Waiting for the arrival of your second baby is always a different experience than the first time. Not only do you understand the long nights and dirty diapers ahead, but you are also more aware of what you want to do differently.
For Fiona Falkiner, that means reading fewer parenting books.
“I was so determined to read so many books and do everything perfectly, and I think it was almost harmful,” she told 9Honey Parenting.
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Fiona Falkiner with son Hunter. (Instagram)
“I thought you couldn’t hold a baby to put them to sleep because it will create bad habits. And I realized now that I didn’t have much time to cuddle, hold, and enjoy him as he was small. I was so busy,” she said.
Falkiner said her obsession with parenting perfection when her son Hunter was an annoyed newborn her partner, Hayley Willis.
“She would just get so mad because I had books around me every day trying to read everything about how to do everything perfectly,” she revealed.
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Fiona Falkiner and pregnant fiancé Hayley Willis with son Hunter. (Instagram)
As the couple awaits the arrival of their second baby, a boy expected in August, Falkiner says she plans to accept the newborn stage for what it is this time.
“I’m going to enjoy it, just relax and let the laundry pile up – don’t stress about the little things. Lots more hugs, and they fall asleep on me,” she said.
She plans to take a page out of the book from Willis, who she says is the much more relaxed parent. “She’s like the fun one. I’m like the business one,” she laughs.
One thing she’s not prepared for is having two under twos and being able to juggle a toddler and a newborn. Hunter is on the road often, and Falkiner says it wasn’t easy to restrain him at home.
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“Until a month ago, we had a large play area. We had baby gates demarcating that area, but once he could pull up, we got rid of that, and I think it would be interesting to watch him explore the rest of the house,” explained Falkiner out.
So as a Fisher-Price Aussie Play Lab correspondent, she hopes she can rely on their range of toys and activity sets to keep him occupied.
“The Fisherprice Sand N Surf water table that he loves to play with outside and allows me to do some gardening,” she says.
While life with two under two may be a little busy, Falkiner and Willis are extremely excited about the arrival of their little addition.
“We’re just prepared for life to be chaos. But we’re so lucky,” Falkner said.
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