Everyone told me each pregnancy would be so different from one another. I didn’t understand how but now that I’m halfway through my second pregnancy … I agree with “everyone!” It’s not just how your body physically feels, (which has been opposite at times too) but everything that comes with a second pregnancy is just a little different. My attitude towards it isn’t the same either – as I’m sure goes for my family and friends as well.
You’re treated like an absolute princess the first go-round, pampered and encouraged to rest as much as possible. Without any kids at home during a first pregnancy, resting and pampering are actually possible! With number two, finding time to not even take a nap but just lie down for “five minutes, please!” is almost impossible. Instead of being this majestic mommy-to-be, I am now an experienced mother, expected to be able to balance “it all.” (Which I’m totally okay with BTW & honestly not complaining about one bit!)
People always joke that the first child has “more pictures” and their initial milestones and accolades are celebrated more. Now that I’m experiencing what it is going to be like with two children, I can totalllllly see how that happens. We had this massive gender reveal for Annie with dozens of friends and family in attendance. For a baby boy, whoever could drop by our house at a moment’s notice that one evening in March did … and we called it a party! There were no balloons. There was no confetti. But there still was so much love, anticipation, and excitement. That is one thing that does not change! Things may feel different this go-round, but we are just as thrilled to be bringing another child into our family as we were the first time with Annie.
While I’m on the topic of the differences surrounding one pregnancy from the next, I wanted to chat about how I’m tackling this pregnancy. Maybe it is the lack of pampering and attention … or the fact that I’ve been in quarantine for half of my pregnancy so far … but I’ve picked up new habits and shifted my outlook towards this pregnancy in so many different ways.
My Second Pregnancy Experiences
More Relaxed Mindset
The biggest change of all between these two pregnancies is that I’m more relaxed about every little thing. I think I’ve called my nurse hotline once with a question at this point. With Annie, I probably chatted with my nurse over a dozen times by the halfway marker. Every little bump, twinge, stretch, and slight cramp is now a familiar feeling as opposed to a scary “what on earth is happening is everything okay!?” fear. The been there done that feeling has been reassuring this go-round and I’m especially thankful for that in light of everything going on in the world right now.
Dressing the Bump Better
I had no idea what I was doing with Annie. I picked up a bunch of random maternity clothes early and thought that’s what I needed to wear for the rest of my pregnancy. I then began to mix my maternity pieces with looser items in my closet trying to figure out what worked best. Annie was a January baby so my pregnancy called for lots of layers & cozy pieces. Now that I’m having an early fall little one, the change of seasons (and my knowledge of what dressing a bump really feels like) is making everything about my current pregnancy style different.
Instead of jeans and oversized sweaters as my uniform, I’ve been opting for loose house dresses, flowy tunic tops with shorts, and lightweight midi skirts paired with cotton tees. Dressing for warm-weather bump has been simpler – and much more comfortable too.
I haven’t been as hesitant about purchasing or mixing new non-maternity pieces into my wardrobe. But yet I understand and value the importance of having something designed for the new shape of my body. I think I attempted the “rubber band jean trick” only once this pregnancy. I quickly recalled how comfortable maternity jeans can be … and thought why bother trying with even trying to wear pre-pregnancy jeans!? I switched to maternity jeans 8 weeks into the game this time!
One maternity brand, in particular, I’m absolutely loving this time around is HATCH. They offer a selection of chic maternity pieces for the “cool mom” that you’ll want to wear before, during, and after pregnancy. This beautiful summer sundress, the Rafaela Dress, is by HATCH and the silhouette is just stunning!! As I said, I’ve been mixing a bunch of non-maternity pieces into my wardrobe but when I put on this dress and saw how flattering the fit was – I honestly couldn’t get over it. This dress accentuates all of my new curves while making me feel small, petite, and confident too.
I’m also so excited to share a special discount code to shop HATCH with you all today. You can use ALICE15 until 6/12 for 15% off!
Some of my favorite summer finds from HATCH:
These pieces are also already marked down & you can use my code for an additional 15% off too!
Nesting … Less?
