With baby No. 2 (or 3 etc) did you get any rest during the day?

[Bouj]

After failing to heed the advice of sleep when the baby sleeps with ds, I will be trying not to be superwoman when this one arrives. But already having one, does this mean the idea of getting any rest during the day is laughable? Do you just crawl through the day until your dh gets home? Do you die of exhaustion?? Am I mad?

i used to force ds1 to have a lie down with us!
or sleep while he was at nursery.
it's defi not the same as with number 1!

Its hard!

Im quite lucky in that Jess still has a nao in the day, but there is NEVER the guarentee they both sleep at the same time!

with babyno2 I just got on with it as ds was at nursery so had to take him there and pick him up inbetween feeding baby, so NO I didn't get a rest during the day but I never really had a rest when I only had ds, I would feel rather tired in the first few weeks round about 3pm but then dp would be home at 5pm

Ha, Ha.... No. No rest unless you're lucky enough to have your dp/dh at home to take the first one out. So yes, you keep going until someone (anyone - get them in off the streets!) takes one or both of them away for an hour or so..!

18 months between my 2 so when DD1 goes for a nap I either feed DD2 on the sofa or if she is sleeping too have a little lie down on the sofa. If DP is home I have been known to crawl into bed.

I seem to rememeber things not being as tiring second time round, maybe I was just used to it by then (or maybe I've just got my rose-tinted glasses on ).

I do remember being a bit more easy going when it came to how much TV/videos DD watched though -when DS had a nap I'd let DD watch TV so I could rest. I was also more willing to accept help -not so much for the new baby but offers for DD to go and play next door etc

Also I used to go to bed very early in the evening as DS used to always sleep well from 8-midnight before the onslaught of night feeds!

Depends on the age gap. ds1 was very late in dropping his daytime nap and was still sleeping in the daytime age 3 when dd came along and yes I used to sleep when both of them slept but didn't always manage to co-ordinate it very often. It is easier 2nd time round somehow. However 3rd time round - no way! Even though ds1 is at school and dd at Playgroup I have far too much to do and often ds2 doesn't drop off till about 10.30am so I don't have time to nap before picking up dd. Not had a daytime nap for about 3 years now and could have done with it recently as I've been ill.

Good luck with babe when s/he arrives.

No.DD2 arrived just as dd1 decided not to nap during the day.I used to doze whilst dd2 slept & dd1 watched cbeebies.Got no real sleep in the day though.

Nope, never got a nap with DS as DD had cut out her naps by then.
It was hard!

Not really. Dd was 2y9mo and in the process of dropping the daytime nap. So some days she didn't sleep, and when she did, it didn't coincide with ds. It was better when I gave up trying to get her to sleep, and parked her on the sofa with a drink and a video, while I dozed on the other sofa... If I thought she was sleepy I used to get her to go to bed with a story tape on, which worked pretty well.

I never got any sleep when dd was a baby either, as she didn't nap unless in my arms or the pram.

I've got 3 under 5's and never stop now. With ds i never rested during day, when dd1 came along i tried to get them both napping at same time so i could at least have a cup of tea.

Now got dd2 so when she sleeps i do all my stuff i need to in between nursery pick ups and playgroup.

Accept help if its there though. I don't have anyone to help but bite their hand off if they do!!

fraid not! DD was 2 when ds was born, so had stopped having naps. ds was 3 when dts were born so no naps there neither! Was not fun in the early days dealing with a toddler and babies after being up most of the night. I dealt with it by getting out as much as poss - if I kept on the go I couldn't fall asleep!

I managed to synchronise their afternoon naps so that the baby and my older one slept at the same time. I decided early on that I was going to do this and made it my goal because I didn't think I'd manage without a break!!

I got so used to that afternoon nap that I found it quite hard to drop once the kids had grown out of it!

Aaargh, sounds too hard! Ds will be 3 and still has a nap every other day. Like the idea of a dvd on - I do that now! I guess its one of those things you think you won't know how to cope with, but you just do. When I come on mn babbling incoherently in about 12 weeks time, you'll know why

bouj email me countessdrac at hotmail dot co dot uk

i've got 3 under 6 and alwasys manage an hours' rest after lunch. when dd2 was born i quickly got her napping at the same time as dd1 (17 months older) as well as the extra little baby naps she needed. when dd3 was born 2yrs 8 months later I used to get dd2 watching a video for an hour or so while dd3 napped. now, on days they're all at home, dd3 naps for a couple of hours after lunch and the other two watch a video and i sometimes go back to bed. or on mumsnet like today.

it's not impossible. i do find the break makes quite a difference. mine learned when too old to sleep after lunch that it's still quiet time, not time for interacting with an adult.

am a bit fond of rest and sleep. it tends to dominate my parenting methods.

ps it's often the only tv or video they watch in a day. after lunch = tv or sleep time.

mmm sleep in the day!!! no chance unfortunately..lol My ds is 2.4yrs and has now given up his naps most afternoons. On the rare days he does sleep dd 9wks decides it is perfect time to be awake.I have even taken ds to join playgroup 2 afternoons a week so he is tired and so I can catch up on sleep but as yet havent managed it as there is usually somehting more pressing to do. SO I just meander through the day like a zombie..lol