They say that every pregnancy is different. It seems like it shouldn’t be…it’s the same process…and the same you (although an older, more sleep-deprived, postpartum version of you)…so why would it be so different? Well, a different kid for starters. But it also seems like my body already has the scoop or is trying to keep things interesting with this second pregnancy.
1. We Be Bumpin’
With my first pregnancy, I couldn’t wait to show off the watermelon under my shirt. I remember *very* early on, maybe 8 weeks, a friend (who was also pregnant) and I would stand next to each and say “we’re showing! Oh, we’re so totally showing.” But looking back, it was just that we may or may not have used that positive pregnancy test as a license to eat 🙄.
Truth be told, I never got very big with my first pregnancy. Being nearly 6ft tall probably has something to do with that. I would get so offended when someone told me how little I was (a phrase I rarely hear used to describe me). I so badly wanted the whole “I feel huge” experience! But I think the worst comment was when the HR Rep at work said “you just look like you’re constipated or like you had too much Chipotle for lunch.”
With my second pregnancy, I legitimately think I was showing at 8 weeks. This time, I was running 5Ks regularly, so I know it wasn’t a food baby. I also felt her (yes, I’m having another girl ❤) moving much earlier on and I do not remember my oldest daughter being this strong in utero. Yikes!
Not many people would say I have a “big bump,” but then again, I am still super tall, so I guess that’s not surprising. I still fit into my regular shirts for the most part, but have had to beef up my supply of maternity pants. Thank goodness we can wear jeans to work now!
I’ve heard this is true for other women too. Each time, you lose the elasticity/muscle tone you had previously, so the bump comes more quickly and takes up more real estate.
2. Less Weight Gain
I’m really not sure what is “normal” here, but for me, I’m on track to only gain about half of what I did with my first pregnancy. Now to be fair, I was super fit and thin when I got pregnant with our oldest daughter. I was also eating a very clean and unprocessed diet…which went out the window pretty quickly when the cravings hit.
With this second pregnancy, my starting weight was much more like a normal, working mom of a toddler because hey, that’s what I am! I miss the gym time I used to have in a way, but I am not willing to trade in the evening time with my daughter. She’s so much more important to me! Any time I am active, I try to make it things that we can do together…which is why I looked like a crazy lady singing toddler songs to the baby jogger as I ran 5Ks.
I also have more stress in my life right now (you can read a little about all of our upcoming events here) plus a very active toddler. Who has time to gain weight? I can count on one hand the times I’ve been able to go home after work and catch a quick nap this go-round.
Thankfully, this second pregnancy has been relatively easy in the cravings and exhaustion departments, which I’m sure has had an impact on my weight gain as well.
3. Less Anxiety
This is probably my favorite thing about my second pregnancy! So. Much. Less. Anxiety. Childbirth doesn’t freak me out. I’m not scared of having a humongous baby-less flap over my jeans. I’m not worried about what kind of mom I’ll be. I already know which baby items I’d like to have and which I can skip out on. I know that I’ll have to adjust my routine…and then adjust it again. I’ve already dealt with all of the baby bodily functions. We’ve already had to make urgent care/ER visits. I know that even if I can’t breastfeed, my daughter will be fine. I’m even less worried about not having a name picked out yet. We just call her Baby Poppyseed for now, and it’s all good.
4. More “Typical” Pregnancy Symptoms
In a lot of ways, this second pregnancy is going relatively smoothly. But, it is definitely doing things to my body that are brand new! I can definitely tell that this time around has been harder on my body physically. I have more frequent heartburn, you can see me regularly sporting a pair of cankles (you know, like swollen ankles? As in I have no ankles and my feet just fade into my calves), and I have spidery/bulgy veins all over the place.
My doctor must think I’m doing something to intensify these symptoms because every time I go in for a checkup, I hear “limit your salt” (already do) and “don’t drink soda” (hardly ever). He also suggested elevating my legs, which I really did try to do at work. But by the time I scoot my chair back far enough to make room for my long legs, I can’t reach my desk! Sorry doc, I think I’m just 8 months pregnant and puffy.
5. Time Flies
You can probably give the toddler credit for making the time fly. Sometimes I feel like this little girl is going to sneak out on me! Because I was paying attention, I found out about this second pregnancy a few weeks earlier than the first. Now that did make time seem to crawl! But after that first trimester, I’m hitting all these milestones before I barely realize it’s time to hit them! What do you mean I’m already halfway through? Time for an ultrasound so soon? How can I already be into my third trimester? You want to see me every 2 weeks already??
They do say that the last month of pregnancy feels like the longest, and since I’m not there yet, I’ll have to let you know later on how that goes.
6. Expecting To Be A Little Psycho Postpartum
With my first baby, I had this beautiful fantasy of quiet moments with my bundle of newborn sweetness as I embraced all aspects of motherhood with grace and poise. Ok…some of that happened, sometimes, but there was also a lot of crying. A LOT of crying. I’m generally a bucket of emotions anyways, but this was something totally new. I cried over how beautiful she was, how tired I was, how overwhelmed I was, and the list goes on.
I remember one morning, I needed to change the sheets on the bed and empty the dishwasher. No biggie, right? Wrong. I sobbed thinking “how do people do this with a baby?!?” It was about that time that a sweet older lady from church called asking if she could bring a meal over and what day would be best. Through short breaths, I squeezed out “is tonight too soon?” She came a few hours later with two meals and dessert. Want to encourage a new mama? Bring her food.
With this second pregnancy, I am forewarning people that I will cry and be a hot mess. It doesn’t mean I’m unhappy, just that I’m hormonal and adjusting to change. A lot of change.
7. Better Understanding Of “A Mother’s Love”
Until you become a mom, you really can’t understand what it feels like to love a child in that way. People would try to describe it to me and share their memories, but it’s something I just had to experience for myself. Even after she was born, it took me a little bit to “feel” like she was mine and that I was her mama. But now, she is a little piece of my heart that walks and talks…a lot!
As challenging as motherhood can be at times, I love that little girl with every fiber of my being!
This this second pregnancy, I do understand what it’s like to love as a mother does, but not with two babies. I hear that you don’t have to split your love between the two, but rather your heart just expands and doubles in size. I am so excited to experience that! Sometimes, I feel like my heart could burst just thinking about them playing and giggling together. Based on how my daughter plays with her baby dolls, I think I’ll have a very good helper and little mama to Poppyseed on my hands.
**For all of the non-front yard pictures, photo credit goes to my little brother (Kevin) at Red Beard Photography. Check him out!!
