It will be different this time...

[Big D]

Now that I'm pregnant with #2 I can't help but think of all the things I will do different this time.

- I WILL figure out how to use a sling.

- I will help baby learn to fall asleep in different places (not just mama's arms or in bed together.)

- I will cloth diaper from birth (even at night) and maybe even EC.

Is anyone else thinking they'll do things differently this time?

Has anyone ever been "less AP/more mainstream" with their second/third/fourth, etc?

[kawa kamuri]

One of the most beautiful parts of parenting and life is that we can always evolve. Good for you! 

[MyFullHouse]

I was 90% mainstream with my 1st, and gradually progressed toward AP/crunchy with each child.  I'm really happy with how we did nearly everything with #4, so it's nice to sit back and feel like we have it down pat, lol.

[lillymonster]

the only thing I will try to do differently is not be swayed by others opinions, which made me a nervous wreck through all my DD's health issues. Although this time it's not working so far for my pregnancy, so I need to try a little harder.

[MegBoz]

re: Sling - look for a babywearing group in your area (search yahoo groups) or any AP group or LLL. it's SO helpful to have someone show  you in person.

Also regarding sleep - I liked, "The NO cry sleep solution" by Elizabeth Pantley.

I actually don't have much planned in the way of what to do differently from birth. I'm mostly excited that I KNOW HOW TO BF - it was a nightmare last time & the LCs at my hospital (3 of the 4 I repeatedly met with for 2 weeks PP) were TERRIBLE - really horrible. But I've learned so much now that even if I'm faced with a different challenge, I'll know what to do! :) A big relief to feel prepared.

[orange_mommy]

Heehee, yes, pretty much same list as you! :)

- Figuring out how to use a sling.  With ds, I couldn't figure out my sling and just carried him around constantly and got absolutely NOTHING done for several years! ;)

- Am planning to go over "No Cry Sleep Solution" to learn to help baby fall asleep without nursing.  I will absolutely NEVER do anything like "Cry It Out", but I'm thinking it would even be nice to be able to walk around and have my baby fall asleep in my arms, rather than JUST nursing to sleep.  Ds was completely unable to fall asleep without nursing until I finally got frustrated and exhausted and nightweaned him at 3&1/2 years old!  And until that time he also nursed constantly while he slept and would wake up if I pulled my nipple out and have to be nursed to sleep again and continue to be latched, etc.  It was SO frustrating to me, not to mention tiring.

- Definitely using cloth diapers!  With ds I told myself I couldn't afford them which is so silly because I spent oodles of money on disposables!  And I want the best for my baby, and I don't feel the best is him being wrapped in paper and chemicals!

- And something I was thinking about today.  I am going to treasure every single kick and movement of this baby in my belly.  With ds (who is now 7 years old), I thought the fetal movements were really cool, but didn't realize just HOW beautiful and awesome it is to feel a tiny human being moving around inside your body!  If I never again get the chance to feel a tiny life inside me... I want to always remember exactly how it feels and how crazy and wonderful it really is!

I'm sure there's more but those are some!

[tzs]

- i will babywear more as a newborn. by the time i had tried every single carrier on the market with #1, she was 3 months and almost too heavy for the moby by the time i figured out that i loved it.

- i will actually work out (yeah right ) and not rely on nursing to lose the weight (big lie!)

i'm worried about slipping more into the "mainstream" with nursing. i was so committed to it with dd and it just wasn't the magical experience that i imagined. and even though i know it's the best thing to do for a baby i just feel that with #2 i'm already like, eh.....they'll be ok with formula....it's so much less hassle....i hate whipping out my boob in public.....i hate having to be the one to wake up all night.....

isn't that horrible? i already feel guilty just for thinking it.

[Aliy]

i totally have changed with my subsequent children. i plan on baby wearing much more with this one...

I'm hoping everything will come to me and everything will work out. each child is different

[Marissamom]

well, this time:

I'm going to have a home birth

I'm going to have a Moby from the beginning, and get myself a ringsling

I'm going to start off with cloth diapering, and try to EC

I'm going to have care for my poor misaligned pelvis post-partum

I'm going to actually take some time to rest after the birth, I pushed myself too hard after my first birth. 

