Pregnancy, Take Two

A second pregnancy may seem like old hat, but there are also some changes that can leave women baffled. Tricia O'Brien, Features Editor of American Baby Magazine, discusses some things that are different when you're pregnant with baby number two.

During their second pregnancy, many women notice that they look pregnant much sooner than they did with their first child. "The abdominal muscles sort of loosen up and you're going to have a pregnancy that's a lot lower," says O'Brien. Many second time moms take this as a sign that they're having a boy, but O'Brien says it's just an old wives' tale. How you're carrying your baby has nothing to with with the baby's sex.

Also, you're probably feeling a lot more aches and pains this time around - and sooner! Remember, your body has been through pregnancy before, so your muscles have already been stretched. This may translate to early back pain or pelvic pain for many second time moms. Also, you have another child running around! Just picking up your toddler and trying to balance your pregnancy weight at the same time is going to strain your muscles even more.

Because you're chasing your first child and dealing with pregnancy-related aches and pains, many mothers turn into Superwoman during their second pregnancy. "You just sort of power through," says O'Brien. "You have terrible morning sickness, but you actually don't even notice it as much because you're so busy chasing your toddler around."

Chances are, you're not worrying about every little detail of your second pregnancy like you did with your first one either. "You're more in tune to your body so you actually can feel the baby kicking maybe a month sooner, doctors say on average," says O'Brien. Most moms are focused on the pregnancy itself instead of what could go wrong.

The good news about being pregnant again? Besides that new little bundle of joy, your labor will almost certainly go much faster. Some doctors even say your labor time will be cut in half. "Pushing maybe takes 30 to 60 minutes, which is a huge change," says O'Brien. And that's news that any mom wants to hear.

For more information on being a second time mom, or to find information on other parenting topics, click here to visit American Baby's website.
By Erin Petrun