"The Evolution Of Mom"
Yes, parenthood changes everything.
But parenthood
also changes with each baby.
Here, some of the ways
having a second
and third child
differs from
having your first:
Your Clothes
-1st baby:
You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon
as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.
-2nd baby:
You wear your regular clothes for as long as
possible.
-3rd baby:
Your maternity clothes ARE your
regular clothes.
The Baby's Name
-1st baby:
You pour over baby-name books and practice
pronouncing and writing combinations of all your
favorites.
-2nd baby:
Someone has to name his or her
kid after your great-aunt Mavis, right? It might as
well be you.
-3rd baby:
You open a name book, close your eyes, and
see where your finger points.
Preparing for the Birth
-1st baby:
You practice your breathing religiously.
-2nd baby:
You don't bother practicing because you
remember that last time, breathing didn't do a thing.
-3rd baby:
You ask for an epidural in your 8th
month. The Layette
-1st baby:
You pre-wash your newborn's clothes, color-
coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's
little bureau.
-2nd baby:
You check to make sure that
the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with
the darkest stains.
-3rd baby:
Boys can wear pink, can't they?
Worries
-1st baby:
At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a
frown--you pick up the baby.
-2nd baby:
You pick the baby up when her wails threaten
to wake your firstborn.
-3rd baby:
You teach your 3-year-old how to rewind the
mechanical swing.
Activities
-1st baby:
You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and Baby Story Hour.
-2nd baby:
You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
-3rd baby:
You take your infant to the supermarket and
the dry cleaner.
Going Out
-1st baby:
The first time you leave your baby with a
sitter,you call home 5 times.
-2nd baby:
Just before you walk out the door, you
remember to leave a number where you can be reached.
-3rd baby:
You leave instructions for the sitter to
call only if she sees blood.
At Home
-1st baby:
You spend a good bit of every day just
gazing at the baby.
-2nd baby:
You spend a bit of every
day watching to be sure your older child isn't
squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
-3rd baby:
You
spend a little bit of every day hiding from the
children.