Tips for surviving with a newborn and 16 month old after c section?

[GiveMeVegemite]

Just looking for some advice....

I am due to have my DS2 at the end of September and my DS1 will be 16 months. My DH will be at home for a week, but then I am on my own (after a c section). Has anyone been in a similar situation or have any tips on how I should cope?

I'm thinking CBeebies will be on a fair bit! Slightly stressed....

[GiveMeVegemite]

Anyone? Even activities I can get my 16 month old to do whilst I look after the baby?

[Gatorade]

My DD is 17 months old and I'm having a section in 2 weeks time.

On a practical note have you thought about how you will care for DC1 after your husband goes back to work? The advice is to not lift anything heavier than your baby for the first 6 weeks which will make putting them into the highchair/cot/picking up if they fall over quite tricky. I have spent time making sure DD can climb the stairs safely,, get in and out of a toddler bed and climb onto a booster seat highchair so I don't have to lift her (although I will have DH at home for the first 4 weeks).

In terms of entertainment I have put together a box of new things that i think DD will enjoy and keep her busy when I'm feeding etc:

• crayons and paper/cheap colouring books (DD started to really enjoy this from about 16 months)
  
• sticker books
  
• reading books
  
• a little tea set to feed teddy bears/dolls
  
• building bricks
  

Good luck with it all.

[GiveMeVegemite]

Thanks for the tips. I will have some help after my husband goes back to work thankfully... I have taught DS1 to climb the stairs, but he is still in a cot, so that might be hard if I'm alone! I'll definitely get some sticker books and colouring books. At the moment he just tries to eat the crayons,but hopefully will use them as more than a snack in a couple of months!

[oscarwilde]

16 months so walking well but not too far ?
A baby pram and a dolly so he can spend the day bustling from one end of the hall to another
A toy supermarket trolly [Waitrose one from John Lewis natch]
A push along or ride on Thomas the Tank Engine, or similar.
Ikea Moose Rocking horse.
I recommend the Fisher Price tea pot and cups. Musical, all kids love it, it will do your head in.

Toy garage and cars? Prob sit better with Dad than the pram but all kids love a pram to take teddy for a walk.

Other people to take him for short walks and wear him out a little

CBeebies definitely. He won't understand why his new sibling is getting so many "cuddles" [ie breastfeeding] so sitting beside you on the sofa watching stuff is great.
Do you have an iPad? Download some stuff so you have it on demand if you need to.

Crayola I think? Do a toddler marker which is a large stamp (faces, shapes etc) rather than a marker per se. Each pen is about an inch in diameter so don't fall for the tiny version for a 16 mo.
Aquadoodle.
A new sponge for sponge baths - you can't lift him in and out of the bath
Reins - so you can take him for walk and not have to dash after him

[GiveMeVegemite]

Thanks so much for your posts. He is currently 14 months, but walking quite well, so think he will be dashing around by 16 months!

I think I am going to definitely get a nanny or some kind of helper for a few hours a day at least. I don't even know where to start to try and find one though...

Trolleys and lots of loud toys sound perfect!

Thanks again.

[oscarwilde]

I would head to your nearest reputable nursery and ask if you could possibly put up an advert for some short term post natal work and a longer term babysitting arrangement. The staff will be CRB checked and in the process of qualifying, it will be easy to check references and hopefully a few of them will only have part-time hours and be interested.

[poocatcherchampion]

I'll be in this situation in a few weeks. I've just been to the library and got a pile of books and am building a large stash of jigsaws - she loves! - crayons etc to learn about, and duplo type stuff. we also are just getting round to putting her birthday toy kitchen up (she us 17mo) so that should produce hours of fun.

we will have help too, but I guess it will still be hard.

like the suggestion re travel cot downstairs. might do that if we need to.

still have to lift her into cot, highchair, car and buggy. she can't walk that far.

I'm looking forward to it except for the great stinking hole in my tummy being opened again

[Thesimplethings]

16 months between my two. I found the newborn/toddler bit ok, surprisingly easy.

3 and 2 yo now and it's horrible (goes and rocks in corner)

[Thesimplethings]

Definately get a bouncer for newborn and a treasure chest of delights for toddler at feed times to keep him entertained.

[GiveMeVegemite]

We are going to make DS1 a playroom, so I will have a couch up there to feed DS2 on and DS1 can run around like a maniac. We are going to get a playhouse and activity centre up there.

I am going to get the fisher price rainforest bouncer for DS2 as I'm hoping this will help get him to sleep rather than me having to rock him, although DS1 was fantastic at self settling and did this from about 3 months, (but only slept for 30 min stretches until 10 months) so I'm not boasting!

Oh no, I thought it would get easier as they got older not harder! Eeeeek

[Picklepepperpiper]

When my dd was 16 months I slipped a disc so couldn't lift her. We used a step for her to climb in and out of cot, bath and booster seat. Worked really well.