Feel guilty for not enjoying 2nd pregnancy at all

[hopingforapeainapod]

I’m 34 weeks pregnant with my second and feeling utterly fed up - I’m tired, super constipated, can’t sleep because heartburn is so bad and I seem to be picking up every bug that my 2 year old brings back from nursery so I haven’t felt well in weeks. I just feel so guilty because I haven’t enjoyed this pregnancy at all - with my first it felt so magical and exciting, I took loads of photos, kept a pregnancy journal etc and this time round I’ve done none of those things and it’s just felt like a massive inconvenience - I’m now literally just wishing these final few weeks away and I’m sad that if this is my last pregnancy I’m going to regret not enjoying it more :( anyone else feel the same??

I felt the same with my second. I had a lovely and easy pregnancy with my first but the second, I felt and looked dreadful.

I totally get it. I definitely felt the same on my second, now on my third pregnancy and don’t have time to think about it much at all!
Don’t beat yourself up, the second pregnancy is a totally difference experience. You don’t have the time or capacity to do all those things again. Rather than feel the guilt I try to focus on how lucky I was to have really appreciated the first pregnancy, and how this baby is going to have this amazing big sibling when s/he comes out, so will have more family members to appreciate him/her.
being pregnant is not easy, particularly in those final weeks - go easy on yourself.

I'm 33 weeks with baby number 2 and not enjoying it either. I feel useless as I'm so physically limited now. I just want baby to be here so that I can feel more like myself again and more capable. I'm sick of not being able to go places as I won't manage the walk or not being able to play with my son as it's really uncomfortable on the floor. I was able to just do what I wanted the first time around so it was luxurious compared to school runs and kids parties whilst feeling like a whale.

Luckily our babies will have no idea how much we struggled; they'll be here before we know it and then we never have to be pregnant ever again!

I feel the exact same. I'm 26 weeks with my second, I miscarried immediately before conceiving this one and nothing has been straightforward - bled early on and ended up at EPAU (I always do), 12 week scan couldn't get measurements for dating or screening so I went for private NIPT and my blood sample got lost, then at my 20 week scan femurs were measuring short and I was so stressed I opted for amniocentesis. That came back clear and I feel like I should finally be able to relax and get excited, but now I'm just so tired and uncomfortable, my toddler has been acting up and I feel so guilty for losing patience with him.

@ThatMintMember your last line is perfect!

I think it’s pretty normal for most women.
My second pregnancy was hard, I was so sick the whole pregnancy, I just to sit in the bathroom head over the toilet bowl with my one year old next to me playing and I was up and down to the hospital before eventually being kept in.
I really enjoyed my third pregnancy though, It was easy and I knew it would be my last.

By the way my second baby is a teenager now and is no worse off because I didn’t enjoy being g pregnant with him,

@hopingforapeainapod I feel for you and can echo the responses of the other posters. I am 29 weeks with my second and I am miserable. I have just got over a 7 week long chest infection which just wouldn't shift. I need an iron transfusion next week as my levels never recovered after having my first. I also have raging heart burn now and all food tastes disgusting. I had nausea and vomiting up until 20 weeks and it hasn't quite gone.. Having the energy for my 2 year old feels impossible!

With my first I was fit and healthy and going to the gym up until the day before I delivered.

Looking forward to delivering in december and having my body back to myself. Hang in there and don't feel guilty, the struggle is real! x

*Edited for two typos

Thanks for the solidarity - nice to know I’m not alone! I just feel like I have so little left to give and I just feel like a bit of a rubbish mum / wife / friend at the moment - I hate not being able to run around with my toddler or pick him up or even take him and the dog for a walk. I also can’t believe I may have 6 more weeks of this! I also have an awful cough / head cold / blocked ear situation going on right now which I think is definitely getting me down - I went to the GP yesterday and he basically just gave me a long list of things I can’t do or take for it because I’m pregnant.

It just makes me a bit sad because my husband and I always thought we wanted 3 kids and I’m just not sure I can do this again!

I'm kind of glad to see it's not just me who's not able to just get on with it. I've seen so many people around me still doing everything despite being pregnant, I found summer really hard as I was just too hot no matter where I went! Then the weather cooled down and I just ended up really slow and in pain.

We thought we could have had 3 kids too but after this we are so ready to say goodbye to this phase of life! We've had an awful few years to get to this point with losses too so don't want to experience any of that again either.