Was your second pregnancy physically harder than your first?

[LavenderSweetPea]

Just curious really what everyone's experiences are. I'm sure having a child to run after makes it more exhausting, but how did things like morning sickness, heartburn, PGP etc compare for you?

I was lucky and had a relatively easy pregnancy the first time round but I'm thinking about having a second and wondering what I might be letting myself in for...

First was much worse with nausea (boy) but once that passed by 14 weeks, it was an enjoyable breeze. Labour not so much- induced for post dates, ventouse, ill baby.
Second pregnancy early on nausea was barely there (girl) but I was so tired without the chance to rest on my 2 non working days home with toddler. We were able to put him in nursery a few extra days here and there which helped a lot.
Second trimester was fine but I never quite felt the ease of the first pregnancy. Wouldn't say I enjoyed it so much as got through it.
Third trimester, we all caught a gastro bug from the nursery-going toddler. Badly strained my pelvic floor attempting to hold wee in whilst vomiting over the toilet. 6 weeks of excruciating coccyx pain before my intensive physio paid off. Standard PGP, but particularly worsened by lifting toddler. Obviously I tried not to, but unavoidable sometimes.
I was utterly exhausted, too. We played many games where I could lie down. Toddler put soft toys on me, played doctors bandaging me up, lifting him on my legs. Anything to let me lie down!
If someone told me £100 cash was on the floor outside my house, I would've stayed lying on my floor. Yet, toddler jumped on the table or grabbed a plant to throw it, and up I jumped.

But, it's worth it! My 2 children are (mostly) lovely.

I found each subsequent pregnancy harder than the previous one - I have three children. Partly because it's physically harder when you've got another small child (or two) hanging off you, and partly because for me the all day morning sickness got worse each time.

All my pregnancies were easy in that there were no health issues whatsoever, but the sickness and tiredness were truly debilitating.

Luckily my fabulous three boys are worth it, but I knew the third pregnancy would be my last as I couldn't have put myself through it again.

The births got quicker and easier each time, though.

Way easier as there was no lockdown so I could actually go out and attend exercise classes etc. Still gained loads of weight (despite doing Zumba all the way up until I gave birth) but physically I felt better than my with first baby.

Harder, but that's probably because of age. Everyone I know who gets morning sickness says it is worse each time. It depends on individuals though, say if you have an easier job/more support in a second pregnancy, then it will probably seem better. Likewise, if you had health issues and are, say, much fitter in the second pregnancy, then that makes a difference.
Think it's always harder after the birth, as you can't relax as much with the older ones at home.

I found both of mine easy and had zero issues. I was much fitter in my second as I’d formed a gym habit after my first, so if anything, the second one was even better. I didn’t put on much weight - I think that helps, but much is down to luck.

Much, much harder. I was on crutches from about 16 weeks with SPD, in a wheelchair or bed from about 20ish weeks. I was frequently admitted to hospital for pain relief, at one point they wanted to give me daily pethidine injections but I refused because I didn’t want DS2 to be born addicted to it. That was 29yrs ago and I’ve still not recovered. I can’t walk unaided and have had 8 major surgeries on my pelvis.

On the plus side the birth was really easy, it was 20 minutes from first contraction to DS2 being in my arms.

I'm 37 weeks into my second pregnancy but this second one has been much much easier than the first!

Less nasea, less back pain and cramping no carpal tunnel or pins and needles. Just been generally so much more comfortable this time round.

And I was in my 20s for my first pregnancy 30s for this one.....

I feel like mine is about the same. I've got less nausea this time around but the fatigue is insane and of course I can't just nap. I developed HELLP in my first pregnancy so there is some anxiety around getting that again but otherwise I feel the same as I did last time.

I can't judge the end yet as I'm only second trimester, but so far, hasn't been harder, but I think I do notice I'm older this time (a 4 year difference due to miscarriages), and slightly more symptoms.
With DS, I only gagged more when brushing my teeth. This time round, I've thrown up 4 times brushing my teeth.
I didn't have any food aversion with my son, this time I have it slightly.

Similar to the first pregnancy except that the nausea was worse. Second birth was much easier though.

First pregnancy was so easy, worked up until 3 days before I was induced.

second pregnancy humbled me!! Could barely keep water down for the whole pregnancy so lost a lot of weight and felt physically weak. Plus had to take care of a 3 year old😂 but the labour was a breeze compared to the first.

I had 3 pregnancies quite similar - 1 live birth and 2 miscarriages. Sickness started at 5 weeks, hyperemesis by 7 weeks. The pregnancy that gave me my daughter the hyperemesis continued until 14 weeks and returned at 26 weeks until 36 weeks. I had awful heartburn from 20 weeks and was on omperazole until delivery at 38+6.

4th pregnancy gave me my son. Low levels of sickness, low levels of heart burn it was looking good until 31 weeks when I developed very itchy hands and I was diagnosed by obstetric Cholestasis (ICP/oc) a few days later. My liver function declined, I developed an irritable uterus and was having contractions from 33 weeks and had assessments for preterm labour at 34 and 35 weeks. I developed severe fatigue and was hospitalised twice, I had to stop driving and couldn't left alone. I developed low platelets and was starting to show markers for HELLP. At 36 weeks they decided I needed inducing as i was getting more and more unwell. I was losing weight as I wasn't awake enough to eat. Baby arrived at 37+1.

The miscarriages with hyperemesis were hard as I was sofa bound for weeks. My eldest was 4 though so could understand that mummy was poorly and needed to rest. She struggled when I had the severe fatigue in my last pregnancy as she couldn't always understand that I couldn't do something and thought I was choosing not to

1st pregnancy - quite tired, some nausea, put loads of weight on, OK birth.
2nd pregnancy - sailed through, tiny bump.....but then an EMCS after failed induction.
3rd pregnancy - awful morning sickness for first 3 months, birth was a total breeze (barely had time to put my book down).

Crazy how different each one was.....but then the offspring are pretty different too.

First pregnancy was tough in that I had issues with a shortening cervix, gained a lot of weight and had a grey tinge about me throughout, no sickness though. Second pregnancy was 7 years later at the age of 41 and whilst I had awful nausea for 16 weeks, the rest of the pregnancy was good, had way more energy, was running, walking, gained less weight and had that glow I read about :) was back to pre pregnancy weight within 9 weeks.