Things you should do differently during pregnancy

Congratulations you are expecting your second bonny baby; avoid your previous mistakes and add charm d by acting differently this time. We took the opinion of some doctors and second time mums and got some interesting and valuable inputs.

Here are different ways in which you can act during your second pregnancy: 

Change your doctor:

If you did not bond well with your last gynecologist/obstetrician, it is time you changed one; it is very important to find one that you can trust and speak more freely to. You should start investigating and get valuable recommendations from friends, family doctor, labor nurse or even your child’s pediatrician before selecting one. 

Your first child is to be prepared for the arrival of the second: 

This is a big change for both the mother and the first born; start off by making small changes in the family routine before the second baby arrives. Take the help of your spouse to take over bathing, bedtime and waking the first born; this helps make the transition easy. Potty train your elder one and switch him/her to a bigger bed; these changes are to be made at least 2 to 3 months before the new baby arrives. 

Do not eat for two: 

Avoid this tendency and take better care of yourself physically; it is important from the start of your pregnancy to focus on a healthy diet and exercise. This may seem hard being a busy mother; however it is best to realize that gaining too much weight could prove harmful to you making delivery more difficult and also prove unhealthy for the baby. 

Make no excuses and do the core Kegel exercises for an easy delivery:

It is found that more than 60% of the second-time mums suffer from some kind of abdominal separation after the first delivery; the growing lump could cause back pain, weakened push muscles, and even stress incontinence. Just 10 minutes of Kegel exercises or core compressions a day could shrink the gap and help during delivery. This exercise is best done by drawing your belly into your spine and squeezing it as you exhale.

Look forward to an easier delivery: 

There is no use to get nervous if your first delivery was difficult; most second deliveries are shorter and easier. You could discuss it with your gynecologist/obstetrician and also read on easy birth and pain management techniques; you could also gain extra support with hiring a doula. Also you could also find out about rights of a mother and other options of pregnancy and birth. If your first birth was a cesarean you could talk to your doctor about a vaginal birth; the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) considers it a safe choice for most women.

Second labors are shorter, so get to the hospital earlier:

True, because your body already knows what to do the second time; have babysitters on call and pack up your maternity bag and get ready especially if you had a shorter labor last time. Make a plan with your doctor, so you reach the labor room in time and do not deliver in the parking lot of the hospital! 

Do not sweat over being unprepared for second motherhood:

Quite right, do not feel guilty that you did not read books, browse online articles and blogs, talk to other moms, and go to parenting classes; with the first you were about to be a mother and now you are already a mother. Spend time playing your first one and plan how you will split your energy in looking after both your kids and you. 

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