Just when I thought I was through the final wave of Facebook announcements (you know, first they were sitting in a tree, then there was an engagement, then a marriage, then a baby in a baby carriage, etc.), I’m noticing an entirely new phenomenon. Now, I’m seeing my news feed start to fill with my friends announcing that they're having a second baby. Um, I was not quite prepared for this, guys. I barely feel recovered from my first pregnancy and delivery, and the three of us over here always kinda feel like we're barely holding it together, so the idea of doing it all over again is a little overwhelming. And every day with my son still feels new and (mostly) exciting, so bringing a newborn into the mix is pretty tough to picture at this point. But by all means, you do yours and I'll do mine. I'm happy for you! I suppose it’s a good thing that we live in a world where we can make reproductive choices independently, right? But seriously, your choices are oddly intimidating to me, the one who feels like she's maxed out just to keep up with one kid.
To be fair, it’s not just my friends’ choices that are catching my attention, though. There are conflicting messages everywhere, depending on what your priorities may (or may not) be, about when/if you should have one kid or two or five, and what it says about you if you make any of those choices. Having a second child is a lot to consider, no matter what your friends are doing. Thankfully, there are a few things we can all remember to keep things in perspective (and, as far as I know, there are no restrictions on drinking wine before you'repregnant, so there's that, if you're feeling the stress). Here's what you should keep in mind when the pressure to pop out another one starts feeling too real for your taste: