Does Having a Second Child Make That Much of a Difference?

Remember the “you should be sleeping while your infant is sleeping” rule everyone told you to follow the first time around? Well, when you have a toddler too, all bets are off. Your chances to clock a little naptime are few and far between (except the rare occasion when they’re napping simultaneously). It takes time and hard work before their schedules mesh, but eventually you’ll get in a rhythm.

And that’s just the beginning of the differences. Your toddler will probably feel insecure or jealous and demand extra attention from you. And, at the same time, you may also feel guilty because you’re not giving the new baby as much attention as you gave your first child. But don’t forget that your older child will also be there to fill in the blanks by lavishing the new baby with some extra attention himself.

But there is a bright side: Before your first baby was born, you probably felt nervous about becoming a mom — but this time around, you’re already a mom. You can feel more confident in your parenting skills now that you’ve had some time to hone them.