You might be one of those mythical women who truly loves being pregnant. And if you are, I’m jealous.
But if you’re not, there are 8 things that people don’t tell you about the second pregnancy. In hindsight, they seem incredibly obvious, but I can’t help but wonder why nobody told me about these before deciding to have my second child.
The second pregnancy is NOTHING LIKE YOUR FIRST!
Yes, yes… there are some mythical mothers who just breeze through pregnancy. But if you’re one of those, give yourself a pat on the back because you are the exception.
So what is so different about the second pregnancy?
1. You blow up like a balloon
When people say you get bigger more quickly for your second, they aren’t kidding! By 20 weeks I turned into a waddling, bloated mess, and was constantly asked if I was, “having twins?” (Insert rage here).
What does a doctor say about this? “For your second pregnancy your body already knows what it is doing”…blah blah blah.
Meanwhile, all you can do is think, “How the F*CK am I going to pack on 3 more months of baby?”
2. Everything hurts
The pain you felt EVERYWHERE in your first pregnancy at 37+ weeks, could start showing up as early as 20 weeks in your 2nd pregnancy.
Everything from:
- Excruciating round ligament pain
- Feeling like your uterus is going to fall out
- The lovely sensation that you got kicked in the lady parts
- The burning back pain
- Playing Russian rocket with your bladder when you sneeze
- “Discomfort” sitting on the toilet
- Rolling over in bed requires an “oh shit handle” and gentle push from your significant other
Apparently it’s all just “normal”, and just what your body does during the second pregnancy! Or at least that’s what the 3 doctors I’ve seen have annoyingly told me.
3. Your first child will watch an impressive amount of TV
Paw Patrol will no longer be your nemesis, but will become your best friend.
But you’ll never admit out loud how much the TV is actually on now, because the mom guilt constantly consumes you…but frankly, it’s the only way to survive.
4. You don’t care as much about the 2nd baby
Ok, to be fair, that’s worded a bit harshly…but there’s no other way I could describe it.
Sure, you KNOW that you will love this kid as deeply and unconditionally as your first child…once it’s here. Until then, the very real truth is that you have no connection with this baby yet, and the nugget is usually an afterthought.
Your sole attention right now is on keeping your other kid alive and getting through each day. Aaaaand out comes the mom guilt again.
5. The nursery…what nursery?
If you were like me, by the third trimester in your first pregnancy, you had carefully crafted the nursery through a series of intriquate Pinterest boards.
But this pregnancy you couldn’t give two flying f*cks about the nursery.
I mean, all you really need is a bassinette, diapers, and onesies…right?
6. You’ll forget you’re pregnant
Remember in your first pregnancy when you were hyper aware of every single thing that happened in your pregnancy. It was all you talked about and thought about. Your world revolved around being pregnant.
Well, if you have a brief moment where you aren’t in pain or feeling sick, you will totally forget about being pregnant.
You also won’t even want to talk about it and think about it. Why? You’re too busy running around keeping 15 plates spinning with the house, the spouse, your job, and your first child.
7. Clothes…meh!
Even if you’re having the opposite gender, clothes will be the last thing on your mind.
Instead of aimlessly strolling through Joe Fresh while doing groceries, you’ll skip by those aisles and not even acknowledge that need for more clothes.
Sleepers will be their life, and you’re ok with that. A boy in a pink sleeper? SURE!
8. Have you thought of names?
A sure fire questions from…EVERYBODY! And sure, you’ve thought of it, but really, you’ll deal with that when you HAVE to…like maybe when filling out the birth certificate at the hospital.
