That first pregnancy is an experience that can never be repeated. You approached parenthood with a novice set of eyes. Every experience was a new experience, every pain a new pain and every stress was a new stress. The second time around the pregnancy experience is different and the same as confusing as that sounds.
Tired Means Something New When Mom is Pregnant
I remember complaining often about being tired when I was pregnant with my first child. It wasn’t until my second pregnancy that I truly understood the meaning of tired. My first child was just eight months old when I was pregnant with my second. By the time the pregnancy came to an end, I was chasing around an 18-month-old toddler and caring for a newborn. My original meaning of tired was redefined forever.
Multi-Tasking is Now a Necessity
Alone time is a thing of the past for most moms, so that multi-tasking trick I used to get multiple things done at the same time in hopes of catching a nap in the afternoon simply will not work. When you’re a mom you multi-task just to get everything you NEED to get done, done – not because you want to earn some free time.
You’re Not Afraid of the New Baby
You’ve already raised one infant and now you know you can do it again; not to mention the fact that you’ve learned just how easy it is to take care of a newborn compared to a toddler. The fear of parenthood, and childbirth, body changes and life changes for that matter is not a part of your life this time around because you’ve been there and done the parenthood thing already.
I often tease my first two children, telling them they were the trial babies for the twins who came later. With baby number one new moms experience everything for the first time. With baby number two, moms experience pregnancy as a mom for the first time — but after that — you’ve learned all there is to learn ... you got this!