ok so be honest... but bring on the positive too ;-)

JesykaC21 · June 2011

now that I am getting much closer to my due date I am starting to freak out a little. I remember what it was like with DS and while I can't wait to have a sweet tiny newborn again, I can't help thinking of the nighttime feedings and how incredibly tired I was... and that was with one baby!

Just looking for a little encouragement I guess, but be honest as well, I don't want things sugar-coated Wink I know I can and will do this with two kids, it's just a little daunting when I let myself start wondering! (Step 1: stop thinking about it too much)

Thanks for any advice/info!!!

Raffes484 · June 2011

I'll be honest. The first 4-6 months were the hardest. DS was a more difficult (needy) baby than DD. He woke up every 1-2 hours during the night and couldn't seem to figure out what a nap was, unless it was on me. He didn't start napping on his own until he was at least 8 months old.

With DD, I could nap with her if I was tired, but with DS I had to take care of DD and they still rarely nap at the same time. Occasionally they'll overlap, but not often.

That being said, my DD and DS love each other more than I could have ever imagined. DS lights up when his big sister come in the room. His best giggles come from things she has done. If DS is crying DD runs to him to ask "What's wrong brudder?" I wouldn't give that up for the world.

My biggest saving grace was getting out of the house. I think the women at Target thought I had a shopping addiction, even though I would rarely buy much. It was just nice to get out of the house and be around other people even if I wasn't conversing with them.

Good luck. It may be hard, but it's worth it.

JesykaC21 · June 2011

Raffes484:
I'll be honest. The first 4-6 months were the hardest. DS was a more difficult (needy) baby than DD. He woke up every 1-2 hours during the night and couldn't seem to figure out what a nap was, unless it was on me. He didn't start napping on his own until he was at least 8 months old.

With DD, I could nap with her if I was tired, but with DS I had to take care of DD and they still rarely nap at the same time. Occasionally they'll overlap, but not often.

That being said, my DD and DS love each other more than I could have ever imagined. DS lights up when his big sister come in the room. His best giggles come from things she has done. If DS is crying DD runs to him to ask "What's wrong brudder?" I wouldn't give that up for the world.

My biggest saving grace was getting out of the house. I think the women at Target thought I had a shopping addiction, even though I would rarely buy much. It was just nice to get out of the house and be around other people even if I wasn't conversing with them.

Good luck. It may be hard, but it's worth it.

thanks, I appreciate the honesty :-) I also dealt with that with DS (although I got him to nap in his crib around 4-5 months) so at least this time I'm somewhat prepared lol.

I think for the most part I'm thinking of how exhausted I'm going to be with night feedings and then trying to keep an infant AND a toddler happy all day.. but I know eventually the baby will get easier as she gets older and we'll be past the more difficult parts! Thanks again!

scaneiki · June 2011

I'm only 3 weeks in, but it is really hard at the moment and yet so worth it. My DS is so adorable when he gives his little sister a kiss. I've been lucky that DD loves her bouncer and my DH stays up late with her so I can get a little sleep during her late night awake period. The few times that they nap at the same time is absolute heaven.

laura1 · June 2011

I honestly thought it was harder with just DS - he was a much needier baby and I had no idea what I was doing. I think I was able to deal with DD much better, she was an easier baby, and I knew that the lack of sleep wasn't going to last forever (everyone told me that with DS, but I hadn't had any experience to back that up!).

Don't get me wrong...I was TIRED and it was hard. But I remember DS's first 2 months as being terrible, and DD's as not so bad Like a PP said - we got out of the house almost every day and continued to follow DS's normal routine. I think that was another saving grace for all of us - we knew the routine and we followed it. DD just fit right in.

Good luck! In a year, you will be telling others that it wasn't so bad either!

CaitlinJ22 · June 2011

For me the first 2 weeks for hard on DS so they were hard on me. He had some issues with me holding/nursing DD so I was a wreck because he was. Once my hormones settled, and he got used to her, it was better. She was a great baby, still is, but was a very good sleeper from the start. DS wasn't that great, so I was expecting the worst. I think the first 2 months were the most tiring, but then DD slept 10-12 hrs a night until 4 months old. I was in heaven....then the wakeful period hit and she started to wake more at night and not nap well. That was hard, but it was still easy to get her back down.

For me. the hardest thing has been logistics. Figuring out how to juggle two crying kids, how to get each kid into/out of the car, how to nurse while DS is playing in public without revealing a boob to strangers if you have to run after him You get that stuff in time. I felt nervous the first few months because it was like starting a new job, but once I got the hang of shopping trips, outings, gymboree, and playdates once....I could handle them again.

My DH is on a rig for 3 wks straight. I am alone with no family. It bites, but even I would do this again knowing what I know now. I love it. And Im even having a bad day today I think if DH was home every night by 6, and on the weekends, this would be cake....but I guess that's because I know how it is alone.

DS loves his sister. She cries and he runs over and comforts her. He makes her laugh when she fusses and kisses her boo boos. DD loves DS and will look for him immediately. She lights up when she sees him. They love being with me, but when the other is sleeping they seem bored Oh and my kids nap great together...not all the time, but often, I love it.

My best piece of advice is go with the flow. Be flexible. I never was until DD came along. oh and just enjoy them. The hard days are HARD, but they aren't often. They great days are GREAT and happen a lot more.

kcisthebombdotcom · June 2011

I think I may be the most delusional person on this board, since I dont find it that hard (yet!) Sure, there have been some killer weeks, like when DS started cutting his molars the week DH went back to work after DD was born. That sucked. Overall, I dont find it to be that hard honestly. I just got really lucky and hit the baby lottery twice with 2 easy babies that sleep well. The biggest adjustment was taking them both places, but now its like second nature.