What I will do differently with my 2nd child :
1. Doctors and Hospital - Talk to doctors and hospital that are more pro natural birth. I was induced with my first and had a c-section after 18hrs of labour. I am concerned that I'll be doing a c-section again with my 2nd one, so I wanted a doctor/hospital that has had experience with c-section and vagina birth from the same person. I went to a private hospital the first time and they have a higher c-section rate. Was thinking of going public. Cheaper and higher rate of natural birth.
I just miscarried a set of twins and I will find out from doctors what the success rate is like for natural birth if we were to have twins again.
2. Pain relief at birth - no more gas for me. Didn't work at all. Either no pain killers or go straight to epidural.
3. Exercise - More exercises in the last few weeks to help engage the baby. And hopefully a shorter labour eventually.
4. Breastfeeding vs bottle feeding - Doesn't matter. The most important thing is for the baby to be fed and I can have my sleep. I was into breastfeeding with my first and was so stressed that I would pump every 4 hourly. Next time round, I'll not get myself so stressed out and will give my body the rest it needs to produce milk. If milk doesn't come at every feed, then baby will have formula. No big deal.
5. Nappies - Will use more cloth nappies with my subsequent children. Those disposables cost a bomb!
Things that will remain the same :
1. Diet - I'm probably still not keen to experiment with my cravings, so will be sticking to safe foods. I seem to have cravings for sashimi for both previous pregnancies which aren't safe for the foetus. Will also be keeping clear of foods that will affect baby's sleep. I stayed away from beans, onions and broccoli after giving birth and during breastfeeding. I think I'll do the same with my subsequent children. Just in case the get the wind too.
2. Routine - It is so important to have a routine. It may be a very flexible one, but when it comes to food and sleep, routine plays a big part. I need my children to have a clear sense of meal times and bedtimes. So that I can rest too.
3. Sleeping separately - I'll still keep my baby in another room. Miss 2 slept in her own room right from the start. It's better for husband and myself. At least he doesn't hear much of the crying at night and can sleep better and work more efficiently. I'd rather have one cranky parent than two. One of us needs to be clear-headed. However, I did consider that if I were to have a c-section, I might co-sleep with my baby for the first month. Only for my mobility sake. Had much difficulties getting up and feeding my first child while coping with the pain.
4. Feeds - I will still use a combination of bottle feeding and breastfeeding. So that baby gets to be fed by dad too. Also so that I can have a break from feeding and burping bub. Bottle feeding can be expressed breastmilk or formula.
5. Sleeping bags - Doesn't matter what brand it is, I'll be using them for the winter months. Even if my baby's wrapped up. It keeps them warm and snug, and gives me a peace of mind. At least I know that baby will not be freezing.
Can't think of anything else..
So, from pregnancy till birth and even upbringing, what will you do differently or remain the same with your 2nd and subsequent children?
Things that will remain the same :
1. Diet - I'm probably still not keen to experiment with my cravings, so will be sticking to safe foods. I seem to have cravings for sashimi for both previous pregnancies which aren't safe for the foetus. Will also be keeping clear of foods that will affect baby's sleep. I stayed away from beans, onions and broccoli after giving birth and during breastfeeding. I think I'll do the same with my subsequent children. Just in case the get the wind too.
2. Routine - It is so important to have a routine. It may be a very flexible one, but when it comes to food and sleep, routine plays a big part. I need my children to have a clear sense of meal times and bedtimes. So that I can rest too.
3. Sleeping separately - I'll still keep my baby in another room. Miss 2 slept in her own room right from the start. It's better for husband and myself. At least he doesn't hear much of the crying at night and can sleep better and work more efficiently. I'd rather have one cranky parent than two. One of us needs to be clear-headed. However, I did consider that if I were to have a c-section, I might co-sleep with my baby for the first month. Only for my mobility sake. Had much difficulties getting up and feeding my first child while coping with the pain.
4. Feeds - I will still use a combination of bottle feeding and breastfeeding. So that baby gets to be fed by dad too. Also so that I can have a break from feeding and burping bub. Bottle feeding can be expressed breastmilk or formula.
5. Sleeping bags - Doesn't matter what brand it is, I'll be using them for the winter months. Even if my baby's wrapped up. It keeps them warm and snug, and gives me a peace of mind. At least I know that baby will not be freezing.
Can't think of anything else..
So, from pregnancy till birth and even upbringing, what will you do differently or remain the same with your 2nd and subsequent children?
Posts
It's funny how differently you do things with the second child. The first one is a very steep learning curve.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear about the miscarriage Yining. Really, really sorry. I hope you are ok and that God blesses you both immensely with children in the near future. x
Somehow, after the first, I realise that there are more important things than breastfeeding. Like keeping myself well-rested and sane are more important than being able to breast-feed. It is very true that the 1st one is a difficult climb up the hill.
ReplyDeleteKy, we're over the miscarriage, thank you! =) It was rather sad initially, but God has been good and has brought friends and family to comfort and guide me through.
Hi Yining. Sorry to hear about your twins. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteBefore our last child I had decided to not co-sleep for the next one, but I haven't really kept that up. What can I say - I'm lazy and fickle :-)
But hey, as long as we're all happy and getting enough sleep then I don't think it will really matter in the long run.
Sandy, how long do your babies sleep with you for? How did you make the transition for them to move on to their own beds?
ReplyDeleteWe haven't had all our babies sleep with us. I think most of them slept in their cot most of the time. Maybe. However, we still get occasional visits from some of the middle children.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, to answer your question, the last one was 2 when he got his own bed. Partly because of his personality, partly because we had or were having a new baby (not sure which), and also because it took us that long to find a place to put another bed. As for the process, I think it was just the same as for moving from cot to bed - emphasize the 'big boy' aspect, use sheets that he likes, take baby steps, and be prepared for the process to take a while. Eventually they will all sleep in their own bed for the whole night :-)
Sandy, I'm impressed how you manage to find space and energy for all your children! God bless you!
ReplyDelete