Mahira Khan is becoming a mother again: Why the second pregnancy can feel completely different from the first

The second pregnancy can arrive with a strange sense of déjà vu: the growing belly, the appointments, the anticipation of meeting a baby again. Yet for many mothers, it can also feel like entering an entirely different version of pregnancy. The body remembers, the mind has changed, and there is already a child waiting at home.That is the interesting part of Mahira Khan's pregnancy announcement. The Pakistani actor, who is 41, announced at the Toronto International Film Festival that she is expecting her second child with husband Salim Karim. She already has a son, Azlan, from her previous marriage.A second pregnancy isn't simply a repeat of the first. Research increasingly suggests that the experience can be different physically, psychologically and even neurologically.Your brain may respond differently the second timeOne of the newest findings comes from a 2026 study examining how a second pregnancy affects women's brains. Researchers found that a second pregnancy produced distinct changes in brain structure and neural networks, rather than simply repeating the pattern seen during a first pregnancy. The findings suggest that the brain adapts not only to pregnancy itself but also to the experience of becoming a mother again.That matters because a first pregnancy means preparing for an entirely unfamiliar role. By a second pregnancy, there is already a lived experience of pregnancy, childbirth and caring for a newborn. The mother isn't entering motherhood for the first time. She is expanding an existing family.The researchers described the second pregnancy as involving its own pattern of neural adaptation, adding to evidence that pregnancy-related brain changes are not identical from one pregnancy to another.The emotions can change tooThe emotional landscape of a second pregnancy can be complicated.There may be excitement about giving an older child a sibling, but also questions that did not exist the first time: Will I be able to love another child in the same way? How will my older child react? Can I manage two children? What happens to the relationship I already have with my firstborn?A 2026 study examining anxiety, stress and psychological resources among women experiencing a second pregnancy found that many participants experienced moderate anxiety, highlighting that being pregnant again does not automatically mean feeling more relaxed or emotionally prepared.In other words, experience can make some things easier while creating entirely new worries.The first pregnancy is about becoming a mother. The second is about becoming a mother of two.That difference may be one of the biggest psychological shifts.During a first pregnancy, much of the anticipation centres on the unknown: What will labour feel like? What will the baby be like? How will life change?During a second pregnancy, there is already a child whose routine, emotions and needs continue alongside the pregnancy.That means the pregnancy can feel less like waiting for a single life-changing event and more like gradually reorganising an entire family.What Mahira Khan's announcement reminds parents aboutMahira's announcement is ultimately a personal milestone, not evidence that her pregnancy will follow any particular pattern. But it opens the door to a broader parenting conversation.A second pregnancy isn't a replay of the first. There is a different body, a different stage of life, an older child, a different family dynamic and a brain that has already experienced pregnancy and motherhood.For some women, that can mean more confidence. For others, it can bring a different kind of anxiety. For many, it can be both at the same time.And perhaps that is why the second pregnancy can feel so unfamiliar despite being something a mother has technically experienced before: the baby may be new, but the woman carrying that baby is not the same person she was the first time.Looking for trusted parenting advice? Follow TOI Parenting Circle on Instagram for expert guidance, relatable stories, and practical tips delivered every day.Get the latest Lifestyle News and more. Download the TOI app.