In the first one, I read everything; in the second, I have no time for anything | The Second Act of Motherhood

In the first one, I had read everything; in the second one, I have no time for anything.

During my first pregnancy, I was like an encyclopedia.
In which week will the heartbeat be heard, which vegetables are suitable for which week, when will my belly show, how many onesies should be packed in the hospital bag...?
I knew all of it.
I was reading, taking notes, comparing, and even eagerly awaiting app notifications.
"This week your baby is about the size of a mango."
I never forgot that mango.

I am now pregnant for the second time.
And to be honest, this time I'm forgetting the mango, the week, and sometimes even the day.
Because now there's a "mango-sized" person in the house, constantly shouting "Mommy!"
So if I focus my attention on one, the other one immediately calls out.

In the first phase, I would go for morning walks and do abdominal massages in dim light with music playing.
Now?
Walking turned into running in the rush to get to daycare; and tummy massage consisted of occasionally saying "ohh" while wiping up spilled milk from breakfast.

But I must admit, I'm more relaxed this time.
Maybe I'm more tired now, yes.
But I don't think everything has to be "perfect" anymore.
In the first instance, I would check everything, from the brand of diaper to the temperature setting.
Now?
Is it clean, warm, and happy?
Ok.
Life is really just about this.

Sometimes I think a second pregnancy is a bit like natural selection .
The body now knows what to do, the heart is less afraid, the mind reads less but feels more.
I no longer trust Google; I trust my instincts.
And yes, sometimes I just rely on coffee. ☕

A nursery?
The first one was full of Pinterest boards.
This time I moved the toy box a little to the right in the room, saying, "Now I've made some space."
I became a minimalist mom, unintentionally.

Yet I still have that familiar excitement inside me.
When that first kick comes, all the tiredness in the world stops for a moment.
At that moment, you think, "I'm so glad I'm alive again."
And you realize:
Maybe you haven't read anything this time, but you know everything .
Because this time it's about experience, not just information.
And experience is the most reliable guide.
In the first instance, I wanted to know everything. In the second, I learned to simply enjoy the moment.