Smart Start Academy

What to Expect When You Bring Home Baby No. 2

If you've ever been pregnant, you know your baby bump seems to be a magnet for commentary from complete strangers. When I was pregnant with my second baby, I received lots of, "You're going to be busy," comments from passersby upon their discovery that I had another child. I figured, "Of course, I'll be busy. I'm busy now. Everyone's busy."

I had no idea.

I wasn't prepared for the transition from one child to two to be as much of an adjustment as I found it to be. I figured we were still playing "man-to-man" with just two kids and that crazy must really start when you have to shift to zone defense from two to three.

Here are some other parents' experiences along with a few tips for keeping sane while balancing competing needs.