Second or more pregnancy...

[Stream]

Howdy.

Reading along in the first prenatal visit and symptoms threads and wondering how this pregnancy compares to previous ones for those who have gone this road before.

Ok, and really wanting to know if there are second+ timers out there who *aren't* getting big especially fast? I'm bigger (a bit) than I was with my daughter 3.5 years ago, but still not particularly big. Nobody's going to look at me twice on the street and wonder, you know? Today (15w1d) I'm wearing my regular pants, but doing the rubber band trick with the top button. I wear maternity now and then, but probably don't *need* to. Oh-- and this morning I weighed myself. I was 162 (which is highish for me) when I got pg, dipped down to about 154 thanks to m/s and this morning was 155.5. That's just not much. I gained slowly with #1 too,** but I can't claim I'm not concerned. I'm eating-- I swear!

Do you think maybe my abdominal muscles recovered since I had a full 3 years between my last birth and this pregnancy? I want to pop, darnit!

Otherwise, my symptoms are pretty darn similar. Much more exhausted this time, but the morning sickness was about the same in terms of timing and severity and everything. Don't remember being itchy last time, don't remember being over-emotional. So a *little* bit different, but nothing big.

** Gained slowly the first time and then got paranoid and started eating just to eat. Everything in site. I gained about 8 lbs. through the second trimester, and 27 lbs. in the third! I was fine about the numbers (I'm perfectly willing to gain 50 lbs. or more, if that's what the baby needs), but I didn't like the way I ate to get there (not good choices-- just looked for calories). I don't want to fall in that habit again, but I'm having the same feelings. I'm 5'9" btw, and have a massive bone structure (huge ribs and shoulders) if that puts the weight in perspective. The least I've ever weighed was 138 and I was emaciated (after being sick!)-- 145-155 is a good normal range for me.

Thanks for indulging my paranoia, all! Sorry for the novella.

[ctdoula]

This is my 2nd. I weigh about 5 pounds less than I did when I got preg (but I weigh a lot more than you, so I don't need to gain ). I'm still in my regular clothes & have only had to retire 1 pair of pants that were cutting into my waist last week. I'm 16 w tomorrow.

I was also told it would happen sooner this time, but it seems to be about the same & I'm not complaining, LOL. We'll all be big and uncomfortable soon enough, LOL

[crat19]

I'm in the same boat as you both. I went down about 10-15 lbs from prepg this time, and am now wearing pants that I didn't fit into before I became pg. At yesterday's appt I weighed in at 147 on their scale, which is usually 7-10 lbs more than the scale at my IL's (we don't own one). I think I've gained a couple lbs back from my lowest this pg. I'm 16w tomorrow and still not showing all that much. Definitely no one would guess that I was pg just by looking at me. I remember that the u/s tech said my uterus was tipped back, so I wonder if that has something to do with showing sooner or not...I also have a fairly long torso, and didn't have a really big pg belly the day I gave birth to my ds 1.5 years ago. It was definitely a pg belly, but not the "oh my god you're going to pop!" belly.

Symptoms are essentially the same this time around as last time. A little shorter time period on the nausea this time, experienced a little bit of heartburn a couple times, but that's about it. Otherwise, it's pretty much smooth sailing, textbook pg so far. I'm waiting for the joints and tendons to start relaxing towards the end...I remember being a bit uncomfortable at times, and that my hip/pelvis would lock up or be extraordinarily painful intermittently when I'd put weight on it. I'm really looking forward to that! LOL!

[hobbitsmama]

hi there. it is funny to read these posts because i feel like this pregnancy has been so different that my first one. i had way more morning sickness. it did not last long but it was awful for those few weeks. last time i had hardly any.
also i am almost out of all my regular pants. i am 15 weeks now. and i feel like i definitely notice a huge difference, getting bigger faster this time. makes my dh nervous that we might be having twins. i don't think so .. but it does make me wonder how big this baby is going to be! and of course, i am way more exhausted .. but i imagine much of that has to do with running around with a 2 year old all day.

[danaalex]

well you have all read my posts so.......... LOL. my first two pregnancies were textbook perfect and identical. no m/s, no first trimester symptoms besides being thirsty and having to pee. showed at about 20 weeks or so with both, gained about 40 lbs with both. started feeling movement around 16-18 weeks and real kicks at 20 weeks. BH contrax started at 24 weeks both times.

this time is so different. i've been sick, throwing up (still am uggh), exhausted, extrememly hormonal. i was in maternity clothes full time at 6 weeks, and now at 15 w i'm very obviously pg to those who don't know me. i can't sleep on my back or sides flat anymore i have to sleep proped up on 2 pillows, which isn't much fun. and i can hardly eat because my stomach is so smooshed into my ribs. so i haven't gained a lb. i keep thinking i am feeling movement but i'm not 100% yet, and i have already started experiencing BH contrax.

who ever said get pg for the 1st, 2nd, and 4th times, but never the 3rd, is SOOOOO right. i can't get over how different this pg has been from my other two.

