The 8 gifts mums REALLY want after having a second baby

When your first child arrives, you're inundated with babygrows, little booties and enough soft toys to fill the entire house. But the second time around, everything changes.

Having a second baby can really put the pressure on – even though we are already queens of multi-tasking. Sometimes all we want is an extra pair of hands to help us clean up that juice spill on the floor, while we try to feed the newborn and put a wash on at the same time.

If ONLY we just had an extra pair of robot arms we could fix on when we needed them – life would be so easy.

Mealtimes will NEVER be the same again with two tiny mouths to feed.

Trying to coax a toddler to try something they might actually eat, as well as feeding a newborn to their demanding hunger schedule can be a battleground.

And you? You may be lucky to shove a speedy piece of toast down your throat.

Short of someone to come round and cook for you, this is what things like ready meals or online meal box retailer HelloFresh are made for.

Ahhh we remember that. But it's a distant memory now ...

Cruelly, after being up all night with a newborn, you're then having to chase a toddler around during the day. Knackered only begins to describe how you feel.

The good friends will be those who offer to not only take your firstborn out to the park for an hour, but also take your newborn out in a pram with them.

All that's left for you to do is to sink face-down on the sofa and hope you don't dribble on the cushions.

Sometimes, it's lovely to have a Velcro baby – who can't bear to be away from you for ONE sceond.

But sometimes, you wish you could do something with two hands, just for once!

When the 'new baby' visitors have dwindled off, and there are no second pairs of hands to help, a baby carrier or sling is the next best thing.

OK, so you're still holding the baby, but now you have two hands free, AND baby is happy to be snuggled against you. Win-win.

After the arrival of a second baby, the washing pile really does double (how do they even get through so many tiny clothes?).

Not to mention the dishes stacked a mile-high in the sink (and that's even when you have a dishwasher!). And when did that bathroom get more than just a cursory wipe-down with some baby wipes?

If someone could book us a one-off house clean, post-birth, we would just kiss them!

It can take a while for an older child to adjust to the new pint-size family member suddenly grabbing the limelight. We can feel guilty that we're no longer able to give our firstborn all the attention she used to have.

What we really need is someone to visit and make a big old fuss of her for us, so she knows she's not been forgotten about. Of course, it won't replace the attention from mum that she misses – but it will help.

And if they could just do that bit of washing up while they are there, all the better!

When the baby brain really starts to kick in, a bit of company who doesn't scream, badger you to watch CBeebies or puke on your shoulder, would be great.

It needs to be someone who can deal with you at your worst, and really pick you up when you're feeling down.

Oh, but they also need to be a good enough friend to not be offended when you ask them to leave, too.

If you're going to hang around for five hours and expect to be fed dinner, too, the kitchen is there (and please make mine while you're out there ...)

More than anything, a little reassurance can make all the difference.

Many presume that as this is your second child, you'll be a pro and will know exactly what to do.

But in reality, we're just as scared as we were the first time around. Being told 'you can do it, you're doing a great job' wouldn't hurt once in a while.