How did your 1st pregnancy differ from the rest?

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   sandra rinckposted 14 years ago

   I am just curious to know how different 1 preg. can be from the next.

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      Jane@CMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Totally different or much the same, depends on who you are talking to.  Mine were totally different.

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      Rainbow Prideposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I've never been pregnant, but according to my mother and my aunt, each pregnancy differs greatly, just like each individual differs greatly.

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      rebekahELLEposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      as others have said, they can be totally different depending on various factors. I know with my first one, I had less stress in my life and was able to focus my priority on the pregnancy and taking care of myself. I did a lot of reading, ate really healthy, exercised throughout most of the pregnancy. I spent a lot of time preparing for labor and birth and it paid off.
      second pregnancy I remember feeling more nausea in the first trimester. then we found out we were moving on assignment in my seventh month... so I had to find a new doctor. my labor was so short I barely made it to the hospital. first labor was short, second was about half as short. I tease him, calling him my 'new yorker'. he was in such a hurry to enter the world.

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      Mishaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Mine wasn't any different

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   frogdroppingposted 14 years ago

   First pregancy - I didn't know enough and was terrified most of the time.
   
   2nd (and subsequent - I was a busy frog) - I knew too much and was more terrified most of the time.
   
   Physically - all different. Totally. My children competed from the outset

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   sandra rinckposted 14 years ago

   Do ya'll remember the physical differences at all?

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      H.C Porterposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      when i was pregnant with my son-he did a real number on my abs-so when I got pregnant with my daughter 5 weeks after my son was born...she didn't damage anything new 
      Seriously though-when I was pregnant with Abigail I developed, The Mask of Pregnancy on my upper lip and at the beginning had horrible break outs, which I did not experience during pregnancy with Collin. With Collin I didn't really show until I hit the fifth month, but with Abigail (perhaps because I had no muscle tone left in my abdomen) I was wearing maternity clothes by the end of the third month and carried much lower. My eye sight got worse while carrying Abigail but with Collin it stayed the same, I was also much warmer with her than with him, and couldn't get comfortable at all.

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      rebekahELLEposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      sandra, you mean how it affected our physical appearance?
      
      weight gain?
      
      hmm, I can't remember exactly how much weight I gained, but towards the end, I definitely could not see my feet while standing. I didn't start showing until about 4 months. gained most of the weight in the last trimester which is normal.  I lost the weight with both pregnancies with no problems.
      
      I don't think I gained as much with the second one even though he weighed a few more ounces. mine were 6 lbs. 10 oz and 6 lbs. 14 oz.  both of mine are sons.
      
      any specific concerns or questions? I wrote a hub about why posture is important for women and there's a section which addresses pregnancy.

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         sandra rinckposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Actually I was interested in everything but specifically about what symptoms you had with each. 
         
         ie:  my first one I had no idea or I had morning sickness and peed a lot and my boobs hurt but my second one I had no morning sickness, my boobs didn't hurt but I felt queasy and my sleepy. 
         
         Those kinds of things.  I am just really curious how they symptons differ and how ya'll figured out you were pregnant.
         
         Like my sister.  She had her 'period' for four months and thought she was just gaining weight before she figured out she was pregnant.
         
         Some just seem to know right away because they smelled something and it made them gag.

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            rebekahELLEposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            with my first, I didn't know from any symptoms other than that I missed my period and took the test with one of those at home kits. then I went to a doctor. I was in my second month. once I knew then I started noticing my boobs were growing. I was never nauseous with the first. the last couple of months I would get short of breath sometimes so I practiced relaxation exercises and breathing. I carried very high until the end.
            
            with the second we were trying so I was more aware of observing my body, looking for signs. when I missed the first period, I knew it finally happened (the time we weren't really thinking about if I was ovulating!) I did have some nausea with the second and my OB encouraged me to eat grapefruit and it helped. each one is different. it's really strange about the food smells, I wonder what triggers that. I do remember certain smells making me gag.
            
            forgot, I do remember feeling tired at first also, with both of them. I think that it is sometimes the body's first signal.

