Ah, the second pregnancy. Hindsight is always 20/20, right? By the time my second baby boy arrived, I knew what I really needed. And believe me, it wasn't a play yard and swing in matching blue plaid.

Trouble is -- and my veteran mom pals agree -- it feels weird to ask for the stuff we really want, as most of it seems...un-gifty and utilitarian. In other words, not fun for the gifter to give. 

So I kept mum and got another car seat I didn't need, picture frames, and a crib from my in-laws. Yes, that was generous, but, the first crib is not even three years old. So, if you have a friend who's expecting her second baby, don't wait for her to tell you what she'd like. She almost certainly won't. Go on and pick from this list of can't-fail ideas. You're sure to hear "How did you know?!"

A baby book: If you don't buy it, the poor wee one may have no record of his milestones. We all know how it goes: Every hiccup the first makes is recorded, while the second one, well, his baby book consists of his hospital picture and bracelet in an envelope. Better still: Tell the mom that if she doesn't have time to fill out the book, she can jot things down on a pad or a wall calendar. Then you can come over once a month and transfer the information in your prettiest script. That would honestly make for a pretty stellar new mom gift.

Diapers and wipes: Trust me -- you can never have enough. No, it's not the prettiest new mom gift, but I promise you, it will be the most welcome one. Also in this category are items that run out or wear out quickly, such as nursing supplies, burp cloths, batteries for gear, and baby wash. 

Babysitting services: Not for a night out, necessarily, but if you offer to come over and watch the second baby, so the mom can have some alone time with number one, she’ll be forever grateful.

Clothes: But only in two scenarios: If the second baby is a different gender from the big sib, or same-gender babies born in different seasons. When my second son was born, I got virtually nil in the way of clothes, as everyone figured I had plenty of hand-me-downs. Trouble was, my first guy was born in July. The second came in January, so his brother's first wardrobe was of little use the second time around.

Gift cards for takeout: Being able to order in without worrying about your budget is a new mom gift like no other. Especially when it's 6:30 p.m., hubby is working late, and it's baby's "witching hour." 

Sprinkling of wisdom book: Want to give a new mom gift with a personal touch? Buy a beautiful journal, and have friends and relatives write their best hard-won advice for the second baby to use throughout his or her life. This will be treasured, and it is an especially cute idea if the second-time mom is having a "sprinkle" instead of a full-blown shower.

A new purse: Make it a roomy, chic purse with plenty of pockets. A mom will almost certainly be over carrying a purse and a diaper bag after her second pregnancy. Do her a favor and invest in a gorgeous bag she can stash supplies in now, and still love when diaper days are finally done.

A gift card for a sibling day out: Instead of just a new mom gift, give the entire new family an afternoon at a local children's museum, bounce-house emporium or baby exercise class. Mom will appreciate being able to sit and (relatively) relax with the second baby while her older child is happily occupied. It'll be a great treat for all of them.

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It was a few days before my period was due, and I could hardly contain myself. Could this be the month that I was pregnant? I didn't feel any different, but I was optimistic.

My husband was already at work when I woke up. I practically ran to the bathroom and unwrapped one of the many pregnancy tests I kept under the sink. After reading the instructions, I followed each step carefully. I set an alarm for five minutes and put the test on the countertop , then, I waited. Would I be a new mom soon?

One line appeared, as it always did. But the second line -- the important line -- did not. I checked the alarm; it was about to go off. I looked at the test again and sighed. No second line. I tried to cheer up by reminding myself that it was pretty early in my cycle to be testing. This month could still be the month. I guess today just wasn't the day, I’d have to wait a little longer for our new addition to the family.

I tossed the test in the trash and headed to the kitchen to make breakfast. A little while later, I felt this strange sensation come over me. "Go look at the test again!" popped into my head. I’ve double-checked tests before; this time seemed different.

Two lines! There were two lines on the pregnancy test. The second line was very faint, but it was definitely there. I was going to be a new mom!

I immediately ripped open another test...and another…and another. I took six more tests before I was convinced that I was pregnant! I remember sitting down on the couch, heart pounding, as I contemplated my future. A baby! I looked at my positive tests over and over again to reassure myself that it was real. Once it sunk in, I began to think about telling my husband and smiled as I realized that he’d be just as excited about our growing family.

Finding out that I was pregnant was the best moment of my life -- until our son was born, of course!

