does it really have to be THIS hard the second time around?!

[tzs]

seriously. i still have 7 weeks to go and i feel like utter crap at best and like i should be put on some sort of life-support during the rough spots. this is my second pregnancy and i am exhausted, can't breathe, have carpal tunnel in both arms, and it's a major chore to walk up the stairs. just taking a short walk with my toddler wrecks me since my arms fall asleep from holding her hand, i'm out of breath from walking at 18 month-old speed (aka slow), and the muscles in my legs hurt.

is this a second pregnancy thing? my OB says the second time is always harder but this seems way out of proportion. with dd i feel like i was bouncing around until the end, or at least not feeling like somebody should put me out of my misery. and in the grand scheme of things, i've had it pretty easy physically both times....no morning sickness, no sciatica from an old disk injury...

dd is 18 months, very easy-going and sleeps through the night until 7am.

is it that the excitement level isn't so great?

i didn't "nest" last time so i don't think i can even look forward to that burst of energy.

i probably should have been exercising the whole time but i managed fine without the first time and now i feel like it's too late (unless i could find a pool to float in).

what is going on here?????

[Just1More]

I get like that when pg if I am low on water or iron or sleep, or I get too hot.  It's a low blood pressure thing.  Feels like I am pushing a wall in front of me everything I do.  (nak)

[Jaimee]

I found the second time around harder in a lot of ways and easier in some.  Running after a toddler while pregnant proved much harder than working while pregnant.  My sleep was worse, I couldn't pay as careful attention to my diet, I was older, I wasn't in as good shape as I was the first time, I couldn't nap or take breaks whenever I needed to, and yes it's less exciting and my partner was less accommodating of my pregnancy issues. 

But the birth was WAY easier and I already had all the information I needed about pregnancy, birth, and newborns.  Establishing breastfeeding was much easier, I already had the cloth diapering routine down, I had a healthy stash of baby carriers that I already knew how to use, and I could adopt a much healthier "go with the flow" attitude about sleep deprivation.  In fact, everything has gone easier with child #2.

So my advice to you is to take it easy, maybe nourish yourself better, don't feel guilty about popping on a movie for your daughter so you can grab a nap, and know that when you deliver that carpal tunnel should go away.  Good luck mama!  I always think that if the end of pregnancy was easy no woman would ever feel totally ready to go through childbirth! 

[GamineNoir]

I feel your pain. I have around a month left to go before I deliver (also second pregnancy) and I am not feeling that great. I also just developed carpel tunnel syndrome and it SUCKS! And I am out of breath sooo much of the time and I also wish that I had exercised more throughout the pregnancy. Additionally I haven't slept well pretty much the whole pregnancy (why I am online at 2:30am sigh).

[MeghanG]

I am with you ladies!

37 weeks today with 2nd pregnancy. I'm lucky that my daughter goes to daycare full time, so my work hours (desk job) are my relaxation hours, but daycare pick-up to bed time nearly kills me.

I am also completely winded just carrying my daughter (19 mos) up and down the stairs, and I have been exercising regularly my whole pregnancy, so there you go...

I've also had very painful chest pains that I never experienced during pregnancy with my daughter (checked out by cardiologist yesterday and all signs just point to uterus pushing apart my sternum...nice...) and this baby's movements are downright painful, which is attributed to a thinner uterine wall this time around.

I'm just trying to stay positive, keep my eye on the prize and I hope I have a really fast and easy labor and delivery!

[Peony]

It gets harder for me every time. I'm on my 4th pg now, 22 weeks or so (can't remember such things anymore!), and man, half the time I just want to never crawl out of bed for the next 4 months. Everything hurts so much now. 

[tzs]

Originally Posted by Peony 

It gets harder for me every time. I'm on my 4th pg now, 22 weeks or so (can't remember such things anymore!), and man, half the time I just want to never crawl out of bed for the next 4 months. Everything hurts so much now. 

well, i was just advised by someone who has 10 kids that it starts getting easier after your 4th....if that helps. yikes though. i know kids are a blessing but i'm already 36 so i kind of hope i don't make it that far to find out!

[amaayeh]

This is my third time around and it is so much harder.  For one, I exercised the entire last pregnancy and I think that made the most difference by far.  This time, not so much.  I wish I had the willpower to do so, but the weather has been crappy and it's so much harder with two kids to take care of on top of it.  I agree with the comment about water, iron, etc., however I would like to add protein to that mix.  If I'm feeling worn out, a good dose of a protein rich food usually helps keep me going.  The days of taking of nap...sounds like bliss.  I drifted off yesterday as the kids were watching their after-school show and got woken up with "IT'S NOT NIGHTTIME!!!  WAKE UP!!!!"  It was awesome.  To top it off, my youngest daughter has started waking up at 5 a.m. wanting to nurse for two hours.  Between being uncomfortable anyway, it's just all too much!!!  I just keep trying to tell myself how fabulous it will be once this baby is out, though! 

[zuzunel09]

OP:  Girl, I know just how you feel!  Especially the life-support part...I have no less than five episodes a day where I feel like all circulation to my head and limbs is being cut off.  Just because.  And chasing the toddler, and working a physical job 20 hours a week, and trying to scrape together some kind of nutritionally sound meal at least twice a week....I also feel like a failure, btw!  Sometimes you just have to laugh at how miserable it all is, except, I am still deep down under all the complaining, totally excited and grateful that I'm going to have a sweet little girl. 

I am hoping for a labor I can endure this time, and also a better start to breastfeeding.  The fact that we've done it once is already to our advantage, even if making it through the last few weeks is a real effort.

Good luck!

[HappyMamaBeth]

I feel your pain! My second pregnancy was fine, but this is my third and I'm feeling how you described. I remember thinking around 30 weeks, "OMG... how am I going to make it 10ish more weeks?" Now I'm almost 36 and wonder how I'm going to make it 4 more LOL but somehow I got through the last 6 weeks... I know I can do this, but it's exhausting for sure, and I don't recall feeling this tired and uncomfortable (and in pain) with pregnancies 1 and 2. I don't really have any advice other than common sense stuff... I know that with an 18 month old, putting your feet up and resting is nearly impossible. Hang in there, mama!