Don’t repeat my mistakes!! Lessons learned from the first time around and what you really need to do to prepare for a second pregnancy (or third, or fourth…) Sponsored by Pampers at Sam’s Club.
With my first baby, I’ll admit that I kind of winged-it. I did a little bit of reading and research, but I didn’t want to go overboard. So I barely planned at all!
Well of course life has a funny way of teaching you a lesson! I sure learned a lot from baby #1 about what we need for a second baby, and I thought I’d share those lessons so you can be better prepared than I was!
How Baby #1 Teaches You to Prepare for a Second Pregnancy
As we wait anxiously to welcome a new member of our family later this year, I’ve started compiling a list of all the things I want to remember from my first childbirth experience so I can get ready for the next time.
1. Stock Up on Diapers and Wipes
Many times with a second pregnancy (or third, fourth, etc.) you might have a small celebration with family and friends, but you don’t get to do a whole big registry again. The thinking being that you likely saved a lot of your baby furniture, toys, etc. and don’t need a brand new nursery setup.
However, there IS one thing that you ALWAYS need with any baby…
Diapers and wipes!
In fact, you can never have too many diapers and wipes on hand. Seriously, whatever you planned to buy before the baby arrives – go ahead and double that! (You’ll thank me later!)
Even with six months to go, we’ve already started stocking up on both Pampers Swaddlers and Pampers Sensitive Baby Wipes.
The hospital started us out with Pampers Swaddlers last time and we loved them! So soft and they stayed in place. When it comes to wipes, I recommend Pampers Sensitive Baby Wipes, especially for the early days when baby’s skin is so delicate.
I was thrilled to see such a hot deal at Sam’s Club this month, so we’ve already halfway filled the crib up with boxes of diapers and wipes!
2. Skip the Fancy Clothes and Stick to Essentials
Clothing you don’t really need with a brand new baby:
- Shoes
- Jeans
- Anything with zippers or buttons
Clothing you actually use with a brand new baby:
- Onesies – lots and LOTS of onesies
Sure, those cute little dresses and matching outfit sets are tempting. And they totally make for adorable photo opps!
But when that first “blowout” happens, you’ll wish your baby was wearing a simple onesie that slips right off!
And don’t even get me started on shoes and socks…
My first baby would only keep shoes/socks on for mere minutes before she’d rip them off and toss them aside. Even at almost four years old, she still takes her socks off the first chance she gets. (Fortunately in Texas I don’t have to worry about her feet getting cold!)
No matter where we went – from the grocery store to an airplane – this baby would NOT wear shoes!
Lesson learned: babies don’t need fancy kicks or gear. Onesies are super convenient for diaper changes and they’re cheap to replace if they become stained. (It happens…)
3. Create a Detailed Birth Plan
Even if your labor doesn’t go according to plan (do they ever?) it’s still crucial to have a birth plan, and know all your options should things change at the last minute.
With my first birth, I was so dead-set against a C-section that I wouldn’t even entertain the possibility.
Problem is, life doesn’t always care about what you want! Miss “I’m never getting a C-section” (aka ME) ended up carted away in an ambulance to a completely unfamiliar hospital for that dreaded C-section. A terrible experience that could have been made better had I planned for all possibilities.
What I learned: it’s better to prep for any outcome you can think of and not use those options then to plan for nothing and end up with no say in what happens.
Related: Why ALL Moms Should Plan for a C-Section
4. Do All the Prenatal Exercises Your Doctor or Midwife Recommends
As we neared the due date last time around, my midwife gave me a list of exercises to complete daily. These were supposed to help encourage the baby to drop into just the right position for a smooth birth.
I think I spent hours each day bouncing up and down on my yoga ball (at least it felt like it!) But I’ll admit that I might have slacked off a bit on my crawling (which is just as fun as it sounds).
I’ll never know for sure, but I’ll always wonder if I had been more diligent in those exercises, would our birth experience have gone better?
You better believe that this time I’ll be doing every move and stretch my midwife says to do…and then some!
Related: How to Get Rid of Morning Sickness (without a Prescription)
5. Bring Maternity Clothes to the Hospital or Birthing Center
Key word: MATERNITY.
I did a pitiful job packing my “go bag” the first time around!
For some reason I assumed I would slip right back into my pre-pregnancy clothes after I popped out a baby. Haha…NOPE!
Pack your most comfortable maternity clothes to the hospital or birthing center, and make sure you have enough outfits for at least a 2-3 day stay (in case you are there longer than expected).
Otherwise you may be left waiting for friends or family to bring the items you forgot. (Don’t ask me how I know…)
6. Don’t Forget About the Hubby
When packing our hospital bag, I completely forgot about my husband! (And he didn’t think to pack a bag at all!)
Be sure to bring your significant other a couple changes of clothes as well if they will be staying with you at the hospital.
My poor husband didn’t leave my side the entire 5 days we were at the hospital, and he didn’t have fresh clothes until his mother arrived the day after my surgery.
Oh the things I wish I’d known with the first baby!
The easiest step to prepare for a second pregnancy…
That might seem like a lot of information to digest at once, but you can start by working on one thing at a time.
While you don’t really need your hospital bag months in advance, you can stock up on those diapers and wipes so you don’t need to run out and buy them all at once when the baby arrives.
Ok mamas, your turn! What did you learn with your first pregnancy that you would do differently the next time around? Share your tips for new (and second-time) moms in the comments below!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Pampers at Sam’s Club. The opinions and text are all mine.
More on pregnancy:
How to Get Rid of Morning Sickness (without a Prescription)
What Moms REALLY Want (Might Surprise You!)
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