The innate urge to clean and prep for a baking bundle of joy comes to almost all moms at some point in their pregnancy. I’ve felt slight tuggings at times but … I haven’t done too much about it – yet. With Annie, I started scooping up baby toys, trinkets, and clothing almost as soon as I found out I tested positive. I went a little crazy shopping for clothes after discovering she was a girl too! This little boy of mine has about 3 new onesies … and a crib. His room is completely disheveled and I really need to get on the ball and start organizing his upcoming life! There’s still plenty of time, right?!
I think what has set me back from shopping baby boy things until I drop is the fact I’m not able to go into any stores right now. I had such fun browsing Target and all of the adorable baby boutiques in Houston – walking down each aisle while daydreaming about my baby-to-be three years ago. It feels more real to imagine a new baby while seeing the tangible items in your hands in a shop as opposed to ordering things online. But I’m sure I’ll get used to having more & more things shipped from afar soon enough.
We also already have so many things from Annie leftover that I haven’t been sure what to really shop for anyway. I’m thinking it’s time Patrick and I go through everything baby and start making some serious lists. September is going to be here before we know it!
A Better Understanding of the Importance of Exercise
Last pregnancy, I worked in an office 5 days a week, sitting in a chair and for the most part, was pretty stationary throughout my 40 weeks. This time around I’m keeping up with my toddler, burning who knows how many calories a day going about our routine. We’ve also made a habit of taking regular neighborhood walks lasting anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour each and every day. My changing body feels anything but slim right now but I’m thankful for these extra mama muscles – hoping my endurance will surely give me a boost when the functioning struggle starts to get real during the third trimester.
I’m also hoping that walking every day and keeping on my feet helps me to “bounce back” quicker after baby. I’m not saying I’m hoping to get back to a pre-pregnancy size stat or anything … just hoping to feel like a healthy and fit version of myself sooner rather than later. I definitely packed on the pastries and didn’t exercise during my first pregnancy and I remember all too well how hard it was to get into a good postpartum exercise routine when I had a newborn to care for too. Fingers crossed that comes easier to me this fall
Looking Forward to (but Also Much More Nervous About) Birth
I’m soooo excited for our baby boy to be here. I seriously can’t wait to meet him and start living life as a family of four. But … I am not much looking forward to the upcoming birthing experience. I think I’m more scared than anything. I was very go-with-the-flow with Annie. I didn’t have a birth plan, showed up to the hospital after my water broke, and was ready to do whatever the doctors told me to do. Annie’s birth resulted in 18 hours of labor followed by an emergency c-section, followed by her spending 26 hours in the NICU, followed by an infection that sent me back in the hospital for three days. Ugh. It was rough. At the end of the day, we had a happy healthy and wonderfully sweet baby. All was good! (Here’s the post on Annie’s arrival to the world from a few weeks after she was born.) Afterward, I was surprised that I felt I had to mentally accept I didn’t have the “natural birthing experience” so many women get to have. I’m totally fine with it now, honestly. But it took some time to get to that point.
I have an amazing new doctor who I trust so much and she is offering me the option to do a trial birth with number two. This means if I perhaps go into labor before my due date of Sept. 27th I have the option to do a VBAC. With all of the complications from my previous c-section, this opportunity is so tempting. But it also comes with so many risks and newfound fears I didn’t know I had. I’ve been weighing the options in my head for weeks now, still unsure what I’ve decided is best. Another scheduled c-section sounds terrifying to me. But I do hear they are much easier on the mama’s body when scheduled. At the end of the day, it’s up to the baby really, whether he wants to come early or not. However, I’m going to try to have a longer chat about things with my doctor at my next appointment for a bit more reassurance on everything. Have any of y’all struggled to figure out the best birthing plan for a second baby – after having “done things before?”
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All in all, I’m thankful to be feeling great, growing a healthy baby boy, and to be comfortable at home with my family right now. I couldn’t ask for a more laid back and relaxing pregnancy! Thank you all for stopping by the blog and following along on this journey with me. It’s going to be an exciting next several months around here!
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xo, alice
Do you have any second pregnancy experiences? Let me know in a comment below!
