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10 Ways Your Second Pregnancy Could Be Different From Your First.

The Mum Club19 May 2022

10 Ways Your Second Pregnancy Could Be Different From Your First.

Ding ding, round 2! Whether you loved or loathed your first experience growing a small human, no two pregnancies are the same.

The chances are that you might find yourself feeling completely different with baby no. 2.

Here are 10 surprising ways your second pregnancy could be different to your first…

1. You’ll Get a Bump Earlier

You might have managed to stay in your normal clothes until 20 weeks with baby no.1 with little more than the tried and tested hairband hack, but we guarantee you’ll be cracking out the maternity jeans the second you pee on the stick this time. Firstly, because your body will ‘remember’ and therefore stretch earlier *read: your stomach muscles are probably fucked* but also because you know the sheer comfort of those stretchy pants rival no others so why the hell not.

2. Morning Sickness

Whether you spent your entire first pregnancy with your head down the toilet or sailed through without so much as a dodgy burp, there is zero guarantee that you’ll feel the same this time. It might be because you’re expecting a different gender, or sheer good/bad luck; either way with any luck the worst *should* pass after trimester one. Hang in there Mama.

3. You’ll Feel More Tired

The final months of your first pregnancy consisted of yoga sessions, meditation and daily afternoon naps. Between nursery runs and picking up 36797 pieces of lego, this time you’ll be lucky if your first born lets you have as much as 5 minutes a day to pee in peace never mind time to book in for a pregnancy massage.

4. Weight Gain

This could swing either way; yes your bump will appear earlier, but if you took ‘eating for two’ a little two literally last time you might find yourself indulging a little less now that the novelty has worn off. Add to that you’ll be chasing after your first born and living off leftover toast and half eaten apples; whatever happens, don’t stress. You’re growing a human being, so cut yourself some slack.

5. Time Goes Faster

First Baby: ‘I’m 26 weeks and 3 days today and my baby is the size of a pineapple.’ Second Baby: ‘Babe, can you get the car seat out of the loft? My waters have broken.’

6. You’ll Feel Them Move Earlier

Now this one is actually really nice; due to your now non-existent abs and the fact you know what to look out for, you could feel the baby move as early as 16 weeks this time around.

7. You’ll Be More Relaxed

This is not your first rodeo, so chances are you’ll feel less need to Google every niggle or to call triage after the earliest twinge. This also translates post-birth, where most veteran Mums develop a laissez-faire attitude to sterilising dropped dummies and ironing muslin squares.

8. Packing Your Hospital Bag is a Hella Lot Easier

We’ve got a feeling that the hands and footprints set we rammed into our suitcase last time might be swapped out for the only essentials you really need; 20 pairs of giant black M&S knickers and a pack of Tena Lady incontinence pants.

9. You’ll Know When You’re Going Into Labour

Oh trust us, you’ll KNOW when you’re in labour. Whether you’re booked in for a second section or are waiting for things to kick off on their own; safe to say it will be abundantly obvious having experienced it the first time that it’s the real deal and not just Braxton Hicks.

10. Your Birth Might Be Faster

You’d think so, wouldn’t you? Given you’ve already had a practice run, your body *should* know what it’s doing and research shows second births are statistically shorter overall. You might also opt to skip the laminated birth plan and take the drugs the second you arrive on labour ward (or is that just us?)

The Mum Club19 May 2022