This might be common sense for some, but in case you haven’t thought this through – having another baby changes everything.
It’s not as simple as just being pregnant. You’re just bringing another life into the world. You’re just preparing to spend the rest of your life raising, loving, and mentoring another human being – that’s the type of commitment that up until this point you’ve only made to your spouse (ok, and maybe your own parents).
It’s a commitment. It’s a responsibility. It’s amazing. And it’s something you really ought to think through.
Children change everything. They impact every area of your life. Think I’m exaggerating? When I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, my whole world shifted. I started looking at myself differently: I was going to be a mom! How did I want to dress? Was I happy with my current job? Would it provide enough money long term to be worthwhile? What about our car – is it big enough to carry a stroller, pack n play, suitcases, and car seat if we were to make a long road trip? As my body began to change, so did my moods and sleep habits. My eating habits and stress habits had to change. Even my relationship with my husband started to change. All of a sudden there was someone else to be thinking about and preparing for, 24/7. It might come across as obsessive to some, but preparing for a baby doesn’t happen overnight.
Preparing for a second child is a little different. We weren’t quite as scared or panicked. And honestly, we didn’t have time to let this baby’s arrival consume our every thought – we were chasing a toddler around and trying to keep up with her growth spurts, milestones, and nap schedule. We were so excited to be bringing another baby home, and what would you know, bringing him home changed everything too.
Suddenly our nights of sleeping 10 hours were over. The back seat of our car became even more cramped (and noisy). We cleared out our guest bedroom and prepared to paint it blue and convert it to a nursery. My parents brought the bassinet back over, and all of a sudden our master bedroom – once conveted as a private space – became nursery and playroom #2.
Our daughter handled the change pretty well, seeing baby brother as more of a toy than a threat. Every morning she happily greets him with a hug, kiss and pat on the head. It’s when mommy has baby brother in her arms nursing that things start to get a little wild. My firstborn knows when I am distracted or unable to chase her down when she is doing something she’s not supposed to. So of course, the times I nurse is the time to break the rules. We’re trying to work through it.
For mom, it has become even more difficult for me to prepare to venture out in public on my own. At this point it feels almost impossible, but I have done it – believe it or not! My rule of thumb has become if I won’t be out for more than 30 minutes, it’s not worth attempting. Suddenly it takes way too long to even get out of the car to make that trip worthwhile (park car, take out double stroller, assemble said stroller, situate both kids into stroller, grab all bags necessary for trip preparing for any emergency and lastly, begin heading toward the store). And don’t even get me started on how long it might take on any given day to get ready! (Basically explains why I recently chopped 10 inches off my hair, huh?)
Don’t let any of this scare you! Yes, life has become a juggling act. And yes, it’s a little more difficult to get certain things done. But children, regardless of how or when they make their appearances, are blessings and something to be cherished. It’s a roller coaster ride for sure, but on every ride there is always a high, always something to look forward to. Have questions? I’m not an expert, but I would love to help! Leave me a comment on this post and I will get back to you.
xoxo
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