What won't people tell me about being pg second time round??

[SAEJ]

We are TTC DC 2, DS is 10 months and very lovely and we can't wait to do it all again.

So, what do I need to know about second time round??

I am already getting the usual dire warnings from unhelpful friends that I need to be prepared for never being able to rest again, how I will never lose the weight second time round and that despite DS being adorable he will become the child from hell the moment I deliver. . . . .

What do I need to know?

Any life saving gadgets to help me manage 2 under 2??

I found being pregnant whilst already having one child the hardest. My two are 2.5yrs apart. I was exhausted most of the time. I found being a full time Mum whilst pregnant than being at work full time.
We found that when dd2 arrived we made sure that dd1 was involved as much as possible. So when dd2 was brought home the first morning, dd1 rushed in and demanded to know where "her baby" was!
They generally get on great and its a huge pleasure to watch them play together. They obviously have there moments but generally its fantastic.
I actually find it isnt any harder with two children than when you have just one. The first child is always such a shock to the system that when the second arrives you tend to take it all in your stride. So I wouldnt worry - its going to be great fun!
A few tips..
Go to parent/toddler groups - get out of the house so that you are not driven insane with no adult contact. Also keeps the kids amused whilst you can have a chat and a coffee.

Find activities that keep the both of them amused - favourite video/playdough etc..So you can put your feet up. Dont be afraid to use Cbeebies.

Give your oldest child a bit of one to one attention each day when the youngest isnt around. Just to make sure they know they are special etc..

I found it easier in an odd kind of way because I'd already come to terms with being a mother and didn't need to try and pretend I hadn;t changed. All that emotional coming to terms with motherhood stuff was very draining first time round for me. Also with 2 you can't try to get anything done, so I found I kind of gave into the whole thing more wholeheartedly and enjoyed it more as result. Now my kids are 4 and 2 and it's much easier having 2 than 1 because they play together pretty well. It's hard getting out the house to begin with but it gets easier day by day. And I think having a sibling generally makes kids nicer, more able to share, take turns, look out for one another etc. I found there wasn't any jealousy cos no 2 didn't demand anything other than food. Go for it and enjoy!!

life saving gadgets...........a TV with C-Beebies ! Honestly - a life saver for when you are feeding your baby. A lot of people on here also recommend a special box of toys that only come out when you are doing a feed.

My 2nd pregnancy was harder and not as enjoyable as my first. I think it was because you don't have the time or energy to be amazed at what is going on - instead you are just lugging around your bump while trying to keep your toddler entertained/work/do housework etc etc!

Be acreful with your hips/back when you are lifting your 10mo. I had to have physio in my 2nd pregnancy because of all teh lifting.

I found that once dd2 was here it became much easier. Sleep deprivation the second time round is easier to cope with and it isn't a huge shock to the system.

Dd1's sleep was a bit erratic for the month before the baby arrived and for a few weeks after. I think she sensed that something was up and became very clingy with me.

What worked for us was for me to stay in the spare room with dd2 and my DH dealt with dd1 throughout the night. That way we both got as much sleep as we could. It all calmed down by about week 3 and one of the first things dd1 asks for every morning is "baby meep".

The thought of how to deal with 2 under 2 is harder than the reality and I can't wait until both of mine are old enough to really play together.

I am currently sitting here watching dd2 under her babygym with dd1 making all teh things jingle and shake to make her laugh (they are now 22mo and 9wo) and it is just lovely!

agree with all that's gone before. DD1 did great work at keeping dd2 amused, which made things easier in a way. DD1 did decide to go full on toilet training a couple of weeks after dd2 was born (she found the pants I had bought her stashed away in my wardrobe and insisted that she was now a big girl...) which made things interesting. I did find the most difficult thing was to keep dd1 happy while dd2 was feeding, so anything re having some extra childcare (also a good thing to let c1 have their own social life so no too dominated by new baby), special dvds for the occasion, cbeebies or whatever it is. Also don't be hard on yourself if you feel like you're not keeping up to "standards" in whatever department. Having two or more little ones to look after is a big job, and a very enjoyable one if you let yourself enjoy it.

Good luck

Thanks all, very reassuring and positive - amazed at how many negative and quite frankly scaremongering stories you get!! No idea why peopl seem so fixated by the negative!

These are all top tips - can't wait!!