How to Make Your Second Baby Feel Special
Thank you to Maria of Life, Loss and Other Things Worth Mentioning for this very relevant guest post as I babymoon with my second child!
When a mother has her first baby, there is something irreplaceable about those quiet days spent napping, nursing, and tiptoeing around the house silently sweeping, baking, and preparing dinner. When baby #2 enters the world, life is completely different. There are bottoms to wipe, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to throw together, and puddles of spilled milk to mop up. And naps? What are naps? It is just part of motherhood. Adding to the brood means different relationships, but each one is very special. As a second child, I am very aware of how busy my mother was when I crashed the party. In the boxes of old photos, finding one of me is a real chore. Asking about my milestones is almost always returned with information about my older brother with a quick statement that I was probably similar. There are a few things that you can do to make sure that your second blessing grows up knowing that they are just as special as your first.
1. Get to know your baby. Even though the baby is content to lounge around for the first 6 months of their life, take time to lounge with him/her. Schedule time each week that is for you to just be with baby when there won't be any interruptions. This can be a great time for your husband to have one on one time with your older child. That way where there is a tragic accident involving watercolors and a goldfish you can snuggle in closer and enjoy the new baby scent.
2. Take pictures and make videos. It is so easy to chase around your first like they are a supermodel snapping 135 pictures of them grinning when you blow raspberries. When you are trying to mix up a tasty snack to send to the preschool, changing a diaper, and cleaning up the floors that can't seem to stay clean longer than 37 seconds, the camera seems much too far away. The dirty floors can wait since those precious smiles and first giggles won't.
3. Have a baby book. Buying or making a baby book to note all of your baby's milestones was fun the first time. It is essential for the second child. The first steps, first words, and first funny comments will be just as exciting but even tougher to recall. They will inevitably happen while you are making a meatloaf to feed 4 hungry mouths, and are explaining to your older child why it is inappropriate to take food into the bathroom- even if he is going to be in there a while.
I'm sure you remember how fast those first years passed with your first baby. It will pass twice as fast this time around. By doing these things, you will ensure that your second addition feels like the most important second child ever! Congrats on your new addition!
Maria and her husband are trying for baby #3 through the highs and lows of infertility and recurrent miscarriages. Through this journey, she has found blogging to be a wonderful outlet which has led to a fantastic community of women who are supportive, knowledgeable, and willing to offer a shoulder when times are tough. Stop by her sites Life, Loss and Other Things Worth Mentioning and TTC Community and say hello. She always enjoys meeting new people and supporting women who are starting or growing their family!