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      Lisa HWposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I remember all three as if they were three months ago (and they were over 25 years ago):
      
      The first one was a disaster and ended at 20 weeks (had to be taken, actually, but the fetus wasn't alive).  I was mostly exhausted, but it was frought with complications.   That pregnancy, though, had all the "classic" signs you read about in the books.  The good pregnancies I had didn't.
      
      With the second one there were some signs that all wasn't well, but it was OK.  From the beginning of it until 3 weeks before my son was born (at 34 weeks) I got sick every day at 3:00 p.m., like clockwork.  Other than that, I felt well, but I was scared to death because the baby almost never moved.  He was kind of "out sideways", so that was a little weird.  I was uncomfortable, so I had to sleep sitting up on the couch from 5 months on.  The baby wasn't big, and I wasn't big (I could still wear most of my usual clothes and coat), but there was the "out to the side" thing that was uncomfortable.  The only cravings I had were during Summer I craved garden tomatos and Jolly Rancher candies,  Other than a little bit of a "baby bump" and the 3:00 trips to the ladies' room, I had none of the stuff "they" say you get with pregnancy.  Except for the 3 p.m. thing I had no trouble eating.
      
      With the next one, I had loads of heartburn.  Right at the beginning I had one day of being violently ill, but after that I wasn't sick at all.   A couple of times there were "episodes" of burning acid coming up, though.  For almost that whole pregnancy I had a hard time thinking what I could eat, though.  Mashed potato was my big thing.  The baby bump was a little bigger that time, but I could still move my bucket-seat forward by reaching down - so I still wasn't big.  My daughter moved almost non-stop, which, to me, was my first really have lots of chance to feel the baby.  With either baby I never saw any kicks - only felt them.   She dropped in October and was due at the end of January so that's when I got uncomfortable.  She threatened to be born "at any time", but she wasn't born until the beginning of January.  With her, I was achey because of how she'd settled, so walking upstairs and shopping were a challenge.  She was born at 37 weeks. 
      
      As with the other one, I didn't have anything other than the little baby bump and the relatively minor sickness once I past the beginning.  (I never saw that thing people say they get when their belly button pops out.  I never got any of that other stuff that's said people can get either - like the "mask of pregnancy".)   
      
      Both babies were born in about an hour and a half.  The water broke with one (in a restaurant), didn't with the other one.  The first one was born breech (which was actually less creepy feeling than the second one, who was born back-of-the-head first, rather than top-of-the-head first).  You know that "urge to push"?  With the second one I had the urge to have a Cesarean instead. 
      
      For me, the biggest difference between the first (bad) pregnancy and the other two was that I was "groggy exhausted" all the time.  With the two good pregnancies I eventually got physically tired but not "groggy/foggy kind of tired and sleepy. 
      
      Both babies would have been 6 lbs if I'd reached 40 weeks.   Both were sweeties/sweeties       (and I need to add a for the little sweetie- guy I didn't have myself (adopted)   ).
      
      Figuring it out:  With my son I felt a little crampy and got a long-lasting back-ache (which was odd), so I knew.  I did the test and - ta da!!  With my daughter I knew before there were any signs at all.  This is going to seem weird and creepy; but I got this heaviness in my arms and suddenly thought, "I'm pregnant, and it's a girl."  I got a little floral notebook and noted it down, with a little note to the daughter I was so certain was on the way.   Not long after that I had the day of being violently ill, and that "confirmed it" for me.  Then I did the test and got the ring.
      
      Thanks for the chance to think of this nice time in my life, Sandra (although I have to say I'm glad my kids are all here, and I don't have to worry about "coming up with" kids in the future.      That whole first-pregnancy thing kind of ruined the subsequent pregnancies because I lived in fear until each baby was all here and safe. I couldn't just enjoy knowing a baby was on the way, because I couldn't ever feel safe in assuming all would go well. 

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   selrachposted 14 years ago

   I just sat and smoked in the waiting room for all three.

