After having my first child I quickly learned that there were some things that I would want to do differently whenever I had my next child. These few changes made a big difference in reducing my stress and being able to enjoy all the precious moments more with my second child:

1. NOT STRESSING OVER GETTING MY BABY ON A SCHEDULE RIGHT AWAY

When I had my first baby I instantly felt pressured to get my baby on a schedule. I would stress out over her not having a set routine right away.  Then I had my second child and knew I wanted to do things differently. I waited a few months before establishing a schedule. I followed more of a baby-led approach. That helped me a lot in being able to enjoy and soak in my baby’s early moments!

2. RESTING WHENEVER POSSIBLE 

After having my first baby I felt like I needed to constantly be getting things done around the house. I wanted to still be able to do the same amount of housework that I did pre-baby. I had a difficult time allowing myself to rest when needed. When I had my second baby I realized that I needed to slow down a bit. I realized it would be ok if the dishes did not get washed right away. I allowed myself to rest whenever possible.

3. ASKING FOR HELP

When I had my first baby I felt like I needed to be “Supermom.”  I waited until I was completely worn out and overwhelmed before asking for help. The next time I had a baby I asked for help quicker with things. I learned that everyone needs help sometimes.

4. TAKE MORE PHOTOS 

 After having my first baby I struggled with body image issues postpartum. It caused me to not want to take many photos with my baby. The second time around I took photos with my children even when I didn’t feel like I was looking at my memories. I didn’t want to miss out on documenting memories with them. I learned to be a lot kinder to myself. 

What are some things you did differently with your children or wish that you had done differently?