They are also hard enough if you have something to keep you busy.
Friends who have had to take bed rest before baby comes are about ready to jump out the window by the time labor starts.
Work generally means you are busy. Your brain and/or body are occupied with other things. Staying home waiting for your first child to be born means that you dwell.
My son is adopted, but I was home for three months before his arrival - knowing that anyday the phone call would come with “can you be at the airport on XXXXX?” Anyplace from 2 to 5 days notice.
Those three months lasted forever.
I think it is different when you are at home waiting for #2 to be born - #1 is there to keep you busy.
(merbelle, I don’t think you are giving yourself enough credit. You would have bonded just fine with your children had you not breastfed.)