What did you/will you do differently with younger siblings?

s-a-r-a-h · May 2011

I was thinking about this today and was wondering what y'all will do/have done differently with each of your kids (whether it's #2 or #4). With our next kiddo, I'd like to try BLW and BFing past one year, if possible.

A&Jmom · May 2011

Let's see- gave him juice, processed sugar, candy, and let him watch TV much earlier than I did with #1. It is almost impossible to keep those things away when big sis is doing them.

That is probably not what you were looking for though. Wink

Things I purposely did differently- BFed longer, started solids later, will probably start potty training later. Mostly, just over all more relaxed about everything.

Abrooks · May 2011

We are much more laid back with Baby N. I also was MUCH better about setting sleep routine with Baby N to try and establish better sleep habits. I also know if she cries for a couple minutes, she will be fine. Sometimes I can't rush to get her and she's fine if she has to wait. Overall I think just knowing they will be fine and not stressing so much was the biggest change for us. We also did cloth diapering, tried BLW the second time around too.

Angie&Doc · May 2011

I am much more strict this time around. My ds got away with everything, well still does. ;-) I am strict when it comes to bedtime with dd, my ds still doesn't have one and has always been a night owl.

I am totally laid back as far as foods, juice, and TV time goes.

mlf625 · May 2011

Chilled the eff out a little bit. Wink She watches TV (NOT just Baby Einstein, gasp!), we gave her jarred baby food instead of homemade, she eats a cookie if her brother is getting a cookie, we occasionally keep her out past bedtime, I take her out of the house every now and then wearing mismatched clothes. Silly things, but things that I was much more uptight about the first time around.

As far as "good" things, we'll keep her RF past two, if possible. Uh....that's all I've got for now.

keado · May 2011

I THINK I will relax more in general and ease up on the mommy guilt. I also worked a lot when she was a baby, and would go a week with only seeing her a few hours, staying at the office until 10 p.m. frequently - I won't do that again. They are small for such a short time.

With regards to myself, I will ask for help next time, instead of trying to be supermom.

molliedb · May 2011

certainly a little more relaxed about a few things, but really we were never super up tight about most stuff. i did still make their baby food (though i'm thinking of doing more of a BLW approach this time too) and i let all of them eat sweets occasionally after their first birthday. annie and eve definitely did see some tv before lily did!

the one thing we have not changed is our obsession with sleep and providing sleep. everyone said annie would have to just sleep wherever, but honestly she doesn't. annie has had to take a few more naps in the car/on the go but for the most part we are at home for her naps just like we were for the other 2.

MrsShackleford · May 2011

Not fear leaving the house when they are tiny. The summer of 2009 was hella hot and I was afraid of everything. Other people's germs, hot car, hot carseat, hot, heat, and the hades heat. It was THAT hot.

I was home 18 weeks and I was stir crazy, and maybe depressed from not getting out.

I would check this fear next time and get the eff out of the house for my own sanity.

I am sure future LO would appreciate getting out more too.

ali-1411 · May 2011

I bought store brand formula and diapers the second time around, I didn't do that the first time. I've stayed home with Layna and Jakob was in daycare. I rocked Jakob to sleep till nearly a year old, I did CIO with Layna at 7 months. Jakob had baby food until nearly a year old but Layna was on table food by 7 months.

CollieJade · May 2011

I think we'll do everything pretty much the same, but I, for one, hope to be MUCH more relaxed about things. If we do things the same way as we did with DD, or even the way we intended to do with DD, and things don't work out and we need to change it up, I hope I will just take it in stride the next time. I got really, really uptight and obsessive and worked up trying to do things a certain way, and a lot of it just didn't work for DD and we had to change it up. I still believe in all the things we attempted to do with DD (BF, BLW, no CIO, etc), but I understand now that you gotta tailor things to your individual kid and do what they need.

kiarox2002 · May 2011

I'm hoping to avoid an epidural, not be so stressed about BFing in the beginning, convince the tot that previously frozen milk is not rat poison, help them to gently get with the sleeping program instead of doing Ferber, and BF to at least 18 months.

KSandAE2008 · May 2011

The only thing I can think of currently is that we would not rock completely to sleep next time and make sure that they learn to put themselves to sleep. I think that would have really helped some of the sleep problems we have had with DD in the past.

bobcatsteph · May 2011

The plan is to be more strict about sleep. We've been bed sharing since DD was 6.5 months old. I want her out of the bed before #2 comes and I don't want to start that habit with #2.

The plan is not to go crazy buying clothes and toys. We have more toys than a daycare center. We're set for any future children.

brideonjuly8 · May 2011

I plan to do a lot of the same things, but one thing for sure is I will keep giving baby #2 a bottle and pump at least once a day. I got really lazy about it since DS was so good at nursing and then he wouldn't take a bottle and that was hell. I felt trapped and I resented bfing a little because of that, but it was my own fault. I'll probably wean from night feedings sooner too, once I did that with DS he started sttn on his own and we didn't have to do any kind of sleep training.

I won't start solids until at least 6 months, maybe even a little later if the pedi okays it. I'll drop the paci earlier with #2, also.

HSartteach · May 2011

I feel I want to try and do things the same. I think once I was comfortable being a mom and having a career, things went well, and I am happy. The only thing I would definitely do differently is I would start cding earlier with future babies.

Also, I hope to not beat myself up so much if bf-ing doesn't go the way I planned.

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