3 Reasons Why Having a Second Child Is Much Easier Than Having Your First

First-time parenting can be a blur for many people: the lack of sleep, the confusion and the seriously fast transition between stages and phases of development can leave many first time parents feeling a little (fine! a lot) frazzled.

Being a second time mama (or dad!) can be so much more simple and enjoyable. Here’s why:

1. You know what the heck you’re doing.

Whether it’s knowing that your baby is just overtired,  overstimulated or just plain gassy, recognizing that they prefer to be rocked instead of sang to, or learning that your baby needs to be burped three times during a feeding instead of just once at the end — chances are your learning curve to your baby’s needs will be immensely  faster. Because you’ve been through it before, your problem solving skills in most situations are better and quicker.

2. You realize that everything is a phase.

No matter how tough some phases of your child’s early development may be, as a second time parent, you recognize that it will pass. As a first time parent, it seems like some stages and phases of your small babe’s life can be never-ending. The late nights, the witching hour or even the non-stop spit-up are so much more tolerable when you know that there is a tangible end point coming down the pipeline.

3.  You’re too busy to stress out.

When you have your first child, it is common to anticipate every milestone, every change and every new development. Many new parents read countless books, get advice from numerous sources, and consult the pediatrician for every little hangnail. But when you have more than one child at home, time to stress about anything is few and far between. Some parents actually find themselves being surprised by milestones instead of anticipating them due to time moving so much more quickly because of simply being busier day to day.

What are some reasons why you feel second time parenting is easier?