Everyone says your second pregnancy is completely different to the first. I never really believed it and then I read a post by Emily at My Petit Canard and it made me have a think about what I had been doing differently this time around.
I think I have still been as interested in piglet’s development and have an app on my phone which I do check regularly. I’m also happy to sit on the sofa with my belly out for ages, hankering after some movement. I did that tonnes with the gremlin.
The pregnancies themselves, in terms of symptoms have been really similar, apart from the nausea lasting longer and my constant stream of colds from my bug bearing spawn!!
However, I have been different and here are my thoughts:
- Finding out the sex. Last time I was determined I didn’t want to know but this time I just can’t wait. We also want to prepare the gremlin as she has been convinced she is having her “baby sister”.
- Paid for private scans. Not once but twice at 8 and 16 weeks so yes we do now know what the sex is! Not wanting to say anything until after the 20 week anomaly scan though, sorry guys. Eek! I think I have felt more nervous about everything being ok this time whereas last time I was quite laid back.
- Weirdly after the above point, I have been more laid back and told more people. More people knew I was pregnant before 12 weeks this time, compared to the gremlin.
- Not drank hardly anything. Now ladies, I’m not condoning alcohol in pregnancy as the Dept of Health advise to abstain really but I had the odd unit with the gremlin. I really missed it! This time not been as fussed and apart from once or twice I have laid off it.
- Conversely I’ve not been as worried about caffeine. I don’t drink coffee but I’ve had 2-3 cups of normal tea a day after the nausea had passed. That’s fine. I just can’t drink decaf or fruit teas. I used to have a decaf every night pre-pregnancy but the thought of it makes me gag. I was exactly the same with the gremlin.
- Done a lot more cardio/circuit training at the gym. With the gremlin I had bust my knee and was limited to cross training, the bike and upper body weights. This time it’s new territory but the staff at my local gym are fab so I feel safe. I have adapted a lot of stuff but still feel like I’m doing something.
- Been terrible at taking my vitamins! I was good with the folic acid up to 12 weeks as you should but Vitamin D has been a bit sporadic and I haven’t had my iron tablets that regularly. I have been trying to eat more lean red meat instead.
- Not taken as many bump shots. I just keep forgetting!! Now we have a new house and more space, I’m going to make a conscious effort.
- Been a lot more chilled about buying stuff. I just figure I’ll do it later. Definitely more laid back there! I’m a bit random eh?
- I’m not as worried about what I eat. Slightly runny eggs? Sure. A bit of pink in my iron rich steak? Sure it will be fine!!
- I’ve had to buy maternity jeans at 16 weeks. Last time I never even bothered and wore leggings. I have popped out so quickly this time, so had to succumb. Thanks H and M.
Time is flying with me being 17 weeks this week. I’m trying to savour every moment and try and enjoy being pregnant, even when the gremlin is driving me mental and I’m tired. It’s a special time and I don’t want to forget that, even though it’s the second time around.
It is interesting to hear the differences. I think when you already have a child at home, life is slightly different anyway, so you are naturally doing different things compared to the first pregnancy. I can’t really compare my two pregnancies as having twins the second time around is rather different anyway. Enjoy the moments x
I have four and I was more anxious each time, more sick each time (and the first time was bad enough). In terms of my approach I was consistent, no alcohol, exercised, scans, ate well and took supplements but slept much less each time because I had the others. When I was heavily pregnant with number four, my third child went through a three week stage of waking at 3am and not going back to sleep, making the school run interesting later that morning lol. #binkylinky
p.s enjoy the rest of your pregnancy 🙂
Oh you do have some differences, it’s amazing what you can come up with when you think about it. I’d have probably been like you and said that I’d been the same in all my pregnancies.
I read this and all the way through I was saying to myself ‘yup, I did that….yup, I did that, too!!’
Second time round is different isn’t it, even if you don’t mean it to be. There are more responsibilities to consider – like preparing Gremlin. We did the same and found out the sex of #2 so that we could prepare our daughter.
I also found pregnancy second time round flew by so that pictures of bumps didn’t happen so often or if they did they included my little girl!
As for the popping out early, I laughed at this! First time round I got away with regular smock tops. No chance second time round!
How lovely for you. This post brought back some happy memories for me. Loved it
Best of luck for your 20wks
xx
This is really interesting…we didn’t find out the sex when I was pregnant with my son back in 2013, if I were to have another (and that’s a HUGE IF) I think I probably would this time around. Also, I know I wouldn’t buy half as much stuff the next time around!! PS. H&M do THE best leggings ever…I’m currently wearing my maternity ones now because they’re just so damn comfy #binkylinky
Ah, there are always differences, I think. And I definitely popped out faster with my second, too. Life seemed busier with my second, though I no longer worked full time, and it all just flew by! Glad all’s well x Thanks for sharing with #WotW
Second time around is so different isn’t it….
I was more relaxed and definitely bigger with my 2nd.
Keep enjoying your pregnancy….I thought the with my 2nd it whizzed over 😀
I definitely was different 2nd time round, I was even more laid back with what I ate lol! I remembered to take more bump shots with Elarna bizarrely! #binkylinky
Second time round I was definitely a lot more laid back but then I had a small human to take up all my time so that could have had something to do with it! It continues after the arrival too, dropped a dummy in the floor? Who needs a steriliser, give it a suck and pop it back in- it’ll be fine #justanotherlinky
I’m amazed that you’ve had time to do anything at all with moving house too hun! I can’t wait for you to do your big reveal! Might have to start a countdown 😉 17 weeks already? So exciting! Xx
#justanotherlinky
Lovely to hear how you are getting on. I always wonder if I will be more relaxed the second time around xx #justanotherlinky
My second pregnancy was totally different to the first but that was mainly because I’d had two miscarriages beforehand so was really worried about everything! #justanotherlinky
Sounds like you are really more relax with the second baby. I didnt say that I am pregnant too until the anomaly scan too as I just want to be sure. This sounds so nice and you sound like you are having fun =)
#wotw
I definitely felt very differently about my second pregnancy as opposed to my first. With your first you try and do everything by the book where as with your second you kind of just go with it! By the time I got to my fifth it was a whole different story!! Looking forward to hearing about your twenty week scan! #justanotherlinky
I definitely felt very differently about my second pregnancy as opposed to my first. With your first you try and do everything by the book where as with your second you kind of just go with it! By the time I got to my fifth it was a whole different story!! Looking forward to hearing about your twenty week scan! #justanotherlinky
Fascinating the differences time goes so quickly Thanks for linking to the #binkylinky
I was the same, with my first pregnancy I was ultra cautious and spent so much time about the pregnancy but with my second it just flew by as I had a then 14 month old! Can’t wait to find out what the sex is. Thanks for linking up to #justanotherlinky xx
Love posts like this. It’s so strange how different we do things isn’t it. I’m pregnant for the third time and have done quite a few things differently. I am defintley more worried but also laid back this time about buying things.
Thank you for linking up to #justanotherlinky
I’m all for trying to steer clear of tablets if I can. So I think upping your meat intake instead of swallowing iron tablets is great.