The most common expectation of second-time mothers is that their experiences during their first pregnancy will be much the same the second time around, in contrary, second pregnancy may sometimes be a lot different from the first one.
Some women experience a less severe case of morning sickness but this may not be always the case for some expectant mothers. Also, varicose veins, back pains, and other inconvenient feelings may still be experienced in second pregnancy.
Women who had experienced getting pregnant before had a much lesser time of delivering their babies the second time around since the muscles in the cervix dilate faster compared to their first labor. Also, the uterine contraction for second pregnancy will be much severe after birth compared to the mother’s first time delivery. In some cases, this construction is associated with severe pain that some women require medication.
Also, during second-time pregnancy, most women may experience a more apparent lump sooner than their first pregnancy. The reason for this is that the uterus had already been stretched and expanded before, making it more flexible. This allows the fetus to expand more freely since the muscles around it had already been stretched.
In terms of emotional impact associated in second pregnancy, it is important for mothers to tell their first-born child, especially those at a young age, that they are expecting the arrival of another child. The reason for this is that some children feel threatened and may feel anxious that their younger siblings might replace them as their parents’ apple of the eye. To effectively introduce the new baby, mothers should let their first-child be excited with the fact that they will become a big sister or brother for the baby. Make them feel that having this role demands responsibility which makes it quite noble.
For second-time mothers, their first pregnancy and child-birth may serve them as a learning experience to make them more aware of how important they should take care of their body since there are now two persons who will be affected from anything the mother will do and will not do.
It is very important for mothers to maintain a health weight. According to a study, pregnant mothers who gain weight that exceeds the normal weight for pregnancy, is much more predisposed to certain diseases such as toxemia which is a condition where the body contains more toxins that results to blood poisoning; eclampsia which may be experienced before, during, or shortly after birth, is a condition characterized by coma, convulsion, proteinuria (presence of excessive proteins in the urine), edema, and hypetension; pregnancy-related diabetes; and high blood pressure.
To make their second pregnancy safer, it is important for mothers to have pre-natal check-up to ensure their health and their babies’. They should also consume healthy foods and maintain a healthy diet, exercise, and maintain a healthy mental condition (this means that women should avoid getting stress and should not be depressed especially during their pregnancy).
