Suspicions Confirmed

Through the past week of P2 (pregnancy #2), I've been keeping track of the same symptoms as before and the things that are different. Today, I thought, let me do some research and see what is typically happening out there when women go for round 2. 

First of all, here's what I'm experiencing so far:

Back pain - FAR worse than last time and much earlier

Nausea - earlier, but less extreme (so far, here's hopin')

Frequent urination - MUCH earlier!!!

Breast tenderness - more severe, same timing

Appetite - Well, first time, I had no appetite for 20 weeks, lost 17 lbs. This time, I want to eat everything in sight and ALL the time, but only gained 1 lb so far, so we'll see on that

Cravings - MUCH earlier, more extreme

Headaches - earlier, but not as bad, so far

Nose Bleeds/Stuffy Nose - earlier, only had 2 nosebleeds so far, definitely already stuffy

Thirst - much less extreme. This was one symptom that sticks out to me as an early sign during the first pregnancy. I simply could not get enough water, I was always thirsty. This is the first symptom I remember having that tipped me off as weird, because it doesn't happen during a typical menstrual cycle. I haven't experienced this much at all so far

Abdominal "Thickening" - I call it good ol' bloating, much earlier, same severity so far

Fatigue - earlier, less severe than first time, so far

Insomnia - WAAAAY earlier. Seriously? I can't sleep at night, already???

Cramping - none first time, quite a bit so far this time

So, here's some info I found to confirm my wondering about such early symptoms:

Every pregnancy is unique in the sense that it would bring about some symptoms which were not experienced in the earlier pregnancies. But many of the symptoms can be the same, the difference being the time they are experienced. Some of the symptoms can be experienced a month earlier while some others, a month later. The intensity of these pregnancy symptoms can also vary and it can be more or less. The early signs of a pregnancy the second time round can be different. Some of the first symptoms of a second pregnancy are:

• Fatigue – As your body has endured the great strains of a pregnancy already, the raised high level of progesterone would make you tired earlier. While in your first pregnancy, the same rise of progesterone would have brought tiredness a month after conception, the second time round; it might come about a week after conception.
• Spotting – Cramping and spotting is experienced but these symptoms can be taken to mean the usual periods. This happens six to 12 days prior to fertilisation, in which period, the embryo gets attached to the wall of the uterus.
• Pregnancy bump comes earlier – As your abdominal muscles have already been stretched, it is normal that your pregnancy bump starts to show earlier this time. You will need to wear maternity clothing earlier. But the bump would not grow larger than the previous time.
• Less conscious of your pregnancy week – In your first pregnancy, you would be very conscious of looking after yourself, and would have taken care to prepare yourself emotionally for the delivery. In case of pregnancy the second time around, many moms lose the focus, inclination or the energy to be so concerned. They often forget even their week of pregnancy. That is why second time pregnancies do not feel as long as the first one for many women.
• Headaches – Similar to fatigue, headaches can also start early in the second pregnancy with the rise in progesterone level. It would be for apparently no reason. After conception, headaches can start soon.
• Weight gain – While, it is not unusual for a woman to not have any noticeable symptoms in the first pregnancy, earlier weight gain is one of the symptoms of a second pregnancy. The thickening of pregnant women’s midsection happens earlier in the second pregnancy. This is because the muscles of the woman have already been stretched before and so, they relax and stretch easily.

(Info from www.justmommies.com)

So, that seems to account for some things (assurance I'm not crazy or weird is nice). It made sense overall that because this body already did it once, it would be quicker to change than last time, but its nice to confirm my suspicions. Having that assurance can really help. For example, my friend in New York, told me last month that she had more cramping this time around (she is also on her second) in the beginning, and I must say that that would have been the most worrisome new symptom, because I'd associate cramping with shedding the lining of the uterus and therefore losing the pregnancy, if I didn't know that its normal the second time around. It's not something I experienced at the beginning if my first pregnancy. Although, it was associated with the loss of the pregnancy last month, I'm still not worried about that symptom at all, just knowing that it's a common second pregnancy thing. So, thanks to the Internet (and my P2 veteran friend) for easing my mind!