What will you do differently with dc2

[Candyfloss1122]

If you are currently pregnant, or trying for dC2...what would you do differently to your first.

For me, I hope to cope with napping better, in that I won't stress so much about it (Dc1 would only nap for 30 mins and it almost drove me insane).

I will also be starting a bedtime routine from birth, as Dc1 will only be 14 months so it will be the natural order of things in the house anyway.

I'm currently TTC #2. Things I will do differently:

I will not put myself under immense pressure to continue breastfeeding if I run into difficulty. If it doesn't happen naturally then I'll move straight to formula without looking back.

I will accept help more readily from anyone that will offer and i will drastically lower my housekeeping standards. I spent too much time in the early days stressing that the house wasn't immaculate whilst looking after my newborn.

I will only buy/ask for simple baby grows and vests for the first few months at least! No silly outfits that never get worn!

I'll hopefully chill out a bit and not spend the first four months crying and yelling at my husband because he didn't use the right sponge to clean the bottles.

I exclusively formula fed from birth with DS and quite liked it so I'm not sure whether I'll try bf or not with the next one.

I've got a cleaner who comes in every day now and makes our dinner so hopefully we'll still have her. That will make a massive difference.

I'll try to look after myself a bit better, get to the gym etc.

I'm with you OP on the napping point my DD who is now 2.6 would only ever nap 30 minutes & preferably on me. It use to drive me bonkers!
I also want to try & avoid co-sleeping as DD is still in our bed (bad I know) this is something we've got to sort out asap as DC2 is on the way.

I decided not to obsess about routine and bedtime as it got us nowhere with DS1. As a result I am now co-sleeping with DS2 which I would rather not be doing and van’t See how I can ever stop it BUT I have way more sleep than I ever did with DS1... swings and roundabouts I suppose.

I swore I would introduce and maintain a bottle of expressed milk as DS1 was a bottle refuser but I didn’t prioritise and it always seemed easier / the wrong feed to try the bottle / no time to express and i didn’t. I now can’t leave DS2 for more than 2 hours (he’s a grazer) and can’t believe I am in this predicament again! What a doughnut!

15 weeks with DC2 and I hope this time overall I will just feel more confident in my choices. Had a traumatic birth and horrific time breastfeeding DD, so even during the birth I am hopeful that I will be secure and firm in my preferences and if BF'ing doesn't work out again this time, I won't be cut up about it and will simply switch to bottles. I'm packing bottles and formula in my hospital bag in case I change my mind when it comes to it.

I'm just hoping to enjoy it all more! I hated the early days with DD. I feel like I really missed out on the enjoyment of a new baby and I want to enjoy the cuddles, the experience of having a newborn. Intending this one to be my last and so I hope I can just be more relaxed and not overthink everything. It's about getting to know this new person and bonding. I never had that the first time.

Currently TTC number 2 and I plan on..

Hiring a cleaner!

Not stressing about getting into bad habits with sleep in the early days. Just do what I need to do and can do some gentle sleep training when a bit older

Try not to compare to other babies as much

If I struggle with breastfeeding again I'd seek help much sooner even if that meant paying for a private lactation consultant