Women experiencing their second pregnancy are in many ways veterans. They have complete knowledge of what to expect during the pregnancy period. Even then the symptoms, signs and experiences of the pregnancy period may differ the second time round. During the second pregnancy, a woman may experience the pulling, tugging and expanding sensations around one month earlier than that experienced during the first pregnancy. The uterus is stretched during the first pregnancy and yields less during the second pregnancy.
Second pregnancy also offers some definite benefits to women. Having experienced pregnancy before, women are able to identify the movements of the fetus around one month earlier than the first time of their pregnancy. Women who are pregnant for the second time are more likely to experience Braxton Hicks contractions which are sporadic uterine contractions. These contractions may be rather painful and are particularly experienced during the end period of the pregnancy.
During the first pregnancy a lot of emotional and mental energy and attention may be spent in handling the symptoms and signs. It also takes some time for women to get used to their pregnancy the first time.
However with second pregnancy the woman may feel a bit emotionally distant from the experience of pregnancy. This however does not mean that she will love the baby less. It does mean that her anxiety, fears and worries will be less as compared to the first experience. Likewise the partner will also be less anxious about the pregnancy.
Even in second pregnancy it is advisable for women to attend childbirth classes as this will allow the woman and her partner to bond with the unborn child.
Sometimes women are anxious because they have already experienced the labor. Some women tend to worry about whether they will be able to take care of the second child equally well and whether they would have enough love for the second child.
Some other emotional effects of second pregnancy include guilt pangs. Since the mother may not be able to devote much time to the husband and the child it may make her feel as if she is neglecting them.
Mothers also worry about when they ought to tell their child about the second pregnancy. It is always advisable to tell them early so that they can adjust to this new information.
Some possible differences that a woman may experience during the second pregnancy include less severity of the morning sickness. However leaky bladder, hemorrhoids and varicose veins do occur again.
Women may experience greater fatigue during the second pregnancy and the bump may start showing earlier as compared to the first time. The second time labor period however may be much reduced. This is because the dilation of the cervical muscles occurs much faster.
Any weight gain that occurs between pregnancies can result in problems and complications during the second pregnancy. Preeclampsia is a possibility the second time where the first baby was smaller or premature or where the mother suffers from diabetes.
Excessive weight gain can cause complications such as stillbirth and toxemia. Following the diet and getting routine checkups with the doctor can help women to enjoy their second time experience.
