If you think being pregnant the first time was fun, just wait until you do it with a little kid to take care of 24/7. A second pregnancy can be a challenge, but it can also be a super wonderful nine-month adventure as you prepare to expand your family. In the interest of streamlining your second pregnancy, we are pleased to offer a few tried-and-true hints and tips from the experts.
Remembering your first pregnancy
Every pregnancy is different, but there’s a good chance that if you experienced severe morning sickness the first time, you will have it the second time around as well.
Dr. James Grifo is an OB-GYN at New York University School of Medicine, and notes that some 70 percent of women deal with morning nausea, which is often times debilitating. The first time you dealt with morning sickness, you might have been able to go back to bed and sleep it off.
Not anymore. Your best bet is to throw up if you need to, munch a couple of saltine crackers, and get on with being a mom to your first kid.
If you’re remembering your first delivery with fear and loathing, relax. You’ve done this before and you’re bound to be great at it again. Consult with your obstetrician and be sure to talk about your analgesic options. These days, there are very effective medications that leave you awake but relatively pain-free during delivery.
Eat right and stay strong
Pregnancy is no time to worry about your waistline, nor is it the time to eat anything less than wonderfully. Power into protein and be sure to consume plenty of fresh fruits and veggies. Serve yourself and your family a rainbow of foods that deliver a range of healthful nutrients.
Keeping up with a toddler is hard work; chasing after them when you’re preggers will require all the energy you can muster.
Don’t worry. Moms do it all the time and you can, too.
Preparing for the new arrival
Encourage your older child to help put together a nursery for the new baby. Remind them what a special job it is to be a big sister or big brother. Install a new car seat in your family vehicle, so you’ll be ready to bring your newborn home when the time comes.
Parenting experts at Babble magazine remind second-time moms that making the transition for one kid to two is a whole lot easier than making the change from zero kids to one. So relax and enjoy it, mom. You got this.
If you feel stressed, ask dad to watch the kids for awhile and take a nap. Walk off tension and bond with your older kid when you take a walk around the block. Before you know it, your babies will be teenagers asking for the keys to the car, so be sure to enjoy their littleness now.
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