a few plans to ensure everything runs smoothly:
* Exercise – make exercise a bonding time with your first child, and take them for a walk with you to a local park or shops. Do some pelvic floor exercises everyday, and if you don’t want them to join in or disturb you then leave it till they are having a nap or have gone to bed.
* Healthy Eating – a balanced diet and small, regular meals will help give you the energy you need to keep up with your child and also provide all the vitamins and minerals your growing baby needs.
* Chores – try and get some help with chores, and leave all the heavy, unimportant tasks like washing curtains and moving furniture aside. Light dusting, hovering and cleaning will keep the house tidy without wearing you out, and get plenty of rest in between doing chores to make sure you don’t over exert yourself.
* New Sibling – take time to get your first child used to the idea of having a new baby in the house. Let them get involved with making plans, such as taking them shopping with you to help pick out things for the new baby. Make sure they understand that this does not mean that they will be less loved, because when the baby arrives you may be too tired and too busy to address this important issue properly.
* Labour Plans- it can be easy to leave labour plans until the last minute for your second pregnancy, but make sure you have everything organised well in advance so that you have someone to look after your first child whilst you are in hospital, preferable someone they know well to help ease the stress of you being away, and returning with a new baby.
During second pregnancy many women report that morning sickness eases, but other symptoms suffered in previous pregnancy such as varicose veins and leaky bladders can reoccur. You may also find your pelvis area and lower back ache more that the first time, as repeated pregnancies put more strain on the ligaments and joints in this area.
Unless you had any major problems with your first pregnancy, you will usually have less antenatal appointments scheduled for the second time around, as woman who have normal first pregnancies are more likely to have straightforward second pregnancies. However this can feel like you are not getting as much support as you did previously, but don’t forget you can contact your doctor or midwife if you have any concerns and the National Childbirth Trust branch and some local baby clubs run ‘refresher’ courses for women are expecting further pregnancies. Sometimes women who have had a very long gap between pregnancies find it helpful to attend classes for first time mothers, as this goes over all the aspects of pregnancy in detail that they may have forgotten and feel unsure about.