It’s hard not to feel a twinge of sympathy for my second daughter. This isn’t due to any shortcomings on her part, but rather the inherent difficulties faced by second children, often overshadowed from the very start.
Take, for example, the process of selecting her name. When expecting your first child, there’s an abundance of time to relax with your partner, leisurely debating the pros and cons of every name in the baby name book.
“Why not consider naming him Alex?” my husband, Mark, suggested.
“That reminds me of my cousin who was always in trouble. How about Noah?”
After a lengthy back-and-forth, we eventually settled on Noah, well before he made his grand entrance into the world—without any negative associations attached to his name.
With our second child, however, there was no luxury of time for name discussions. No cozy evenings spent dreaming about the life our new addition would have. Occasionally, we’d send each other random texts with name ideas, but that was about it.
As the day of labor approached, we were still indecisive. When asked if we had chosen a name, we’d respond with vague ideas, confident that inspiration would strike the moment we met her.
That plan, however, was doomed from the start. Newborns, truthfully, resemble tiny, wrinkled old folks with squinty eyes. They don’t embody names like Lily or Mia. As we awaited her arrival, we felt the pressure build, especially with hospital staff reminding us every 20 minutes that we needed a name for her birth certificate.
Of course, while you can technically take an unnamed infant home, doing so involves navigating a maze of bureaucratic hurdles later on—a hassle no second-time parent wishes to tackle.
Thus, I found myself Googling “popular girl names” when I should have been resting. After a long day deliberating between Ella and Ava, my exhaustion took over. I just wanted to return home, sleep in my own bed, and benefit from the free childcare my mother-in-law promised.
In a moment of fatigue and frustration, I exclaimed, “Can we please just pick a name already!”
Mark casually suggested, “How about Rose?”
“Fine, whatever. At least it’s simple to spell,” I replied, ready to put the paperwork behind me and finally get some sleep.
While I’m not entirely convinced she embodies the name Rose, it’s straightforward, and frankly, I was too drained to think of anything more original.
For further insight into naming and the challenges that come with parenting, consider exploring this informative article on our blog. Additionally, Make a Mom provides great resources for those considering home insemination, while the CDC offers valuable information on fertility and pregnancy.
In summary, naming a second child can often be a rushed and stressful experience, contrasting sharply with the more deliberate process that often accompanies the firstborn. Parents might find themselves overwhelmed by the pressures of time and expectations, leading to hasty decisions that might not reflect their true preferences.