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   Chloe Comfortposted 14 years ago

   Both were bad but second was worse than the first. Had hyperemesis with both and required home i.v. treatments, and some hospitalization. Threw up the whole 9 months with both. Gained 16 pounds w/the first and only 10 pounds with the second. First was a boy and second was a girl - not that it made any difference w/the pregnancy
   
   Only difference for me was my cravings - only wanted salad/greens with the first and wanted only meat with the second.

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   Rafiniposted 14 years ago

   The only difference I remember is: the morning sickness I suffered with my first was worse than the rest.  I only had nausea with the 2nd & 3rd.
   
   Oh!  I just remembered!  My 4th is when I had cravings...for creamy foods.
   
   And, my first was the only girl.

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   Beth100posted 14 years ago

   I knew immediately when I became pregnant with all five (lol) pregnancies.  Felt different -- better sense of smell, eyesight, hearing and my taste was hypersensitive; extremely tired from the beginning; nauseous for 12 months (yup, didn't stop after giving birth); I smelled sweeter (odd, but yes); hair became shinier and thicker (grew like weeds); complexion was fantastic (always rosy and glowed); fingernails were unbreakable and pink; extremely flexible.  With the first pregnancy, I didn't show at all.  I began showing with pregnancies 2 (by 6 months), 3 (by 5 months), 4 (by 4 months) and 5 (by 7 months).  By feet have grown about 1/2 size and are wider than before pregnancies (all that weight we carry on our poor feet!). 
   
   What other specific details would you like?? 

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      sandra rinckposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Aaaah!  OMG, that is awesome!  I mean, prolly not awesome at the time but wow!  Thank you. 

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   sneakorocksolidposted 14 years ago

   I've been pregnant for a long time now.How long is this supposed to last? I'm getting the feeling it's a mooch and is sponging off me!

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   Polly Cposted 14 years ago

   With my first I put on about twice as much weight as the second and suffered much more with heartburn.  With my second it was more comfortable, almost as though my body had already been stretched so the baby was easier to accommodate.  Actually I felt fitter in my second pregnancy, despite being 35, eight years later than my first. The only thing that wasn't as good the second time around was that I felt a bit dizzy in the first trimester, on and off, I think it was low blood sugar as I became obsessed with eating sweets when it happened, which I never normally do. I was rushing about much more the second time around and didn't rest much at all.
   
   I also had my dates all wrong on my second pregnancy, I thought I had lost the baby at first, then when I went for a scan to check they told me that the baby was still there and that I was a month further on than I thought. I had had a period whilst pregnant and not realised.

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    rebekahELLEposted 14 years ago

    "I think it was low blood sugar as I became obsessed with eating sweets when it happened, which I never normally do."
    
    polly, I remember that too and my doctor said my body was telling me it needed protein, which is SO important during pregnancy. I ate a lot of cheese, nuts, trail mix type snacks, soft boiled eggs. I had to eat every few hours ... by the end, eating was more like a chore! I remember getting tired of having to eat so often, but it paid off well.
    
    sandra, here's the link to the article about good posture during pregnancy. http://www.familiesonline.co.uk/Locatio … %29/eng-GB
    
    I also added it to the hub article.

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    habeeposted 14 years ago

    I was a lot more nauseous with my first!

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    megs78posted 14 years ago

    baby  number one was 9 months of hell.  throwing up every day at least 3 times a day, breaking all blood vessels in my upper body and face from the force of it.  early onset of gestational diabetes, GERD (reflux), unable to sleep or eat. Horrible skin! an all around horrible experience from beginning to end.  wonderful postpartum though. a girl
    
    baby number 2, much the same as number 1.  but with anxiety attacks.  like froggy mentioned, i knew too much and panicked about what would happen to me in 9 months time.  wonderful postpartum though. another girl
    
    baby number 3 had me so tired I slept nonstop about 3months and ate an enormous amount of food.  had no symptoms of aversion to smells or GERD (until the end).  Felt relatively normal, exercised up until 3 days before giving birth.  late onset of diabetes, thick, glossy hair.  amazing postpartum.  a boy.
    
