2nd Time Around
4th April 2012
It's easier second time around.
As a first time parent, you worry about all sorts of things that, really, you don't need to. You take too much to the birth ("Pillows! We need Pillows!"). You agonise over a birth plan (Really, a plan? What were you thinking?) You focus on the event and not the afterward. When they arrive, you hover over every one of your child's moments as if it may be their last, ("is it breathing! Check! Just in case..."). You worry they might be ill, or be feeding too much or too little or the wrong kind or amount... You worry if you will identify with a child of the opposite gender. Your partner agonises over if they've breastfed long enough, after all there are STUDIES! You fall prone to the media scare story of the week. You panic at the onset of a sniffle or the sight of chicken pox. It's all a great big unknown.
Second time round you know what works for you. Which bits of the mountain of contracdictory advice are laughable and which are key. You're more confident in your parenting. Oh, and you have a toddler wandering round and demanding your attention, so you have less time to worry.
It's best not to worry.
Second time round you find your grove quicker and just get on with it. What else can you do?
Wish I'd known how to do that first time round...