I have two children, one nearly 4 years, and the other almost 17 months. I have completely trusted my own mothering instinct from the start with both. The first one was mixed fed after having a distressing labour and emergency caesarean and finding baby struggling to feed and not interested in feeding. Although I persevered and fed him for nearly 6 months. The second I am still breastfeeding! I have treated them both the same and demand fed even at night time. If they want comfort then I give it to them. We wanted children and our lives had to change because of that. I did not return to work and so was not interested in putting my child into a routine and making it all clinical - it all happened naturally. I know lots of mothers all with different thoughts about raising children. Personally, I would never let a baby cry to sleep and believe that babies and small toddlers should have all the love and care and attention when they want it. If you give them love and attention, they move away naturally in time. However, I also realise that just as there are caring and loving people out there, there are others that are less so and so why should being a mother change them?! I would be interested to know if other mothers felt more maternal second time around once their "baby love" was already established.

I can't say I felt more 'maternal', but I did seem more protectivr with my second. I am not sure if it was because she is a girl.
It may be just that she is more demanding, so I find myself nurturing her a lot more.
My first born, a boy, was very placid, and calm, therefore most of the time we spent together was playful and carefree. There was no structure to our day, and things feel into place on their own.
With my son turning 2 in feb, the day is a little more structured, onlt because of how things fell with my son. But I can't say that my daugther adheres with the light structure of the day, and certainly lets me know how SHE wants things! LOL.
I have brought them both up the same, and like to think I give them both the same amount of cuddles, but I do love those few times I have to give my 'baby boy' the cuddles that we sometimes moss out on.