Differences in the second pregnancy

It’s common knowledge that every pregnancy is different. However, you don’t always expect the unexpected challenges that can rise with pregnancy. When I was pregnant with my oldest son I was in complete bliss the entire time. I’m not sure how I got as lucky as I did but I had no morning sickness, minimal aches and pains (until the very end), no heart burn. Any of the classic pregnancy discomforts I somehow managed to avoid. I had no idea how fortunate I really was. I loved being pregnant with him so much I started to feel very down the closer I got to my due date knowing it wouldn’t be just me and him anymore. At the end of my pregnancy however, They were worried about how large he was. At birth he was 9lbs 4oz, and I had a tough time during labor and delivery.

Aside from the semi traumatic birthing experience I had with him, everything else was great. I told everyone all the time I wasn’t ready for him to come out. Knowing now what I didn’t know then has really opened my eyes. I have seen so many other stories of women having a fairly easy first pregnancy but then running into issues with pregnancies thereafter. Thankfully, the challenges I’ve had are fairly small in magnitude compared to what some women have to endure. Nonetheless, I wasn’t expecting to run into any challenges. I knew it wouldn’t be the same as my first but I was hopeful.

Unexpected challenges

When my husband and I decided we were ready for baby #2 I was hoping it wouldn’t take too long to conceive. I had been seeing more stories of women that experience unexplained infertility after they successfully were pregnant with their first baby. When I got pregnant with my first son it only took a couple months. We were very surprised. This time around, it took us 8 months. I realize that is no time at all, but during the process I started to get more and more anxious as the months went on. Once I was pregnant, I had a lot of nausea and really bad food aversions so I was having difficulty eating much. That lasted while but eventually it passed.

Soon after, I found out I had gestational diabetes around week 14 and I was put on a strict food regime. I had to meet with an endocrinologist and get on insulin for my fasting numbers. I have had appointments to discuss my diabetes every 2 weeks. There are many ups and downs with the diabetes and with it a lot of mental strain and struggle. There is a lot that goes into maintaining diabetes, especially while pregnant. Your limitations are increased 10 fold because there is so much that can harm the baby. That alone is very challenging. Not to mention the constant pregnancy cravings you have of everything you can’t have.

Considered higher risk

Since diabetes can cause several complications in a pregnancy, especially if it’s not monitored well your pregnancy is considered to be high risk. The majority of my pregnancy was treated normally but now that I am in the 3rd trimester things are different. I now go to appointments twice a week. I have 2 non stress tests done and one ultrasound done each week. So far, I have had one growth scan done with another this week. The first one was perfect, baby was measuring exactly where he should have been for that time frame. I have been working hard to keep my diabetes under control to keep baby healthy and to keep him at a heathy weight. When you have diabetes, it is very easy to have excessive growth in your baby hence why my first son was big.

Knowing what I know now, I definitely feel like I should have been treated for gestational diabetes last time too. Since starting these twice a week appointments, my doctor has noticed I have “increased irritation” of the uterus. I have contractions consistently and there was a scare of possible preterm labor. Thankfully I am not dilating yet so she seems to think I am just having increased Braxton hicks contractions. Pair that with increased uterine irritation and that equals constant discomfort. BUT, my baby is still healthy and growing well and that is all I can ask for. I just have to listen to my body and lay down when I need it and REST more. I tend to have a hard time with that, especially with a 2 year old.

Aches and pains

This time around I started getting aches and pains much sooner than I did with my first son. I have had an increase in lower back and hip pain and a lot of sciatic nerve pain. This makes it challenging to get daily tasks done so I have to stop and rest more often. Unfortunately there isn’t a ton that can be done to relieve the pain. I have even experienced the round ligament pain that I never had with my first pregnancy. Talk about OUCH. I was down for a few days because of that trying not to irritate things further.

There has also been waaaaay more pressure in my pelvic region. I was a little worried about my pelvic floor, every time I was sitting to pee it felt like everything was just going to fall out. That was a new experience for me. After my first son was born, I did see a pelvic floor specialist and she said everything felt fine. I wasn’t having any incontinence issues thankfully, which surprised me given my son’s size. So far I haven’t had any issues with that this time around either, I’m hoping that stays the same for my postpartum journey. I was having a major feeling of needing a pelvic support band to hold everything up. Anytime I would hold everything up myself, I had a lot of relief.

Body image

This time around I have had a hard time with body image. Since having to start insulin, I have noticed so much more fat retention. I have a lot of noticeable fat/cellulite in my legs and butt that I have never had before. Due to so many aches and pains, I stopped doing daily workouts because it was an increased strain. Though I do still power walk one to two times a day to stay active. Weight gain is perfectly normal AND necessary during pregnancy. However, I have noticed the insulin has caused some differences for me this time around. Especially given that my diet as been s strict and clean to maintain the diabetes. I did some research and found that If you are eating more calories than you need, the insulin will cause extra sugars that are not needed by the cells to be stored as extra fat.

Since I was told by both the dietitian and the endocrinologist that I needed to be eating 3 meals a day + 3 snacks a day, I have been eating way more in a day than I ever have. However, they should be smaller meals since you are having 3 snacks a day also. But during my second trimester, I felt like I was STARVING all the time. They told me to eat when I felt hungry but in moderation. Nevertheless, adding in the extra calories that I typically wasn’t eating before I got pregnant has caused major body changes that I just wasn’t expecting. However, from what I have read and have been told by my care team, it’s all apart of the process. Now in the 3rd trimester I can’t eat as much, I don’t feel near as hungry and I just don’t have the space!

Conclusion

Overall, this time around has been more challenging all around. Again you never expect to have and unexpected challenges during pregnancy. That’s what makes them unexpected! Everyone goes through different challenges during pregnancy and there are many hormonal changes that happen. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed, down, insecure, tired, frustrated etc. They are all valid emotions, but at the end of the day don’t forget to think about what you’re grateful for. I am grateful that I was able to get pregnant, that my baby has been healthy this whole time and continues to be. I am grateful that we have made it to 34 weeks without any more major signs of early labor.

As difficult as it all has been mentally, they are all minor inconveniences that I have had to go through this pregnancy to keep my son safe and healthy. Looking at the big picture everything is so minor but when you’re in the thick of it, it doesn’t feel that way. All will be forgotten once my son is born and I no longer have to worry about most of these things. All this to say, you are not alone if you are feeling overwhelmed by the new challenges you’re facing during your first, second, third, or more pregnancies. Such challenges are temporary and they bring something so beautiful at the end it that it makes it all worth it. Don’t forget to check out my Pinterest page for updates and the rest of my posts here on the website! 🙂