Five mums talk about their pregnancies
The first child - a big moment. Everything is new. You read books and articles and know exactly what week of pregnancy you are. The second child - it's expected and will arrive when it arrives. You know roughly what week you are and what you shouldn't eat. The third child - oh, that's right, I'm pregnant, I forgot! You know what month you're in. Five mums tell us how they experienced their pregnancies.
For the first child, everything is new. I've read various books and articles, and spent hours surfing different sites. I've followed the list of things to eat and not to eat to the letter. Alcohol and tobacco are no-go's for me anyway. During the pregnancy, I had a lot of heartburn, I had nosebleeds and my tummy was always hard. I never had any nausea. I exercised until the beginning of the eighth month. I was soon out of breath, but it still felt good. And, of course, I knew every day how many weeks and days I was pregnant. The nursery had to be ready as soon as possible and the list of childcare items I needed was growing by the day. During my first pregnancy, I kept a diary - constantly adapted Ifolor photo book format - in which I wrote down all my worries, anxieties, feelings and past milestones, documenting it all with photos of my belly as it swelled over time.
I'm much more relaxed about my second pregnancy. There are foods that should be avoided. I don't eat them or only in normal quantities - a slice of salami never killed anyone. Alcohol and tobacco are still no-goes. I sometimes get heartburn and my nose bleeds at least once a day. Sport? It's still missing! With the first child, the flat and work, I don't have the time to do any at the moment. For this pregnancy, I know exactly what week I'm in. I'm not really interested in the days between the weeks. I have the impression that my belly is bigger than it was during my first pregnancy. Am I wrong or is it because I don't do any sport? It doesn't really matter. I read books and articles when I want to know something or when I receive a newsletter from a famous website for mums. There's no rush to get the nursery done and I've already got everything I need in terms of clothes and accessories. I'll see what else I really need to go and buy.
At least that's how my current pregnancy is going. How do other mums experience their pregnancies? What do they do differently during their first, second or even third pregnancy? Because every pregnancy is different and brings with it its own set of symptoms. I've found four other mums, who are delighted to share their experiences with us.
1st pregnancy
I'm in the XY week, the inhabitant of my belly can now already move his fingers. In the evening, Dad has to rub some cream on my tummy and have a little chat with Baby. I'm also dutifully working on my pregnancy album with photos and news, and telling the next generation how I'm feeling right now.
Everything was new to me and I didn't know what to expect. I was a bit scared of childbirth and was doing Google searches late into the night. I subscribed to lots of newsletters and was overwhelmed by the flood of information. The house, the nursery, no, everything just had to be perfect. I felt like I had to buy every gadget, the best pushchair and a whole load of clothes. The price didn't matter to me.
The doctor told me I was expecting twins. If I hadn't been lying on the examination table, I think I would certainly have fainted. Apart from a book on twins, which I bought especially for the occasion and haven't finished reading, I didn't really prepare myself. I didn't eat any raw meat or certain cheeses, but that's about it. Thanks to the smooth pregnancy, I was able to do the Berlin Marathon on rollerblades when I was 5 months pregnant. The children's bedroom still needed repainting, as the paint on the walls was peeling. We made most of the furniture, which is why the room wasn't ready until quite late. I worked right up until the day of the birth, in the 37th week. I kind of missed the calm before the storm.
Positive pregnancy test, great joy, immediate change of diet, you are already making some compromises when it comes to the safety of the baby. The first three months go by very slowly, when I'd like to tell the whole world that I'm expecting a happy event. It's really not easy to keep my mouth shut and lie, for example about why I don't drink coffee any more. My daily reading: swissmom.ch. Otherwise, I wasn't ill and I didn't have any particular ailments. Unfortunately, we stopped seeing life as parents as rosy after a ruptured sac followed by a miscarriage in the 20th week of pregnancy.
2nd pregnancy
Yup, week XY is already over! The inhabitant of my belly is now snapping her fingers nicely. I'm letting future big brother put cream on my tummy again and, gosh, I've got one more stretch mark and bang, I still need to take a photo for the pregnancy album and write something in it. I'll do it tonight or tomorrow morning, when I've got the time. Don't carry anything heavy and rest. That's what my doctor advises me to do. Funny, I've got a mountain of laundry waiting for me and a little 2 year old brat.
The second pregnancy was just as beautiful as the first, except that I was a little more zen and confident. What was also very important this time was to always integrate the 4-year-old sister well, who suddenly no longer found herself the centre of attention. I was very happy with this second pregnancy, because I was already 42. But it's hard to rest when you've already got mum duties. This time, we waited a little longer before arranging the nursery.
During my second pregnancy, the doctor put me on sick leave six weeks early because of my pains. I just knew when my baby was due, there wasn't enough time for anything else. Because on top of the shopping, cleaning and moving house, I still had the twins. As well as being a housewife, mother and teacher, I was also a bit pregnant. As there are fewer medical check-ups when you're expecting just one child, I didn't think too much about the pregnancy either. What helped me was the preparation course in the water. Not necessarily because of the information, but because of the movement and the relief that water brings. And the contact with other mums-to-be was also good for me.
Because of the miscarriage, I was a little more reserved during my second pregnancy. On the one hand, I was looking forward to the baby again, but on the other, I had to fight the fear of losing him again. The gynaecologist took good care of me and considered my pregnancy to be at risk, so there were more check-ups. I counted the weeks. My first target was week 24. From then on, I thanked the heavens for every extra week and every movement of the baby in my belly. The baby arrived 3 weeks early, in good health. We were overjoyed.
3rd pregnancy
With my third pregnancy, I clearly ran out of time. I was a mum and only incidentally pregnant. I had nausea for the first three months. At the end of the pregnancy, I developed high blood pressure and my doctor induced labour two weeks early to eliminate any risk of intoxication for the baby.
These four mums couldn't have been more different. Regardless of the type of pregnancy - perfect, miscarriage, advanced age or multiple birth - at the end of the day, they all have something in common. They are all mothers of extraordinary children. Despite the fears, the worries, the pain and the emotions, they have all experienced several pregnancies. Each in her own way. It's fair to say that one woman experiences her first pregnancy more intensely than the others, reading more and finding out more about childbirth. The reason: time. As soon as there's another child, mums have much less free time. Raising your legs, enjoying the peace and quiet or leaving the household chores for later immediately becomes more complicated, especially as you have to try and prepare your first child for the arrival of a new one. Because from now on, you'll have to share Mum and Dad. And that's not as easy as all that for the child who has been the focus of attention until now.
Finally, another sentence that a mum said to me, which I think sums up the reality quite well:
With a sibling, the older child becomes more independent, the dad more committed and the mum more realistic!
How did you experience your pregnancies? Share your experience with us in the comments section below. Of course, we wish every happiness to all those expecting a happy event soon.
I’m the cook, cleaner, police officer, nurse, entertainer, motivator, author, storyteller, coach, organiser, chauffeur, lawyer and judge. To put it simply, I’m a mum to a daughter and not just a (Content) Manager at the office but also at home.