[MrsBone]

I'm probably going to be a little less AP than I was with our first DC. Right now I'm already thinking that I'll probably have to get the baby to sleep in her own bed, because with my DS, we coslept, which was fine, except that it made me have sleep issues of my own. I never slept well cosleeping, and the only reason DS is in his own bed now is because we weaned and he's sleeping better in his own bed now. I actually started taking zyrtec while I was breastfeeding because it helped me sleep better at night.I hated being dependant on a drug to help me sleep while bfing. That and I didn't get very much time to myself with DS when he was a baby since I was the only one who could comfort him, feed him, etc and DH works so dang much. I'm going to have to foster a little bit more independence for my own sanity for my new baby. I still want to BF for as long as we both want, but I am going to have to put limitations on it as the babe gets older. I think that's probably about it though. It's funny when you are pregnant with your first, you have all these ideas of what you will and will not do, and everything changes!

[Baby_Cakes]

Oh yes!  I'm getting a co-sleeper and going to attempt to help this new baby to sleep in his own space!  Going to be a little more staunch about not bedsharing the next go round.  Still in the same room, just in a cosleeper or crib.  

And I plan to do better with the baby wearing, too.  I have all the slings/wraps -- just never got good at it!

Oh, and CD mostly (with DD we stopped early, then I started back up again when she was 18mo).

[kriket]

I am going to be more aware about kiddos NEEDING to nurse to sleep. We are really struggling with this now with 20m DS. :( Otherwise, I am happy with the way things went :) I feel like I have a better clue what's going on now, I won't be bullied into FFing by pedis, and I will actually sleep when the baby (and DS) is sleeping. And I have found my fave ways to babywear depending on what I am doing.

I do think I will delay solids a little longer this time. I'm not as much worried about weaning early, or losing milk, but I think 6-8m was a little early. At least looking back for DS. We'll see when we meet this little one :)

I'm not going to CD from day one ;) AFTER meconium, we'll start up. I've heard "It doesn't stain" or "it washes right out" but they give you that little pack at the hospital, and about when those run out you're through the worse of the meconium. Convenient eh?

[pollyanna123]

This is my 3rd baby and here are my changes:

I'm going to disposable diaper at night from day 1! (cloth during the day)

I'm not even going to bother trying to back wrap. I've already failed at it twice... I'll stick with the mei tai and beco for back carries!

[Smokering]

Baby #2.

I will try much harder to babywear. I now know there's a learning curve, and that there are many different types of carriers and slings available. So I won't wimp out like last time, when DD didn't like my clumsy attempts to shove her in the newborn Ergo insert!

I'll still cosleep, but a little differently - I'm thinking of making a sleep sack and putting the baby on top of the covers, not underneath with us. We'll see how it goes; I'm not too hung up on it.

Sadly, I suspect I won't EC or do baby sign this time either. :p I like the ideas of both of them, but.... meh.

I'll be even lazier and (hopefully) more prepared for this babymoon than the last. I was incredibly weak and pathetic after DD was born, so I'm counting on being at least that pathetic again, and I want to be prepared with frozen meals, very little movement, belly binding, sleeping as often as I can, and so on!

[Sihaya]

This will be baby #2. This time I'd like to:

try belly binding
start EC earlier
try back carries with the wrap earlier
be more open to setting baby down in a bouncer when necessary
have many more freezer meals to rely on
try to get a month or more of meals brought to us

Other than that, I'm planning on doing things more or less the same as last time (home birth, frequent baby wearing, cloth diapering/EC, bed sharing, baby signing) as long as they continue to work for our family.

[staryla]

With baby #2 I will:

Ask for help more

Rest whenever the kiddos let me (even if there is not a single clean dish left in the house)

Relish in the knowledge that at least one of us knows how to do the breastfeeding thing

Take more time off work

[Big D]

a couple of ppl mentioned "belly binding"- what is it?

[Sihaya]

Originally Posted by Big D 

a couple of ppl mentioned "belly binding"- what is it?

There are a ton of threads on the topic around here. Do a search and you will find them. It is just wrapping something around your middle to help your uterus and muscles go back to "normal."

[Italiamom]

With #2 I will not feel guilty about the little things.

With #2 I will eat better and exercise more during my pregnancy, not out of guilt (like with #1), but because I know now that doing both make ME feel my best.

With #2 I will not feel a need to justify my choices.

With #2 I will make more time in those last months for intimate time with my partner.  I didn't realize how hard it would be to get some postpartum!!

[kriket]

Oh, I forgot about signing! I am actually really exited that #2 will be born into an already 'signing' house. I continue to learn signs that I can use right off the bat (instead of having to  look them up) and for no particular reason, DS is nonverbal, so signing is the only way he communicates with us.

If things work out where I am 100% WAH, I will try harder with EC. We did a half hearted attempt with DS (I WOH and DH wasn't consistent) but now I can't remember the last time DS peed on his potty. :(