[wasabi]

Well I had 9 years in between my second pg and my third. With my second I was not in maternity clothes until 6 months. With my third I was in maternity by 12 weeks. I wouldn't say it was the time in between. :LOL I think there's actually a big difference between a second and a third pg. My first and second were fairly similar and so far my third and this one have been fairly similar. This is the earliest I've had m/s. My uterus is just below my belly button but over the last week or so has really started to grow out rather than up so I have a significant bulge going on. I am in maternity clothes but they're the ones that are meant to go low on my belly eventually but they're at my waist right now. I could probably wear very loose elastic waists instead. I also didn't really feel my second much earlier than my first but my third I felt very early.

[Stream]

Hmmm... I think I'll change my statement about maternity pants being optional. I wore regular (zip-up/button) pants yesterday, and by the end of the day, they just weren't working- the fly even tried to come down a few times (oops!). So today I'm in Gap pants (I love Gap just b/c they have long inseams ) and feeling a lot better. So maybe I'm not tiny after all (just paranoid)...

[liawbh]

OT: Gap inseam?

What are the inseam lengths on the Gap maternity? I'm going crazy tring to find maternity pants that are more than *almost* long enough! I'm 5'9" & need a 32-33".

[saharasky]

This PG is entirely different ...

the sickness was/is different ...and the exhaustioon is definately a new thing ... everything feels different.

with dd I was craving spinach and nectarines ... this time I want junk (I'm trying SO hard not to eat junk though as I have a family history of GD) and can barely tolerate the mere thought of most foods ...so far I've made dinner for the family every night for the last week ...and fed myself something entirely different because what i was cooking was SO unappealing (I made perogies last night for dh and dd ...and ate an entire box of tabouli salad for myself ... day before I made a chicken curry for them and ate fruit myself) ... UGH food. I'm actually eating so poorly that I've resorted to a soy protein shake to keep up the protein intake ...not something I worried about with dd.

With dd I puked every day for the first 3-4 months and lost 20 lbs ... this time I've puked 4-5 times but been bedridden with nausea 24/7 for 4 weeks ... I've also gained about 5 lbs.

Did I mention I'm exhausted ... chasing a toddler around is definately an added burden when PG ... I keep saying how I had no idea how easy i had it the first time around LOL. With dd I could sleep in on weekends and come home from work and pass out ...now ...if dd's up at 6 ...so am I ...if she doesn't nap ...neither do I .... if she goes to bed at midnight ...so do I ... if she does all this for weeks and weeks ...so do I. My PG schedule is ruled by a 2 1/2 year old ...and it's taking its toll ... I'm wiped out (dh works nights so he's no help).

Overalll there are a LOT of factors that make this PG quite different from my first ... and part of it might actually be that this one was planned and dd wasn't.

[Stream]

re: OT

I order pants from Gap in size 8 long, and the inseam is 34", I think (I mention the number size only b/c IME, the maternity sizes are generous more than not-- I wore a 10 or sometimes an 8 before pg, but in their maternity stuff, 8 is right on). It may be 33", but it is no less than that. I'm also 5'9"+ and they're even borderline too long for me. Not all the pants come in the long sizes though-- choose carefully. And buy off of ebay. There's lots of selection of brand-new stuff for *much* less than the Gap prices (like $25 v. $50 for jeans).

[aprildawn]

let's see...

this is my 2nd pregnancy. at times it feels drastically different, and at times it feels easier.

eating, either i've eaten much less these first 16 weeks, or the energy i spend chasing at 2.5 yr old around is burning an untold number of calories. i had lost 4 lbs and only just gained it back. with dd i'd gained 8 lbs by this point.

maternity clothes, i'm still too small for maternity pants but regular pants are uncomfortable. plus, when i wear regular pants and tops i think i just look like a poochy-tummy-lady from the side and it's not attractive. at least maternity clothes make me look more pregnant. i bought some pants from old navy which have a large under-belly band instead of a panel and i sewed some darts in the band which i can let out as my tummy grows. i'm very tall, 5'11", and long wasted, so there's lots of room to hide a pregnancy tummy on my body. at full-term with dd i looked about 7mos pg.

i'm going to bed at 9pm with dd and don't get up until she does at 7 or 8am. but when i stay up late to spend time with dh or feel like a normal grown-up i pay for it later with exhaustion.

[stacyg]

This is my second pregnancy...nothing different worth mentioning except I haven't put on as much weight this time. I gained 60 pounds with the first and this time I'm @ 35 weeks and have gained around 30. I did get all my baby weight off plus 5 pounds but wouldn't ya know it the minute I did I got pregnant again! It all good!!! I've been blessed both times...