    so, there you go.  i tend to believe that pregnancy changes in respect to what you are carrying inside.  well, thats how it was for me anyways

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       Lisa HWposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       megs78, I hope that's not how you tell the story to either of your daughters.    (particularly the "pure hell" part     )

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          megs78posted 14 years agoin reply to this

          no, i never did, but even though it was hard, the doctor assured me that it was a good sign to be so sick. he told me that the baby was getting everything she needed and taking everything from me, even my looks, and that I should be happy about it.  sure enough, my daughters were beautiful, healthy, and i had a great postpartum, so i really can't complain.  BUT, i have no other words to describe what i went through for 9 months.  it WAS hell.  there are just no other words...

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             Justine76posted 14 years agoin reply to this

             I had the throwing up too. A few times I was hospitalized and given an IV because I was so dehydrated. I learned what to eat by how painful it was to throw it up. My first pregnancy, I went from 115 pounds to 97 in the first three months. My Dr. kept saying..eat crackers. Its just morning sickness, deal with it. Some days I never left my bathroom, I threw up every 15 minutes for hours on end. It was awful in ways I can not even begin to explain.
             
             http://www.bing.com/health/article.aspx … Gravidarum
             
             What stinks is, the Dr just wouldnt listen to me, it didnt have to be that way.

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                sandra rinckposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                I heard about that happening to woman.  Sorry it happened to you.

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    sandra rinckposted 14 years ago

    Thanks for sharing all your stories with me.  I read all of them and I must say compared to some of you I was blessed even though I thought what I went through was HELL! lol. 
    
    I read a lot about how each pregnancy can very from the next and even how some women have "periods" during their pregnancy.  My sister was like that.  She was pregnant four months thought she was having her "period" and that she was just gaining weight for no apparent reason because she had no other signs.  Imagine her surprise. hahahahha.
    
    I know another lady who swore up and down that she was pregnant but every month she took the test and it was negative.  Turns out she was right after all.  On the third/forth months she took another one and it was positive and she was right the whole time about the date even! 
    
    I think it is pretty amazing how some woman can just know and others had no clue.  How some get hell from the beginning and others skate through.
    
    I can totally relate to the heartburn thing though.  OMG, I think I cried a couple of times because it burned all up in my nose even.  But despite all of those things that we go through, why do we even do it again?
    
    I know the gift is worth it but sometimes, like Lisa, I worry about ever doing it again because although everything turned out fine with my daughter, it was so stressful. 
    
    I had spent three weeks in the hospital on bed rest getting shot up every hour on the hour and pumped full of the stuff to keep the baby from coming, got poked with a two foot long needle etc...
    
    I thing most of all, what got to me was postpartum.  I don't think I was depressed.  No, I wasn't because I was happy but I never slept.  I was so terrified about all the stuff I read about that I was afraid I would wake up one day with a baby gone victim to SIDS so I would wake up every hour and give my kid a poke to make sure she was still alive.
    
    I never got to breastfeed because it was so painful and no matter how hard I tried and how long I sat with the breastpump, I never seemed to produce more then an ounce of milk and I thought for sure that I was a horrible mother for it.  Of course I don't actually think that now, I actually think I am a pretty darn great mother.
    
    So for me, the whole thing is stressful especially after the she arrived. 
    
    Were any of you as worried after your babies were born?

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    megs78posted 14 years ago

    worried???  i was an absolute lunatic after my first daughter was born.  my mom called me crazy all the time.  but i think what happened was that i had my daughter at around the same time we started to get info overload on being pregnant, having babies, etc.  i was bombarded by La Leche League, parenting groups, prenatal groups, books galore, etc and I never seemed to be doing anything right according to what I was hearing or reading.  i tell you, i felt like i was going insane.  I believe that at that time, mothers were made to feel as if parenting was not in fact, instinctual and that we really didn't know what we were doing.  and so although i had a wonderful postpartum and my daughter was a good eater, not colicky, etc, i still hit the panic button for the most ridiculous things.  anyways, you can read all those stories in my hubs if you want details

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       sandra rinckposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       lol, I will read them.  Good stuff. 

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