Anyone had a toddler and newborn and it not been hell?!

[Aworryingtrend]

Ds is 17 months old and we are debating having a second child. It's more of an 'if' then a 'when' as we are really happy with Ds though he is rather challenging. We are struggling to see how we would cope with a second child. I must have read umpteen posts on mumsnet where posters are seriously not coping due to the stress of having a second child and balancing the needs of a toddler and newborn.

Has anyone had a second baby and it not been a real struggle? I would particularly appreciate any comments from anyone who FF their baby,as for various reasons any second dc would be FF. I say this as a major theme of previous threads seems to be having to sit for hours BFing the baby whilst the toddler screams for attention. So just wondering if FF would be easier?
TIA

Lovely post New.

It is lovely having two. Apart from when they are having one of their little phases, my two get on so well. They often bring a tear to my eye, e.g. watching them play make a tent out of a sheet and putting the teddies in or riding their bikes round the kitchen on one of their "adventures". My eldest (4) is so sweet to the youngest (2) and my youngest is so adoring of the eldest.

This weekend I've been ill. I noticed my eldest stepped into mum role and was mothering my little one. So lovely.

That said we are in a good period at the mo. Round 5 of the sibling rivalry wars can't be far off ....

I have a 2 year gap and I had read so many horror stories of parents not being able to cope and not leaving their house for the first 6 weeks, naturally this is what I was expecting. I couldn't have been more wrong, my 2 year old has been a different child since the baby has arrived, he's calmed down, he loves his brother and we have had no jealousy or tantrums over the new baby. I wanted a small age gap as I want them to be close like me and my sister have always been and I have been pleasantly surprised. You won't parent no 2 in the same way as no 1 because won't have the time and you learn from your first. You also won't spend as much money on baby items you will never use. I'm much more organised with the 2 of them than I was with just my first.