2 children - how do you manage it??

[Mumpbump]

I have a ds who is 9 1/2 mo at the moment and am pg with no. 2 who is due in July at which time ds will be 17 mo. I am already worrying vaguely about how I will cope with being at home with a very active toddler (he's already a real wrigglebum and terribly curious) and a newborn baby and how we will manage bedtime, baths, etc.

I know we will cope because lots of people do have two children close together but does anyone have any tips to allay my concerns?

or bring older toddler into the shower and plonk baby in bouncer in the bathroom. my toddler loves having showers with me. (the enjoyment is one sided but at least i get clean and the day always seems better when your clean)

Bozza - they were both up at 2am screeching last night TILL 4AM IF YOU PLEASE so are lucky to be alive

They kind of play but dd2 is going through a hitting phase and wallops dd1 in the face with the HappyLand figures. I try not to laugh when dd1 comes in going "she hit me with the bride".

Mumpbump - you will be fine, ignore me posts of doom

Also don't worry about what it will be like, take one hour at a time, and remember it will get a little bit easier every day as your LO gets older.

Don't plan too much, go with the flow.

my

oh, and chocolate. i forgot to mention the vast quantities of chocolate. absolutely essential when you can't drink or smoke!

Thanks for all your comments. I will put a link to this thread somewhere safe so I can keep looking at it next July and reminding myself that "IT WILL BE OKAY".

I already have two dsc and did say to dh on Sunday "how the hell are we going to manage when there are four of them around at the weekend???". Hopefully the older two will be as helpful as they are at the moment! But it is a daunting prospect and I take my hat off to those with more than two dc...

I've been reading this avidly. DC2 due mid july with 14 1/2 month gap. Aaaaaahhhh! Cheers for post MB and all the replies! x

Nappiesgalore - I might well be interested in the swing (my neighbour with twins had one and I think it was pretty handy). I can and would be happy to pay for it. How much would you want for?

drugs? lol
i'm in a state of baby induced euphoria!

there is a roll of flushable nappy liners unravled and festooned around the lounge.
toys EVERYWHERE.
clean clothes piled up everywhere.
clothes waiting to go on radiators.
ds2 is bawling....again and ds1 has just removed his nappy and is looking mighty pleased with himnself!!
i dont smoke and if i ever have a drink i'm pissed instantly as i have been preggers for last 2 years and cant handle it- lol.

LOWER YOUR STANDARDS! Like someone said, as long as your baby has clothes on they are fine to go out.
Biscuits will not kill your toddler - the occasional bribe works wonders
SKY + - bl**dy marvellous, all dd's favourite programmes at the click of a button
Your baby will be fine if they have to be left crying while you deal with your toddler
The first 12 weeks are the worst
Oh I could go on and on! I found it hard but soooo worth it, my two love each other to bits (they are 19mths apart)

PMSL

this thread is sooooo soothing.

this should be our 'we have mopre than 1 v young child/ren and we are still alive' support thread

oliveoil and LoftP - LOL. funny coz its truuuuuue

MBump and Littlemonkeys mum - hahahahahah welcome to our world. be afraid, be very afraid!!!

Hunker - i know - i posted on another thread somewhere that i was asking after you on sat, but never found you next time, huh?

MBump - it needs a bit of a scrub up - will dig it out from cupboard, wash the washable bits and assess if i am prepared to take any payment at all! CAT me anyway, or i'll forget to get back to you about it.

i was sat on the bus earlier. tandem jammed into crappy little buggy area, sticking into my porky thigh, (porky from 2 quick consecutive pregs, no time to loose it in between- lol) covered head to foot in toddler hand prints (handprints on black trousers- not a good look) with ds2 crying for his bottle and ds1 with something in his eye making him cry so much he throws up into my hands!!
old ladys sat behind give me a pitying look as i fumble for baby wipes whilst blasphening under my breath.

'are you ok dear?'

'yes. bloody 'triffic! thanks'

get home and dog has emptied bin....
shoot me now.

18 months between my two I disagree I find now worse than the first 3 months.

DD1 is potty training so that's always fun, DD2 is crawling everywhere so can't be left for 2 minutes. Agree with everyone here, we baby proofed the downstairs baby gate on the kitchen and stairs so they can't go anywhere and took away anything valuable.

You will cope because you have to and it's great fun most of the time, who needs sleep anyway they will always do something to make you laugh to make it for it

awww bless. we're supposed to be giving mumpbump encouragement and istead we're frightening the life out of her, lol. honestly MB, it's fabulous. they'll be great friends and you'll survive, it's honestly not that bad most of the time. only when you try and leave the house......... (((wanders of shuddering at the memories of last mom and baby meetup)))

i strongly suspect MumpBump has very wisely walked away from this thread before she dies of fear

they are great friends, my 3. well, 1 and 2 are. 3 is just finding his feet (taken first steps at 10m! thats desperate for you) and trying his best to get involved.

hey, in 5 years time, when theyre all at school, we'll all be kicking back and laughing our heads off, hanging out on the style threads coz we wont be remotely interested in threads about puke and nappies and teething etc.

there is light......at the end of that tunnel

Message withdrawn

This thread has made me smile. I will definitely keep it somewhere safe for the day when I have two dc to cope with... Thanks so much everyone for your tips!!

oooh, yes. i tried to get their routines in line as soon as possible. jeez, i couldnt be dealing with all this seperate bedtimes/bathtimes malarky!

glad its made you smile. a sense of humour is invaluable

you'll be FINE. the very fact youre worrying about it means you'll do a great job. and we're always here for times of need!

have just slammed my head in the front door as advised by HM.

I am sobblig uncontrollably and trying to find N for nannies in the yellow pages

I should have clicked on thus thread I already have dd1 (6), dd2 (19 months) and I'm due at the very beg. of feb.

I am now terrified and I was pretty scared before

that should say I shoudn't have clicked on this thread

Sadly, just had a m/c - thought I might be tempting fate posting this thread, but just couldn't resist... Better luck next time, hopefully, so might yet ask you for the swing, Wildatheart... (love the name change, btw)

mumpbump

{{{{hugs}}}} are you ok?

Oh Mumpbumps - how sad. I hope you are okay. I don't know you but I'm thinking of you.

Oh, MumpBump

I'm so very sorry, sweetheart

Thinking of you x x x x x