2 under 2, what do I need?

[Sparrowlegs248]

Early days but pregnant with second child. Was speaking to my mum about needing a,second cot, she said I wouldn't as ds will need to be in a bed by then. He'll be 20 months when dc2 is born. Can't imagine that he'll be in a bed but I actually have no idea.

So, practically, what will I need to double up on?

I'm 3 weeks into 2 under 2. Ds is 20mths, still in his cot baby is in our room in co sleeper. Have bought a city mini double with carrycot been great for getting the two of them out in the rain. What is proving to be a life saver is a large playpen that the baby's carrycot and stand is inside keeping dd safely out of ds1 reach.
It's been no where near as hard as I expected!!

I've just had DC4, DC3 was 19months the day he was born and will still be in a cot for a while yet, as were the older 2. I know people whose children have gone into beds much earlier though, so I'd wait until closer to the time and gauge it from there. If you'll be using a sling you may not need a double buggy - just get a buggy board for DC1 when baby gets too big.
You'll need a second car seat too, since the baby will go forward facing before the eldest is big enough for a high back booster. Do you still use bottles? If so I've found it useful to get different type for the baby for differentiation, same for dummies. Congrats on the new one, and don't be scared by people saying it's hard - it's also amazing

Theres around the same age gap with dc. By the time dc2 was ready for a proper cot around 6 months dc1 was prepared and moved into a bed.

I found I needed a double pram [we bought of ebay with the idea we'd have it for 1 year and then sell on] as it meant they could both nap but kept my single as it meant that I could do bits with just 1 child or put the baby in the sling and toddler in the double. Now a year on we have a buggy board on the single and I still use the double [as I said mainly for naps] but will be getting rid soon! :(

I needed 2 highchairs - dc1 is in a trip trap and dc2 weaned at 5 months so i needed somewhere for them both to sit at the table and dc1 couldn't reach the table from the chairs.

I doubled up on flannels [for meal times] and kids sized towels [for bathtime]

But to be honest not much doubling up needed doing - now I am buying more plastic plates for the 2 toddlers but early days we didn't need 2 of anything.

We put baby in Moses basket so by time he needed cot, eldest was 18 months and happy in a bed with detachable bed guard.

Make sure you got a freezer full of food that's as simple as putting in the microwave and 'ping'. A safe space to put toddler in a poonami emergency/bath scenario. A travelcot full of toys they can't play with elsewhere (makes it exciting). I couldn't live without my double buggy. Oh and make sure you got plenty of baby wipes in, you'll go through packets quickly!

We have a 15 month gap.

Didn't use a cot for either so can't advice there. By 15 months eldest was on a full size mattress on floor ( or our bed still)

Didn't get a double. Wouldn't have worked on bus/tube/ our flat. Used a sling, pram, buggy board combination.

The only thing we doubled up on was baby sleeping bags ( but at nearer 2 you could just get eldest a duvet by then).

Otherwise a 20 month old is almost 2 years, they will want very different things to a newborn.

I suggest buying stuff to entertain eldest whilst you feed instead. For us a megasketcher ( clean drawing) , a pile of new books,and magformers large magnets worked best. All can be done from sofa or your bed, clean, and entertains elder whilst you feed baby. I actually think eldest got his love of books from this as it was one thing that kept him in one place.

Also teach eldest to be independent more. Sounds crazy as they are 1 year still, but there's lots they can do to help. For example get him to climb in and out of pram himself now your pregnant, saves your back. Fill a lot cupboard with mini water bottles and fill fruit bowl with bananas or other tidy snacks and put down low, means they can get a drink or snack whilst your stuck on sofa if needed.

Oh yes we did double up on the trip trap highchairs. They have been worth it though as mine still use now at primary school age as they convert

A years supply of gin?

I suspect the hardest is 2 in nappies / trying to potty train and feed a demanding small one.

I will have a similar gap to you; DD will be 20/21 months when baby is born (depending on exact dates).

