How to look after multiple children?

[Yellowmango]

I know the title sounds dumb but hear me out. I have got a 10 month old. I am very happy and feel so blessed. We are always contact napping, co-sleeping and spend all day together. My DH and I do want a second. He says he would like a 2.5 year age gap or less. I agree, although I would not mind it being a 3 year age gap because I'm content with just her at the moment. I know its a while away but I just like to mentally prepare myself and plan ahead of time for everything. I just can't comprehend how I'm going to be able to have contact naps with second baby when I have a toddler to look after as well. How would I be able to give the same love and attention? I feel as if I would feel so guilty. How do mums with multiple children do it?

I had a 5 Yr gap but had twins second time. I contacted napped with the twins in the sling until they were 9 months. Meant that if they were napping on school run, I could just put shoes on and walk to the school without worrying about timings. Worked well for us.
You will just adapt honestly. Don't overthink it.

There's 15 months between my two.
You juggle things. I just winged it tbh. Is a contact nap holding them while they sleep? That might be tricky or might not be an issue. It's one of a hundred things you have no way of knowing. It tends to sort itself out really.

That's probably spectacularly unhelpful, sorry.

It's fine. I had a 3 year age gap. Having a baby and a 3 year old asleep on various bits of you is lovely. When the youngest one is a bit bigger you can tuck one into each armpit :-)

It's true that siblings usually won't get exactly the same experience - not least because they are different people with different personalities and different needs anyway.

Your PFB gets more of your undivided attention in the early years but also more of your first-time parent anxiety and lack of perspective. Subsequent children have to share you, but you take things in your stride more as a parent and they benefit from having a fascinating, hilarious big sister or brother.

This is not something to worry about.

I have 2.5yo and a 2mo and the baby mostly goes in the sling for his naps, although luckily he is also reasonably good at napping in a cot as well. I definitely don't get as much time with him as I did with my eldest, but I am looking forward to my toddler being able to play with him instead of me in a year or so!

Mine had a 20 month gap. I napped while the two of them got up to all sorts- ate chocolates, hacked each others hair off with scissors, washed my car with rocks, threw my cash in the bin, called China on my phone. It was hard bloody work, but I somehow survived, more amazingly so did they. They were the best of friends and still close now as teenagers. You will find whatever works for you.