Dear all, I did this post purely for comparison between my first and second pregnancy. This is also like a short summary of my two pregnancies, which are actually 6 years apart (in 2010 and 2016). My second pregnancy experience is slightly smoother than the first one. But other mothers may have it the other way. Indeed, all pregnancies are unique.
Side note: Compared to my first pregnancy, my second pregnancy was tougher in the initial months but giving birth was easier.
Side note: Compared to my first pregnancy, my second pregnancy was tougher in the initial months but giving birth was easier.
First Pregnancy
Prelude
My hubby and I tried to conceive for 6 months to no avail. 😐 I was in my 20s (28 years old) and both hubby and I were working full-time. Finally, after 6 months of disappointment, we've got a bun in the oven! Felt so thankful for that.
I began my maternity leave during week 37 and gave birth that very week, just hours after we've set up the baby cot. Talk about timely arrival! 😃 Because I worked full time, I have literally no time to indulge in feeling, counting, or monitoring baby kicks or Braxton hicks contraction. Neither was there time to relax or 'enjoy' my pregnancy. Everything was in a rush. It's work, work and work. I almost always helplessly fell asleep at the gynae's clinic. And even during my confinement period after giving birth, I was constantly checking emails, taking phone calls, replying sms, and even made a few trips back to the workplace to clear up some work clog.
Before pregnancy, I was 50kg, and then gained about 18kg during pregnancy, with the weighing scale tipping slightly more than 68kg - the heaviest in my entire life. Then I lost 10kg immediately after giving birth, reducing to about 58kg. I had water retention while I was 6 to 7 months pregnant which continued months after delivery. I guess, that adds on significantly to my total weight gain.
Pregnancy Symptoms
I began my maternity leave during week 37 and gave birth that very week, just hours after we've set up the baby cot. Talk about timely arrival! 😃 Because I worked full time, I have literally no time to indulge in feeling, counting, or monitoring baby kicks or Braxton hicks contraction. Neither was there time to relax or 'enjoy' my pregnancy. Everything was in a rush. It's work, work and work. I almost always helplessly fell asleep at the gynae's clinic. And even during my confinement period after giving birth, I was constantly checking emails, taking phone calls, replying sms, and even made a few trips back to the workplace to clear up some work clog.
Before pregnancy, I was 50kg, and then gained about 18kg during pregnancy, with the weighing scale tipping slightly more than 68kg - the heaviest in my entire life. Then I lost 10kg immediately after giving birth, reducing to about 58kg. I had water retention while I was 6 to 7 months pregnant which continued months after delivery. I guess, that adds on significantly to my total weight gain.
Pregnancy Symptoms
My first pregnancy was an uncomfortable experience. I had horrible constipation and haemorrhoids (piles) and was on laxatives every week. Once I didn't go for 21 days and felt like my tummy's about to explode with all the food eaten over 3 weeks! I felt like vomiting all the time but nothing comes out. I had frequent bleeding gums, carpal tunnel syndrome (painful, weak wrist), spider veins forming on my thighs, gestational diabetes and fainted twice while I was outdoors.
I also had terrible heartburn which literally feels like fire burning my heart and something strangling at my neck and I can't breathe properly every minute starting from the 4th month of pregnancy, and I needed to sleep on 3 pillows (slept almost sitting up!) to feel and breathe better and my feet swelled up from the 7th month onwards. I did not watch my diet and eat anything available but I exercised a lot (walked and hiked at the park every other day or two). One of the only few good things about the first pregnancy was having a crown of shiny thick hair, and another was having glowy skin.
D-day
Waters broke on its own on week 37 one night after dinner. Rushed to the hospital at almost 12 midnight. Contractions began soon and became more intense and more frequent as hours passed by - till dawn finally breaks. Took epidural 2 hours before birth, upon constant, almost vehement, persuasion. Pain subsided and we waited uneventfully, falling in and out of sleep while nurses walks in and out of the room checking on my dilation frequently. Then, I was finally told to push although I can't feel my lower body. I just 'pushed' really hard. After sometime, baby is out, on week 37+1 day. Had the episiotomy stitched back. Total 14 hours labour, from midnight to afternoon. My boy weighs 2.52kg, is 52cm in height and has 32cm head circumference.
