Future parents sit on websites and forums for mothers, study tons of information provided by the media, share their feelings and fears, ask thousands of questions regarding pregnancy and childbirth. To be honest, it’s worth noting that those who are not preparing for this role for the first time are no less puzzled.
If you are one of them, then your body remembered the previous experience, so Mother Nature ordered it. You already know what awaits you - at the psychological level you are ready. However, as you know, you can’t enter the same river twice. Whatever your birth, it will always be an exciting and unique event. And you probably remember your first harbingers of childbirth. One way or another, consciously or unconsciously, you draw an analogy the first time. But did you know that the precursors of childbirth in the second-born may differ in their unobtrusiveness or weak expression?
What you should pay attention to?
First, listen to your feelings and observe. It is not a fact that you will immediately notice how the body conducts enhanced preparation for the process of procreation. However, you can still recognize the precursors of childbirth in the second-born, if you are careful.
Weight
If you follow the changes in your weight during pregnancy, you will probably notice that you have stopped gaining weight, and possibly dropped to 2 kg!
Mood swings and loss of appetite
Often a woman who is not preparing to become a mother for the first time is actively engaged in family affairs, therefore she is not particularly susceptible to such changes, however, these phenomena also take place.
Irregular uterine contractions
Since your body has already experienced the process of childbirth, the uterus is more elastic, because it already has the experience of giving birth to a baby. In this regard, such precursors of childbirth, like irregular uterine contractions, you may go unnoticed. If in the first-born, they begin 5-7 weeks before the treasured date, then in the second-born, they can appear much later. If this happens shortly before the expected date, you can easily confuse them with labor and hurry to come to the hospital, because there is an opinion that the second birth is quick.
Abdominal prolapse
You probably remember how in the first pregnancy, not only you, but the whole family, friends and acquaintances were anxiously watching your stomach. Perhaps this time you have to wait for this moment almost before the birth.
When the child moves into the pelvis, breathing will be easier, but there will be lower back pain and the need for frequent visits to the toilet room, because the baby will put pressure on the walls of the uterus and, accordingly, on organs and parts of the body that are in contact with it.
Mucus plug
The process of discharge of the mucous plug (possibly with streaks of blood) in the first pregnancy could stretch for a couple of weeks remaining before delivery. Now, this can happen in a couple of days, and a couple of hours before the "X-hour".
Uneven fetal movement
As practice shows, these precursors of childbirth in the second-born, as in principle and in the first-born, not every expectant mother can designate for herself.
Amniotic fluid contractions and discharge
This is the immediate beginning of labor, and you are already aware of how it looks. It just depends on what pain threshold you have, how soon you notice these pulling and rolling pains in the lower abdomen. Also, in the second-born, the grappling period usually lasts two times less than the first time, but it also passes more intensively. Because of this, rapid delivery is possible. If the last time there was an amniotomy (in other words, a puncture of the fetal bladder), then the discharge of amniotic fluid may come as a surprise to you. You will not ignore this event. In this case, as in labor, you must go to the hospital. There is no mistake here - the birth has begun!
It is worth recalling such changes in the body that prompt the woman about the approach of childbirth, such as pressure in the perineum, chills, frequent bowel movements and cervical maturation. The gynecologist will notify you of the latter after examination on the armchair. Now you know which precursors of childbirth are worthy of attention!
Is it necessary to repeat that each pregnancy is unique and peculiar? Probably not! Accordingly, the precursors of childbirth in the second-born can be radically different from those during the first experience of childbearing.
Have a good birth!