My Second Pregnancy
My Second Pregnancy – What I’m Doing Differently This Time Around
Well hello dear readers (queue Julie Andrews Bridgerton voice),
It’s been quite awhile since my first couple of blog posts introducing myself and my postpartum story. Now, four years into becoming a mother, we are now expecting our second baby (another boy! #boymama), and we couldn’t be more thrilled.
The timing really was perfect, as anytime before this, we wouldn’t have been ready, and we didn’t want to stretch out their age gap any longer. This time around, I’m already considered “geriatric” as I will turn 35 by the time this baby comes – what joy! Sigh, the terms they use for women…
So what am I doing differently to support this pregnancy and leading up to my second early postpartum period? Well in a nutshelll…everything?! Ha!
For starters, I started my last pregnancy eating in a VERY plant-based way. I used to get dizzy and feel very depleted until I realized that I truly needed MUCH more protein than what I was getting. I had been following very insufficient health advice at this time, including that I didn’t need much protein and fat (boy did I have some massive unlearning to do when studying proper postpartum nutrition).
This time around, I am ensuring I have 30+ grams of protein per meal, healthy fats, and whole-food based carbs. I’m not measuring fat and carbs (but am mindful that I’m not going overboard with carbs to keep my blood sugar in check), but really getting adequate protein helps support what baby and I need, plus keeps me full and feeling good throughout the day.
Rather than focusing our preparation on the “stuff” we need (although we have so many “boy” things we can reuse), we are preparing for what postpartum support we need, keeping my stress in check during this pregnancy, ensuring have healthy boundaries in place with trusting, loving support around us, ensuring our health care providers are in alignment with the kind of environment I need to give birth in – you get the idea! Supportive foundations to support our mental and physical health needs is vital, not the “gadgets” and cute baby clothes.
And lastly, it is certainly much more difficult this time around having a toddler to care for while pregnant and trying to get the extra rest I need. But, I still need that rest, and so we have tweaked our usual schedules and routines to ensure that I can get extra rest that I need to function well. I count my blessings daily that I have such a supportive partner who helps me make this happen and staying flexible as my needs evolve with each and every week.
For more information on how I’m creating a peaceful postpartum, grab my “The Peaceful Postpartum Playbook” for a complete, holistic guide to ensure postpartum wellness while reversing/avoiding adrenal fatigue, cortisol dysregulation, and overall burnout/depletion:
Grab “The Peaceful Postpartum Playbook” Here!
Until next time,
Lauren, Peace in Postpartum