9 Things You Should Be Doing Differently With The Second Baby
A first time mom receives advice from every person she knows how to go about it, what to do and what not to do while taking care of the baby. In fact, it becomes so overwhelming at times and you don’t know who to listen to. You make mistakes and learn a lot but the second time around, the situation is quite different. She may do it because of past learnings or do it unconsciously, but she will be treating the second baby differently. By now you must have realized that no amount of pregnancy books, advises or babysitting can ever prepare you up for raising a baby like an experience itself and therefore, your first child is mostly like an experiment or say a trial version, the results of which are implied on the second (luckier) child. Treating the second baby differently happens through mistakes made in the past. You might also like: Bollywood Celebs blessed with Baby Girls + Nursery Decoration Tips Having gained a little wisdom and lot more willpower, here are the nine things that you should be while treating the second baby differently.
How you maybe treating the second baby differently:
#1. Avoid putting the baby alone on the bed
After the first experience, you realize that making the baby sleep on the bed alone be a nightmarish experience unless the baby is surrounded by parents in a way that he/she cannot falls down from the bed. It is a lesson that you probably learn the hard way and the second child wouldn’t have to be put through the same Also Read: 11 Tips to Set Bedtime Routine for Babies & Kids#2. Buy just the right amount of baby clothes
When you first hear the news of getting pregnant, you tend to splurge, you buy tons of clothes for your little bundle of joy, only to realize later that they’re a total waste because infant grows rapidly in the first few months after birth. With the second baby, things are different. It’s not like you love him less, you just realize that babies grow at a fast pace and need clothes of a different size too soon. So you tend to become more practical second time and shop cautiously. With the first child, you loved to buy and use only new clothes and it was fun to shop for your baby. However, with your second child, you’ve already realized that babies outgrow clothes very soon and so, there is no harm to use your first child’s clothes as well.#3. Start Brushing Your Baby’s Teeth Earlier
Image Source: Kiddicare
Even though babies start consuming solids a lot later, they do require some dental hygiene. With the first child, you generally forget cleaning the teeth as soon as they come and then the baby becomes resistant. However, having learned the hard way, you must start finger brushing your second baby’s teeth as soon as they pop out. This way it will be easier to switch them to toothbrushes.
#4. Push through nursing
While some mommies make it through breastfeeding easily, others have a hard time breastfeeding the first born. With the first child, you used to wake up your baby and feed every two hours in spite of the fact that the baby won’t take milk so often. With your second baby, you understand that there is no point trying to force feed, and so, you feed the baby on demand. You feed only when your baby asks for it. Whether or not, your second child is a champion nurser, you must become more determined to continue breastfeeding even if things aren’t so desirable. Also Read: 8 Precautions in Breastfeeding when Mom is Sick (Including 5 Advantages)#5. Bond with the baby right from the womb
Image Source: the reading womb
This one’s an essential. After hearing from other moms and experiencing it yourself, you realize that developing a bond with the baby starts right from the womb. Babies begin to listen sometime in the third trimester and if you communicate with them regularly, they can recognize your voice soon after the delivery. You might not have been aware of this the first time but now both you and your partner, along with your first born, should make it a point to talk to the little one in the tummy regularly. This also helps to develop the bond between siblings.
#6. Introduce sippy cups in time
According to American Dental Association, sippy cups help prevent tooth decay and infants must be switched from bottles to sippy cups by their first birthday. While you must have been negligent about this during your first pregnancy, your child would have grown resilient to the sippy cups. With the second child, you must introduce the sippy cups as early as six months so that it is easier for them to adapt to it.#7. Give up documenting every tiny milestone
While documenting your baby’s milestones is important, it shouldn’t be at the cost of cutting down time with your little one. During your first child, you must have been overjoyed, writing down and attaching every tiny milestone in the baby book. With the second baby, you realize that making memories with your baby is way more important than producing a proof of them and this is a good way of treating your second baby differently.#8. Switch to Crib earlier
Image Source: timesofmalta
While rock & play and bassinets might have their own thing going on, it is essential to transfer the baby to crib earlier so that the transition to bed is easier after a few years. This wisdom might have come at the cost of crib training the first baby for a few years, so make sure that you don’t repeat the same mistake twice.
#9. Start potty training earlier
With your first baby, you didn’t realize before it got too late and your baby got used to diapers too much but with your second baby, you can start potty training your child earlier. Actually, it will be a lot easier as your second child will imitate your first child in almost everything he/she does and using a potty seat will also be one of those things! Also Read : 7 ways to potty train your child (when he is ready) As you raise your second child, you’ll realize that it’s less stressful as compared to the first time since now you’re a seasoned parent! You’ve experienced it all once and now you just need to ensure that your kids bond and get along with each other so that they become each other’s best friends in the years to come! While you may end up treating your second baby differently, make sure the first one doesn't feel left out. Want to share your experience as a mom with other moms through words or images? Become a part of the Moms United community, click here and we will get in touch with younull
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