9th Apr 2024
Adding a second child to your family is a big milestone and a rewarding experience. You’re already familiar with the ins and outs of parenting, and you’re ready to grow your family. However, your second pregnancy might not be the same as your first, and preparing for what may lie ahead is important. Here’s what to remember about subsequent pregnancies and tips for getting pregnant a second time.
Getting Pregnant the Second Time: What You Need to Know
There are many factors to consider when deciding to get pregnant again. Even if your first pregnancy happened quickly, it can take longer for some women to conceive baby number two. Although this isn’t true for everyone, it’s essential to account for a potentially more extended time frame in your family planning.
Experts recommend waiting at least 18 to 24 months1 before trying to get pregnant after having your first child. That gives your body enough time to recover and can help prevent complications with future births. Research indicates that getting pregnant a second time after less than a year2 is associated with higher risks during gestation.
However, long gaps between pregnancies can also come with health risks. For example, having pregnancies spaced several years apart can increase your risk for preeclampsia3. Because of this, experts also recommend spacing pregnancies no longer than five years apart.
Age is another factor to remember for both you and your children. It’s normal for fertility to decline with age4. If you’re already in your mid-thirties, you may want to consider trying for a second child sooner rather than later. However, there’s no one best age to get pregnant a second time.
It’s also critical to consider the desired age gap between your children. Every family is unique, so there are no right or wrong answers here. Some people love having children who are very close in age, which can create a strong bond between siblings. However, others prefer to space out their pregnancies to reduce the stress of caring for young. children.
Is It Easier to Get Pregnant the Second Time?
All pregnancy experiences are unique, and the average time to get pregnant with your second child varies widely. Some women find it easier to get pregnant again, but this isn’t the case for everyone.
Some factors might make it easier to conceive your second child. The first is improving your overall health between your pregnancies. If you’ve stopped smoking5, improved your diet6 and exercise routine, or taken other steps to be healthier, these factors might help you get pregnant more easily a second time.
Another factor to consider is that you will likely have an established relationship with your OB/GYN after your first pregnancy. If necessary, they can help you create a fertility plan to make getting pregnant more manageable, particularly if you struggled with fertility when you were initially starting your family.
Is It Harder to Get Pregnant the Second Time?
Many women find that it is more difficult to get pregnant with their second child than their first. Struggling to get pregnant after you’ve already had a healthy pregnancy is called secondary infertility. This condition is more common than you might think, affecting about 11% of couples7 in the United States.
There are many reasons why getting pregnant a second time can be more difficult. We naturally lose fertility with age, as both egg counts for women and sperm counts for men drop over time.
External health factors could also contribute to secondary infertility. For example, gaining a significant amount of weight between your pregnancies could affect your fertility levels. Being overweight or obese can interfere with your menstrual cycle8 and make it difficult to conceive.
Secondary infertility can be very frustrating. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t conceive a second child — it just means that your family’s journey may look differently than you expected. Work with your doctors to take care of your health and find fertility solutions that make sense for you.
5 Tips for Getting Pregnant a Second Time
Conception and pregnancy are things that we can’t always control. However, there are things you can do to make getting pregnant a second time a little bit easier. Here’s how to conceive a second baby fast.
1. Optimize Your Health
Being in good overall health can increase your chances of getting pregnant. It also sets you up for a less complicated pregnancy. If you plan on having a second child, now is the perfect time to assess your health and make some positive changes.
Work with your doctor to identify areas where you can improve your health. For example, you can work on getting more sleep9, eating a more balanced diet, or exercising more regularly. Taking care of your mental health and keeping stress levels low is also important. Seeing a therapist could be helpful if you struggle to manage stress on your own.
Of course, these things can be difficult when managing the stresses of parenthood. However, even small changes can benefit your health, so don’t give up!
2. Understand Your Cycle
To increase your chances of conceiving, you must monitor your menstrual cycle closely and determine when you are ovulating. An ovulation testing kit is the easiest way to monitor your cycle. These test kits measure the hormone levels in your urine to determine when you might be ovulating. You can also learn the signs and symptoms of ovulation10, such as sore breasts, increased sex drive, and clear, sticky cervical mucus.
Ovulation typically happens at the midpoint of your menstrual cycle. Over time, you’ll get better at tracking your menstrual cycle, so you’ll be able to more accurately identify when you’re ovulating. Have sex with your partner during the ovulation period to increase your chances of conception. The probability of pregnancy is 27 to 33%11 in the three days before and including ovulation.
3. Seek Professional Advice
Your OB/GYN and other medical professionals are excellent resources as you look to conceive your second child. They will help answer your questions and provide helpful guidance.
