I also have a 2 year old daughter. Any advice from all the moms out there with 2 or more kids ?
Thank you so much
Thank you for all the responses they are all so helpfull! I need to make our routine more strict for when the second baby gets here. I was also scared about jealously but after reading all of your comments im sure my toddler will adore the baby and love having a new friend :] Im still nervous but im sure it will all workout great.
Have a blast. Enjoy every moment because they grow up fast. Have a
routine and be consistent. Give 100 kisses a day, laugh, and just love.
When the going gets rough, remember the young years do not last
forever. Congratulations!
Sure two are easier than one. You already have the hang of the job. For travel, movies and having a friend to play with two is superior to one.
Get enough sleep now while you can. Nap with your 2 yr. old and enjoy your pregnancy.
My son, who is autistic, turned three one month before his twin sisters were born. It is almost seven months later, and we're getting by. Oh, active duty husband is deployed right now, btw.
Get firstborn on a schedule and all the "help" that's offered, tell them they can come play with your older child while newborn is so dependent on you. Also, get your house in order now. There will not be plenty of time once this baby is born. If you can afford it, get a cleaning service to assist after the delivery. You don't need to worry about cleaning the bathrooms and washing windows if you can help it.
Good luck to you.
Being a single Mom I was afraid of going from one to two, my daughter was 2 and a half when my son was born. Honestly it was easier than I thought. I already had everything down and knew what to expect. My son was a big baby, 10 lbs at birth and was gaining before we left the hospital so I started wearing him in a baby carrier right away, and he went on my back at around 4 weeks old, and it was so much easier having him on my back so I could do things and he was happy. It really wasn't too hard in the beginning. He slept or was on my back and my daughter took to him pretty well. There was a phase when he got mobile but was too young to really play that was hard. But it didn't last long, and now they are 3 and 5 and play together great most of the time. Just don't expect too much of yourself the first weeks, get help if you can. My Mom often took my daughter in the first few weeks and that was so helpful since I could rest when he slept. I also had an infection from my c-section and that was probably the most difficult thing. I had a nurse coming daily to change the packing for a few weeks. But it really isn't that different going from one to two. At least I didn't find it so. Maybe because I was already used to doing everything myself, or maybe because my expectations were different. I don't know really, but expect it to be difficult and to be an adjustment, and give everyone time to get back into a routine. I am so thankful now that I have two kids, they will never be alone, aty least I hope. Enjoy your new little one!!!!!
Congratulations!
I'll let you know any advice in 8 weeks :) My son turns 2 in 4 weeks and 4 weeks after that I'm due with baby #2. I'm a little worried but us moms always seem to figure it out. I've already started making my son be mommy's big boy helper. He gets things for me and helps me with chores. Hopefully this will make him feel special when the baby comes and she won't be doing anything. I've also worked hard on potty training, having a short night time routine and taking a nap every single day. I'm going to need that in 2 months!
Good Luck!
Hahaha. I have to laugh at this. We have a 3 1/2yr old and 7wk old (both boys) and my DH is currently going around telling everyone who has one kid not to have another unless they have them closer in age or farther apart. Our oldest has been going through a whiney phase as well as now not listening, having an attitude, and talking back. Our baby is fussy alot and we are ruling out silent reflux vs colic or both. Our oldest was a good baby, this one is giving us a run for our money and add in the older boys current attitude....UUGGHH! But it's not all bad. Atleast our oldest loves his brother. And he is still a silly little boy. I agree with Patty K, when things get tough just remember it wont last forever. They all go through phases. But do remember too that there is definite truth to every pregnancy and every baby is different. I love my boys and wouldn't trade them for the world, but man do I get frustrated some days (usually with the older one). I hope that I don't make having 2 kids sound bad, because it's not, but it can be tough in the early ages.
Good luck and CONGRATS!
No advice because you will find out how awesome it is to have 2!.
congrats!!
Congrats to you! I have 2 girls 14 months apart. One will be 5 in July, the other, 4 in September. Our first son is due May 9th :-)
I will say that for me, the first 6 months with #2 were rough. Very. Rough. She was fussy unless being held. That got tiring because she was a big baby (9 lbs 8 oz at birth). However, she did sleep through the whole night very early on so that was great.
Some things that I think have been very key for my sanity:
1. Getting and keeping the two of them on the same nap and sleep schedule. Obviously this is not applicable to them at infancy, but by about 8 months old should be okay for minimally same sleep schedule and somewhat of same nap sched. At my daughters' current ages, both of them still nap for 2 hours every day and sleep 11 hours every night. Some times the 4 yr old does not nap, and that's fine. I don't force her if she doesn't need it. And I know alot of 4 yos don't nap but mine needs hers and is cranky and exhausted if she doesn't get it.
2. Develop good sleeping habits and routines. Never putting them to sleep through BF or bottle, but putting them down while drowsy but not fast asleep. Doing a bath and story etc same time each night.
3. Make sure and really do special things for your older child when #2 is born. Buying her a special big sister shirt, telling her all the reasons it is so cool she is a big sister etc. Try and avoid jealousy. Set up support for when the baby is born like grandparents or other relatives taking your 2 yo out for special fun days (as long as she doesn't think she is being babysat, has to be a privilege) and then you can relax and try and sleep when the baby sleeps etc which is impossible to do when you have a toddler!
4. Try and remember (and believe me I often failed!!) that the infant stage is very short, and it gets SO MUCH EASIER.
My girls are BFFs and keep each other thoroughly entertained. I can make dinner while they sit at the kitchen table near me doing art or playdough. Or they play in our backyard while I have the screen open on our deck so I can hear them and I am able to do some cleaning in the living room. It is so great. I think all the time of the tough earlier days and how easy it is now...and how I had not planned to have 2 so close together but now I wouldn't have done it any other way!
Long answer but I hope it helps you and enjoy your beautiful kids!
before you have the 2nd one, make lots of dinners and freeze them. get color wonder too.
Congrat's! I had always wanted my first two to be atleast 2 year's apart in age. I have 3 kid's, my oldest is 11, my 2nd is 8 and my youngest is 3. People have always said that it's hard and that I would never have time to do much but I beg to differ! lol. It's going to be great and the way I would look at it is if your going to stay at home and raise 1 child then why not raise 2 at the same time and get it over with! I never found it to be extremely hard to have more then one child but I will admit, your going to have to run on a schedule! lol... Having a child is a blessing,and also all worth it too! I hope and pray that you have a wonderful pregnancy and a smooth delivery...Congrat's once again!
Congratulations!
I don't really have an advice, my kids are so far apart (13 and 3).
I do remember when I use to be afraid to add one more to the family and how would that affect our routine and the attention and all of that, but today I can imagine our family without the little one, something so little adds so much to our lives, yes a lot of dishes and lots of toys, and lots of mess, etc, etc, lol.
But tons of love and laugh and it feels so good to see my two girls playing together and I hope they always have this great bound.
Enjoy, they grow so fast, sniff, sniff.
We have a 3-1/2 year old and a 4 month old. It's awesome, chaotic, messy, joyful, frustrating, exhausting... My husband and I both feel two is a huge change from having just one. Sure, we're both more relaxed with #2 (our daughter) than we were with our son, but it's tough to have a very demanding, temperamental 3 y.o. while trying to care for a newborn/infant. And he ADORES her, so there's no jealousy either. It's just tough. I'll give you the advice I'm trying to follow myself: Nap when you can. Don't worry about the messy house and get help with the house whenever you can. There are some days just emptying the dishwasher is a victory! Easy meals. Routine is key! Smile, laugh, kiss, hug. These are the days and they don't last forever! Good luck!
