Comparing 1st versus 2nd Pregnancy

You know the old adage "every pregnancy is different"? It's true. I didn't really believe it, but then again, I don't usually believe anything that anyone has to say about pregnancy- I must discover it for myself and generally it must be done the hard way.

At any rate, I was looking back through my blog to see how things should be progressing with this pregnancy, of course, based upon my only other pregnancy. Low and behold, this one IS different. Darnit. I was totally smug thinking that I would be able to breeze through this one knowing exactly what to expect, and when. Not so much.

By this time with my first pregnancy I was pretty darn nauseated. And while I have felt generally, well, pregnant, I haven't felt absolutely nauseated like I did with Hayley. While we were in Puerto Rico I felt pretty ill, but now I'm wondering if that was just motion sickness- I mean, we traveled thousands of miles in a short period of time. Things are bound to feel a bit shaken up. So last night I got myself worked into an absolute panic.

Which was something else I thought I would breeze through. I figured that I wouldn't be such a nerd this time around about analyzing every symptom (or lack thereof). I even told myself I wouldn't demand any extra ultrasounds. Until I made my dr do one at my five week appointment. Blew that resolution. Ok, back to last night. I was laying in bed and realized that in general I hadn't felt like I stepped off the Tilt-O-Whirl. And that started to worry me. That means that the only real pregnancy symptom I have this time around is my sore boobs. So I felt them up. Hmm. Not all that sore. I tried not to panic but the big dirty "M" word kept coming to mind. So I pushed it out and tried to get some sleep.

I guess another positive sign that I am pregnant is that, well, I appear to be pregnant. Today I am eight weeks. EIGHT WEEKS. And I am already wearing maternity pants for Pete's sake.

I'm sorry if this post has been a bit incoherent. I was posting on the comparison between my first and my second pregnancy and somewhere I got all sidetracked. So where was I? Oh yeah, with Hayley I really WANTED to eat well. I got up and ate breakfast before taking a shower. I had a healthy snack of veggies and dip as soon as I got to work. Then another snack of fruit before lunch. Lunch was a well balanced meal consisting of none of the "forbidden" foods (things the paranoid people say you shouldn't eat during pregnancy, like deli meat, hot dogs, bleu cheese dressing, caesar dressing made with eggs, etc). I drank twice as much water than I was really supposed to. I napped each afternoon in my car during my first trimester. I ate a well balanced dinner and hit the sack early. I didn't carry anything weighing more than a gallon of milk. I stopped pushing the vacuum because someone said it was dangerous for pregnant women. I downgraded from super hot showers to medium warm ones so I wouldn't raise my body temperature too much.

Things are, well, different, to say the least with this pregnancy. Eating? I don't have any particular cravings yet. I don't feel any particular urge to eat better, so I don't. I do drink instant breakfast like three times a day since it seems I don't have the time (energy?) to really eat much. I bought a ton of fruit and vegetables but they are wasting in the fridge because I have no particular desire to eat them. I have instead eaten half a box of peanut butter cookies from the bakery.

I haven't napped in my car just yet- although it is still early in my pregnancy. That could still be to come- although I will have to do some creative rearranging. I used to lay in my back seat- not all that comfy but I could do it. Now I have Hayley's carseat back there so it isn't going to work so well. I'm thinking of bringing my aerobed in and inflating it in my office in the afternoon. Think anyone would find it less than professional?

I know for sure I am not drinking enough water. I try to drink more but I get so busy and I forget. Yes, I don't know how that could happen either, but it does.

I have already eaten two hot dogs while pregnant. Oh the sin.

Carrying things? HA! I carried Hayley as well as had my thirty pound backpack strapped on for most of the week we were on vacation. However, I haven't vacuumed. But then again, I haven't vacuumed in like a year, since we got our old housekeeper back.

I still take hot showers - although now usually Hayley goes in with me so they aren't too hot to begin with and usually they get cut short. Like today when she pooped in the shower. But I will post that on another day.

So I guess if I had to sum up the similarities between two pregnancies for the same woman I would have to use one word: NOT. The two pregnancies are not similar. They are totally different. Which was exactly what everyone else said, I just didn't believe them.

Comments

[yvonne]

Jenn - I am so lookin forward to the next 32 weeks, I lived for every second of my 1st pregnancy, each milestone was a major event for me. 2nd time round it went so fast that I think I skipped sveral milestones! I guess that's the joy of having a toddler to look after too. Take care and eat just what you fancy - Green apples did it for me!

[S.O.]

I am about half way through my second pregnancy, and contrary to you, I TOTALLY believed that old adage. It is why my hubby and I decided to give it another go after six months of bedrest with baby number one. And behold, this time it will be SEVEN months of bedrest - same problems with bleeding and cramping as before. Only now I have bedrest with a toddler; talk about a circus! The doc says that while they hoped the first pregnancy problems were a fluke, and it is a different baby, I am still carrying her in the same body as the last one. Now I'm just trying to convince my husband (who is working, doing the laundry, cooking, cleaning and watching the toddler) that pregnancy number three may be different one day :) Poor guy!