Anyone's 2nd better than the 1st?

TrickyLittleMinx

Hello Everyone! 

I am Trish and am expecting #2 in August. DD was born just in June and this pregnancy came quite a surprise to DH and I. Anyways, DD was well...quite the handful the first 4 months of her life. She cried and cried and cried and never slept. Im just wondering if anyone has had somewhat of a similar experience with the first, but much better success with the second? I'll take the good stories and the bad! lol

 

Thanks!

  

sparklenshine_89

DS2 was much easier than my first. I think it was because I was much more comfortable with the second one because I knew what I was doing. My LOs are a year and 12 days apart. So I had to get my first one on a schedule... (nap time, bath time, etc) Once I got that down it seemed a lot easier.

OregonPachey

Well, I am only a few days into this 2U2 thing but so far (knock on wood), my second has been easier.  Not sure if it's because I am not "new" at this mom thing or if he truly is easier.  He is BFing easier, sleeps a lot better and is generally less fussy.

howleyshell

Yes... and then no.

#2 was a MUUUCH easier baby - easier to soothe, better sleeper and just generally a happier baby.

The toddler years?  #2 made #1 look like a saint and that's saying something because I thought #1 was a hand full and a half! 

Bride2b2004

Yes, thank goodness, or we NEVER would have had a 3rd.  But we are also better parents too and knew right away DS2 and DS3 had infant dairy and soy intolerances due to our experience with DS1 (so the 2nd 2 didn't suffer for 3 months like the first did).  Anyway, #2 and so far #3 are much easier than our first.

jordanebeaulieu

Yes, and I thought our first was an easy baby. DD2 has been a great eater and sleeper so far. She is very low maintenance in general. Thank goodness because DD1 has turned out to be a pretty wild toddler.

laura1

howleyshell:

Yes... and then no.

#2 was a MUUUCH easier baby - easier to soothe, better sleeper and just generally a happier baby.

The toddler years?  #2 made #1 look like a saint and that's saying something because I thought #1 was a hand full and a half! 

Ditto this exactly!  DD was a fantastic baby - so easy and content.  Now, she is a wild woman.  She thinks of things that DS would never have done - and she teaches him to do them too!  Good thing they are both so stinkin' cute  

kcisthebombdotcom

I thought my first was an easy baby..until my 2nd came along. I didnt know what an easy baby was until her.

My uneducated opinion are 2nd kids are easier than the first (barring things like colic, reflux and such). You know what you're doing. The child benefits because you're more laid back. Since you cant devote 100% attention to them all the time, they end up becoming more laid back.

LadyMadrid08

I don't have 2u2 but my mom says her second was so much easier than her first that if they had been switched she would've lost her mind when my brother came along. As it was she though all babies were screamers who wouldn't sleep until her scond was born and was quiet and manageable. Hopefully it is that way for you! Of course this is just anecdotal but it can definitely happen. GL!

MamatoJackson

DS had colic and was extremely difficult... he is easier now but still runs on the high end of emotional/sensitive.

DD ALSO had colic and acid reflux, but... now that we're beyond the newborn stage, she's a much more go with the flow baby. 

marielovestimothy03

Both my kiddos have been really easy babies overall (easy going, flexible, easy to soothe, etc.) but had little things that were hard. DD1 had nursing issues and a milk sensitivity but was a pretty good sleeper even early on and STTN early too. DD2 was a good eater but didn't regularly STTN til 7-8 months (but slept well during the day for naps). I want to say DD2 was a smidge easier overall because she's more mellow and laid back, plus I was more confident as a 2nd time mom and I really think that helped too.

I'm fully expecting DD3 to be the difficult one. But I also swore up and down that DD2 would be a hard baby (she was SUPER active in utero so I was convinced she'd never sleep and just be fussy if I wasn't constantly moving around with her). She came out and was a super sleepy nap rock star for 7 weeks and is still one of the most easy going, mellow, content to just sit and chill kids I know.

xtencornfield

I'm only 3 mos into this 2u2 business but I can say that so far, one wasn't "better" than the other, just different. I think both were relatively easy babies. DS1 had more tummy issues and feeding issues in the beginning but most "issues" we had were new parent issues that we don't have now. DS1 didn't completely STTN until 10 mos but he was a good napper. We also did a lot of "pacing" with him at night to get him to go back to sleep but, again, I think that was a new parent thing. We didn't know how to just let him wiggle around in his crib for a while until he falls asleep. DS2 is really great at putting himself to sleep at night and during the night, even though he's still getting up once per night to eat. However, DS2 is a cat napper to the extreme. It's a miracle if we can get him to sleep more than 30 minutes at a time during the day...but unlike DS1, he's completely fine with that, not cranky or anything. DS1 was a nightmare if he didn't get decent naps. They're both very active and like DS1, DS2 wants to sit up and see the world, he's not content to lie in the same place for very long when he's awake. But there are definitely personality differences already shining through. Ex. DS1 usually wakes up crankily in the morning even if he's had some time to wake up before we get him. DS2 always has a huge smile on his face in the morning even if we wake him up from a sound sleep.

damabo80

Dear God, I hope so.

I am just NOW able to set DD down for 30 seconds without her crying.

baby_mama88

DD1 was the easiest baby in the world. Never cried, no issues, slept great, still does, very independant. DD2 was MUCH more work. Cried for about an hour a night inconsolably for the first 4 months (we called it her hour of sour) and she still doesnt sleep through the night without comfort from me.

I brought it on myself. L could go with anyone, but especially loved DH, even though I was nursing and taking care of her all the time. I was like, what the heck wheres my gratification...and then E. She still prefers me but until recently couldnt even hang out with DH for more than an hour without having a meltdown.

Still alot of work...this board gave me the impression that 2u2 would be great and I would just be busy, but sleepy. No. Litterally the hardest chapter of my life yet. I nearly lost my mind those first few months. Definatly going to wait awhile for DC3.