Pregnant again! What I’ll be doing differently this time

I recently found out I’m expecting my second child. While a lot is the same about this pregnancy — like debilitating nausea and mind-numbing fatigue — there’s also so much that feels different.

Here are 10 things I’ll be doing a lot differently both during pregnancy and the new baby stage.

This can be such a difficult lesson for the first-time mom. You’ve never had to be so in tune with another being before. On top of that, you’ve never had to trust yourself so much. I now know the power in listening to that inner voice that always tells me what’s best for my child (and for me).

The first time I had a baby, none of my friends had any kids. Now, between my daughter’s preschool and close friends who have since had babies, I have a mini network of mom friends. It’s truly amazing and such a different experience than going it alone. I got used to figuring everything out by myself. This time, I’ll certainly have more people to share struggles with and ask for help if needed.

Before I had my first kid, I wasn’t a very assertive person. In a lot of ways, being a mom brought out the mama bear in me. But in the beginning, I was nervous to communicate what was needed to babysitters or caregivers for fear of seeming over-protective or picky. On occasion, I felt I let my daughter down when I didn’t speak up. Now that I have mom friends, I realize that all moms of infants are over-protective and picky! It’s our job to guard our precious cargo. This time I won’t make apologies for protecting my child and I will be more up-front about what is expected from caregivers.

There is nothing that forces you to learn to be present like having a young child. One of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned in parenting is that when you are actually in those fleeting moments, no matter how hard some of them may be, you learn so much about yourself and how to parent. The more I stay present with my daughter, the more confident I feel when it’s time to leave her for a short while because I know I have really been there.

While it’s tempting to discuss names you’re thinking of with friends or family members, it can also be borderline obnoxious. Everyone has an opinion about what you should or shouldn’t name your baby and some feel they have the right to tell you what they think of your choices. This time, I will hold off on sharing our list of names until after the baby is born.

My husband and I probably average about one date a month (if we’re lucky). While this couple time is so hard to carve out with kids, I vow to keep making time for each other so that our relationship stays strong even with a new baby.

Knowing I have a network of people who do understand what I’m going through will certainly make it easier for me to ignore those who don’t. I used to get down when friends or family didn’t understand how much my life had changed, but this time I won’t worry so much. I probably won’t have time anyway.

Parenthood is full of mistakes. It’s part of the process. Making them is hard because you know your kids are affected by your sometimes flawed techniques. But being in tune with your actions and being forgiving of yourself is what makes us better parents all the time.

It is so much easier to see the mistakes someone else is making than the mistakes you are making. I’m definitely guilty of picking on my husband for the way he disciplines or talks to our daughter from time to time. While I will always keep the conversation open about how we want to raise our kids so that we can be a united front, I will also realize how hard-working he is and forgive him, even when we don’t agree.

Above all, I just want to embrace being the mother that lives inside of me and sometimes surfaces. This time, I want to get to know her better, so that both my kids get to experience the best of me.

More about pregnancy and childbirth

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