unable to.cope....

[sunshinesparkles]

...with all three DCs at once?

DS is 3 (was 3 on Tuesday) and DTGs are 18 months old (as of Tuesday also!!)

I have PND...Well the last dregs of it. I have just come off ads (cymbalta) about a month ago. The Dr and I both agreed it was ok for me to come off them as Ive been doing really well. Im getting married in October and my mum is taking over areangements--so.theres that stress to deal.with. DS has had issues with night time coughi.g sinxe the age of 16 months. Had inhalers, antihistamines, antibiotics etc and finally after waiting months for a ped referral its touch wood-- sorted. Hes sleeping much better. DTGs are a handful. They bite, sxreetch, fight etc. All normal.ish behaviour for an 18 month old toddler. When all three DCs are together its Hell!! They fight so much, no matter how I try and entertain them, ignore them, discipline them, nothing works!
I have dayscwhere I want to walk out of the house and never come back. Im always exhausted. I can sleep.12 hours solid and still be tired to the pount of tears. My DH2B is an absolute angel. He tries his hardest to help. Does the laundry, helps with kids a lot, will do bits of tidying when I ask. He works from home.
My mum keeps telling me to.pull myself together. She tells me about her friend who.has three DCs (9,6&3) who.copes just fine. doesnt sit down till 9:30 @ night and has managed to get a doctorate in musix!! Mother is also "losing patience" with me being tired all the time.
DH2B and I bought our first home just before xmas and moved in beginning of Dec. It sent me into a mental breakdown.
DMIL2B is a huge help. She has DS quite a lot. She also has Dniece.whilst SIL works so the kids keep each other.entertained.
AIBU to not be able to deal with all 3 all.of the time?! AIBU to be ok with DS goung to MILs so often?

By now you are getting that having 3 small kids is exhausting on top of having had PND so I won't go on about that. However, it sounds like there may be something else going on. I too had PND and eventually came through it but have never managed to get on top of tiredness. I'm not talking about just being a little knackered, I'm talking crawling on the floor tiredness and confused thinking, depression, mood swings etc. This went on for ages until they diagnosed aneamia and Vit D deficiency. I've been treated for both and finally feel like I think most people feel instead of the zombie I had become.

It may not apply to you but it sounds like you are very run down and the lack of sunshine this summer is making many people feel ill so please go and get it checked. Children are tiring but if you feel rubbish after 12 hours sleep then you may need some help.

I do feel like I want to go back to work. And to throw more stress into the mix, Ive applied for an OU course (BA/BSc Design and innovation; Design Engineering FWIW!!)
I really cant wait for the summer holidays to be over, and for DS to be in school/nursery full time ; apart from Weds mornings which is when I take all three to the toddler group in the local town council hall. Every other morning of the week day I go to toddler group with the twins 9:30-11:15. Then its home, lunch, play for a bit then a 2 hour nap!
I feel much better today than I did yesterday. Thanks to you lovely ladies. And my lovely PM from holly

just having a and few whilst the DTGs are in bed, and DH2B has gone down to see DS and DMILs I hope he doesnt bring him back for the afternoon!

Thankyou lovely MNers for your kind words xxxx

Would add to above posters that 3yo and 18mo old was hardest point for me I remember going to the dr and saying I was exhausted all the time and fainting. All tests came back ok (ish) but I did up my iron and b vits. Now 4 and 2 1/2 and its getting easier, still pretty exhausted but the boys are getting on better. This stage will pass (mn mantra) and great that you're doing something for yourself by doing an OU course

I phoned the surgery this morning (They know me quite well, call me by first name on the phone!!) Broke down in tears with the secretary becasue I couldnt get to see the DR I wanted!!!
DS is back for the afternoon....
I have vodka for this evening

Been there, got the t shirt! I just wanted to say that it will get easier, I know it doesn't feel like it at the moment but it will. Just try to be gentle with yourself and ignore your mum.

OP you say you have been on AD's for 3 years but how long was it where you were feeling really good and able to tackle anything?

(within reason )

YANBU. You are NOT. I just have two of similar age to your DS and DTs and don't think I could cope with three tinies.

It really does sound as though you need more sleep.

Sunshine, your mum needs to get her remembering cap on. Children of 3, 6 and 9 are vastly different to cope with than 3 and 2 @18 months. Not comparable at all.
I have 5, 7 and 9, and when I think back to newbie, 2 and 4 that was full on with adult supervision. Its the unrelenting nature of it rather than the difficulty. Each job on its own isn't 'difficult' it's the combination of doing 3 at a time!
I'm with the others when they say, the DCs will grow up, their needs will be different, you will get time to yourself.
Enjoy when you can the simplicity of little ones. Know that you are there catching all their 'firsts'. The cliche is old but true - parenthood is a marathon, not a sprint.