Things I’m happy I knew going into my second pregnancy...
Second time around pregnancy was so much different than the first time. The first pregnancy was full of constant anxiety: not knowing what to expect for labor, why can’t I feel the baby, how will I know how to do x,y,z…
So thankful this time around I had a better picture of things to expect! I wish people would let me know what to expect or what you might experience instead of people telling you birth horror stories!
So here are my 5 ten things I’m thankful I knew this then around…
Baby movement will feel different each pregnancy AND each baby will have their own movement pattern. One might be more active during the day, one might kick harder and more often...knowing that movement will be present but not to expect it to feel the same.
Labor will not start the same every time. With Emma my water broke but I needed pitocin to encourage contractions because my body wasn’t doing it on it’s own. With Abby labor started with contractions ( and man when those come on you know this is happening!)
Labor shakes!!! No one warned me before that you shake uncontrollably during labor because of your hormones. It scared the shit out of me the first time around, but the second time knowing it was going to happen was much better.
Breathing! Learning how to breathe and taking the time to learn how to connect your breath to your body before labor is 100% worth your time! I can’t guarantee this is why I only pushed for 20 mins the second time (vs. just 2hr shy with baby #1) BUT I really could connect my breath with each push and feel the progress it was making!
Postpartum bathroom scaries. They will still be present after each birth 😬 . It’s natural for your body to be afraid to go to the bathroom after the “trauma” of birth.
If you have any questions on what you're experiencing or questions about labor that you want answered - please reach out! There is so many more things I can share with you!
Birth is an amazing process. It’s scary - it’s painful And when you feel uncertain of what to expect, good or bad it can cause a lot of anxiety! Reach out, educate and be your own advocate when at your doctors and ask as many questions as you can!
Meg DeSalvo Fit