Postpartum Issues
The uterine contractions (that is supposed to shrink the uterus back to its original size before pregnancy) were really painful when the epidural effects wore off - especially while I was breastfeeding. I took a lot of painkillers. I had heavy bleeding(lochia) for more than a week before it tapers off and stops completely in week 3 to 4. Right after birth, I had shivers and I vomited - the after effects of epidural that no one told me about. And I felt weak and tired like I'm being hit by a truck. I was heaty and sweaty all the time. For breastfeeding, baby had no problems latching on and it wasn't painful, even when he teethed at 2 months old. Milk supply came in abundantly after day 3. Weirdly, I cannot pump and store milk. It just won't let down with a pump - milk comes on only when baby is latched on, but not when I use the pump. Baby had high level of jaundice and needed phototherapy for 2-3 days.
I also had a prolapsed bladder after giving birth. My bladder hanged out of my below and I diligently did Kegel exercise for weeks before it went back up. Finally, I had back pain right at the spot where epidural was administered - for one entire year. So, that was 2-3 hours of pain relief (epidural) during childbirth in exchange for one year of back pain and weakness. Definitely not a good deal. The thing is, I was vehemently 'persuaded' into taking epidural by the doctor and nurse while it was already nearing the end of the labour and I was in confusion and great pain. Doctor said it was because of incoordinate uterine contractions.
I also had terrible heartburn which literally feels like fire burning my heart and something strangling at my neck and I can't breathe properly every minute starting from the 4th month of pregnancy, and I needed to sleep on 3 pillows (slept almost sitting up!) to feel and breathe better and my feet swelled up from the 7th month onwards. I did not watch my diet and eat anything available but I exercised a lot (walked and hiked at the park every other day or two). One of the only few good things about the first pregnancy was having a crown of shiny thick hair, and another was having glowy skin.
D-day
Waters broke on its own on week 37 one night after dinner. Rushed to the hospital at almost 12 midnight. Contractions began soon and became more intense and more frequent as hours passed by - till dawn finally breaks. Took epidural 2 hours before birth, upon constant, almost vehement, persuasion. Pain subsided and we waited uneventfully, falling in and out of sleep while nurses walks in and out of the room checking on my dilation frequently. Then, I was finally told to push although I can't feel my lower body. I just 'pushed' really hard. After sometime, baby is out, on week 37+1 day. Had the episiotomy stitched back. Total 14 hours labour, from midnight to afternoon. My boy weighs 2.52kg, is 52cm in height and has 32cm head circumference.
Postpartum Issues
The uterine contractions (that is supposed to shrink the uterus back to its original size before pregnancy) were really painful when the epidural effects wore off - especially while I was breastfeeding. I took a lot of painkillers. I had heavy bleeding(lochia) for more than a week before it tapers off and stops completely in week 3 to 4. Right after birth, I had shivers and I vomited - the after effects of epidural that no one told me about. And I felt weak and tired like I'm being hit by a truck. I was heaty and sweaty all the time. For breastfeeding, baby had no problems latching on and it wasn't painful, even when he teethed at 2 months old. Milk supply came in abundantly after day 3. Weirdly, I cannot pump and store milk. It just won't let down with a pump - milk comes on only when baby is latched on, but not when I use the pump. Baby had high level of jaundice and needed phototherapy for 2-3 days.
I also had a prolapsed bladder after giving birth. My bladder hanged out of my below and I diligently did Kegel exercise for weeks before it went back up. Finally, I had back pain right at the spot where epidural was administered - for one entire year. So, that was 2-3 hours of pain relief (epidural) during childbirth in exchange for one year of back pain and weakness. Definitely not a good deal. The thing is, I was vehemently 'persuaded' into taking epidural by the doctor and nurse while it was already nearing the end of the labour and I was in confusion and great pain. Doctor said it was because of incoordinate uterine contractions.
Mother-in-law came to help during my confinement period. She cooked meals for everyone and I hired massage lady for a 5 day postnatal massage.
PS: Later, I came to know, I was told to take epidural because of incoordinate uterine contractions which may prolong childbirth and thus cause maternal and fetal distress and whole lot of other dangers. Taking epidural is one of the ways to regulate uterine contractions.
Second Pregnancy
Prelude
Prelude
For my second pregnancy, I was in my 30s (34 years old), and we conceived after trying for a month. Lucky! This time round, I was a stay home mom with a 6 year old (my firstborn) to attend to. Although I did not exercise but I was actively doing all the housework and running family and personal errands up till the day I give birth. I also watched my diet and ate healthily. But I skipped taking pregnancy vitamins and supplements as they cause very bad constipation.
I was about 53kg before my second pregnancy and gained about 10kg during pregnancy, with the scale tipping slightly over 63kg. But I only lost 5kg immediately after giving birth, reducing to about 58kg. While I was breastfeeding, I ate alot and had water retention and gained 1-2kg of weight. After 5 months, I was back to 53kg. I would say I lost all the weight due to taking care of baby, doing housework and running errands.
