Preparing for number 2 - any tips?

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Due in 3 weeks with nbr 2 (number 1 is just about 3yrs old) - my biggest fear is juggling bath/bed time routines and also getting nbr 2 into a bedtime sleep routine..how do I avoid running in every time she cries so she doesn't wake up nbr 1?

Any tips before the arrival? Not sure how I'm going to cope - life's relatively easy at the mo...

You just cope, I remember being petrified when DD1 was imminently due as DS was 2.2yrs, now I have a 3yr old,14mth old and a 2mth old and its fine. It all works out. I find it easier to bath them all at the same time and have pjs etc in bathroom to get them ready one at a time. I do baby first and then have bouncer by the door to put her in before I deal with the other two.
Dont worry about bedtime routines and just stick to the norm for your DD. The baby will fit in around it and if you have to leave it to cry while you spend time with your eldest then so be it,as long as baby is in a safe place, I leave DD2 in moses basket downstairs so can put the other 2 to bed. Also if your DH is around for bedtime that will help.

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You just do. Felt much harder going from 0 to 1 than 1 to 2. Will you have newborn in with you to start with. We did until she was 6 weeks old and in more of an established routine so as to avoid waking DS. Same age gap with mine and found that getting Ds used to having to wait slightly longer for things in preperation helped for when DD was born as they are used to you being at ther beck and call.i.e i'll get that for you when i have done this other job first type of thing.

The best advie I could give you right now would be to allow your no.1 child to watch lots of dvds for the next 3 weeks and SLEEP s much as you possibly can cause you never will again

but on a ore serious note, you will cope, I felt that going from 1 to 1 was much harder than 1 to 2

that should say 0 to 1

ok, you're starting to make me feel a bit better - keep going! I'm trying to sleep more (whilst also willing on a swift arrival, am so over being pregnant).

Nbr 1 was out of our room and into nursery (next door, doors open) within a week. I was up alot in the night obviously but it worked out well. After a few weeks, she was going down relatively well(ish) at bedtime and we got a bit of an evening back.

Nbr 2 now upstairs in "big girls room" so was planning on doing same again with nbr 2 re nursery. I find myself wondering about trying(after a couple of weeks) a mixture of breastfeeding (rubbish at it last time) and formula (7pm and 11pm feeds) to fill her up...is that a bad idea? Having everything prepared at bedtime and making number 1 wait a bit longer for everything is a great idea!

Sorry I sound so pathetic - but I am crap on no sleep and don't want to take it out on eldest daughter or husband!! I need routines myself!

The best 2 bits of advice i was given was to make no 1 as involved as possible (fetching nappies, toys etc.) and also to have some "protected" time for them when you let the baby cry if needs be. For us it was story time - no matter what, I stayed with ds and he got his story & cuddle. Made him realise that he was still really important too.

Also buying present from baby to dc always good idea.