How to Make Life Easier With Your Second Baby

It has been 26 months since I met my son for the first time.

Although it has been an amazing 26 months there is one big thing I will be doing differently with baby number two to make life easier with my second baby.

Before my son was born I did a lot of research.

I read about pregnancy, cloth diapering, giving birth, and breastfeeding. One topic I did not research was sleep.

I expected to not get much sleep the first few months.

I knew that newborns slept for short increments and would nurse often.

It was no surprise that I would be sleep deprived in the beginning.

What I did not expect was to be sleep deprived at 6 months. At 12 months. At 26 months.

My son was up at least every 2 hours (sometimes even more often) the whole first year. He slept through the night for the first time around 15 months.

He then slept through the night from about 15 months until 22 months when we suddenly hit the 2 year sleep regression and it has still not let up!

I listened to advice from friends with babies that slept or co workers that were trying to help me figure out why my baby wouldn’t sleep.

The doctors response would typically be….it will happen…He will grow out of it eventually.

I remember asking my friends, “Is having your second baby easier?”

Why is it that some babies sleep through the night in the first few months while others take YEARS to figure it out?

I don’t have the answer to that. Maybe it is just dependent on the child, or could it have been something I did?

Whatever the reason be, I am taking steps before this baby is born to help prevent the months of sleep deprivation I faced with my son.

Is having a second baby easier when you have a plan for sleep?

I am about to find out!

UPDATE: Baby #2 has arrived. Keep on reading to find out how the Sleep Sense has worked on my newborn.

Planning and preparing for your second baby is a lot of work. Make life easier on your and your family by learning more about infant sleep. Getting your baby to sleep through the night and take naps during the day will give you more time to spend with your toddler and keep you well rested.

Disclosure: I was provided with free product in return for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. This post may contain affiliate links. To read our full disclosure policy click here.

What is Sleep Sense?

I am always looking for baby products that make life easier.

Being that I had so much trouble getting my first child to sleep through the night I knew their had to be an easier way.

While doing some research on the topic I came across the Sleep Sense Program (you can check it out here.)

Dana Obleman created this program to help tired mothers and fathers finally get some sleep.

With a background in psychology and education she has spent 13 years helping parents that are struggling with getting their little ones to sleep.

This is not a cry-it-out program.

Will there be some crying? Sure, and she tells you that right up front.

This is not a magic cure.

There is actually a lot of work that parents need to do and it all depends on your child as to how long it will take to work.

Sleep in my mind is like many other milestones children face.

There are ranges in which they are expected and there are ways we can encourage babies and toddlers to reach those milestones. Some will need more help than others.

What strategy works for one child may not work for another.

What I like about Sleep Sense is it is actually very tailored to the needs of your child and family (you can can get a FREE sleep assessment HERE to see if it is a good fit for you.)

There is more than one plan depending on the age of your child in order to get them sleeping.

She encourages you to do what you are comfortable with and what you think will work best for your child.

It is not a black and white plan that you must follow.

Who is Sleep Sense For?

You can start the Sleep Sense program with your child from birth and is meant for children up to the age of 5.

I am currently using the program for my two-year old (I will report on that in another post but we have had some excellent progress when it comes to my toddlers sleep issues) and I plan to start this program with my newborn as well.

What is Included in the Program?

There are different options to choose from when purchasing the Sleep Sense System.

You can check those out by clicking HERE. All of them include the very important 210 page Sleep Sense ebook download.

Do not be intimidated by it being so long!

She is covering material for children from birth to 5 years old and you only need to read a few mandatory chapters along with the section that is meant for the age group of your child.

I was able to read everything I needed for 0-3 months and children 1 and up in less than 2 days (maybe 2 hours of total reading time and that was for multiple ages.)

Depending on what option you choose you can also receive videos, email consultation, and a phone hotline for extra help.

What I have Learned So Far From Sleep Sense

I spent a lot of time nodding my head while reading the book.

So many of the parents that she talks about faced the same struggles as I did.

Many of them were facing severe sleep deprivation, questioning their parenting skills, and wondering why their child would not sleep.

As I read through my toddler’s sleep plan I immediately started taking notes.

The things that she says to do just makes SENSE.

She focuses a lot on helping your toddler to create healthy sleep habits and figuring what their sleep needs are.

The newborn section also provided a wealth of information that I wish I would have known about the first time around.

Everything she recommends is different from how I approached sleep with my son. I am very excited to try out this method with the new baby and feel much more prepared this time.

UPDATE: My 6-week old baby is sleeping a consistent 5-6 hour stretch at night already! I have been applying what I learned from the Sleep Sense Ebook and am already seeing big results.

My little girl is sleeping from 8pm till 1am and wakes for a feed (breastfeeding this baby just like I did my first.) She then goes back down until 5 or 6 AM before she eats again. Check out my post on newborn sleep tips!

Who Should Buy This Program?

If you are pregnant and expected a baby I would recommend this program for you.

It is way more than a sleep strategy, it is more of a sleep education.

If you are a second time mom and your first baby did not sleep well then give this a try.

You deserve to have rest so that you can not only attend to your new baby but the rest of your family as well.

Don’t just expect that all your children will be “bad” sleepers and struggle with it.

Also don’t expect your first was a bad sleeper and your next one will be a magical unicorn sleeping baby.

Either could happen…but I would suggest going in with a plan.

If your child is having difficulties sleeping and is between the ages of 0-5 years old check out the program.

Do not wait until they are 26 months…or 36 months…they may not grow out of it!

Yes they will probably have a two year old nap regression but Sleep Sense provides you with strategies to deal with it.

If you are on the fence about trying it out …don’t be. Get the Sleep Sense Ebook download and give it a try.

She offers a 100% money back for the first 365 days!

I was a bit shocked by this as you don’t see guarantees like that all the time. What it tells me is she is someone who cares about her customers.

She wants you to have the best experience possible.

If for ANY reason it is not a good fit for you and your family you can get your money back…no questions asked.

If you are having difficulties getting your little one make sure to get some help with the Sleep Sense Program FREE Sleep Assessment.

Is this the same as sleep training?

I feel like Sleep Sense is different then sleep training because it is more about sleep education and learning how to support your child and in a way that is unique to them and your family.

Will my baby cry?

Babies cry as a way to communicate so it is important to know that crying is normal and lets us know that our baby needs or feels something. As the parent, you will then need to figure out the best way to meet your baby’s needs whether it be hunger, being tired, or need of comfot.