[hobbitsmama]

saharamama, you made me laugh. yes, my life too is ruled by a 2.5 year old. i so needed a nap today and we did not take one. ahhhhhh. my stepmom told me to enjoy it when i was pregnant with my first because it is easy. i didn't believe her. and i too feel like i never see my dh these days since by the time my dd is ready for bed so am i.
i also find that i can't eat the foods that we used to eat all the time. my body must be needing a little variety. and most nights, nothing is appealing to me. we used to eat a lot of cheese and now i don't want anything with cheese in it. so we have had to rethink all of our recipes.
and this being in between regular and maternity clothes is so frustrating. i don't fit in a lot of my regular pants anymore. at least not comfortably. but the maternity clothes i have are just hanging off of me. i will have to check out the under the belly pants that some of you were mentioning here.

[danaalex]

i love the under the belly clothes. they are great. fit really well early on till you deliver and then after wards. i hate the BIG panel that sucks up your entire body till you're ready to deliver.

[saharasky]

ditto the under the belly clothes ... with my first pg I learned that I cannot stand the big belly panel ... this time I'm not even bothering ... EVERYTHING is under the belly!!! So far yoga pants are my favorite.

[Mizelenius]

I like this thread!

This is my 2nd pregnancy. I'll be 14 weeks tomorrow. My first, thankfully, was very easy. I had icky m/s from weeks 8-12, gained about 28 lbs total, and was working until a week before DD was born. My only difficult symptom (other than m/s) was pelvic pain during that last week.

This time, my m/s has been SO great. It's been there, but just comes in brief waves in the a.m., afternoon, and evening. I throw up sometimes, but then I'm done and move on with my day. I haven't noticed any drop in energy at all. I'm doing more than I've ever done before (not by choice) and I'm feeling fine.

As far as weight gain. . . well, I started off at 95 lbs, and I'm up to 106 now. I gained from the start of this PG. I can tell I'm PG, but most people probably think I've just loaded up on the cookies. I'm gaining weight in my thighs (of course ) more than anywhere else. I have been in maternity clothes since week 8. They were too big, but my reg. clothes were too uncomfortable.

For me, the hardest part about being PG last time wasn't being pregnant-- it was the recovery after birth. I had a natural birth, so you wouldn't think so . . . but somehow something got unsewn (I needed a few stiches) and I was in pain for 8 weeks until I went to the doctor. My nipples were incredibly sore (DD had a bad latch and small mouth) for weeks. I bled tremendously for a long time. (I hemorraged a few hours after DD was born, too.) So, to me that period was the toughest part.

[hobbitsmama]

ouch, elena. sounds like you had a rough time.

ok here is the question for me .. what about underwear? it is the in between in underwear thing that is driving me crazy. the elastics from my regular underwear dig in too much .. but the huge pairs i bought last time are way too big still. right now i am using the pairs that have been in the back of my drawer that i was meaning to get rid of .. the ones where the elastic does not work anymore. these are the only comfortable ones and i am so glad i procrastinated in getting rid of them.
anyone have any ideas? if i am going to be switching and wearing more under the belly pants, i am going to need under the belly underwear too.

[Qerratsmom]

I am exhausted this pregnancy! I feel so guilty because my house is a disaster and we;ve been eating out of a can way too much. I just can't seem to get the energy to do anything beyond keep my 2 year old occupied. I"m ready for bed by 7 pm or I start feeling sick. I'm on empty getting Jack to bed in the evenings and DH is too busy with work to help much, he is also suffering from an immune disorder and extreme fatigue. I feel like my family is barely surviving. I'm really worried that I am not "providing" for this new baby like I did with my first pregnancy. I hope its doing ok in there. I've been trying to feel it move to get a sense of who it is, but I think so far the movements I feel are just gas. I felt Jack at about 19 weeks so I know it'll be anytime now and that keeps me tuned in to my belly, otherwise I sometimes forget what the pregnancy means and just see it as a nuisance. I hope this all passes.

[MaryLang]

This is my 2nd and I thought I would be bigger by now too. Especially since I just had dd in Jan. This pregnancy is completely different, I am 16 wks and still throwing up almost daily. And I am always exhausted. As for mat. clothes, I am wearing them and I found the most comfortable pants at Old Navy, they're jeans, but also come as khakis, and a few colors. They are under belly, with a wide soft band on them. I just LOVE THEM!

[Mizelenius]

Originally Posted by hobbitsmama

ok here is the question for me .. what about underwear?

Well, I have found that I could wear my regular underwear throughout my last PG (and yes, my butt DID get even bigger last time, so go figure). My most comfy type are the ones from Victoria's Secret-- just the boring ones that they sell, but they work well. I think the waistband eventually ends up going under my stomach or something-- for some reason it just never gets uncomfortable. And remember, this is coming from someone who started wearing maternity clothes that were too big at 8 weeks because I can't STAND tight pants.

So, maybe a different kind of regular underwear would work?

(And thanks for the sympathy!)