Contents
A second pregnancy: what changes?
Shapes appear faster
If we still have trouble imagining ourselves with a big belly again, our body remembers very well the upheaval it experienced some time ago. And when it comes to giving birth, it automatically puts itself in position. This is why we notice that our stomachs will grow very quickly. It’s not so much muscle weakness, it’s just the body’s memory.
Second pregnancy: baby’s movements
Moms-to-be begin to feel their first baby moving around the 5th month. At first, it is very fleeting, then these sensations are repeated and amplified. For a second child, we perceive these movements much earlier. Indeed, the previous pregnancy caused a slight distension of your uterus, which makes our body more sensitive to the twitching of the fetus. But above all, we are much more attentive and we know how to recognize the first signs of our baby much earlier.
Second pregnancy: medical history and real life
For a second pregnancy, we have to take into account what happened the first time. The doctor or midwife who follows us will ask us to inform him about our obstetric history (course of pregnancy, mode of delivery, previous miscarriage, etc.). If the pregnancy has suffered complications, there is nothing to say that this scenario will happen again. Nevertheless, medical surveillance is reinforced for us. During the consultation, the experience of our first maternity will normally also be discussed. Indeed, if we gained a lot of weight the first time, it is very likely that this question concerns us. Likewise, if we have bad memories of our childbirth, if we had a strong baby blues, it is important to talk about it.
Preparing for the birth of your second child
For our first pregnancy, we took the classic birth preparation courses very seriously. This time, we wonder if it’s really useful. No question of forcing us. But, it may be the opportunity to explore other disciplines that also offer preparations, such as sophrology, yoga, haptonomy, or even water aerobics. In general, why not consider these sessions from a point of view of conviviality rather than teaching? Getting together with future mothers who don’t live too far from each other is always pleasant. And then, these lessons are an opportunity to take some time for yourself (and that, when you already have a child, that is priceless!).
Childbirth during the second pregnancy
Good news, very often a second childbirth is faster. If the onset is long, as the contractions intensify, labor can quickly accelerate. In other words, from 5/6 cm of expansion, everything can go very quickly. So don’t delay to go to the maternity ward. Childbirth is also faster. The perineum is less resistant because the baby’s head is passed for the first time.
Cesarean section, episiotomy in 2nd pregnancy
That’s the big question: Is a woman who has given birth by Caesarean for her first ever doomed to give birth this way? There is no rule in this area. It all depends on the conditions for which we had a cesarean. If it was linked to our morphology (pelvis too small, malformation …), it may be necessary again. If, on the other hand, it was decided because the baby was badly positioned, or in an emergency, then a new vaginal delivery is quite possible, under certain conditions. Indeed, a caesarized uterus is not stimulated in the same way during the first phase of childbirth. Likewise, for the episiotomy, there is no inevitability in this matter. But the choice to perform this intervention still depends very much on the person who gives birth to us.
Do you want to talk about it between parents? To give your opinion, to bring your testimony? We meet on https://forum.parents.fr.