Harder going from 0-1 or 1-2?

[seasunshine22]

Just as the title says really, did you find it harder going from 0-1 children or 1-2 children?
If you found if harder going from 1-2 what age gap did you have?

For me, it's 0-1. Nothing could have prepared me for the shock of becoming a parent.

When #2 came along it was a breeze. I was relaxed so he was relaxed. All much much easier.

Going from 1-2, without a doubt.

0-1 our lives didn't really significantly change. She just slotted in
1-2 our lives were turned upside down and shook side to side.

14 month age gap. Born day 1 of tier 4 restrictions so prob made worse by the fact that I was limited with options to entertain baby number 1 for 5 months.

0 to 1

0-1. 5 year gap.

1-2, 13 month gap! I must've been insane! 🤣🤣

0 to 1 without a doubt. You’re clueless and sleep deprived to a level you never knew possible.
I’ve got 3 now and the first definitely the hardest to adjust to

1 to 2 without a shadow of a doubt. Dd1 getting used to baby stuff was exciting and she was generally calm and fun. Dd2 2.5 years later was an utter whirlwind and felt completely overwhelming. Juggling different sleep patterns, toddler needs, highly demanding baby who rarely slept through and work was just too much.

1-2 because DS1 was still very much a baby himself and regressed.

100% 0-1 for us. Life just changes so much.

With 1-2 (21m apart) I kept waiting for it to get hard but it never did. She just slotted in despite objectively being a much more difficult baby.

0-1 was so hard. 1-2 was easy peasy (3 year gap). Not chancing it by having a third though.

Looking after baby DC2 was easier than looking after baby DC1 as you had the experience. The newborn felt easier than the toddler.

But looking after DC1 and DC2 was SO MUCH HARDER than looking after DC1.

So I found 1-2 harder. 1 you just give what they need from you, 2 is competing demands. But I was stuck indoors with 2 under 2 over a winter lockdown (shudder).

A bit of both. 0-1 didn’t surprise me, maybe as I have much younger siblings and so have lived life with babies. But it’s hard trying to magic a routine out of nothing, whereas DC2 just fit into this tried and tested routine. DC2 was born in lockdown and spent the first 4 months crying and crying and crying some more. Trying to juggle that in lockdown, over winter, with a 2 year age gap and a non-sleeping toddler was tough.

0-1 harder

But my #2 slept for 6 months...

Working a baby is easier second time round, but the dividing yourself in half to split your attention between them is much harder than I’d anticipated. Gap 3 years. So I’d say, 1-2 has actually been harder, more so than the obvious shock to the system of having number 1.

0-1 was harder for me. Every single aspect of my life changed completely. DS was a challenging baby and an even more difficult toddler and much as I love him with every fibre of my being I honestly felt like I'd sacrificed my entire identity, my body, my career, my health and my sanity to have him.
By contrast, DH found it much harder going from 1-2 as it meant he had to make much more effort with DS as I was so busy with newborn DD. For me, once she was here I couldn't imagine life without her, she slotted in so well.

0-1 by a massive margin. Literally every part of my life was suddenly completely different. It was like being hit by a bus.

1-2 was pretty easy tbh, 3.5 year gap.

3 year age gap. 1 - 2 much harder for myself

Without a doubt 0-1, I felt shell shocked. 2nd was a breeze.

1-2.
0-1 you have all the energy, excitement and patience in the world. When 2 arrives after a few years of sleep deprivation, it's not all that much fun. It all levels out when they are a bit older though. 2 is great, I couldn't do 3.

1-2 was harder! 2y age gap.

Dd1 was a good sleeper and placid, and mat leave was a dream. Dd2 was not a great sleeper and was also pukey which I hadn't experienced before. Also dd1 had stopped napping by the time dd2 was born, so the days with both of them were just sooo long .. and so were the nights!

0-1 harder, 22 month age gap.

Also, 2-3 was harder than 1-2.

0-1 is definitely the hardest. I have 4.

For me 1-2. DD1 was a more "difficult" baby but I had nothing but her to focus on and I didn't find motherhood to be a major shock.

Dealing with a baby and a 2 year old at home was a whole other story!

0-1 was the hardest for me! I couldn't understand how people got to baby groups in the morning when I couldn't make it out of the house before 1pm 😂 I have 3 now and 2-3 was the easiest of all.

Thanks everyone.
We currently have a 6 month old and without sounding smug I have found the transition fairly easy - not sure if my expeditions were so low I’ve been pleasantly surprised. However, due to my good experience I really want a 2nd much sooner then I thought. Husband is not fully on board yet though unsurprisingly. Not sure if I’m delusional or if it’s a brilliant idea haha!