If you are planning for a baby for the second time, things must be much easier for you as you have already gone through the experience once and know how things are like. However, you would be surprised to know that it is not exactly same as last time and you would show some changes from the first pregnancy when you are expecting for the second time. The major change would certainly be that you would be showing earlier in your second pregnancy than your first. This is because your uterus is already acquainted with the process as a result of which the muscles and the ligaments in it have stretched. Therefore, when you are pregnant for the second time, it is true that you would start showing it earlier.
When do you start showing with pregnancy?
The journey of motherhood is truly different and unique for each and every woman. However, usually, an expecting mother starts developing her baby bump from between the 12th and the 16th week of pregnancy. You may start feeling the roundness around your baby from around your baby right from the 10th week itself. But your baby bump usually does not start showing so early. Usually, it is evident only from the second trimester of pregnancy.
When do you start showing with your second pregnancy?
When you are pregnant for the second time, it is perfectly normal and quite usual that you would begin to show with your second pregnancy quite sooner than your first pregnancy. The changes would not only include showing up your baby bump but also a sudden change in weight, change in your breast size and so on. Compared to the time when you start showing in your first pregnancy (which is around the 12th to 16th week), some studies have also found women showing with their second pregnancy from as soon as their 6th to 7th week of pregnancy. So, if you are showing up with your second pregnancy quite early, there is absolutely nothing you should worry about!
Things You Need to Know About Your Second Pregnancy
For those who assume that you have already been through it once and this is no big deal anymore, it is in fact rather the opposite. There can be quite a lot of symptoms in your second pregnancy which probably never bothered you in your first and that is completely normal. Here is a list of symptoms that you are likely to experience a change in when you are pregnant for the second time.
Feeling the movements of your baby
When it is your second pregnancy, in all probability, you would be able to feel the movements of your baby inside your womb sooner and more distinctly. From the kicking sensations to the moving, since you are already accustomed to the way it feels and you can now identify each of these correctly, it is likely that you would feel all the movements in your baby sooner this time.
Being fatigued easily
Studies have shown that women tend to get a lot more fatigued when they are pregnant for the second time in comparison to that of the first time. The most obvious reason behind this might be that there is an infant or a toddler in the house now who demands a lot of time and attention. This, added to the normal fatigue o pregnancy makes it all the more difficult and tiring for the mother.
Back pain
You are likely to experience back pain more during the second pregnancy than the first. If you have not got your abdominal muscles into shape after the first delivery, more are your chances of experiencing back pain. The one and only precaution or solution to this would be exercising under the guidance of a professional trainer.
Braxton hicks
Women in their second pregnancy are likely to feel these contractions earlier than when they felt them in the first pregnancy. This might be because they are already acquainted and familiar with the sensations from the first time.
Labour and birth
It would be easier to deliver the baby the second time as the labour stags would relatively take less time. Studies have shown that while women took seven to eight hours when they were delivering their first babies, the second time, the labour lasted for only five hours. This is because their cervix had already dilated while delivering the baby for the first time and hence less effort would be required the next time.
Position of the foetus
When you are pregnant for the second time, you tend to carry your baby a little lower in the uterus compared to the previous time. This is because as your abdominal muscles stretch a lot in the first time as a result of which they lose their firmness. So, these muscles fail to remain firm while carrying the baby for the second time.
Stretch marks
If you had stretch marks from your previous pregnancy, you are likely to develop even more of them when you are pregnant for the second time. This is sometimes because of age as well. Try not to gain much wait to avoid getting them.
The major change that will occur when you are pregnant for the first time is that you will start showing earlier. This might even be a month earlier than when you started showing during your first pregnancy.
If you had suffered from some complication during your first pregnancy, make sure you take precaution against those the next time. For example, if you suffer from constipation or hemorrhoids during your first pregnancy, make sure you eat plenty of fiber, take proper fiber supplements, drink a lot of water, and exercise regularly. If you had suffered from urinary incontinence the previous time you were pregnant, make sure you drink plenty of water to prevent it this time. So, if you are planning for a second pregnancy, these are a few things that you must keep in mind. In case of any difficulty, do not hesitate to consult your doctor!
