From pregnancy and labour right through to the effect on family life, having a second child can be a very different experience. Lots of mums worry that they won't bond as instantly as they did the first time, but often the reason parents feel they aren't
Sometimes your love for your firstborn child feels so all-consuming that it's hard to imagine having enough to give your second child. But love is boundless, and even if you get off to a slow start with your second, you'll soon find your heart is big enough to love all your children, no matter how many you have.
Recent research looked at thousands of families in Denmark and America, and found that the child born second in the family is likely to be more challenging. And even more so if he's a boy, according to the study.
The birth of a second child causes the family's internal structure to shift. Mothers can feel torn between the needs of both children and even mourn the loss of exclusivity in their relationship with their firstborn child.
The transition from 1 to 2 kids is not easy but it's not horribly hard, it's just different and it takes time to adjust and figure it out. Handling the second baby feels easier than what it felt when I had my first.
Child number two or three doesn't make a parent happier. And, for mothers, he found, more children appear to make them less happy—although they are happier than childless women. For dads, additional children had no effect on their well-being in his study.
Stress. A TODAYMoms.com survey of more that 7,000 mothers found that the least stressful number of kids is four, while the most stressful number is three. Scary Mommy blogger Jill Smokler told Today that she wholeheartedly agrees. “Going from one to two was an easy, breezy transition,” she said.
Second child syndrome or middle child syndrome is when the second-born or middle-born child gets uncomfortable with the presence of their siblings. It can be due to the lack of importance or attention when the parents give more attention to younger children and give responsibilities to older siblings.
Here, researchers tracked people over 20 years and found that parents were actually happier after the birth of their second baby. With their first child, life satisfaction dipped for several years, then increased to levels higher than before. But a second child steadily increased happiness.
Research has showed that, while having one child is associated with a gain in happiness, having a second is associated with a drop in happiness for mothers.
06/6Verdict. VERDICT: As per World Health Organization, a gap of at least 24 months should be there between your first and second child. By this time, the mother's body gets fully recovered from her first pregnancy as she replenishes the nutrients she lost in her first pregnancy.
From pregnancy and labour right through to the effect on family life, having a second child can be a very different experience. Lots of mums worry that they won't bond as instantly as they did the first time, but often the reason parents feel they aren't bonding as quickly with a second child is simply down to time.
A recent study has found that it's not the youngest child that's liked the most. It's actually the eldest! While eldest children around the world have had to be the example for their younger siblings and parents being extra strict on them, it looks like there was a good reason.
Siblings with more than two years' age difference scored better than children born closer together. This may be because they had more one-to-one time with their parents. Whichever age gap you choose, you're sure to make it work for you and your family.
Grow your family to at least four children! According to a study out of Australia's Edith Cowan University, parents with the most life satisfaction (which means those who are the happiest) are those that have four or more children.
The result that they came up with? Having 4 children is the best way to boost your happiness. "Larger families are more chaotic and expensive, this is balanced out by the joy in their lives." the study said.
A plurality (41%) of moms at the end of their childbearing years now report having two kids, while just 14% have four or more children.
Each Child Is Unique
No one can take his/her place. Your second baby will also be unique. You will bond with him usually as much as you bonded with your first. Sometimes it happens while the baby is in utero, but for many moms, during pregnancy we can't imagine that we will love our second as much as our first.
Will my second birth be less painful? Although the sensations of the contractions are likely to be the same, most women say that they are able to cope with them more easily. Knowing what to expect and preparing beforehand play a role in this. As labour is often shorter, you won't feel so tired either .
The Pros Of Having Another Baby #1: They Will Always Have Each Other. A sibling can be a lifelong friend. Long after you're gone, the siblings will still be able to rely on each other for friendship and support. Your children will have each other for the rest of their lives.
Three or more children = wrong
Despite the growing trends mentioned above, two children still seems to the ideal number. An actual study revealed one to two children is the ideal number for “happiness”, but with two you don't have to deal with the aforementioned only child issues.
Every stage of parenting has its challenges, but one poll reveals what age most parents feel they struggled with the most.
According to a Gallup poll, 4 in 10 Americans say three or more children is the ideal family size.