You and your family are unique. So, while everything from the internet, to mama and baby groups, to your extended family tree, might be full of people who found it easier to get pregnant the second time, your experience could be different. There’s really no formula for this.

Is it easier to get pregnant after being pregnant?

The truth is that it’s easier for some women to get pregnant again, but harder for others.

The following factors might make it easier to conceive if you’ve already had a baby:

Pregnancy can “solve” some of the things that might have made it harder to get pregnant the first time. For example, pregnancy can sometimes make some of the symptoms of endometriosis less severe. If this was something you battled with, it might be easier the second time.

As your uterus grows, it can stretch out adhesions which might have been making it harder for the egg to descend from your fallopian tube to your uterus.
If you’ve already tried to conceive, you know what you’re doing. And you’re more likely to do things that increase your chances of getting pregnant each month, such as tracking your ovulation date. This can also make things easier.

There is also the idea that your body has ‘learned’ what it needs to do to grow a baby, so it’s easier the second time around. Unfortunately, although there is a lot of evidence to show that second labors are usually shorter, nothing in the science suggests that this applies to getting pregnant as well.

And while it is easier for some to get pregnant the second time, there are factors that can work against you too.

Reasons it might not be easier to get pregnant the second time

Tiredness

If you already have a child, you’re probably a little tired. Stress and tiredness have a bigger impact on our bodies than most of us realize. And it can mean that it takes longer to get pregnant.

Breastfeeding

If you’re still breastfeeding your first, the hormones can make it harder to get pregnant, especially in the first six months.

Scarring

If you had a c-section delivery for your first child, scarring in your uterus can sometimes make it harder for a second egg to implant and a placenta to form.

Secondary infertility

If you’ve been trying for another baby and you don’t seem to be getting anywhere, there’s a chance that you’re experiencing secondary infertility. You’re really not alone in this. Up to 10% of all couples go through it, even if they got pregnant on the first try before.

How to get pregnant faster with your second child?

If you’re ready for another baby, whether you want a small age gap between your kids, it took a long time to get pregnant before, or you’re TTC after a loss, you can do the same things as before to maximize your chances of getting pregnant.

Track when you ovulate by recording your basal body temperature or using ovulation sticks.

A side note, though – if your firstborn isn’t sleeping well and you’re having broken nights, temperature tracking can be a lot less accurate.

Have lots of sex in the week before you’re due to ovulate and the two days after. If you already have kids, you might need to schedule this, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be romantic.

Take care of your body and start taking prenatal vitamins before you get pregnant.

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Just keep testing and watching your body for those subtle changes without expecting them to be exactly what you had before. 

Good luck mama!