Coping with 2 under 2

[Christelle2207]

DC2 due Saturday. DC1 is only 21 months. I've been so busy looking after him and getting the house ready I haven't really thought about how I'm actually going to cope with two of them- plan was to have a much bigger gap than this! Anyone have any tips they can share, specifically how to put them both to bed (once dc2 is in some sort of routine), how to play/leave the house/entertain/feed/nap a toddler with a newborn attached to boob, how to get any housework done ever again..... It must be doable or no one else would ever have 3 right? And for those who had similar gaps would be keen to understand how the elder child dealt with the upheaval.
TIA

following with interest as I'm too pg with dc2, I'll have 20 months age gap-ish I too am wondering how the hell I'll cope

Following with interest too - we will have an 18 month ago when DC2 is born. I am scared!

16 month gap with mine and in all honesty you just get on with it and work out your own routine. Having a supportive helpful partner makes a big difference.

Slightly bigger gap between dd1 and dd2, of 27 months so that was a bit easier, now have a 16month age gap between dd2 and dd3. I found at first it was a bit of a shock going from 1 to 2 but it was only more tiring, emotionally it was much easier and more enjoyable than having the first. Dd2 doesn't mind me feeding and as long as I show her attention by talking and watching her play she is happy so baby can feed away. She likes to help change the nappy so I get her involved and when baby is crying she likes to rub her tummy to comfort her.

Bath time routine is always done on my own but found it easy doing 2, I would put eldest in bath, wash/bath baby, get her dressed. Get eldest out and dressed and then we would sit on the bed and do stories whilst I fed the baby, sometimes it was easier to make up stories so I didn't have to hold a book! In the early days pre routine I would just do bath when baby was asleep. These days doing three is a bit harder!! If all else fails I found peppa pig to be an amazing emergency babysitter!!

With both new additions neither child has shown jealousy, they were a bit off with me for a few weeks but it passed, just remember in the early days baby can be put down so you can enjoy time with the eldest and baby won't mind so don't feel guilty. If baby is asleep take time to do big kid stuff like baking or arts and crafts. Oh and housework can be a wet wipe every now and then right?! I was very worried before dd2 but they fit in easier than you can imagine.

My DC are 29 months apart, but even with a closer age gap I would suggest:

1. baths on alternate nights, toddler one night, baby the next
2. feed baby in room where older child plays, so you can chat whilst feeding
3. lower your housework expectations/standards!
4. don't feel guilty about allowing older child to watch TV if you need a way of keeping them quiet/entertained for a bit
5. my baby has a simple, lightweight bouncer that gets moved around the house so she can watch me cleaning bathroom, cooking, etc or sit outside if I am in the garden with DS. A lot of mothers find having the baby in a sling very helpful.
6. if both DC are crying and neither is in danger/pain, always comfort older child first

DS has accepted the arrival of his baby sister very well. We spent several months beforehand talking about how nice babies were, how special it was to be a bog brother, etc. We encourage him to help look after her by washing her tummy in the bath, choosing her nappy/onesie, getting her toys, checking to see if she is awake, etc. And we always emphasise all of the things that he can do, but she can't because she isn't big enough yet.