moms of 2 or more...

ambigs

i am starting to get real nervous about baby coming!  i'm wondering how your recovery went with LO#2.....more mentally than physically. i remember being very sad the first two weeks with DD.  i can remember just wanting someone to take the baby so i could crawl into bed and just sleep and be alone.  i know that's somewhat normal and i remember it clearly going away by about 2.5 weeks.  i don't know how much of it was purely hormonal combined with breastfeeding not going well and getting an infection/being sick myself. 

i'm wondering if you felt the second time around was easier?  i know each baby is different and so things could be more/less stressful after each pregnancy/delivery.  i guess i know to expect being tired and not getting much sleep - i just am hoping to avoid feeling so sad those first few weeks.

marleysmom

I cried a lot more with #1, but #2 was a more difficult baby. I had trouble breastfeeding both times but dealt with it better with #2. My physical recovery was briefly more difficult with #2 just because of the way my stitches were healing, so that actually had most of my attention immediately post-partum. But, overall was about the same. The whole experience with #2 seemed more "routine" than with #1, which in turn made me less emotional about everything, Just take things one day at a time and know that having some of those feelings is normal and will pass. If they don't, don't be afraid to ask for help either!

p.s. I still feel like I want to crawl in bed and sleep!

jgoo

My emotional state was 10x better with #2 than #1.

With DS, I had a horrible recovery which was just as hard mentally as it was physically. & I was so consumed with first time Mom worry & anxiety & what if's that it took me a while to connect with him. Which was very difficult for me.

With DD, it was instant. I knew what I was doing, I was confident in my Mama skills & my recovery was much easier. I was able to just enjoy her from the beginning, you know?

 

EMWindy

2nd time was much easier because I knew I would be emotional (and warned everyone around me beforehand) and I didn't try to 'understand' why I was so upset because I knew it passed.

In general, everything with #2 has gone so much smoother and I rarely worry because I know "this too shall pass".   I've had a lot more fun and enjoyed #2's baby stage more.   He was an 'easier' baby than #1, but still by no means "easy"

ebearwife

I am just visiting this board but I saw your post.  I had a MUCH easier time emotionally, stress-wise with #2.  BUT he was in the NICU and I HAD to get it together to take care of him plus my not yet 2 yr old DD.  I healed from my C-section much quicker and felt way more confident.  Breastfeeding was easier but then Isaac weaned himself at 6 months which I didn't count on.  (P had a rocky start but hated formula and bottles so she nursed til 15 months).  I didn't feel one bit guilty about bringing the baby (fed and changed) to my MIL's next door to hold so I could have a moment or get a nap.  Isaac did get sick with RSV and I am still dealing with breathing treatments, etc from all that drama but all in all my life was so much easier with Isaac at first than P.  P screamed her head off at me for the first 8 weeks bc I reckon she was mad I had no idea what I was doing.  Isaac was so much more happy and chill.

LDQAM516

Mentally it was a lot easier...though I broke down a little when I we got home because I felt super guilty for bringing another baby into the picture so soon.  But soon realized how awesome it was to give DS a sibling to play with.  

 

I got over the baby blues a lot faster even though DD was a super needy baby (and still is).  Physically was easier too!