DD doesn't even sleep in her cot now, we co-sleep, but I'm hoping to get her in it (possibly converted into toddler bed) and into her own room sometime over the next few weeks. Then baby will go in co-sleeper crib that DD had.

As far as car seats go we should be ok - DD still fits in her infant seat but we passed it onto my mum to use and we bought a Joie iAdvance that is good for birth-4 years. My plan is to get the infant seat back off my mum and then buy another iAdvance for second baby. I'd want to keep them both rear facing as long as possible anyway.

We usually use a sling so I'm just going to get a stroller for DD and carry the little one (or be super brave an attempt a tandem carry... Or not ).

Reckon we will need a second high chair though. Unless we can get DD on one of those kids' IKEA dining chairs.

I guess really a lot of it will depend on your set up now as to what will work best for you. I am personally terrified but hoping it'll work out ok!

If you don't have space for 2 high chairs consider getting one of those booster seats for an ordinary dining chair.

16 months gap here and DC1 wasn't walking.

Double buggy was the only thing I got new - DD1 was small so also bought her a new car seat as she was still in the little one when DD2 arrived but I would have had to get that anyway.

We had the out and about nipper double. Never met a door it couldn't get through and DD2 was in it lying flat from new born. Cost £350 new and I sold it 2 years later for £150 so it was a fairly good investment.

Good luck!

Wine. You will definitely need wine

I'm 8 weeks into a 23 month age gap and I personally couldn't live without my multiple slings. Have a Phil and teds tandem but rarelynusenit as a double as I usually have one or the other in a sling. Also great for around the house and playgroups so you can deal with toddler while baby naps in the sling. I use mine several times every day.

DS was in a bed at 14mo so DD has his cot.

Will probably need to buy a 2nd high chair at some point as DS can't be trusted to sit still and eat a meal if he has the opportunity to get down.

Your head examined?

DC2 is due in September and DC1 will be 22mo. Not bought anything yet (poor NSB ) so this thread is really helpful.

Sleeping arrangements - we're planning on taking the sides of DC1's cot when I start mat leave (in case there's lots of night-time wandering) so he gets used to a bed before the upheaval of DC2's arrival. We'll then move him to a toddler bed in another bed room after a few months while DC2 is in a moses basket with us (hopefully until he's 5/6 mo). We want to move DC1 before DC2 goes into the cot so he doesn't feel like the baby has stolen his bed!

Pushchair arrangements - am kicking myself now that we didn't get a pushchair that was compatible with a second seat/carrycot combo. We don't really want to fork out for a double pushchair so we're hoping a buggy board/sling combo will work. Didn't use a sling with DC1 though so a bit nervous about this!

Eating arrangements - we're planning on getting another Bloom Fresco so this will be our only big expense but they do last until 4yo so not a bad investment.

Absolutely everything because the minute the eldest sees the baby with their Sophie la Girafe / blanket / highchair they suddenly rediscover their love for it.

dd1 is 3y2m and still in the Ikea highchair because she likes being highchair buddies with dd2!

Double pushchair and sling so you're covered for every situation.

We got another cot bed - we took the side off dd1's ages ago but we don't really know what we're doing with bedrooms and what kind of cabin bed / single bed we want so delaying that decision until she's too long for the cot bed.

15 month age gap here. The wine is definitely a necessity!

We moved DS up into a toddler bed and gave DD his cot and he took to it surprisingly well.

I bought a moby wrap from eBay and used it constantly when DD was first born to keep my hands free. I don't know how I'd have managed without it.

Thanks, a range of responses there!

Ds starts the night in his cotbed and then we Co sleep later. Ideally I would like him in his cot/bed in his own room before baby arrives (cot is in our room) to have that and change to a bed seems a lot. Saying that, he didn't use his cot til he was about 6 months old.

We have room for a second high chair but I was considering a booster for a dining chair for ds instead.

