Talk to me about toddler and newborn please!

[Cloggal]

I've just had my second bfp, after years of thinking I wouldn't have DC it looks like I might be lucky enough to have two! I'm over the moon.

after the initial elation my head is kicking in and I'm realising that I just get by at the moment - how on earth do people do it with a newborn and toddler? My gap will be 2.5. Is a double buggy the answer to getting out? I find slings tricky for health reasons but I'd try again, is it worth it?

any golden advice very welcome!

I have had an 18 month gap and it's lovely. I second the sling, my littlest (now 11 months) still lives in it. A little pile of books is useful for when you are feeding you can read to the toddler. It's so nice seeing them play together now.

I'll have a 22 month gap soon. Very excited! My only real concern is the nappies. Will they be endless? Will my house stink? I'm thinking of having the big one in reusables to save on waste and encourage early potty training.

The nappies aren't that bad actually, you tend to get in a routine and weirdly mine tend to poop simultaneously :) I've never noticed the house smelling :) we use a sangenic and empty it daily. We are now thinking of number 3 with a similar gap :) so it can't be too bad.

Just wanted to say what a great positive thread this is!

Will have an 18 month gap when no. 2 arrives. It took us to over 2 years and 2 MCs to have no.1 so we also weren't expecting things to go quickly. I really liked your comment about thinking you might never have DC and now you might be lucky enough to have 2. I feel the same. All the best to you & thank you everyone for your positive stories and tips!

really glad to know I wasn't alone in feeling stunned, delighted and terrified by the impending dc2! I am so grateful for all the tips - genuinely helping me focus on the good stuff!

I'm also going to buy the House Inside My Mummy for ds :)

Get a double buggy if you walk places or ever go out when the toddler might be tired

Very rarely both your children will fall asleep in at the same time and you will be unbelievably happy

Keep the toddler napping AS LONG AS POSSIBLE my major error was through my own tiredness I gave in to toddler saying he didn't want to sleep ...The days were too long he was too tired and I didn't get a break. ..

Even if they start going yo bed later at night I still say let them have their nap. ...better to get the break in the day

I think I made my life much harder for the first months by letting the nap go....

It's sometimes tough looking after a toddler with a newborn yo think about but I'm now a year in and the tough bits feel very much in the past....I have two amazing children who adore each other we have a routine and the baby is now practically a toddler herself

The newborn baby bit really doesn't last long...enjoy it !

Totally agree about taking the day slowly. ...I made a vow to myself to really try never to rush...toddlers do not like being rushed and it always leads to you being more stressed....whenever I took a deep breath and calmed down I felt better

And you will find the baby bit much much easier. ..its not like the first time round plus coping wwith a toddler ...The baby sleeps a lot in the early weeks and will always seem a breeze Compared to the big sibling !