While there’s plenty of helpful information online, working with a professional ensures you get advice tailored to you and your partner. They can also monitor your health and help treat fertility issues if they arise.
4. Supplement Your Diet
Eating a healthy diet is critical while trying to conceive. However, getting all the nutrients you need from diet alone is difficult. Fertility supplements can help you get essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other nutrients to support conception and pregnancy.
When getting pregnant, second-time mothers should take prenatal supplements. These supplements contain folic acid12, which helps with your baby’s development during pregnancy.
5. Don’t Ignore Male Fertility
Much of the advice that circulates about second pregnancies focuses on the woman. However, male fertility is an equally important part of conception.
Men hoping to conceive a second child should be mindful of things that could negatively affect their fertility13. For example, smoking and excessive alcohol use can make it very difficult to conceive. Wearing very tight clothing or going on long bike rides can also negatively affect fertility due to the amount of stress placed on the testicles. Finally, carrying a mobile phone in your pocket could also hurt fertility.
Second Pregnancy Tips and Best Practices
Your second pregnancy can come with unique challenges you didn’t experience the first time. Use these tips to make your second pregnancy easier and more comfortable.
- Learn from your first pregnancy. Think about what you struggled with most during your first pregnancy, and take steps to prevent it this time around.
- Seek assistance with your first child. Taking care of your first child while pregnant with your second can be stressful. Don’t be afraid to ask family and friends for help when you need it or even hire professional support.
- Be tactful when telling your firstborn. Keep the announcement positive, honest, and age-appropriate. Some children might feel a little jealous of their new sibling or worried about what to expect. Continue to spend plenty of time with them and reassure them when concerns arise.
- Start saving hand-me-downs. As your first child grows, don’t get rid of the clothes, toys, and other supplies as they grow out of them. Keep them safe so you can reuse them for your subsequent pregnancy.
Boost Your Fertility with FertilitySmart
Growing your family is an enjoyable and exciting time for everyone. FertilitySmart supplements can help your body prepare for baby number two. Try FertilitySmart male fertility supplements and fertility supplements for women to boost your fertility and prepare for your second pregnancy.
Citations:
1 “Pregnancy Spacing: Tips for Family Planning.” Mayo Clinic, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-preg...
2 Avenue, 677 Huntington, et al. “Study Suggests Minimum of One Year between Pregnancies.” News, 2 Nov. 2018, www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/how-lo... Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.
3 Skjærven, Rolv, et al. “The Interval between Pregnancies and the Risk of Preeclampsia.” New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 346, no. 1, 3 Jan. 2002, pp. 33–38, https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa011379.
4 Owen, Amy, and Paul B. Sparzak. “Age Related Fertility Decline.” PubMed, StatPearls Publishing, 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK576440/.
5 General (US), Office of the Surgeon, and Office on Smoking and Health (US). Reproductive Effects. Www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US), 2004, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44697/.
6 MD, Robert H. Shmerling. “Fertility and Diet: Is There a Connection?” Harvard Health Blog, 31 May 2018, www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fertility-and-diet-is...
7 “Secondary Infertility: Causes, Signs, Diagnosis & Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21139-secondary-infertility.
8 Ozcan Dag, Zeynep, and Berna Dilbaz. “Impact of Obesity on Infertility in Women.” Journal of the Turkish German Gynecological Association, vol. 16, no. 2, 4 June 2015, pp. 111–117, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4456969/, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4456969/,
9 Kloss, Jacqueline D., et al. “Sleep, Sleep Disturbance, and Fertility in Women.” Sleep Medicine Reviews, vol. 22, Aug. 2015, pp. 78–87, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4402098/, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4402098/,
10 “Ovulation Symptoms - Am I Ovulating?” American Pregnancy Association, 24 Apr. 2021, americanpregnancy.org/getting-pregnant/infertility/signs-of-ovulation/.
11 “Understanding ovulation and the fertile window.”Fertility Society of Australia..https://www.fertilitysociety.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Understanding-ovulation-and-the-fertile-window.pdf. PDF download.
12 Greenberg, James A, et al. “Folic Acid Supplementation and Pregnancy: More than Just Neural Tube Defect Prevention.” Reviews in Obstetrics & Gynecology, vol. 4, no. 2, 2011, pp. 52–59, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3218540/.
13 Durairajanayagam, Damayanthi. “Lifestyle Causes of Male Infertility.” Arab Journal of Urology, vol. 16, no. 1, Mar. 2018, pp. 10–20, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5922227/, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5922227/,