Second Pregnancy Challenges: Caring for Yourself While Caring for a Child

Second Pregnancy Tips: How do you care for yourself while you care for your child

We are sharing today some of the second pregnancy tips: How Do You Take Care of yourself AND your first child? One of the biggest second pregnancy challenges is balancing the need to care for yourself while also caring for your first born. The challenge becomes even trickier if your first child is still very young. While your instincts tell you to put your child first, if you’re not taking care of your needs, you won’t be in a position to take care of other’s needs.

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Second Pregnancy Tips: How to Care for Yourself AND Your Child During a Second Pregnancy

Taking care of yourself and your firstborn during your second pregnancy requires a bit of planning, prioritizing and relying on others. Let’s break those down, shall we?

Planning

One of the second pregnancy tips we are discussing today is: Planning. Planning out your day is one of the easiest ways to make sure you meet both your needs and your child’s. Take a few minutes before you go to bed (or when you awake, if you’re up before your child) to map out your day. A few things you can do ahead of time include:

  • Setting out your prenatal vitamins, your child’s vitamins and any other medications either of you take before starting the day.
  • Strategically placing healthy pregnancy snacks throughout the house, car and in your purse.
  • Planning healthy meals for the day for you and your family, getting ingredients together so prep time is fast and easy.
  • Keeping a calendar on the fridge with all doctor’s appointments and other important appointments, so you don’t forget them. Use a planner or  If you prefer, you can use your phone’s calendar.

Prioritizing

Even the best laid plans fall through sometimes. Mapping your day is great, but what about all the little things that come up? This is where you need to set priorities. What comes first on your list of needs?

  • Healthy eating: planning helps with this, but if you’re in a rush you may be tempted to grab a candy bar. Think, what is more important? Saving a few minutes by eating junk or running late to your prenatal fitness class? Since that fitness class can’t eliminate a bad food choice, opt for the healthy lunch!
  • Sleep: getting rest is just as important during your second pregnancy as it was during your first. Nap with your child rather than checking your emails or catching up on gossip.
  • Making it to your doctor appointments is a vital part of a healthy second pregnancy. Don’t skip these, even if the sitter falls through and you have to drag your firstborn along with you.

Relying on help

It amazes me how this is often the hardest thing for moms to do. I guess it’s because asking for help forces us to admit that we’re not superwomen. I mean, we’re still super and all, but we can’t leap tall buildings in a single bound, stop a speeding train with our pinky or be in two places at once.

I think we also feel guilty when we admit that we need some “mommy” time. It seems like these days we’re labeled monsters if we admit that we don’t want to spend 24/7 with our precious bundles of joy. If you want to take care of yourself AND your child, though, you need a break. Asking for help doesn’t make you a worse mom, it makes you a BETTER one. Ask your mom to watch your child so you can focus on your checkup. Let your husband stay up past his bedtime so you can get some rest. Take up your best friend on her offer to make you a healthy dinner. Let people help you, so you can help yourself.

Taking care of yourself and your child during your second pregnancy can be tricky at times, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. I hope these tips help!

How did you take care of yourself and your child during your second pregnancy?

11 thoughts on “Second Pregnancy Challenges: Caring for Yourself While Caring for a Child”

  1. The biggest way I took care of myself and my little one the second time around was realizing that I didn’t have to do it all myself. Family is always willing to help, and it’s actually GOOD to let them help.

  2. Ours came close together also. There were definitely advantages, but I know my wife wasn’t able to respond as quickly to the baby while carrying another one around in her belly.

  3. These are great tips…it is so hard to take care of yourself when you are running around after another child. Mine are only 2 years apart so I was exhausted!

  4. My first two kids are pretty close together and it was tricky being pregnant while there was a baby at home. Your tips are great. I wish I had slowed down a little.

  5. Yes, a very important reminder. As a mom of 4 I can agree that getting rest is so important. And that calendar on the fridge is an absolute must. Even now that my kids are older I still rely on it!

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