A Tale of Two Pregnancies
This is my hugeness two weeks ago. I’m even more huge two weeks later. I fear I may not be able to get out of the house in a few more weeks! Will the fire brigade have to come and cut a section of wall out to allow me to take Ella to school? Let’s hope not!
At 30 weeks, I’ve started to think about the differences between this pregnancy and Ella’s pregnancy. A tale of two pregnancies if you will! The biggest challenge for me, at the moment, is that I feel HUGE and, in fact, AM HUGE! Being 5’3″ tall, not being in the optimum shape/weight when I fell pregnant and having majorly distended abdominals anyway leaves me with a MAHOOSIVE bump which is now causing me a fair bit of constant ache and discomfort.
However, thanks to this discomfort, I have discovered that the kidney infection that I returned from holiday with was actually NOT cured by the anti-biotics and I now need another course of anti-biotics and have to go in tomorrow morning for a fasting blood glucose test to determine if I am veering into Gestational Diabetes territory.
Isn’t it amazing, however, how in hindsight, you would do so many things differently? Had I known I was going to fall pregnant in March I might have been a lot more dilligent about losing those last 10 pounds from Ella’s pregnancy. I would have been rebuilding my abdominal muscles from the GET GO instead of still having a 3-finger separation/Diastasis Recti. I would have kept up my walks after dropping Ella at preschool to actually have a level of fitness instead of now getting breathless on the 5 minute school run.
I have been more sensible about my eating for this pregnancy, however. That is, more than likely, down to my Coeliac Disease diagnosis however. I can’t grab the nearest pastry and/or baked good and shove it in my mouth unless I go to the trouble of baking it myself as a gluten-free snack. And even though I do have a gigantor bump, it’s MOSTLY bump and not all over my entire self. What I have done differently this time around is not be SO cautious about everything. The 1st time around I was trying to follow all of the “rules” and do the best thing possible for the baby. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not eating raw eggs while licking pate off of unpasteurised cheese or anything! I am, however, having a cuppa or two a day, I have had Coke throughout the pregnancy and I do happen to lick the spoon when I do get around to gluten-free baking. I’m being sensible just not depriving. Bebe seems to like it as well.
Bebe has been exceptionally active compared to Ella. Ella was all gentle pops and prods. Bebe is all about Stomp & Riverdancing. It’s a bit unsettling at times, to be honest. Maybe he/she is practicing free running/Parcours? My womb is apparently very entertaining! We don’t know what we’re having so we continue to say he/she but Ella is convinced that it’s a girl. Here’s hoping she won’t be too disappointed when we find out.
Antenatal care has been a bit substandard but that’s the way the cookie crumbles in 2nd and subsequent pregnancies on the NHS. I’ve only seen my midwife 3 times in 30 weeks but as she won’t be the midwife that we’ll get in hospital anyway, there’s no real bother that I don’t know her and she doesn’t know me. The third trimester of this pregnancy has been riddled with illness, however. We returned from our holiday in Tenerife with me having developed a kidney infection that ended up not being treated entirely by the anti-biotics prescribed. I am now on another course after having suffered a fair bit of pain the last two weeks which I attributed to being 28-30wks pregnant and huge but apparently is me continuing to be unwell.
Thanks to the discovery, at our 20 week scan, that I have a low-lying placenta, I will be having another scan in two weeks to see if the placenta has moved out of the way or is still low lying. If the placenta remains low-lying then I stand a much better chance of getting the elective c-section BEFORE the actual due date of Bebe which would suit me just fine. I have no clue what the hospital is like (it’s new this year), what the consultant is like (met her once) or how everything will work but am hoping that I will get some of that information along the way before D-Day.
Our only real obstacle at this point (with 8 weeks to go) is that none of the room changes/makeovers that we’ve planned to do have yet to commence. Hubby is strangely laid back about it all while I’m left tapping my foot. If we could manage to fly my Dad over here for a week or two I know we’d get it all sorted. I wonder if Richard Branson wouldn’t mind doing that?
