Coping with a toddler and a newborn.
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364 days between my two boys. They just turned 2 and 3. I'm a SAHM. It is harder the closer the gap to start with but it does get easier as time goes on. They are very close and have friends in common age wise. I had to find different groups to go to as a couple were for non walkers and some walkers. Crawling about in soft play with a baby strapped to me and a 1 year old cruiser was no go til oldest was more physically independant and youngest could keep up so we could do it all together. Mixed age playgroups are brilliant though. I was very lucky that my dad loves kids and has helped me out no end.
Get a good double pram. We have a baby jogger city mini double bought of ebay. Its a side by side one which fits through most doors and is very easy to steer and distributes the weight better than any other pram I've tried. Its suitable from birth too. We spend a lot of time going for walks - the youngest can sleep and the oldest is happy for some 1 on 1 walking/playing with me. Then tired out the oldest will sleep and I got 1 on 1 with the youngest. I think that's the hardest bit, giving them undivided attention for a while each day.
You'll be ok don't worry it just happens x
353 days between my 2nd and 3rd and my 1st is yet to turn 3. :beer:0 -
Andrewmp Fun isn't it
bet even more so with 3. 0 -
Iv got 13 months 1 week between my 2. Is there anything in particular you are concerned about x0
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I have a age gap of 20 months between DD1 & DD2 and now DD2 is 31 months and im due baby boy any day (xmas day due date!) aside from this me & OH also have his children at weekends who are 7&9 so at weekends we will have 5 under 10! its madness, it does drive you to locking yourself in the bathroom for 5 minutes peace! (or is that just me?)
my eldest is only now at 4 starting to become jelous of the 2 year old but they really are so close. whenever one is without the other they constantly ask for the other. I do think that DD2 will be a little more challenging when boy comes along as she is very babied by all of us. I didnt really do anything to prep DD1 whereas this time both girls are quite involved and love to stroke my belly and talk to him, they dont really fully understad but its nice.0 -
It's a bit back, but there was a 2 year gap between firstborn & little brother & 1 year between little brother & baby.
Nappy tackle on every floor. Duplicate, triplicate (& the nappy bag) - It's Worth it. You do not need a changing station if you haven't had a caesarian. We used the floor (as I'm still waiting to meet the baby who can fall off that) & it kept everyone limber.
The baby, immobilised in a Moses basket, is a target for curious fingers. Why my lads found newborn eyeballs fascinating, I still do not know, but it meant I ran a ferocious program of "this is your baby brother, you can X,Y,Z but YOU DO NOT PROD EYEBALLS". It got to the stage where I could take all 3 to baby clinic & be sure the elder two would greet tiny folk immobilised in carseats etc by crawling up to them & shaking them gently by the foot.
I didn't need to drag the elder two to antenatals as my wonderful midwife found that by making me her last appointment she could come to me, have a coffee (I nearly barfed brewing it each time, but it was *so* worth it for warm hands & happy midwife), as well as neither of us having to worry what elder two were up to as they were in plain sight. However, seize opportunities. It's unlikely to startle your midwife & does trainees no harm at all either.
Story time now has a point - what would Elsa do if she found sister Anna was expecting a baby? She'd Help! All the little things like leaving shoes in one place, picking up toys etc? Start training *now* & you'll have an unmatched mothers help. She can learn to part fill an empty kettle, & put a mug beside it, and I'm pretty sure she'll soon learn to appreciate the difference that the magic potion "cuppatee" (or "brew") makes to Mummy. Just enjoy the drink as once she thinks you've recovered then the 'can I have' queries start...
Nap times? If they synchronise, Wonderful, & get your own head down. If not, teach elder to crawl around *you* while you lie down. (Baby in basket can snooze, ignore you or eye the patterned toys you've lined their basket with.)
Never wake a sleeping baby. Other than for a doctor. OH, siblings, parents-in-law, parents, all other visitors, the curious - they can blinking well wait til small person is awake, and here's one you prepared earlier for them to be polite to!
If you've not read A Few Minutes Peace please do so. Encourage all your family, friends, visitors etc to read it, too. It's short and to the point.
Do not worry too much. Siblings are worth the effort & this close you get more fun per penny per child item so skimp on baby stuff & spend on toddler stuff.
Start buying Lego. It's evil underfoot but it's a wonderful toy to grow up with & the smaller bits do go through the digestive tract without harm. Stuff Duplo, go straight for the real deal. In years to come, your daughter will be better at maths & spatial awareness (& much easier to shop for) while your baby has something to grow into...
Best of luck! (Mother of 3 & we All Survived.)0
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