I used a sling daily from birth to about 8 months so guess I could get by with out a double buggy? Another wait and see I think.

Great tips for entertaining too, luckily ds loves books already.

Another pair of hands

The age gap between my two is 20 months. Currently 2.5 years and 10 months.

In the early days the thing I found very useful was a plastic storage box with nappies, wipes, breast pads, snacks for DS1, snacks for me, water bottle, books, etc. next to the sofa.

We did buy a second cot as DS1 is in a cot bed so will use as toddler bed. He is still in the cot (in a Grobag) as he's such a wriggler! They are in their own bedrooms but we hope they will share a room (if DS2 stops waking multiple times throughout the night ).

For getting around I have every combination! Single travel system pushchair with buggy board, slings, Maclaren stroller and Phil and Teds tandem double. I use all of them depending on where we are going / what we are doing.

We also bought a second hand Tripp trapp chair when started weaning so DS2 could use high chair.

Oh and one other item I found very helpful towards the end of pregnancy was a rotating car seat. It made it so much easier getting DS1 in and out of the car.

Congratulations and good luck

I did 2U2 and then later 3U3.
loads of frozen meals in the freezer and a well stocked pantry.
housekeeping assistance once a week.

For your own sanity you need to be encouraging independence in your eldest. By 18 months you can have them sat in a booster seat on a chair (they have straps), and get on/off the chair by themselves, hopefully being able to eat mostly on their own. Same with car seats most toddlers should be able to get themselves into their car seats for you to strap then in. They should be able to sleep in a bed too, some learn to climb out of cots before they walk. I have 3 under 4 now and I did have 2 under 3 (13 month gap). The 2 year old has been encouraged to get himself dressed for a long time, you haven't got time to help the eldest with everything. I would start trying to foster some independence/problem solving skills in your eldest before baby arrives or you're going to get tantrums aplenty!

Yes that's one reason to get eldest out of cot with sides also, the lifting. Having to lift them into bed for every nap and bedtime at 7/8/9 months pregnant is a killer.

We used a large full size mattress on floor from 1-3 years. It means you can also lay on his mattress when heavily pregnant to read to them much more comfortably and to resettle them your not leaning over. When baby is born adult plus baby plus toddler can all lay on mattress at bedtime to settle if needed. Add a stairgate on his bedroom instead to prevent escape if needed. Once old enough to not fall out of bed you can add the mattress to bed frame.

Dd1 was 21 months when dd2 born. She went into a full size single (never saw the point of toddler beds as you cant get in with them if need be or swap beds if they have taken yours over) with bed guard.

We bought second hand mountain buggy pushchair which was fab as could go for long off road walks

Bought 2 wooden Ikea high chairs which we had for a good few years to school age

We are going to have a 22 month age gap, due dc2 in the next month.

I've been doing everything I can to encourage independence from DD - making her climb the stairs, though she insists on being carried down still, but saves my back. If she's being reluctant I put a toy or something a couple of steps up and move it as she goes along.

Moved her into the toddler bed now, and she's adapted beautifully- she's much happier! Saves my back a lot and much easier to settle her.

We've got a newborn sling, but debating what to do about pushchair. We bought the Uppababy Vista because you can attach a rumble seat, but it will mean that dc2 won't be able to lie flat, so not sure it's going to work for us.

Hmm so seems I'm generally in the minority re the cot/bed situation. We already have a normal single divan in the 'spare' (ds) room. So I guess I could put the mattress on the floor. He's currently diving headfirst off every bed/settee that he can, it seems a long way to him staying in/on something without bars!

I was hoping he'd get himself into and out of the car seat by then so good to see comments along those lines.

I remember commenting when ds was about six weeks and I was tied to the sofa with constant breastfeeding, that I couldn't imagine how you would manage it if you had a toddler. Ds would never take a bottle, something I'm going to have to work really hard on with dc2!

I've done BLW with ds so he's feeding himself well with his hands. Not really into cutlery yet though.