Your Clothes

-1st baby-
You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.
-2nd baby-
You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
-3rd baby-
Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.

The Baby's Name

-1st baby-
You pour over baby-name books and practice pronouncing and writing combinations of all your favorites.
-2nd baby-
Someone has to name his or her kid after your great-aunt Mavis, right? It might as well be you.
-3rd baby-
You open a name book, close your eyes, and see where your finger points.

Preparing for the Birth

-1st baby-
You practice your breathing religiously.
-2nd baby-
You don't bother practicing because you remember that last time, breathing didn't do a thing.
-3rd baby-
You ask for an epidural in your 8th month.

The Layette

-1st baby-
You pre-wash your newborn's clothes, color- coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.
-2nd baby-
You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.
-3rd baby-
Boys can wear pink, can't they?

Worries

-1st baby-
At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up the baby.
-2nd baby-
You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.
-3rd baby-
You teach your 3-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.

Activities

-1st baby-
You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and Baby Story Hour.
-2nd baby-
You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
-3rd baby-
You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.

Going Out

-1st baby-
The first time you leave your baby with a sitter,you call home 5 times.
-2nd baby-
Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.
-3rd baby-
You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.

At Home

-1st baby-
You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
-2nd baby-
You spend a bit of every day watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
-3rd baby-
You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.