Second babies are easier to deliver than first babies. Why? Lots of reasons: Our uteruses get smarter and figure out how to do the job. All the muscles, tissues and bones have already stretched out making it easier for the baby to descend.
The average first-time mom will give birth at 40 weeks and 5 days. The average delivery week for a second-time mom is roughly 40 weeks and 3 days—a whopping 2-day (average) difference. So yes, statistically, 2nd babies do come earlier by an average of 2 days (but 2 days nonetheless!).
3 Reasons a Second Pregnancy May Be Easier
For a second pregnancy it's 5 hours. Suturing or episiotomies are less likely as your body has already stretched to accommodate the birth of a child. Testing may be easier. Technologies are always developing.
For most mums, being pregnant a second or subsequent time can be easier than the first. Having experienced it before, you'll be more equipped to know how to look after yourself. In fact, that's the reason some mums are offered fewer midwife appointments than during their first pregnancy.
Having two kids is exponentially more difficult than having just one. Just when you think you've figured things out, you'll face an entirely new challenge, like trying to feed a baby with a toddler climbing on you, or changing a diaper while your previously potty-trained toddler poops in the corner.
06/6Verdict. VERDICT: As per World Health Organization, a gap of at least 24 months should be there between your first and second child. By this time, the mother's body gets fully recovered from her first pregnancy as she replenishes the nutrients she lost in her first pregnancy.
Research has showed that, while having one child is associated with a gain in happiness, having a second is associated with a drop in happiness for mothers.
Will my second birth be less painful? Although the sensations of the contractions are likely to be the same, most women say that they are able to cope with them more easily. Knowing what to expect and preparing beforehand play a role in this. As labour is often shorter, you won't feel so tired either .
It's important to remember that these lowered levels of satisfaction are for the first year or two after the child's birth. The birth of the second child, however, is more likely to be harder on the father than the mother, when it comes to their feelings about their marital or cohabiting relationship.
Your second pregnancy is often different than your first. You might show sooner, feel more tired, have stronger or more frequent back pains, and notice Braxton Hicks contractions earlier. Labor will likely be faster, but postpartum recovery could take longer.
For many women, the first trimester of pregnancy is often the hardest. During this period, your body is going through a major transformation and needs time to adjust to the changes.
Most second timers are more attuned to the early symptoms of pregnancy and more apt to recognize them. That said, the symptoms themselves might vary from the last time — you might have more or less morning sickness or other tummy troubles, for example, or more or less urinary frequency.
The report found that among women who had a vaginal delivery at second birth, the rate of a severe tear was 7.2% in women with a tear at first birth, compared to 1.3% in women without, a more than five-fold increase in risk.
Second babies are easier to deliver than first babies. Why? Lots of reasons: Our uteruses get smarter and figure out how to do the job. All the muscles, tissues and bones have already stretched out making it easier for the baby to descend.
For first time mothers, the active first stage of labour (when the cervix dilates from 4 cm to 10cm) normally lasts an average of eight hours, and is unlikely to last longer than 18 hours. However, for second time birthers, this average is five hours, and is unlikely to last longer than 12 hours.
Bladder Infections and Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) Severe UTIs and those that involve infections of the bladder and/or kidneys are very painful, and sometimes women also get these infections during pregnancy.
Will I have a bigger baby? There's evidence that second babies tend to be bigger than first babies (Bacci et al 2014). But this isn't always the case, and the difference doesn't tend to be dramatic. On average, second babies are about 100g (3.5oz) heavier than first babies (Bacci et al 2014).
You have more aches and pains
The body very quickly begins to relax its joints, leading to more body aches with the second baby than the first.
Grow your family to at least four children! According to a study out of Australia's Edith Cowan University, parents with the most life satisfaction (which means those who are the happiest) are those that have four or more children.
According to some random online survey, the most stressful number of kids to have is three. In fact, having four is supposed to be less stressful than three kids.
Is it a household of girls, a household of boys, or a mix of the two best for parents? According to a survey conducted by British parenting website Bounty, two girls are considered the best combination for parents to have a happy and harmonious family life.
Here, researchers tracked people over 20 years and found that parents were actually happier after the birth of their second baby. With their first child, life satisfaction dipped for several years, then increased to levels higher than before. But a second child steadily increased happiness.
The Pros Of Having Another Baby #1: They Will Always Have Each Other. A sibling can be a lifelong friend. Long after you're gone, the siblings will still be able to rely on each other for friendship and support. Your children will have each other for the rest of their lives.
A plurality (41%) of moms at the end of their childbearing years now report having two kids, while just 14% have four or more children.