Yes, motherhood changes everything. But motherhood also changes with
each baby. Here, some of the ways having a second and third child
differs from having your first:

Your Clothes

First baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN
confirms your pregnancy.

Second baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.

Third baby: Your maternity clothes *are* your regular clothes.

The Babys Name

First baby: You pore over baby-name books and practice pronouncing and
writing combinations of all your favorites.

Second baby: Someone has to name their kid after your great-aunt Mavis,
right? It might as well be you.

Third baby: You open a name book, close your eyes, and see where your
finger falls. Bimaldo? Perfect!

Preparing for the Birth

First baby: You practice your breathing religiously.

Second baby: You dont bother practising because you remember that last
time, breathing didnt do a thing.

Third baby: You ask for an epidural in your eighth month.

The Layette

First baby: You prewash your newborns clothes, color-coordinate them,
and fold them neatly in the babys little bureau.

Second baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and
discard only the ones with the darkest stains.

Third baby: Boys can wear pink, cant they?

Worries

First baby: At the first sign of distress – a whimper, a frown – you
pick up the baby.

Second baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your
firstborn.

Third baby: You teach your 3-year-old how to rewind the mechanical
swing.

Activities

First baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and
Baby Story Hour.

Second baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.

Third baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.

Going Out

First baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call
home five times.

Second baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a
number where you can be reached.

Third baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she
sees blood.

At Home

First baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.

Second baby: You spend a bit of every day watching to be sure your older
child isnt squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.

Third baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the
children.