How did your ideas change from when you were pregnant with DC1 to DC2?

[MumOfBaby]

I have a DC and we're starting to try for another.

Last time I had this ideal image of being a super organised tidy housed working mummy, with masses of energy to play with baby. I thought I'd only give him organic food prepared by myself, I'd never let him have sugar or baby crisps or anything else.

This time, I just want a nice pregnancy, a healthy baby, and atleast 1 hours sleep a night. I can't plan anything else as I don't have time to fart, or energy or motivation to do anything when I get in from work!

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE DS and he is very well looked after, but last time I knew every detail about everything I SHOULD give baby from breast milk to organic produce etc. This time I have a totally different outlook.

How did things change for you?

Pretty much went from 'it has to be perfect' to 'it'll do'

I think you have to do this to survive. I have two kids and the first one never got the chance to so much as breathe in before starting to cry before I pounced and picked her up to comfort her - no wonder she had sleep problems. DC2 wails and it's 'oh well, let's wait a minute and see if he settles' (and remarkably he does a lot of the time!)

Drastially, when I went from dd1 to dd2 others with 1 dc asked how I was coping, I just said it wasn't coping I had just let my standards slip , now pregnant with dc3 I don't know what I'm going to do as I don't think they can slide much further.

FWIW cbeebies previusly banned is now an almost peremnant feature (i have baaaad pregnancies!). The pureed organic mushes carefully crafted for dd1 were replaced with hipp organic pots. Nightly baths changed to daily wash and weekly bath (if they need it or not! ).

Etc etc. But d'ya know what I don't sweat the small stuff anymore, we have 2 happy dd's which is wonderful and they don't care, they just know they are loved!!!

With dd1 I was 16/17 I read every book available and wasn't scared about the birth at all, I didn't do a birthing plan other than to say I wanted every drug I could have as I'm not keen on pain. I didn't wear any maternity clothes just loose clothes, I ironed all her clothes, I painted all 4 bedroom walls with floor to ceiling scenes from winnie the pooh (i kid you not) apart from doing that I didn't think beyond giving birth tbh I had no idea what I was letting myself in for other than knowing it would be tiring.

Dd2 - I was 23, I was excited about having a baby with my dp I wanted him to be excited too but he was more scared than excited tbh, with working full time and having dd1 I didn't have much time or energy and was in mat clothes from 6 weeks! Dd2 shared our room for the first 6mths then moved into her sisters room, I was scared of giving birth because I remembered from last time and the midwife was horrible and wouldn't give me as much pain relief as I'd have liked by far! I had a better idea of what to do after the birth this time and what I was letting myself in for although I wasn't planning on the whole her thinking it was day at night and night in the day so that took some time to sort out! Also dd2 was far worse with teething (ashtons and medised were life savers!)

For me perfection is having a bit of chaos in our lives. Looking around as I am sat here, looks like I have achieved perfection! My DSs are upstairs somewhere wrecking their bedroom, I have a cat on my knee, the washing needs to be put away, the bin needs to be brought back in from the street and the sun is shining!