Yes, parenthood changes everything.  But parenthood 
also changes with each baby.  Here, some of the ways  
having a second and third child differs from having your  
first: 

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 pore 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 perish 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.