It's different

Going from your first baby to your third. With your first, you've read all the books, attended all the classes, and you get through the birth, only to be absolutely terrified when you actually arrive home alone with the baby. The baby cries and suddenly all the conventional methods of dealing with crying babies that you read in the books don't work like they should.

By the time you get to #3, you know most of the tricks, but you also know the real trick is knowing that each baby is different, so what worked with #1 and #2 doesn't necessarily work with #3.

You realize now that it's ok to not force-feed babies every 2 hours when they're newborns, but that feeding on demand works best. You have finally learned to sleep when the baby sleeps and to take advantage of every minute of maternity/paternity leave and let your husband and anyone else that offers do the chores for a couple weeks. You finally give up on the conventional baby bedding and opt for whatever works--a car seat in the bassinet, co-sleeping, etc. You allow baby to pacify themselves on whatever they like--a pacifier, thumb, or your pinky.

Most of all, besides the sleep deprivation and craziness of raising 2 other kids at the same time, you can enjoy your baby #3 and all those cuddly coos, without being terrified you're starving or freezing or traumatizing him for life. Just think of all the money he'll save on therapy...