I’ve heard it a thousand times: every pregnancy is different. While some things have been pretty similar to my pregnancy with Liam, not everything is exactly the same. I think many of the differences have to do with this not being my first pregnancy, but there have been other factors, as well.
1. Bigger, faster! When I became pregnant with Liam, I started off about 10 lbs heavier than I did this time. I also gained more weight earlier with him and, as of now at week 20, I’m up about 10 lbs (I don’t know how much weight I had gained at this point with Liam, but I know it was more). However, my bump popped out way earlier this time. I can’t believe how different I look at feel at this point compared to when I was pregnant with Liam!
2. More active. When I was pregnant with Liam, I was sooooooo lazy. I would go to work, come home, and either go to bed until dinner time or sit on the couch watching TV until dinner. Now, I have Liam, so that’s just not possible. We go on a lot more walks and I stay pretty active playing with him and chasing him around. He’s actually really good at playing independently, so I do get some down time, but I definitely can’t take a nap after work like I used to do.
3. Found out the sex sooner. With Liam, we had the anatomy scan at around 18 weeks, but had the tech write down the sex and seal it in an envelope that we didn’t open for two more weeks, on my husband’s birthday. This time, we found out at my NT scan at 14 weeks. I was really anxious to know this time and we didn’t have a reason to wait, so when the tech was able to tell me confidently that it was a girl, I was so excited. A different tech confirmed it was a girl at my anatomy scan, too.
4. More worry. Since we lost a pregnancy last year at 9 weeks, I have been so worried we would lose this one. I had a lot of bleeding a few weeks ago and thought for sure that was it, but it stopped and the baby looks great. Our anatomy scan shows some sort of pool of blood that could be a venus lake or placental abruption. I’m going to be seeing a high risk doctor to monitor it, but since I haven’t had any bleeding since that first time, it will probably be fine.
5. Less documentation. With Liam, I took bump pictures and wrote updates weekly starting at 9 weeks. This time, I have taken a few lazy bump pictures (mostly of just my belly from above with Liam in the frame) and not written much in the way of updates. I think this is due to the fact that I was scared I’d lose the pregnancy and because this isn’t my first, so in addition to having less extra time on my hands, I don’t feel the need to document everything in such detail this time around.
6. Felt the baby move earlier. With Liam, I started feeling the baby move around 14 weeks, but that was just a very light flutter here or there. This time, I started feeling movements around 12 weeks and by 14 they were real distinguishable baby movements. Feeling the baby move is by far my favorite thing about pregnancy. I love it so much!
7. Same amount of nausea. With both pregnancies, I experienced nausea in the first trimester, but I never actually threw up. If I felt sick, I would try to eat something a drink water and it would usually go away.
8. Lots of headaches. Both pregnancies have given me bad headaches. They have slowed down a bit, but I still get them a couple of times a week. Ibuprofen is usually the only thing that works when I get a headache, so not being able to take that makes it more annoying.
9. Terrible acne. I had a lot of breakouts with Liam and I have a lot now. It drives me nuts because usually I’d get one pimple when I started my cycle, but now I have 3 or 4 all the time. I don’t like wearing a lot of makeup, but I feel like I have to wear more now to cover them up (which probably doesn’t help matters).
10. Same joy. I actually really like being pregnant. I like growing a bump and I never feel too awful, so it’s a fun, happy time for me. I was so excited to be pregnant with Liam and experience it all for the first time and I feel the same way now, even though I’ve done it before.
What were some similarities and differences between your pregnancies?
Differences Between Pregnancies part 9 of 11
1. Symptom Comparison by mrs. wagon2. Pregnancy, the Second Time Around by Mrs. High Heels
3. A Surprise Pregnancy: Physical Differences by Mrs. Yoyo
4. A Surprise Pregnancy: Emotional Differences by Mrs. Yoyo
5. Second Pregnancy Symptoms by Mrs. Hopscotch
6. My Different Pregnancies by Mrs. Checkers
7. Comparing Pregnancies by Mrs. Jump Rope
8. First Trimester: This Time vs. Last Time by Mrs. Confetti
9. Last time and this time by mrs. tictactoe
10. Pregnancy: My Second Time Around by Mrs. Pom Pom
11. Differences Between Two Pregnancies by Mrs. Rabbit
blogger / clementine / 750 posts
I love these posts! I also really love how he’s in the shot with you! This time around I’m documenting things WAY less than last time. It’s a little ridiculous how much I put into my first pregnancy (documentation-wise) and I wish someone was like, “whoa! Slow down there!” My daughter is a bit too young to be in the frame like Liam is, though, so I may have to keep that in mind for next year.
I also popped a lot earlier and started feeling the baby move earlier—I had an anterior placenta the first time, so feeling it so early was almost strange!
blogger / cherry / 204 posts
I’ve actually been the opposite on a few things! Gaining much more weight this time, feel less active and less worried and didn’t feel the baby until later. Every pregnancy really is so different! It is crazy though how much faster the bump popped out this second time around, and I’m with you on less documentation for sure (poor second babies!)
blogger / kiwi / 675 posts
I got the worst headaches with both of my pregnancies too. Im so excited for you!!
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
Cool to see these comparisons!
I had more nausea in the 1st tri the 2nd time (and the rest of the pregnancy was about the same), different aversions, found out sex way earlier (at 12 weeks the 2nd time!), way less active (too exhauseted with a toddler in tow, but gained the same amt! guess the body’s going to do what the body’s going to do), no documentation, and unfortunately, not the same amount of joy (just so tired all the time. couldn’t enjoy it as much with a toddler and was probably not taking as good care of myself).
pomegranate / 3053 posts
Wow, I feel as if I wrote this!
Except the headaches were less frequent with my second. I had almost daily headaches here and there with my first pregnancy. I just napped it off with my first anytime I felt it since I had no one else to look after except for my dog. 
Luckily, with my second it wasn’t as frequent but I still would get it and would just move slower and hope that it would go away when my first was napping. If I could bare it I would just nap it off, when it got worse I had to take Tylenol to function.
I love the expression on his face on the last belly picture. So adorable!
I have friends who found out the sex at 12 weeks during their NT!
blogger / cherry / 247 posts
i second erwoo’s comment!!! yes yes yes. so different than the first time!