Every pregnancy is different, and usually the first is a stark contrast from the second. That's how second-time preggo LJ Reyes summarizes it. She's not complaining at all, though. She's taking it easy and enjoying every minute of this amazing milestone.
At the recent launch of the I-Angel Hip Carrier at the Parenting Emporium, Smartparenting.com.ph caught up with the celebrity mom to chat how she's managing her second pregnancy.
"It's very different from my first one," she says, referring to when she was pregnant with son Aki eight years ago. "Siguro kasi I was much younger then," the mompreneur behind the businesses MApp.ph and Wonder Jane said. "I think parang mas tired yung feeling ko ngayon compared to before. Kaya siguro umasa ako na feeling ko girl ito," LJadded.
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LJ's preggo instinct was right. She and long-time partner Paolo Contis are expecting a baby girl next year in January, and they are both excited. Even Aki, who initially wished for a brother, quickly had a change of heart after the gender reveal.
At the time of the interview, LJ was only 24 weeks along, into her sixth month of pregnancy with no cravings (yet), so she's concentrating on eating healthy. However, she still has bouts of morning sickness.
"Before, with Aki, yung morning sickness ko was until around four months [and] was really heavy. Talagang kahit anong kainin ko, I would vomit it out," LJ shared. "This time naman, hindi ganun ka-grabe," she added, though it has persisted longer. "Mas pasulpot-sulpot na lang; hindi every day," she added.
She added that her balakang isn't like it was before. The soon-to-be mom of two needs to wear a belly band to support her growing tummy. "Unlike before sumasayaw pa ako when Aki was still in my tummy," she added.
LJ's second pregnancy has proven to be much more delicate than her first. "This time kasi we had a fear na breech si baby," LJ revealed, though it's still early into the pregnancy to tell. There's also still plenty of time for the baby to change positions. "And I had low-lying placenta, but it's getting better," she added.
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A low-lying placenta is a condition that means the placenta is on the lower part of the uterus near the cervix. Similar to the baby being in breech position, it's very much possible for the placenta to also move. If not, however, a low-lying placenta poses risks for bleeding and for the placenta to partially or wholly cover the cervix (placenta previa) which may hinder natural vaginal delivery.
"I can't work out because of the low-lying placenta. I have to wait for it to go up (change position)," LJ said. "I have to slow down kasi I'm really an active person. I have to slow down kahit na meron akong mga gustong gawin. It was very different when I was pregnant with Aki kasi talagang active ako noon," she added.
"Syempre I really want to give birth the normal way, kasi ganun rin si Aki," LJ said. She's so excited to have a baby girl that she already has a name for her.
"It's the name that I've been wanting to give to my child," she said, adding it would have been the name she gave Aki had he turned out to be a girl. We'd need to wait, though, to find out her baby girl's name. Of course, dad Paolo needs to say yes to it, too.
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