Did You Feel More Cramping, Etc. with 2Nd or Post #1 Pregnancy?

My 2nd pregnancy was a lot harder than my first! I was constantly tired and never felt rested! I did cramp a lot more in the first few weeks than with the first, everything was a lot harder. I had to quit working earlier with my second too because I just couldn't do it anymore! Part of it is because I got pregnant when my son was only 10 months old and was chasing him around all the time! I have heard that each subsequent pregnancy is harder on you! Good luck though and remember there is an end to the misery!
By the way, I don't think age has anything to do with it! I am about to be 26 and was really miserable the second time around!

From my personal experience I think it is a pregnancy-by-pregnancy thing. I've had three children, when I was 27, 30 and 38. Each time I was very fatigued in the first 3 months, but varying degrees of morning sickness (first child was worst, last child was more mild). With my second pregnancy I remember everything feeling more uncomfortable, and my doc said it was because everything was "looser" from first pregnancy and so I was more sensitive to it.

I don't necessarily think age plays into it . . . again, this is only based on my own personal experience.

Congrats to you and even though these are challenging times, you'll be fine!

HI Michelle,

Congrats on your pregnancy.
With my 1st baby I had 2 mornings of sickness and that was it. It was by far one of the easiest pregnancies. With my second, (4 yrs later) I was sick regularly. I had very bad indigestion and it got so bad almost everything made me sick so yes my second was much worse. I was also continuously tired and I remember feeling so bad for my DD because I was always too tired to play with her. I couldn't wait to deliver so I could get my energy back.
When I got pregnant with my 3rd, I had NO symptoms at all, NOT one day of sickness and again one of the easiest pregnancies. However, around 37 weeks I got so exhausted every day I could barely make it through a grocery store trip. In fact, I think that's when my husband took over with the grocery shopping and still to this day he now does most of the grocery shopping. It got very hard to get 3 kids out to the store and I think he'd rather do the shopping than be in charge of 3 kids! : )
Anyhow, yes it's completely normal to be feeling different. You might start feeling better when you're second trimester starts. Good luck and get lots of rest!

Unless you are in very different shape this time, from the first time, I would not think it was completely about your age. I think it is probably just that every pregnancy is different. I just had my second baby 2 weeks ago. My pregnancies were very different from each other.

My first pregnancy (at age 40) was a breeze - a little nausea in the first trimester, that was easily controlled, and some fatigue - I slept on the sofa a lot, in the evenings. But otherwise, it was easy.

My second pregnancy (at age 42) was very difficult. I didn't have any complications, but I was very nauseous, and ended up taking a prescription for that. I was very fatigued, and my immune system was weak. I was sick with every virus that came along for almost the entire 3rd trimester. I had trouble breathing and felt weak often (pregnancy-related asthma). By the end of the pregnancy, I had a lot of aches and pains - my back, Braxton-Hicks contractions, achy hips, etc.

The good news: none of that stuff affected the actual birth, which went easily (except that I had yet another cold at the time). Congratulations and good luck!

Michelle,

Congrats! We are having our second in a couple of weeks! Yes Yes Yes! My first one was a breeze and felt great the entire time. No nausea, tiredness, etc. This one has been the COMPLETE opposite. Cramping, nausea (no vomiting at least), tired, etc. And this late (37 weeks) it is really bad pelvic pains. This one has also acted totally different. Our first was very laid back and I had to do kick counts many times...now he is very chilled/cool kiddo (4). This one has been CRAZY the entire time. So, we'll soo! Good luck and Congrats!!!!

Michelle,

My second pregnancy was AWFUL...I had everything and my first one was WONDERFUL. I don't know why, they were both girls. At first I thought is was because the second one was going to be a boy, but she wasn't. I guess our bodies just act different with each baby. Good luck. And I don't think it has to do with age, because I was just 26.

Michelle,

My best friend had two babies in her early 20's - they were a breeze, no fatigue, etc. She was in her late 30's and had gained some weight for her third and felt like it was a lot harder - mostly more fatigue.

Hope all goes well. Rest a lot, and congrats on the babies!

A.

It seems like I'm having more cramping with the 3rd than the 1st and 2nd. Could be that we're so busy with the other kiddos in our lives that we're stressing the prenancy a bit more than we did with the first:) Oh yeah and I'm 31 now instead of 26-27.

Let me start by saying I had some complications with my first pregnancy, so I was very observant and cautious with every twinge in my second, and yes you do have more cramping with the second and the extra fatigue is probably more b/c you are chasing your other one around and cant rest as much b/c of her (I had this dileema along with teaching Kindergarten all day). Anyway, i was told the harder carmps are due to not only your muscles stretching, but yous scar tissue from the first pregnancy stretching. Hope this helps.

