The First Pregnancy Is Always the Hardest

on June 6, 2011 at 12:01 PM

pregnant mom daughter My second pregnancy was easier than my first, so I've always wondered if the more pregnancies you have, the easier they get? Maybe, over time, your body just learns to sort of go on autopilot ... or maybe the physical stress of multiple pregnancies catches up with you, making things harder instead.

Lauryn Hill just announced her sixth pregnancy, and I'm guessing the expectant mom's anxiety level must be way lower than it was the first or second time around. By the fifth or sixth baby, you've probably dealt with every symptom imaginable: Braxton-Hicks? No problem! Sciatica? Whatever. You know the drill, it's just a matter of managing the discomfort when you have a bunch of other kids running around. I would imagine childbirth becomes less of a shock to the system, too. In fact, a friend of mine who's the oldest of nine children told me her mother drove herself to the hospital when she went into labor for the eighth time.

On the other hand, a woman like Michelle Duggar put herself at serious risk by having 19 kids in rapid succession. Experts recommend spacing out pregnancies by at least 18 months, and women are more at risk of developing complications like pre-term labor, postpartum hemorrhaging, and even heart problems after their fourth pregnancy. So maybe if you're looking to have a big family, four evenly spaced kids are the safest bet. (Cause, you know, life is so easy to plan out like that.)

Do you have a big family? Did your pregnancies get easier or more difficult over time?

Image via EricRussell80/Flickr

About the author Jacqueline Burt

has written for numerous magazines, newspapers, and websites. She is easily bored and often tired, so she requires constant entertainment to keep her awake. Dance, Monkey! Dance!

Filed Under: pregnancy health, labor, complications

Comments (12)

starrsitter

on Jun 6, 2011 at 12:12 PM

I think you're out of your damn mind. I'm at 35 weeks with my second and this one has been easily 10 times worse. Maybe I'm weird or something, but at this point I'm not sure there will be a third.

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jmomma2009

on Jun 6, 2011 at 12:24 PM

I don't think it matters what pregnancy it is.. I'm pregnant with my second son, and in some ways this pregnancy has been easier, in some ways harder. With my first, I was sick thru the whole thing. With this one, I haven't gotten sick at all, but my joints ache so bad I can barely walk. All pregnancies are different.

frugalitymom

I had my son in my early 20's and had him at 32 weeks due to an incompentent cervix. Almost 11 years later this is my second and it's worse by far. More pain than my son and I have made it to 36 weeks but with a cerclage and a lot of taking it easy and still working almost full time. I think the older you get the harder it is on your body and one pregnancy doesn't guarantee the rest will be easier.

stellarluna

on Jun 6, 2011 at 12:34 PM

my second was the most challenging, and at 3 years old , I can still say that! from the moment of conception! My first was the easiest... no other kids to care for and I could rest when I wanted; oh the good 'ol days ; ) my third was also easy I was just more tired because of two kids. My third was the easiest labor, too.

butterflymkm

on Jun 6, 2011 at 2:06 PM

Just from what I have read online and from family I think number 2 seems to be harder. We only have one thus far. It seems like with number one your body isn't as used to it by you get more chance to rest. It seems by number three though you get used to it more and things are a bit easier. But I agree that every pregnancy is different so there is really no way to tell. Pretty sure by number 10+ the baby is slip & slidin out of there though :p. I say this bcuz my mother in laws family is very catholic and she has 7 siblings and her mother had a total of 10 pregnancys (some mcs) she said by the last one she gave birth within a couple hours of labor starting and hardly felt a thing.

jalaz77

on Jun 6, 2011 at 4:22 PM

My first was my easiest. All were easy, really.

Nonmember comment from Elle

on Jun 6, 2011 at 4:31 PM

My first pregnancy was a DREAM. My second and third, however, not so much.....and by that, I mean I felt like dying. Almost did with number 3...never again!!

momof3inTN

on Jun 6, 2011 at 8:32 PM

My first pregnancy was awful. Not because of the symptoms or anything, but because it was all brand new. Sure, I could talk to women who had been through it before, I could read books... but that's nothing like living it for the first time. And then I got slammed with 81 hours of labor. Yeah, that right there almost put the cabosh on having a large family.

But we got pregnant again 10 months later. And that pregnancy and labor wasn't nearly as bad as the first (and with only an 8 hour labor it was much more comfortable, LOL). And then 5 years later, baby #3 was conceived (and the best part was I only labored for 4 hours!). Again... having been through it all before twice... no big deal. I knew what was going to happen, when it would happen, and what to expect.

Now I'm pregnant with #4 and (though the morning sickness is miserable, I knew it was coming) really... I'm ready for anything by this point. I've been down this road before and I'm ready to go again. So I have to agree, at least for me, pregnancy and labor and delvery get easier with each successive pregnancy... makes me want to have 3 more!

QuantumLove

on Jun 6, 2011 at 9:15 PM

This is my second pregnancy and I have to say, it is SO much easier than my first was. My first was a boy and this one is a girl....so....IDK. My friend who is pregnant with a boy now, says her pregnancy now, is WAY harder than her first who was a girl. IDK IDK IDK lol.