Now that Little B has turned one and started walking I feel weβve reached a milestone β heβs not a baby any more but a fully-fledged toddler who thunders around on chunky legs emptying cupboards and generally leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.
It was as BB was feeding him chocolate buttons from her trick or treating haul and I didnβt bat an eyelid that I realised nothing like that passed her lips until she was at least 18 months old, possibly older. Which got me thinking that there are an awful lot of differences between the way Iβve parented baby number one and baby number two.
So Iβve put together a little list: 10 differences between first & second babies:
1. You buy a βWhat to expect in the first yearβ book and refer to it on a weekly basis. Second time round you have to hunt it down on the bookshelf around nine months in to try and determine whether the rash on baby number two is anything to worry about or not.
2. You made sure you were wide awake and sitting up for night-time feeds and the baby always went back in the moses basket afterwards. This time you feed lying down and routinely wake up several hours later with the baby fast asleep in your arms.
3. Baby number oneβs wardrobe boasted a wide variety of bottoms, tops, cardigans, jackets and accoutrements that donβt stay on like matching hairbands and belts. This time round itβs babygros all the way.
4. You religiously washed, labelled and packed away all of your first childβs outgrown clothes for βnext timeβ. This time you put new clothes on top of old ones until the drawers are so full you shove all the outgrown stuff in a suitcase to deal with at a later date. If ever.
5. Your nappy bag used to be stuffed with items for every possible eventuality, like scissors and a change of clothes for you as well as the baby. Nowadays itβs streamlined with just wipes, a nappy or two and a babygro that theyβve probably outgrown anyway.
6. You donβt buy any of the baby items you really donβt need, like hats for indoors and baby nail clippers.
7. You go out of your way to ensure no refined sugar or anything too salty goes in their mouth until they are at least 12 months old, preferably older. With baby number two pretty much anything goes, largely thanks to the presence of baby number one.
8. First time round you make all their baby food from scratch, but now you rely on chicken nuggets, potato waffles and frozen peas more often than youβre prepared to admit.
9. If youβve got one of each baby number two wears and plays with clothes and toys designed for the opposite gender. Little B can often be found wrapped in a pink princess bath towel and pushing a pink and purple baby walker.
10. With baby number one the first year seemed like an eternity in which you carefully marked off each milestone. With baby number two the first 12 months goes by in the blink of an eye and you wonder at what point the helpless little scrap of a thing turned into a robust toddler who can be hauled around by baby number one and who can deftly manoeuvre him or herself on and off furniture.
Linking up with…
I’m still coming to terms with being a mum to ONE little monster…I mean boy…so I can’t fully appreciate what it must be like coping with two *shudder* However I can totally relate to some of these things and if I do ever go onto have another I feel sure it’ll be a chicken nugget eating, babygro wearing baba too. Most people seem much more laid back second time around which is reassuring at least!
Great post π xx #fartglitter
Just having one was like having a nice pet – now all hell has broken loose!
I hear you! My first son is 7 years old and I have another son at 8 months, I’m sure he’ll be a chicken nugget eater soon just like my first. My 8 month old lives in baby-grows too, what’s the point in spending a fortune on all those clothes that they hardly get wear of. Great post! π
#FartGlitter
Pauline.
I put away so many of BB’s clothes that still had tags on – such a waste! I’m sure you’re smallest will love chicken nuggets!
Heh, loved reading this.
Even though I still have just the one child as she gets older I feel more and more laid back. I just shove a nappy in my rucksack when we go out and don’t really think about it too much. It’s interesting to think how I’ll be when we have another baby in the future. I think it’s true what they say, subsequent children fit in with you, not the other way around.
#FartGlitter
Yes there’s no doubt Little B has to fit in with us!x
This is a great post, I love love love that photo at the end so cute!
Even if he does look like a girl!!
Yes! 4,5 & 10! 4,5 & 10! Mine are same gender though so didn’t get the number 9 amusement. #cssupport
I guess the same gender makes things easier in that you can reuse the outgrown clothes and toys – although in some cases we are anyway!!
