You may have heard from doctors that no two pregnancies are alike, because everybody’s body is different and their gestation period, labor, and nature of delivery will automatically be different, too. But, did you know that pregnancies within the same body also differ? The kind of experience you may have had carrying your second child to term may be different from what you underwent during your first pregnancy when you were becoming a mother for the first time.
In an Instagram post, obstetrician-gynecologist Dr Amina Khalid explained that most of the time, a second pregnancy is easier than the first one. “You know to a great extent what to expect and experience. First-time pregnancies are usually [spent] worrying about the tiniest thing since the whole experience is totally new for you,” she said.
Spot the differences and similarities
The doctor, however, added that it is difficult to predict certainly how many differences and similarities there will be between the first and subsequent pregnancies, but the ones that you are likely to experience include:
You are more likely to recognise early pregnancy symptoms. Which is why, you will know exactly when to take a pregnancy test after missing your periods.
You are also less likely to experience nausea and vomiting in the second pregnancy. According to the doctor, it is typically a part of the first pregnancy.
Your baby bump may start showing earlier. It happens because during the first pregnancy, the abdominal muscles were taut, and it would have been months before your bump actually started showing. “But now, your muscles are kind of lax and relaxed. So, it is possible that now your baby bump is going to pop out sooner than before,” Dr Amina said.
According to the doctor, you may also begin to feel baby movements sooner. “Almost as early as 16 weeks and in some cases, even earlier than that.”
The best thing, however, is that the labour is likely to be easier. Dr Amina said it may be a faster vaginal birth. “The time taken by the body to dilate the cervix as well as to push the baby out is significantly shortened after your first vaginal delivery. If there are no complications, you are mostly going to be having a much easier birth this time,” she concluded.