I was about 53kg before my second pregnancy and gained about 10kg during pregnancy, with the scale tipping slightly over 63kg. But I only lost 5kg immediately after giving birth, reducing to about 58kg. While I was breastfeeding, I ate alot and had water retention and gained 1-2kg of weight. After 5 months, I was back to 53kg. I would say I lost all the weight due to taking care of baby, doing housework and running errands.
Pregnancy Symptoms
Nausea kicks in very early from week 5 up to week 25, and heartburn begins after nausea ends. I was constantly peeing (every 15mins to 2 hour), had insomnia and had bodily heat and chills - my body heats up and sweats at one moment and then shivers in cold (till I get goosebumps) the next moment. It was unbearable. Plus, I was coughing for the first 3 to 4 months of my pregnancy due to atopy (allergic). That was quite unbearable too.
I also had facial acne, hair loss, had all sorts of dreams (good, bad, weird, or meaningless ones), and had water retention only after sitting at the desk for hours. I had 3 episodes of diarrhea instead of constipation. (Hurray! I'm not complaining. At least things move!). And I skipped all supplements and vitamins as I was eating very healthily and for the fear of triggering constipation. I also ate lots of pineapple and guava in the 2nd and 3rd trimester.
D-day
I was 2cm dilated at week 37. Then I was 2.5cm dilated at week 38 appointment at 9.30am at the hospital and requested to give birth that very day. Doctor gave the green light! Had Pitocin administered into my body to induce labour and also antibiotics because I had group B strep (GBS). This time I insist on not getting the epidural, but as the contraction pain became so intense I caved in and took the laughing gas (nitrous oxide) which reduced the pain by about 30 percent, in my opinion. Which is godsent.
Total of 8 hours labour, from morning to evening, normal virginal delivery with no epidural. Used laughing gas. After hours of contraction, I felt baby coming out. It was like a hard rock and the whole experience really felt like I was pooping the biggest poop in the world (sorry, but true! I don't even really have to push it out, it was involuntary). After some intense pain, which I thought I was going to die or pass out from, the baby is out. After a few moments, I felt the placenta coming out. Baby is 2.64 kg, 51cm height, 33cm head circumference. Perineal tear is stitched up.
Total of 8 hours labour, from morning to evening, normal virginal delivery with no epidural. Used laughing gas. After hours of contraction, I felt baby coming out. It was like a hard rock and the whole experience really felt like I was pooping the biggest poop in the world (sorry, but true! I don't even really have to push it out, it was involuntary). After some intense pain, which I thought I was going to die or pass out from, the baby is out. After a few moments, I felt the placenta coming out. Baby is 2.64 kg, 51cm height, 33cm head circumference. Perineal tear is stitched up.
Postpartum Issues
Baby is constantly spitting out milk and having dark and
sticky greenish poo for first few days. Doctor says it’s normal. I had hemorrhoids
(piles), lumps in armpit (extension of breast lumps), painful and engorged
breast with sore, bruised nipples, and more spider veins forming around both my thighs. Milk supply came in on day 4. Total of 2-3 days
of heavy lochia bleeding before it slows to a stop in week 4 after giving birth. So much thick menstrual pads unused. Stitched area below is swollen, sore and numb. On the third week, had
carpal tunnel syndrome (painful and weak right wrist and hand). Had bodily
fluid retention and was bloated. Even put on weight during confinement as I was
eating a lot due to hunger after breastfeeding.
Feel normal just after giving birth. Don’t feel weak, tired
and sweaty at all. No obvious uterine contractions at all. Didn’t take
painkillers at all. Baby latching no
good. Baby's mouth too small or doesn’t open wide enough for a good latch. But I
persisted, rejecting all encouragement to formula feed. Thankfully, I can pump
and store milk this time round. Meaning, if I am super tired and needed a rest,
I can just pump milk so that someone else can feed him later while I rest.
40-100ml each time for both breasts. Not a lot, but still enough.
Hubby is the confinement daddy this time. He
also helped with cleaning and cooking for me. I only drink red date tea and bathed with herbal confinement bath on the second day, the day I was discharged from hospital. Ordered confinement tingkat and
had Jamu massage this time round again which helped a lot in milk production but
only wrap tummy tightly for 3 days, 8 hours each before I gave up because I was
so sweaty and it was really uncomfortable. It worsens my bladder prolapse (collapse) and I
couldn’t really breathe freely. I was told that in order to have a flat tummy,
I must wrap for a month! I decided to let go though. Due to the kegel exercises I did diligently, bladder went back up. But I have to deal with incontinence for about 5 months. I wet myself easily. Now I am ok, thankfully.
The End