Ah, yes. It’s also true that the pregnancies differ. With Tyger I could always tell you exactly how many weeks + days I was, how big the foetus was, whether he’d just grown fingernails or could hear sounds from outside the womb etc. The second time round with Baby Bear, I was always taken by surprise when asked how far along I was and would stammer that I was ‘roughly five months’ or some such.
#cssupport
I was exactly the same with Little B’s pregnancy too – I couldn’t have told you what stage he was at either x
I have saved almost everything from our lad. If we have another he or she will be using everything of his, regardless of their gender. Putting them in a blue or pink pajamas when they’re too little to no any different wont matter, right? My standards were pretty low the first time around. Dread to think where they’ll be the second.
Thanks for linking up to #fartglitter x
Just make sure the camera doesn’t come out! Little B also goes in a pink grobag when we’re at my parents’ house which is much colder than ours. I’m certainly not buying a boys one just for staying at theirs…
Very true, I have so many photos of No1 and a lot less of No2 mainly because there was only 18 months between them and I had my hands full when No 2 arrived. #fartglitter
I think I actually have more photos of Little B than BB thanks to the blog…hadn’t thought of that before!x
Haha, loved this! We only have one but my mother-in-law had 4 and she always jokes how the youngest pretty much brings herself up, they no longer sweat about anything! π #abitofeverything
I don’t think I’d be batting an eyelid by number four either!x
Reading this gives me hope that I will not be a big bag of neurosis if and when we ever decide on a number 2….#abitofeverything
No – you’ll be the opposite once they’ve arrived!
The differences are amazing! Thankfully the second child doesn’t know about these differences. Or care that they get all hand-me downs and opposite gendered things. π #fartglitter
Yes that’s a good point – at least the second doesn’t know!x
We’re still on baby number 1, but I can already imagine this being so true!! I must’ve given a mum at baby group a funny look the other week when she fed her 7 month old a biscuit…she obviously felt compelled to tell me it was her second baby, ha!! Came to your post via #bestandworst π
Biscuits? We thrive on biscuits!!
I love this! Looks like we’ve got a lot to look forwards to when we have a second baby! Although I am totally with you on child #2 wearing and using child #1’s things regardless of sex. That’s our plan too! #bestandworst
There really is absolutely no point buying some things in other colours that the ‘public’ won’t see anyway…
I love this post. I’ve only got the one, so it’s interesting to see people talking about second babies. I was definitely how you were with everything when my son was a baby, although he lived in babygrows for ages because I thought they were so cute! #cssupport
Babygros are definitely the way forward – I packed away so many clothes completely unworn!x
Brilliant post. We are just about to start trying for #2 and I am eagerly devouring blog posts of this nature. Up until now I have definitely over thought everything and freaked out that I’m going to be an exhausted wreck, but after reading this… yeah… I can see it working out pretty well. Thanks for the reassurance, mucho mucho appreciated xx
#bestandworst
So glad to be of help – it will be fine, just chill out and don’t think about anything!!
This is very true! I’m on baby number 5 and by that stage it’s pretty much a case of winging it!!! Thanks for sharing #abitofeverything
Wow five is impressive!!x
I only have one, and the chances of me having another are growing fainter by the minute, but I was relieved to read about these things as I did pretty much all of them with my one. I am still picky about sugar and salt though, or at least I try to be!
I ‘try’ to be careful with sugar and salt too but Little B certainly eats far more sausages and pizza than BB did!x
Your last difference is the opposite of my experience. With my first I was pushing towards the next milestone all the time, willing him to donthe next thing, and it all went by in the blink of an eye. Mybsecond boy 5yrs later, I treasured every moment, and wanted to preserve each stage for as long as possible before moving onto the next milestone.
Thanks for linking up, Tracey xx #abitofeverything
I think the first year with BB seemed longer because I had a whole year off, but with Little B I was back at work after 9 weeks x
Yep, with Tin Box Tot I read ahead about each milestone and eagerly awaited it. Now I have no idea where the book is, let alone the time to read it π #parentingpicks
I think I’ve opened the well-thumbed my first year book once this time!x
Hahaha loved this…so true! I was so much more relaxed with my #2. With #1, I worried about every red spot, every cough, every poop, every pee…I referred to that book for everything. When #2 came along, I think I misplaced that book.
