What to expect when you're expecting by Heidi Murkoff, Sharon Mazel Page A

running after kids tends to aggravate pregnancy symptoms. For example, morning sickness can increase during times of stress (the getting-to-school or the getting-dinner-on-the-table rush, for instance); fatigue can be heightened because there doesn’t seem to be any time to rest; backaches can be an extra pain if you’re doing a lot of child toting; even constipation becomes more likely if you never have a chance to use the bathroom when the urge strikes. You are also more likely to come down with colds and other illnesses, courtesy of older germ-spreading kids. (See Chapter 20 for preventing and dealing with such illnesses.)
    It’s not realistic to always put your pregnant body first when you’ve got other kids clamoring for care (the days of pampered pregnancy ended with your first delivery). But taking more time to take care of yourself—putting your feet up while you read that story, napping (instead of vacuuming) while your toddler naps, getting into the healthy snack habit even when there’s no time for sit-down meals, and taking advantage of help whenever it’s available—can help lighten the load your body’s carrying, minimizing those pregnancy miseries.
    “I had some complications with my first pregnancy. Will this one be just as rough?”
    One complicated pregnancy definitely doesn’t predict another one. While some pregnancy complications can repeat, many don’t repeat routinely. Others may have been triggered by a onetime event, such as an infection or accident, which means they’re extremely unlikely to strike twice. Your complications won’t recur, either, if they were caused by lifestyle habits that you’ve now changed (like smoking, drinking, or using drugs), an exposure to an environmental hazard (such as lead) to which you are no longer exposed, or by notgetting medical care early in pregnancy (assuming you’ve sought care early on this time). If the cause was a chronic health problem, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, correcting or controlling the condition prior to conception or very early in pregnancy can greatly reduce the risk of repeat complications. Also keep this in mind: Even if the complications you faced last time have a chance of reoccurrence, earlier detection and treatment (because you and your practitioner will be on the lookout for a repeat) can make a big difference.
    Discuss with your practitioner the complications you had last time and what can be done to prevent them from being repeated. No matter what the problems or their causes (even if no cause was ever pinpointed), the tips in the response to the previous question can help make your pregnancy more comfortable, and safer for both you and your baby.
Back-to-Back Pregnancies

    “I became pregnant unexpectedly just 10 weeks after I delivered my first child. What effect will this have on my health and on the baby I’m now carrying?”
    Expanding your family (and your belly) again a little sooner than expected? Starting another pregnancy before you’ve fully recovered from the last one can be hard enough without adding stress to the mix. So first of all, relax. Though two closely spaced pregnancies can take their physical toll on a mom-to-be who just became a mom, there are lots of things you can do to help your body better handle the challenge of back-to-back baby making, including:
Getting the best prenatal care, starting as soon as you think you’re pregnant.
Eating as well as you can (see Chapter 5 ). It’s possible your body has not had a chance to rebuild its stores of vitamins and nutrients, and that can put you at a nutritional disadvantage, particularly if you’re still nursing. You may need to overcompensate nutritionally to be sure both you and the baby you are carrying don’t get short-changed. Pay particular attention to protein and iron (ask your practitioner whether you should take a supplement) and be sure to continue taking your prenatal vitamins. Try not to let lack of time or energy