Here we go again

Susan Horn - 8 Jan 16

Pregnancy is a wonderful thing. Well, first time around anyway. I’m now six months into my second pregnancy, and have been somewhat taken aback at how an experience which was once so magical and special, is now just sheer drudgery.

Don’t get me wrong, I am incredibly grateful and happy to be pregnant, and it was all planned; it’s just that this time, it’s not all shiny and new. Plus, the addition of an extremely active and boisterous a two year old into the mix, basically buries any remaining sparkle under a whole heap of snot, poo, mud, food, and everything else that comes part and parcel of looking after a full-on toddler.

As a first timer you are treated like a princess by all and sundry: Are you a bit tired love? Well you’d better go and lie down. Are you hungry? I’ll make you something. Don’t lift that, I’ll get it… etc, etc. You are treated with kid gloves throughout, and you even get to treat yourself like a princess because other people think you deserve it.

Second time around it’s like nobody has noticed that you’re pregnant at all. Yes, they may still admonish you for carrying a bag of shopping, but do they offer to take your squirming, screaming and kicking toddler off your hands? I think not. I burst out laughing when I glanced at a pregnancy book recently which proclaimed that after 20 weeks you should avoid lifting anything heavier than 10kg. I tried explaining this to my two year old, but strangely enough he wasn’t really interested.

Casting my memory back to my first pregnancy, I fondly remember waking gently around 7am and breezing into work for 8.30am. I sat at a desk most of the day, and ate pretty much anything I liked as long as it wasn’t on the ‘don’t eat while pregnant’ list. I got home for about 6.30pm and promptly collapsed on the sofa ‘exhausted’. My lovely hubby would cook dinner for me, then I’d drift off to bed sometime after 9pm to make sure I got at least 10 (sometimes even 12) hours of sleep in before morning. Bliss!

This time couldn’t be more different. I leap out of bed anytime between 5-6.30am depending on when Otto decides to wake up. This is generally followed by a random grab at the doorframe to brace myself against the inevitable dizziness that hits after about two steps. I lift, carry and wrestle 14kg of toddler throughout the day; am forced to bend over all the time; never ever get to sit down unless said toddler is asleep; and I have to either bolt or share everything I eat (unless I hide behind a cupboard to eat it).

I also find that my mindset is very different. Last time, the fact that I was pregnant was constantly at the forefront of my mind. This time, it’s more of an afterthought, which was especially relevant last week when I realised I was stuck halfway through a ridiculously small gap in a soft play area.

It’s not that I don’t care about my pregnancy – of course I do – it’s more that I just don’t have time to think about my unborn child when I’m busy chasing the one that has taken off through the park on his scooter.

First time, I religiously read up on what to expect in each week of pregnancy. At any point I could have told you to the day how far gone I was, how big the baby was and exactly what was growing or developing at any given moment. This time, I have to stop and think whenever someone asks me how far along I am. I completely forget about what I’m not supposed to eat until I eat it and have a sudden moment of panic; and don’t get me started on changes to my body. Last time, I remember finding it amazing and amusing that I suddenly had huge boobs and couldn’t bend down to do my shoes up easily. This time it’s just uncomfortable and annoying.

I have no doubt that when #2 finally arrives I will love and adore it as much as #1 – I just have to get the three of us through the next few months in one piece first!

Susan Horn

Susan Horn lives in Melbourne, Australia. Before children, Susan worked in PR and Marketing Communications and was a complete Triathlon geek. She is currently a full-time Mum who squeezes a bit of exercise in between indulging her chocolate and coffee habits.

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