Second time around

When I became a second time parent with Dylan, I never thought I would become this cool and relaxed about it. I am amazed at myself, check out the difference!

1. Breastfeeding
With Kayden, breastfeeding was stressful. Before he arrived, I bought breastpads, nipple cream, nursing tops. I was strict with the timings I fed him and always worry if he has enough or if I am feeding him the wrong side.

With Dylan, breastfeeding's a breeze! I had zero breastpads or tubes of nipple cream, no new nursing tops. I let him nurse whenever he wants to and if I forget which side I last fed him, I just go oh well, that leaves plenty more on the other side when he next nurse :p

2. Food
I was so excited to start Kayden on solids, I bought baby cookbooks and read up a lot before deciding what to feed him. Every puree I MUST cook myself, NO bottle food please. ALL food that passed through him must be organic. NO sweet stuff till he was like past 18months.

When it came time to try Dylan on solids, I was a bit less excited. Sure I still cooked some of his food but bottle food are no longer banned, in fact, they were a welcomed convenience :) If I was having a chocolate muffin and Dylan looked like he wanted some, I would give him a bite!

3. Germs
I was paranoid of germs going onto my first born. Everything was clinically clean. When he dropped a toy on the ground, that's it, no touching it till after it's been washed with Dettol. When someone on the train coughs or sneezed in his direction, I will quickly turn him away from the offender and dramatically fan with my free hand all that invisible germs surrounding him and if the offender was still around, I would give him a good hard scowl for being so daring as to cough or sneeze in front of my baby!

With Dylan, I still stare at people who cough or sneeze at him but no more fanning action *LOL*. Toys dropped are picked up and given back to him to his delight. He gets away with eating with unwashed hands.

4. Milestones
From pregnancy right up till he was past 2years old, I was anxious of the milestones he was supposed to achieve. Every month I will know what to expect and will make sure that he achieves it.

When pregnant with Dylan, I hardly worry except that one time when I missed a couple of steps down the staircase. I enjoyed each milestone as and when they came and I was hardly stressed at all making sure he achieved them :)

5. Sickness and accidents
The other day when Dylan fell and bumped his head quite badly, resulting in a panda eye as the blood flowed down, I didn't panic and rushed to the hospital as I would have previously with a young Kayden. I just monitored his condition. We even self medicate nowadays with Kayden, using medication we had gotten previously from the paed. I must stress that this is ONLY for common ailments like fever, cough or runny nose, please do not follow our example :p

For all you first time parents reading this post, I think you must have shook your heads a few times already, tsk tsk-ed a couple of times and some may have your jaws dropped at point #5 :p I apologise if I shock you but when you have your second/subsequent child, you will know what I mean - totally! Meanwhile, try and enjoy each moment with your child instead of stressing over what you should be doing. Don't worry! Everything will fall into place :)