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A New Baby — First Time vs. Second Time

in Family

First Time:

Breastfeeding is done in the privacy of my bedroom – complete with a perfectly-placed My Brest Friend pillow, a brand new pink Bravado nursing tank and an online breastfeeding log.

Second Time:

Breastfeeding is done at my kitchen table – baby is in a one-armed cradle hold while I eat a Chipotle Carnitas bowl while donning a ratty, stained tee pulled up to my shoulders.

First Time:

A week after delivery, I’m physically feeling a little pep in my step.

Second Time:

A week after delivery, I feel as though my pelvic floor will fall out of my body if I so much as sneeze.

First Time:

Completely sleep deprived and exhausted.

Second Time:

Completely sleep deprived and exhausted with a three-year-old who is most decidedly NOT sleep deprived and exhausted.

First Time:

Could spend hours staring at my sweet, sleeping baby.

Second Time:

Yeah. That one pretty much hasn’t changed.

(Looking at Wito’s newborn photos, it’s uncanny how much these two resemble each other. Siblings FTW!)

What about you? What am I forgetting, first time/second time-wise?

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44 comments

  1. Siera

    July 7, 2010 at 11:33 am

    Only having one, I can’t share my experience with one child vs. two.I do remember the early days of breast feeding. Everything had to be just so. I had to have my nursing pillow, water, nipple cream, receiving blanket, privacy blanket if in public etc. Breastfeeding was akward at first. A few months into it and I’d whip my tatas out anywhere to appease my screaming child; even in the check-out at the grocery store.

  2. Lisa

    July 7, 2010 at 1:42 pm

    We are still working on our first, but wow – they do look alike don’t they?

  3. G

    July 7, 2010 at 1:43 pm

    First time: “Sleep when the baby sleeps.”

    Second time: Desperately hope they nap at the same time for at least a few minutes.

    Third time: HA!!! Survive on no sleep because baby was up until 2am and the Kindergartener has to wake up at 6:30am for school.
    .-= G´s last blog ..Grr- =-.

  4. Kerri Anne

    July 7, 2010 at 4:23 pm

    They seriously look like the same baby! Soo adorable.
    .-= Kerri Anne´s last blog ..Snapshots Of A Season In Progress =-.

  5. elz

    July 7, 2010 at 8:03 pm

    First One- You don’t leave the house with the baby until the Pediatrician tells you at 6 weeks to take child outside. Then, obsess about germs! and dirt! and disease!

    Second One- Take baby out at day four because someone needs to get the groceries.

    Sibling baby photos are the best. My girls’ baby pictures are so close, we play the “which baby”‘ game all the time. She’s so precious.
    .-= elz´s last blog ..9 Years of Knowing =-.

  6. GirlsGoneChild

    July 7, 2010 at 11:21 pm

    I love her and you and this post. xo

  7. Megan

    July 8, 2010 at 6:51 am

    That is so true Sarah! I just had my second girl in May and it is amazing how quickly having only one seems easy. Someone told me the other day that the hardest part of having a newborn is having a toddler!

    I am now an expert at making lunch while breastfeeding :)

  8. ali

    July 8, 2010 at 10:18 am

    OMG.
    they are twins!
    .-= ali´s last blog ..Stepford Road Trip Anyone =-.

  9. Kristen

    July 8, 2010 at 4:54 pm

    Sooo true. But you forgot to mention the rice remnants of the Chipotle Carnitas bowl that have fallen from the fork onto your breastfeeding baby’s head. Especially when nursing with RIghty Boob (forcing you to eat with shaky Lefty Hand. Or maybe that’s just me).

  10. Jen

    July 9, 2010 at 7:51 am

    First time breastfed behind a closed door when we had visitors. This time everyone and their mother gets to see my boob.

  11. Chiada

    July 9, 2010 at 2:22 pm

    She’s absolutely PERFECT. I’ve never seen a more beautiful baby. Many congratulations and well wishes headed your way!

  12. Lara Jane

    July 11, 2010 at 6:22 pm

    Gorgeous, both times!

    I have a 10-year-old and that’s it (not by choice, I feel like I have to defend myself for some reason…), but I was never shy about flopping it out when it was nursing time.

    If God does decide to grant me with another wee one, I’m glad I have an extra pair of helpful hands. :)

  13. Elizabeth @ Table for Five

    July 11, 2010 at 6:27 pm

    She looks so much like her brother! Congratulations on your beautiful little girl. I remember writing thank you notes for the baby gifts for number two while holding him in one arm and reading a story to two year old number one at the same time. Multitasking Moms FTW!
    .-= Elizabeth @ Table for Five´s last blog ..Traditional 4th of July S-8217mores =-.

  14. Dr. Heather

    July 12, 2010 at 2:34 pm

    Love this. Congrats on your baby girl. We loosened up for each additional baby so much that now, with #4, we just leave her at home alone with the remote control and a fresh bottle (kidding). ;) Seriously, though, having a baby AND a toddler in the house was the hardest thing I’ve ever done — and we now have 4 kiddos. Our youngest is 8 months old and it’s way easier now, with 4, than when I had just the baby and the toddler. Hang in there and things will ease up eventually!