6 signs you’re ready for another baby
There’s nothing quite like that newborn smell and those first few months when you feel love like no other. But amidst that fog of sleep deprivation and learning the ropes, the thought of another baby can be nothing short of petrifying.
So, how do you know when you’re ready to do it all again? Here are the most common signs.
You start to feel ‘normal’ again
Getting to grips with parenting first, second or even third time round takes time. No baby comes with a manual or an off button and night after night of broken sleep tests even the biggest insomniac.
Then suddenly you turn a corner. You’ve got this parenting thing down pat – as much as you can– and light is at the end of the tunnel. You can hold a conversation without losing track. You can juggle as if you were an octopus, and you can finally get out of your pyjamas.
Your baby starts sleeping through
There’s nothing more gruelling and draining than consecutive nights of broken sleep. Yet, it’s amazing just how quickly we forget that. Much like labour, our brains have an astounding ability to fog out the challenging parts of parenting and replace with the good. Memories of broken sleep become replaced with rosy recollections of beautiful restful babies. Plus, pictures of them sleeping make you forget just how little they sometimes do!
Pregnant women make you envious
Whilst pregnancy can take its toil, there’s no doubt that it’s a special time. The miracle of creating a new life is amazing, and no feeling can compare to that flutter of movement inside. So, if other women cradling their bumps make you long for your own, it may be time to work on making one. Similarly, if it feels like pregnant women are ‘everywhere’, then your focus is quite clear.
You keep looking at pictures of your baby
Nothing tugs on your ovaries quite like pictures of your child as a newborn. The time seems to go so quick, and it’s hard to believe they were ever so small. Those teeny tiny hands, that perfect little pout and the innocence they portray. It makes you go gushy inside and you long for those days when they snuggled up on your chest next to your heart.
You start gushing over baby outfits
Much like pictures, the cuteness of baby outfits is enough to make most parents amongst us gush. The smallest of small outfits adorned with the sweetest of designs is hard to ignore. Finding yourself drawn to the baby section in the clothes store is usually a sign that those small outfits need filling.
You’re drawn to every baby when out
The cutest of babies can attract our attention, even when we’re not broody. So if you’re starting to question if you’re ready for another, a cute giggle from a trolley, or the sight of a teetering toddler can be enough to cement your decision. Spending time admiring stranger’s babies from afar and striking up conversations with new mums is also suggestive of your increasing wants. If you actively start seeking babies out, then you definitely need to have your own, or else you run the risk of simply being creepy.
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