Is it easier to go to 2 from 1 than it is from 0 to 1?

[minouminou]

Just a response to the nursery thread, where the lady is due in Oct.
A few posters said it's easier to go from 1-2, than 0-1, and, as we're thinking about #2, and i've heard others say quite the opposite.
Just after a few experiences from people who've been there and done it....and added #3/4/5!!!
Thanks, guys.

Glad to hear that Mrs Mess! Granny Mess must have been a formidable woman!

However, Don't think I have'nt pondered my reaction to DS's first tattoo. Can't decide whether to be mortified or disappointed because it does not say " Mam"!

I agree on small gaps,...not much choice now, obviously, but am sure it will make the parenting easier once they are both walking/semi self sufficient.

0-1 - dreadful, dd had horrendous all-day colic

1-2 a dream in comparison, even though ds was not the easiest of babies

wow, lots of responses, with the general message that #2 isn't a great cosmic leap.
Thanks, guys, i'm feeling quite encouraged, and shall be lurking on the TTC threads for a bit!

We found 0-1 easy but we did have a very easy baby. Even at the time we knew she was a doddle compared to most other babies.

1-2 harder but we only had a 17 month gap and dd2 was more demanding.

2-3, not exactly harder, in that she was another easy baby and we were used to looking after several children at once (I looked after my sister's baby a lot when I had 2 toddlers) but I have found having 3 fairly tiring in the longer term.

Found adjusting from 0-1 a nightmare. Ds1 cried non-stop for 9 months and my life was turned upside down. 1-2 was easy-peasy. Had a chance to think through how their lives'd fit together before ds2 arrived and adjusted ds's routine in preparation (didn't even know about routines before ds1 arrived on the scene). Ds2 is an easy baby too. Hoping nr 3'll be more of the same.

Guess it depends on how you found 1. For us it was a nightmare and we would have returned him to the shop initially if it had been an option. After that horror, no. 2 was a complete doddle. As we said at the time, we felt we had already lost all our freedom which was the hard thing for us, with no. 2, there was nothing left to lose.

I find both equally as hard

0-1 was a horrific shock

1-2 I had convinced myself it couldn't be worse than when ds was newborn, so when the reality of sleepless nights and round the clock feeding with a toddler kicked in I was just as low

I'm with chasingsquirrels 'for me it was far far far (ad infinitum) easier, even though ds1 was a very easy baby and ds2 was anything but.'
I was 10x more confident, dc2 just slotted into ready made family, dc1 entertains his sister, had an established group of mummy friends, dh was more confident and thus more helpful, had loads of toddler groups to go to so no worries about how to fill te day, my physical recovery post-natal was better...
I think newborns are hard work full stop. And depends on your toddler. My ds has his moments but he's a good 'un.

(19 months age gap)

er, yeah.
infinately so.