I was exactly like that too first time round x
So true! My son sleeps in pink sleeping bags and has been mainlining chocolate buttons since he was about 9 months. Ooops. #parentingpicks
I’m sure they’ll survive!x
I’m expecting my second in February so this was really interesting reading for me. Thanks for sharing #sundaystars
I hope you found it useful and good luck!x
Nailed it! As I gave number 2 a Quaver to suck on and realised that she was 10 months and not the 5 I had just told a stranger next to me I considered how different it is!
#SundayStars
Nothing wrong with a Quaver!!
Such a cute post!
So glad you liked it!x
Number 7 and number 9…..yup haha!! Great post, I am definitely more relaxed with baby 2! Thanks for linking up to the #bestandworst ;lovely, see you again! x
I aim to entertain!x
Yes yes and yes to all of these! Oh the difference between the two and how we parent them is huge – for the better I think as we’re generally all a lot less anxious! I’m dreading the day when I actually have to get rid of the leftover girl clothes π thanks for linking up to #ParentingPicks! Mim x
I’m definitely much more easy going this time round!x
lol! I have to agree with you there. Time does fly with #2, I have no idea where. Just like that she understand what I say – though doesn’t really do what I ask. Same with the jun food – all because time is the essence – anything that #1 has #2 cries for it and she so got away with it too! lol! But may I ask… why are you walking around with a pair of scissors? π x #abitofeverything
Scissors were for ‘just in case’ – unsurprisingly I never used them!!
Great post and all so true!! I’m now pregnant with baby number three and I swear she’s going to live in white baby grows for the first 18months. Thank you so much for linking up to #SundayStars xxx
I’m going to eek out the babygros for as long as possible too!x
LOL – this made me chuckle, we stuck at one so haven’t had this experience but those are definitely some of the things I would do differently!
Pleased to have made you laugh!
Haha, we’ve stopped at one but quite a few of my friends are on their second and this looks VERY familiar! #10things
You can be the smug friend who looks on!!x
By the second time around you’re a pro huh?! Or in my case, too frazzled to worry! We’re babygros all the way as well! #TenThings
Too frazzled to worry is just right!
I am yet to have number 2 but I have heard lots of these from friends! I have always thought that a new baby would just have to slot in now!! #TenThings xx
Little B has to slot in to EVERYTHING – poor thing!x
I was exactly the same with my two, I think with the second one you are just so much more relaxed than with the first, as it seems a lot easier. Plus when you have two you don;t have the time to worry about the things you did when you just had one. Gorgeous photos by the way!!
Thanks for linking up to #TenThings
Stevie x
That’s true about no longer having the time to worry or dwell on things!
I am looking forward to putting all this into practice on the second one! I am typical Mammy with the first one, marking keepsake books, labelling clothes, I’ve done your top ten! #tenthings
Bet you won’t do half of it second time round!
Brilliant post mrs! I completely understood your first paragraph as Baby H is just 13 months and waddling, leaving toys strewn in her wake. I kind of identify with the rest of your points, in that I don’t have a second yet, so mostly I’m saying #yes thats what I do’ to the things you did with your first baby. I would add that all outgrown clothes are thrown in old nappy boxes (a bit like your suitcase) and actually will most likely cause me the biggest headache ever should I even attempt to figure out what’s in them in the future. In saying that, we abandoned the books after a few weeks… though I did follow the Wonder Weeks app quite a bit.
Thanks for sharing and see you next week hopefully #TheBabyFormula
So pleased you enjoyed it! I have heard a lot about the wonder weeks – didn’t know it came in an app!x
Yes to them all! Everything seemed so precious first time round but this time I feel a lot more relaxed, no parenting books, change bag sometimes doesn’t even have nappies in I don’t even know why I take it out it. And number 4, I didn’t get a ‘next time’ because we had a girl second, so our sons clothes were all given away which broke my heart and the same will happen to my daughters. But neither of their clothes are neatly folded, oops! #thebabyformula
I can’t bear to part with BB’s old clothes so I know how you feel!x
I think I’m the opposite of the typical first time mum because I did everything the ‘second baby’ way. Goodness knows what I will be like with number 2! haha
That’s a good thing though!x
Forgot to add #thebabyformula
Will take a look at yours!