Pregnancy

Second Pregnancy and Beyond

Okay, you sailed through your first pregnancy without any difficulties, you did not really have much morning sickness, and you were ready for childbirth. This was one of the most exciting times in your life. Now, you are pregnant with your second child and you are not feeling the same excitement that you did with your first. This is very normal. During your first pregnancy you had more time to think about the little one growing inside, now you have one or maybe more children to care for, this does not mean that you are not excited, just the pregnancy may not be as exciting.

You may also believe that once you have had a baby all pregnancies and deliveries will be the same, but you would be wrong. Each pregnancy is different just as each child is different. You may notice more feeling this time earlier than you did with your first baby. You may feel kicking, tugging and pulling which is very normal. Your uterus has already been stretched before and it is more likely to conform to another pregnancy. This can be very encouraging as you maybe able to feel your little one moving around sooner than you expected.

Both you and your spouse may not be as excited about this pregnancy as you were with your first, this does not in any way mean that you both will love this baby less. The first pregnancy is similar to a new toy and neither of you had been through it before, so you both paid more attention to every little aspect of the pregnancy. Now, you may not get as excited until the time of the new baby's birth.

Remember, though, just because it is your second or third pregnancy you should still do the same exact things you did with your first pregnancy, such as visit your physician regular, exercise, and even attend childbirth classes. You may know what to expect, but remember each pregnancy is different and you should brush up on the delivery and be ready. This will also give you and your spouse a bit more time to bond with this second child before he or she is born.

Do you remember the false labor pains you endured during your first pregnancy? Well, with the second pregnancy and beyond, these Braxton-Hicks contractions can be more often and more intense, normally closer to the end of your pregnancy. These contractions are there to prepare your body and they are not something you should worry about.

You may think you are not as attached to this baby as you were with your first pregnancy, but just wait until the minute he or she is born. You will once again, know that you have enough love to share with this new baby and so will your spouse.