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It was a few days before my period, and I was searching the internet for “early pregnancy symptoms” and “how early can I take a pregnancy test.” My breasts did seem a little sore, I had a slight headache, and my basal body temp was still high -- so those seemed like good signs. I told myself I had to wait until Halloween morning to take a pregnancy test, which would be five days before my period -- still very early.  

On Halloween eve, we had a massive storm as part of the Hurricane Sandy fallout. Trees were coming down all over town, including the 60-foot pine in our back yard! Most of the houses in our area lost power, and our house was no exception. However, all I could think about was taking a pregnancy test in the morning.

In the middle of the night, my husband and I were startled out of sleep by the sound of chainsaws. The city sent in emergency crews to saw our pine tree that was now lying across the street behind our house blocking traffic. I laid in bed listening to the sounds of the wind, the rain, and the chainsaws, and I kept wondering if I was pregnant or not; I wanted to be a new mom so badly. I felt like a little kid on Christmas morning waiting for the hours to tick by until it’s time to open the presents.

When my alarm went off at around 5:30 a.m., I jumped out of bed to take the test. The only problem was that the power was still out! Determined to get my results, I grabbed a flashlight and headed into the bathroom. I took the test and then stared at it waiting for the second line to appear -- which it did fairly quickly! I was both stunned and excited! With flashlight and test strip in hand, I triumphantly headed into the bedroom to wake up my husband and tell him the results. He was still half asleep, grabbing his glasses from the bedside table, and squinting at the test results in the dim light provided by the flashlight. Finally, with a smile, he confirmed the good news of our growing family!

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I’m a Type-A planner. When my husband and I decided to start trying for our first child, I read every book I could get my hands on. I scheduled all the dates on a calendar. I was ready to be a new mom.

So when I took an early pregnancy test on the day I had mapped out, I was almost certain it would come back positive. We had done everything we were supposed to do! But that second line never appeared. Even though it was a letdown, we knew we were still early in the process, and we were ready to keep trying.

A week later, I realized the period I had been expecting had never occurred. Without much hope, I took another pregnancy test -- and this time, the double lines were clear as crystal. It just goes to show that tests aren’t always correct!

By the time we started trying for our second child, I had gotten back into running and was training for my first half marathon since my son Noah’s birth. I couldn’t wait for this comeback race. I’ve been a runner since college and was looking forward to commemorating my official return. 

The marathon was great: My husband ran it, too, ahead of me. And Noah and his grandparents surprised me at the halfway point with cheers and encouragement. I came home feeling tired but empowered and proud of everything I had accomplished.

Of course, even in the midst of marathon training, I had planned this second pregnancy just like the first. I was armed with calendars and schedules to help build our growing family. It just so happened that the date of my marathon was also the date I could take an early pregnancy test.

If I learned anything from my first pregnancy, it was that tests aren’t always accurate, and planning can only take you so far. But I couldn’t help myself: I snuck off to the bathroom, hopeful, and just a little skeptical.

A big grin spread across my face as the double lines appeared. Even when you’ve planned it all out, it’s still a wonderful surprise to see that positive result!

Photo by Viviana Rishe on Unsplash

Right before taking the third pregnancy test I called a girlfriend from high school. We hadn’t talked in years, but she was the only person I could think of who recently had a baby. She laughed while saying, “You only need one test to tell you that your life just changed forever.” She was right, but I didn’t believe the first one, the second one made me smile, and I wanted my partner, Jay, to be with me for the third.

I was 26, living in Brooklyn NY, in a tiny apartment with Jay (and two other roommates, because that’s what we could afford). We lived the lives people in their late 20’s lived -- not particularly kid-friendly. However, having been together three years, we had talked about children and decided that in another three years, we would move to Cape Cod, where he grew up, and start growing a family. Only three years turned into three months, since all three pregnancy tests came up positive.

Even though it was a surprise when I found out I was going to be a new mom, I wasn’t shocked to be expecting. I was never the type to mark my calendar; I just knew my period would start at some point. I had a regular visit to my doctor scheduled for February 13^th, but a feeling struck me on January 10^th, and I couldn’t wait. I had this feeling before, but it usually calmed with a test, and then often, tampon purchases the next day. Only this time, I used all three pregnancy tests, and my happiness grew with each positive sign.

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