Having a baby changes you and then having another baby changes you again, this is the way it goes. Now if you're a new mom or expecting your second baby, maybe don't start to freak out just yet. You are probably going to hear a whole bunch of horror stories from moms who have been there but honestly, perhaps it's not as frightening as you think. Sure, you'll change a little and grow a little but also, in my experience, you'll end up trusting yourself a little more too. Just ask these moms of second babies, who opened up about their expectation vs. the reality of being a mother of two in a new survey from Store Brand Infant Formula.
First-time moms are frequently pretty worried when they get ready to welcome their second baby. After all, so much of your life becomes almost unrecognizable after becoming a mother. You love the baby so much you can't imagine making space for any other human in your heart. Sure, you've seen evidence that other mothers managed to love their second babies but what if it just doesn't happen for you? What if trying to raise two children is simply too much? These are common fears for moms who are pregnant the second time around, but that doesn't mean they aren't completely frightening when they are happening to you.
A new poll conducted by One Poll in conjunction with Store Brand Infant Formula, made by Perrigo Nutrition, spoke to 2,000 mothers with at least two children in August to find out what welcoming a second baby actually looks like for the average family. Now here's the good news; it's a lot of good news. Despite the fact that 61 percent of mothers thought that raising two kids would be more difficult than just one, only 44 percent discovered this to be true after welcoming their second baby. Sure, around 84 percent of moms admitted that being a mother of two was quite different from having only one child. They couldn't help noting that they had less time for themselves, less sleep, and sometimes struggled to get the balance of attention between their two children figured out. But not all of the differences were struggles.
One element of parenting the second time around 63 percent of mothers surveyed noted was that they were less focused on getting all of the latest "fancy gadgets" in an effort to appease their little one. Perhaps because these same mothers slowly realized they had parenting figured out a little better with the second baby. For instance, 51 percent of moms in the survey said they had more confidence with their little one, while 53 percent recognized that their children were completely different and that was just fine. One-third of moms said their anxiety levels were better, while almost half (49 percent) learned to simply go with the flow.
So the next time someone tries to tell you how difficult welcoming a second baby can be, try to remember the results of this survey. It's more work, sure, but perhaps you are more prepared to take on the challenge than you realize.
