One DC to Two

[treegardner]

What was it like for you going from 1 child to 2. DH and I would love to have another child and plan on TTC within the next couple of years. Part of me really wants another baby now, but then there are times when I worry about having another. Most of my friends have 2, but once the new baby was born they ended up putting their older child in daycare/preschool. Is it just really hard in the beginning, but ends up getting better? We plan on homeschooling, so I would have both kids at home with me. Also DS does not STTN and I still lay down or sit with him for naps, I worry that I will never sleep again lol.

 

[Maela]

It was hard for me, but not as difficult as going from 0 to 1.  I've heard it's different for everyone though.  Also, I think it definitely depends on the age of your older.  My DD was 2 years 2.5 months when DS was born.  About 4-5 months before he was born I made sure she was nightweaned and could go to sleep without me nursing her.  By one month before he was born, I had cut her down to nursing when she woke up and nursing for a few minutes before bed (but not to sleep).  I felt like cutting her down to two nursings a day would keep me sane.  I felt that I could do that easily even with a newborn.  Also we made sure that she was spending most of the night in her own bed in her own room.  When she did want to come to our room, she had her sleeping bag on the floor next to our bed.  Because there wasn't going to be room for the three of us AND a baby in our queen-sized bed.  So we established all that before the baby was born.  She did not sleep through the night (and still at 3.5yo only STTN about 50% of the time), but DH started taking care of night time stuff with DD the month before DS was born because I was just too tired.

Ways in which #2 was easier:  

I didn't worry so much.  I was REALLY nervous when DD was a baby.  DS ended up having a minor heart problem, and I still didn't worry as much about him as I did when DD was a baby.

I knew what I was doing more so than with DD.

The birth was SO much easier.  I know this isn't always the case, but it always seems that I hear about second births being easier than first ones.

I wasn't as bored when DS was a baby (I'm not a baby person) because I had DD to play with/talk to.

Ways in which #2 was harder:

I felt like I literally had NO free time.  DD was no longer napping, so I would FINALLY get DS down for a nap and I would be feeling so tired, but I would still need to give DD some one-on-one attention.  

It was really hard in the beginning, but as the kids get older it keeps getting easier and easier.  And now I'm so glad we have two and not just one (it works for us, I know it's not for everyone).  It's SO fun to watch them interact and (sometimes) play nicely together!  We are also planning on homeschooling.  I did not put DD in preschool (although next week she's starting a 3 week long, 3 days a week preschool-type thing through the city, but that's not permanent; just something I thought she'd have fun doing), and I don't feel the need to.  I really like having them both home with me.  Every now and then the grandparents will take her for the day just to help out a bit.