So that’s the Tale of Two Pregnancies to date. Pregnancy with Ella was all about learning, reading, scaring myself silly, preparing and buying. Pregnancy with Bebe has been more about getting on, living our family life, enjoying and scaring myself silly. Some things never change! How did you feel differently in your 2nd (and beyond) pregnancy? Did you do things differently? Worry less? Worry more? Have less to prepare? I’d love to know how you approached it!
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Hey, cant answer as we are waiting another few weeks before trying for number two but for some reason i do feel as though I may be more stressed in my second pregnancy which sounds really silly but will get back to you on that one! Sorry to hear about the kidney infection, and hope it clears up soon
Great post to read adn keep us updated re possible C section.
Angeline,
Karin
Thanks. I’ve had some weird scares w/ this 2nd pregnancy but a lot of the STUFF that I fretted about w/ Ella’s pregnancy hasn’t even been an issue. We know we don’t need much so that’s alleviated a lot of stress.
I will most definitely keep you posted on the c-section! Fingers crossed!
we are 19 weeks into 2nd pregnancy. I have had a few medical issues so getting lots of hospital time this time as per last time(but would prefer less TBH). Each one is different I think – last time i had no nausea. this time awful! anyhow good luck with your little one , mine seems to be doing fine so far but will breathe easier after 24 weeks I think xx
Working London Mummy,
So very different eh? With Ella I had no nausea, just extreme tiredness. With Bebe I had a lot of nausea (although no vomiting thank God) AND extreme tiredness. Funny how your body responds! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and good luck along your road as well!
Karin
I have to agree, that it is different the second time. I am only 17 weeks now, and my bump isn’t showing yet, it might be because my boobs are huge….but I already do things I wasn’t doing with Isabelle. Good luck in your final few weeks
)) Love Mirka
Mirka,
Karin
Your bump isn’t showing YET?! Wow, lucky duck! You’re in good shape though which definitely helps. Keep that up!
Thanks very much for the good wishes! I’ll keep you posted on my downhill sprint!
Ah a low lying placenta ! I have had one of those before though it moved up I’m glad to report – fingers crossed that yours has budged up x
Second pregnancies are curious beasts – you have less time to sit about waiting the big arrival – I am looking forward to your labours live twitter feeds !!!
Annie,
Mwah lay-dee! xx
Oh but my dear, I WANT a c-section! I believe it’s the only way this bebe is meant to come out for the safety (and sanity) of it’s mama! So here’s hoping the low-lying placenta has NOT moved. But I guarantee that I will be tweeting up until they roll me into theatre and as soon as I can hold the BlackBerry (under a sheet so Hubby doesn’t see & shout at me).
I am definitely suffering at the moment. Thank God I’m at home with this pregnancy…thanks for commenting lovely. You must laugh at my posts having had 4x the amount of kids!
Karin
Life experiences always make the “road less bumpy” the second time around for most of the events in our lives.
Love You
Watch the gestational diabetes as diabetes runs in the family.
I hope Little Miss isn’t too disappointed if “bump” is a boy like someone else I know.
Off on a tangent, but a word of advice, if I may? With my 1st, I read the books, bought the ‘stuff’ and prepared thoroughly. I was ready as you can be for a new born. However, with no. 2, I forgot to do these things! With less than 2 yrs between, it didn’t seem that long since we’d done it! How wrong you can be! It was a big shock to me to have a new born again! So just take a few minutes to reflect on having a tiny baby again, loads of nappy changes and feeds, and no concept of day and night, etc! Oh and they can’t ‘push your arm through!’ It’s amazing how much you forget in a short period of time!
Alex,
Thank you for your advice. It’s very good actually. I was trying to remember about feed schedules and sleep schedules the other day! Will brush up a bit, no worries. As far as sleepless nights go, don’t worry, that’s all I have these days!
Karin
Grandma Kathy,
Thanks Mom. The Gestational Diabetes, if it is that, will go once I’m no longer pregnant but yes, I have mentioned a bit of maternal history to the GP. And as far as Ella being disappointed…we’ve been preparing her for either eventuality!
Love you,
Kari