Baby + house renovations

[SecondBabyGirl]

In 3 weeks time we have builders starting a big renovation on our house. No extension but they are redoing every downstairs room in the house other than the lounge (kitchen, dining, playroom, utility, downstairs toilet) as well as the upstairs bathroom. So bedrooms and lounge will be ok. Project will take 8-10 weeks.

....so it’s bloody brilliant timing that I’m due DD2 in 7 weeks (planned section). DD1 is 2 and quite, ahem, ‘spirited’.

I am 50% in denial and 50% overwhelmed. How do I prepare for this?! Are we insane? Looking for tips please for anyone who has survived similar.

On the plus side, we live a few mins away from DM who is our support bubble already so can decamp there occasionally but there’s no room for us to stay over really and I don’t want to completely get in her way all the time.

Oh also forgot that we’re having the garden redone at the same time

Can one of the bedrooms be used as a kitchen with fridge, microwave, kettle etc? Does your DD go to nursery at all?

We did a big renovation when my DD was newborn. My main memory of that time is her in a massive sleepsuit and Moses basket (no heating), just moving her from room to room depending where the least noise was! DS was 2.5 so a bit trickier to keep contained around power tools etc - did a lot of park trips

We were planning on putting a makeshift kitchen in the lounge which would just consist of our old sideboard with kettle and microwave on top. They’ve said we can keep a fridge plugged in for most of the time downstairs and they will work around it as much as possible but that’s a good idea to maybe try and move it upstairs to a bedroom. DH will still be somehow attempting to WFH during all this (?!) so he will be in the smallest bedroom/office but this is also the nursery and it is where we will have most of DD2s stuff although I know they don’t need much at this age.

DD1 goes to nursery three days a week (thank the lord!) so that’s only two days a week that I have to try and keep her away from a building site whilst also juggling newborn 😂

Should I try and borrow a slow cooker from somewhere? Or is that overly ambitious?!

Can you not put off the garden till later? Or require it to be completed before baby arrives.
Get them to do the main bathroom first so you have private space upstairs by time baby arrives.
The advantage with your timing is the weather will likely be nice.. But as you won't be able to drive escaping to your mums will not be easy.. Unless it's walkable.

Personally I don't see how you will be able to sleep in day.. That first 6 weeks is hard enough.
I think my week would be home for 3 days eldest is in nursery, mum's for other 2 days... Alternatively all day every day at my mums for first 6 weeks by which time they should be gone

Think I'd also buy a table top oven and hob... And fill a freezer full of ready made things (or buy from cook 😋🤣)

I found a toddler and baby a lot harder than just a baby... Its likely going to be a rocky 6 weeks

The garden should be finished during the first half. Too late to put off now unfortunately... but so it should be done for when the baby is a couple of weeks old, that might help. And there will be a fenced bit where we can sit and keep DD1 away from the builders (who she will undoubtedly want to “help”...).

I’ve asked them to do the bathroom first but because of having multiple trades on site it won’t be a case of them being finished with the bathroom in a week or two. More likely that they will start there first, and it will be the first room finished, but it will still not be done for a good few weeks as it will depend on the trades being there at the right time. We’re having a new boiler too so that will need to go in before bathroom plumbing can be sorted etc.

I didn’t even think about daytime sleeping... although I imagine that I’ll be so exhausted I’d probably sleep through anything!

Ps. good idea to go to mums on the days that toddler isn’t at nursery. If places are open and we have the energy then we could also try and venture out occasionally although I have to admit I didn’t even think about the not driving element... forgot that from first time! DH has 3 weeks paternity though and even after that he’d probably be able to drop me round to mums and pick us up if he can fit it in around meetings etc.