We want to help women and parents know what to expect during their pregnancy. Not just their physical health but also their emotional health.
So we asked women to share their experiences of pregnancy the first time versus the second.
Here’s what they said.
First pregnancy
Mums said they were mostly excited. Everything is new and they get to experience the maternity journey for the first time.
- “I felt so blessed to be carrying this little human”
And, unsurprisingly, they told us they were excited. While for some the journey to becoming pregnant was challenging, for others it was relatively straightforward. Either way, they were happy.
- “Experiencing my little girl move around in my stomach is just amazing.”
It wasn’t all hunky dory however, many women and families sad they were confused about changes to their body, changes to their lifestyle and also needing to know a whole lot of information that they weren’t aware of previously.
- “At the beginning I was very confused about what was happening to my body, and I was struggling to process it.”
Second pregnancy
Now, we don’t want to put anyone off having a second child but the feedback we got from mums was that the second time round wasn’t quite as easy.
They still said it was a happy and positive experience… they also said they felt they were constantly juggling different priorities and felt tired with a toddler running around and a baby on the way.
- “I found being pregnant with another child is such a juggling act. Even though I am exhausted, I don’t get much time to pause as I am focused on all the other busy things in my life – like raising an active toddler, working and trying to find time to spend with my husband.”
They also said that they felt a bit of guilt and worry about not giving enough attention to their current children and their unborn child.
- “I have moments of guilt. Not being able to give my son as much attention as I feel I should, and also not being able to give much through to the new baby.”
If you are considering having a second baby, but are worried about managing your emotional wellbeing, you can speak to our experts at St John of God Raphael Services.
