Those of you pregnant with your second child, what are you going to do differently this time?

[Picante]

Oh I have so many silly unattainable ideas but I don't want to make some of the mistakes I made last time.

Some of mine:

1. Succeed at bf. Failed miserably last time and want to try harder!

1. Chill out more - cuddle my baby to sleep instead of thinking they always need to settle themselves.

1. Try not to have an epidural - in fact am even thinking this time of a homebirth!

1. Feed on demand instead of clock-watching.

1. Try not to use a dummy.

I shall look at this thread in a year and laugh I'm sure!

ooh interesting thread. Here's what I'd do differently:

1)Not encourage thumb sucking - what seemed like a God-send when baby was able to put herself to sleep turned into a nightmare. Think flat-thumb, funny shape, skin falling off thumb, front teeth pushed forward (although they corrected themselves when she stopped) not worth it.

2. stay calm in face of screaming baby rather than crying too (first three months). Maybe do a little time out - walk out the room breathe, count to 10.

3)not be scared of bathing new born baby and pass to mum. Do it myself.

I've been thinking of this too recently - getting broody for DC2 I think :

Different:
Not get stressed over B/F - might stop earlier this time
Enjoy my labour if poss!
Not pretending I'm fine when I'm tired and stressed

Same:
Use a dummy as a sleep aid - discovered at 3 months it was fantastic for soothing DS straight to sleep!
Like someone else said, keep in babygrows for as long as poss - so cute and comfortable...

Yes babygrows for 1st 6 months are a great idea.

Different: think more about what I would need to take to labour ward - like cleaning products for bathroom!
Swing for any maternity staff who say, 'I will get someone to come and help you with that', when they mean 'I can't be bothered, good luck finding someone who can'.
Feed and feed and feed in the early days in a cosy nest of mother and baby, TV and chocolate, sometimes DH too.
Use a crib/moses basket that rocks (our DS hated going in his crib in the first few weeks as it was stationary on four legs, but he learned to settle himself quicker I suppose).
Tell visitors to keep away unless they are helpful types.
Ask people nicely not to give clothing as gifts, it will go unused due to size or bad taste of giver.
Be less bossy to my DH and make it a shared process rather than me feeling like I suddenly had two children - newborn and DH - who went all butter fingers and dopey due to lack of sleep in the early days! He made me feel like a drill sargeant.

Same:
Ignore HV unless I get a v. sensible one next time.
Use a sling.
Don't use a dummy.
Use reusable nappies.
Go out every day at least for a little walk.
Don't bother going for weighings (unless there seems to be a problem).
Avoid other people advice/opinions and trust own instincts and judgment as much as possible, I know my own child.
Enjoy each new stage and try to avoid feeling daunted by LO's progession to new stage.
Smile at other parents.
Show off LO as much as possible to any passerby/fellow bus passenger/shop assistant etc.

-First and foremost, not remain isolated from the rest of the world (making PND even worse), get out and about with sling
-Not get uptight about needing to BF and following routines
-Introduce bottle earlier
-Generally be less worried about every little thing, and not get stressed by crying child

Am due next week, so we'll see if any of this holds up!

Good luck shellki

You could try the following:

Giving milk from spoon (v laborious but bf babies can drink from spoon)
Using a TommyTippee cup (either with the spout or straight from the cup, once again BF babies can drink this way as they lap the breast and not suck it)
using a syringe
the bottle feeder wrapping something that smells of you around their arm whilst feeding.

Finally, if they're hungry enough they WILL drink from the bottle (I can vouch for this)

Good luck!

Oh and another thing:
When MIL comes round after the birth, to ASK her to help out a little round the house. Last time she lay on the sofa cradling newborn DS while I hoovered under her. And this was ONE day after getting out of hospital after a cs !

Had DS2 2 months ago - things I did differently this time were (i) positive mental attitude - did hypnobirthing, had a doula and refused to consider an induction - as it happens didnt need to have that argument as had natural drug free birth in birth centre at 38 weeks (ii) co-sleep with baby more in early weeks (iii) use sling rather than pram in early weeks (miles easier on london transport too) and (iv) not spend months on bottle battle as did with DS1 - caused misery all round - as Oreapink says if they're hungry enough they will drink from a bottle. What worked for us in the end was me disappearing for a weekend (returning only to express) 2 weeks before starting work and DH giving DS1 bottles (just offering for a couple of minutes each time he was hungry - he refused the first 2 feeds but had half bottle at 3rd feed and guzzled all the rest - returned to mixed feeds after that and DS1 was fine). Oh and have promised myself will not feed DS2 to sleep...

I'm just hoping to be a chilled-out mummy this time and not worry so much, particularly about what other people might think. If anyone comments on the number of dirty pots or size of my ironing pile I will show them where the washing up liquid/ironing board live and invite them to get on with it

Use a sling.

Relax all through pregnancy instead of working one week until labour. Bliss.

Sleep when the baby sleeps and NOT eat chocolate to stay awake, give me energy.

Try BLW just to see.

Thinking about a home birth.

I'm not going to leave the maternity ward until the baby's fed properly and has had a check-up by a paediatrician.

Oh sorry, I've just noticed it's an old thread.