Hi Michelle! I am 3 months postpartum and I was 35 when I got pregnant and 36 when my beautiful Noah was brorn. I had lots of energy and wasnt tired or anything. Actually I had no problems at all, no sickness, cramping nothing! But mind you this is my first so I cant really say what having another does...but call us crazy we want another pretty soon.....lol good luck with #2 All the best! Nik

I remember thinking that my second pregnancy exhibited more difficulties because I had a 2 year to chase after and was not taking quite as much time to rest, take care of myself, etc.

As I am sure everyone else will tell you...all pregnancies are different...are you sure you do not have twins in there?

Michelle:

Well, this is just me but my second pregnancy (boy) was a total BREEZE compared to my first (girl). I was 26 the first time around and 28 the second. Neither time did I know the sex of the child until birth. The first pregnancy I lived off of tums so much that my boss thought it was candy that I was eating so much. I was much more tierd in my first trimester with my first and I had a lot more cramping and static nerve issues the first time around as well.

My OB said that generally, baby boys are easier to carry (concerning sickness) than baby girls because of the "estrogen over-load" in the mother's system caused by the baby girl's hormones. BUT that subsequent pregnancies can cause more aches and pains because everything is more loose from the relaxen hormones than last time around (thus not as much support offered). But these are just general rules and not an all the time factor.

My deliveries were identical though really, even though they had to induce me with my second(both were born at 39 weeks: my first came natural). However, I had high blood presure off and on with the first pregnancy and not any high blood presure with my second until just one day it sky-rocketted with an almost instant water-weight gain and protein in urine (thus the reason for induction).

Hope this helps you!

T.

Each pregnancy was different. Age can be a factor. It's not the only one. When I was pregnant with my middle daughter, I was always tired. I fell asleep at the drop of a hat. My last pregnancy, I had tons of energy. With my girls, I was sicker. Each pregnancy was unique.

Congrats on baby #2!!!
Each pregnancy can and usually are different. I had morning sickness with my first one really bad, the other two, not so bad hardly at all. I had my first two children in my early 20's and my last child in my early 30's. My first was a girl, my other two were boys... Other than the morning sickness with my daughter all the pregnancy were pretty good, I of course remember the last one the best, but I don't remember cramping with any of them. I didn't have contractions until the end... I was tired with all 3 pregnancies, that was one of the first signs I knew I was pregnant.
I would talk to your doctor about the cramping, just to be on the safe side, especially if you are still in the first tri-mester. As for the tired, well, that is just part of being mother... having a 2.5 year old wears you out, I have one too... so try to relax as much as possible and enjoy your pregnancy...

God Bless!

Hi Michelle,
Congratulations on your pregnancy. :-) I don't think it's necessarily your age, although that certainly can make a difference. I had my first at 30, second at 31 and third at 38. I was very sick the first two times, very nauseated. In the first pregnancy, I had all sorts of aches and pains that nobody could explain. In the second, I had preterm labor from 26 weeks, so that accounted for those pains. In my third pregnancy, I was very nauseated, but this time I had a 6 yr old to take care of, so whether that was the reason or not, I was able to get up and around and do things that I absolutely could not have done the first two times. (My first pregnancy did not have a happy ending, so no child for me to take care of while pregnant with number two.)

Because I wasn't as nauseated, or didn't seem to be, the third time, I decided it must be a boy (girls the first two times). It wasn't, a girl came out. :-) I was much more tired, though, at 38, than I was at 30 and 31. I was on sick leave the entire pregnancy, which was good because I wouldn't have been able to work, as tired as I was. And now, at 39 with a soon-to-be 7 month old, I definitely feel my age, but it is so worth it.

Good luck! If the cramping doesn't subside, I think I'd go to the doctor. The tiredness sounds pretty normal.

Michelle,

During my second pregnancy,I had a lot of Braxton-Hicks cramps. The doctor said that they are more common the second time around. When it came time for the baby, after my first two contractions, I was only in labor for 45 minutes. I believe that those cramps were actually doing something!

Good Luck : )
Jen

All pregnancies are different, so I don't think it has to do with your age. I am 26 and on my first pregancy and have had a lot of cramping and "growing pains", as well as a lot of fatigue through all the trimesters. It's probably just your body's normal, but different, response to your pregnancy.

I am also pregnant with my second and I am now 37 y.o. and I thought that maybe that has made a difference. My oldest is 6 and so I am not running around after anyone, but MAN am I more tired. I worked full time then and only part time now and I can't even imagine doing 40 hours outside of home. My first I had NO hint of morning sickness, this time I was really nauseous for a few weeks. Just found out I am having a boy this time...I am wondering if that is the difference.

Hope you get your feet back under you soon, it is frustrating to have your head telling you to move and your body not cooperating.

Hi. I'm mid-30's and in the middle of my 2 pregnancy. I have had a lot more aches and pains with this one. It seems like something is always hurting. Anyway. My dr told me this is normal since I have less support with my second. I beleive this was explained in more detail by someone else, so I won't bore you. I think each person is different and each pregnancy is different. I'm trying to relax and enjoy this second one. I hope you can do the same. Good Luck!!