1st V.S. 2nd Pregnancy

As the fitness level and age changes, a same woman may experience differently for each of her pregnancy. Hence, I have decided to compare my two pregnancy experience in this post. Initially, I would like to use a table form to list down the comparison.  However, after a few attempts, I have no choice but to give up in searching for the way to list the comparison in table form by using Blogger. Instead, I have sorted out to use different colors to indicate the comparison. Please note that:

Blue is used to indicate 1st pregnancy 

Green is used to indicate 2nd pregnancy

1. Baby Gender / Type of conception

• Boy / Spontaneous pregnancy
• Boy / Spontaneous pregnancy

2. Morning Sickness

• Terrible morning sickness began as early as week-8. Nausea became more severe after sun set. Ceased at week-15. Appetite improved ever since.
• Terrible morning sickness began as early as week-8. Whole day long nausea. Ceased at week -15. Generally, I have no appetite and have no craving for any particular food. 

3. Hair Condition

• No hair fall was experienced. However, since the very early weeks, my hair had become unusually greasy, all the way until after delivery.
• Excessive hair fall until week-16. Luckily it stopped ever since. Hair is generally dry, brittle and lighter in colour (my dark brown virgin hair looks like has been dyed in maroon color). 

4. Gynae

• Dr. Paul Ng Hock Oon at Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Waiting time for each check-up routine was only between 15 to 30 minutes, even though year 2012 was the year of Dragon, an auspicious year where most Chinese would prefer to deliver their babies according to the Chinese belief.
• I am still visiting the same gynae. The only difference is the waiting time for each check-up routine has increased to between 90 minutes to 2 hours. However, this does not affect his level of patience and friendliness. 

5. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

1. CTS is caused by a build-up of fluid, called oedema, in the tissues. The swelling places pressure on the median nerve, compressing it and causing tingling and numbness in your hands and fingers. Carpal tunnel syndrome is fairly common in pregnancy. (Source: BabyCentre)

• Suffered from CTS and experienced pain, tingling and numbness on fingers and palms as early as week-24. It was difficult for me to even hold a pen for writing. Sensation subsided about a week after delivery.
• Do not experience it yet till date (week-32). Touch wood......!

6. Oedema / Water retention

• Water retention on Feet, ankles, calves, hands and face begin as early as week-24
• No obvious water retention on body parts except having enlarged nose since week-30.

7. Weight Gain

• Put on a total of 18 kg throughout the entire pregnancy. 
• Have so far put on 10kg (week-32). Finger crossed that the final weight gain will not 'emulate' the first pregnancy's 

8. Exercise Routine

• No exercise routine except during baby product shopping.
• Begin to swim twice a week, each time 30 minutes, since week-22. This might be the good reason that has saved me from suffering from item #1 and #2. 

9. Foetal movement

• Began at week-19
• Began at week-18
• After experiencing the foetal movement of my 2nd baby, I finally realize how gentle my first baby was. The 2nd baby was very aggressive. He somersaults and stretches very frequently especially at night, causing me many sleepless nights, on top of the already frequent visit to the loo. His stretches and kicks sometimes hurt my ribs so much. There were also a few occasions that I felt that he tends to use his arms or feet to pierce through my waist! I will surely give him a sound pat on his buttock when I first see him, as the punishment for being so rough to the mother!  

10. Fatigue

• Although feeling tired physically, I remembered I generally felt blessed and happy each day as I only manage to conceive in the 6th year of my marriage. 
• Since I have to take care of Jaden at the same time, I am obviously physically more tired than the 1st pregnancy. Despite feeling blessed with another child in life, sometimes I feel worried about how am I going to handle two babies at the same time in the very near future, especially after knowing what to expect during the first few months after the 2nd baby is delivered. There will be at least another year of interrupted sleep at night lying ahead. Anyway, time will pass, kids will grow, I will be ALL RIGHT!