How do you leave the house on time with a toddler and a newborn?!

[BayLeaves]

I have a 3-year-old and a 3 week old... DH has just gone back to work from paternity leave and it's now time for me to start getting out and about with the two kids. I don't know how people manage to do it! How do you get a toddler and a newborn ready on time to leave the house for toddler groups etc that start at 9 or 10am!?

I am blessed with a 3 year old who wakes up between 8am-9am in the morning so we are not up at the crack of dawn. I'm not getting much sleep with the newborn so I am not really willing to get my older one up any earlier in the morning...! Any practical tips for getting them both fed, dressed, and out of the house on time? Do you just say 'sod the mess' and leave the kitchen messy after breakfast, and clear it up later on in the day... How do people do it?!

I have 4 DC aged 10, 8, 4 and 2.

My advice is to have as much as possible prepared beforehand, keep everything as simple as possible and use your time wisely.

Get out clothes the night before and have them ready, likewise with shoes and coats etc. Have your changing bag and other associated baby gear ready to go. Mine were all formula fed after a couple of months so I used to put a sterile bottle and pre-measured powder in the bag the night before, then I would only need to add a flask full of boiled water to the bag in the morning.

Keep breakfast as quick and mess free as possible. Experience has taught me that toast and fruit are quicker and cleaner than cereal. Save porridge for the mornings when you can take your time!

If you are breastfeeding you could maybe see if the newborn will accept a feed before getting the toddler up. Hopefully then you can get the older one ready without having to juggle feeding the little one too.

As for leaving the kitchen a mess - clean anything that will attract the flies, leave anything else until later is my ethos!

However 3 weeks after having another baby is still very early days. Don't put pressure on yourself! If taking it easy at home suits you for now then do it, you can always come up with fun stuff for toddler to do indoors for now, or take them to the park later in the day. You have plenty of time to go to groups once you feel a bit more settled.

Good idea, I always consider cereal the easier option but when it comes to toddlers there is more mess involved with all the milk splats!

Talking of milk, that is one thing I don't have to get ready as I am breastfeeding. But I will have to start getting changing bag etc ready the evening before when DH is at home to take the baby off my hands!

Watching thread for tips as I have a 14 month old and am 38weeks with dc2!

You don't
8yo, 5yo and 16 month old and I'm still late for everything so following with interest!
I'll pre pack etc the night before etc and something always goes wrong!

Yes, with newborns you can always rely on a massive poonami happening right as you finally get them strapped into the car seat and about to leave the house...

Pack the change bag the night before.
As soon as everyone is tolerably clean and no one is screaming with hunger, dash out of the house as quickly as you can. It doesn't matter if you're half an hour early as the other option will probably be an hour late! Most places will have somewhere you can change & feed the baby and, more importantly, buy a tea or coffee and it just feels so much better to be out.
At the same time, it really doesn't matter (unless hospital appt or something) and is quite usual to be somewhat unreliable with a newborn.

Dry cheerios are a very mess free breakfast option! When running really late, the eldest would often have a bowl of those and a sippy cup of milk in the pushchair on the way to nursery or toddler group.

You don't need to go to 9am toddler groups! Omg if she sleeps til 9am then leave her, see if you can get any more zzs yourself.

I only have toddler but when we absolutely have to leave the house early i put him in his pushchair to eat dry cereal out of a little plastic box, hand him a sippy cup of water and put some fruit in the pushchair bag.

Breakfast bar and flask of tea in the bag for me. Bag always ready with nappies, change of clothes, wipes etc so i can just take it and not have to pack every time we go out.

Avoid toddler groups like the plague, especially 9 am ones!

Breakfast in the car for the toddler? Clothes prepped night before. Coffee on the run for you.

Diaper bag needs to be topped up and ready for action at any given moment. Same for toddler friendly snacks.

It's like fucking Bootcamp, it really is.

Congrats on your newborn.

I have a 20 month old and a 4 month old and do manage to get out of the house on time which has surprised me because I am so scatty!

I just deal with the stuff that needs dealing with before I leave which is just to get us all washed, teeth brushed, dressed and fed before we leave

Leave the house mess until later on in the day! Sod the house / kitchen mess you have enough time when you get back to tackle it.

DS1 wakes up at 6/6.30 so I start with putting him on an ottoman for him to brush his teeth and that entertains him for a while ahaha whilst I get ready or get bags ready.

In your case I leave toddler asleep whilst you get yourself ready and the newborn.

Pack baby bag night before if you are pushed for time.. or less stressed morning.

When toddler wakes up just get him ready to go out and fed them leave

With my 4 month old I sort of know when he's gonna nap so I will get him ready first and fed and put a bib on him in case he spits up milk (last thing I want is to change clothes again esp when we have to go somewhere). Once he is fed and dressed I will put him in the baby seat ready to leave (obviously he is supervised at all times whilst in the seat)...if he falls asleep I will put him in baby seat before I get eldest ready at least DS2 is sorted.

If DS2 is not asleep he is still fine in the car seat because he has been fed and knows he is going out.

If it's too much going to toddler groups first thing in morning maybe look at ones that take place at 10/11/12 so you have more time in the morning and you are more relaxed

Good luck

Hahahaha it defo is boot camp! I agree... baby boot camp.

I agree with pp you don't need to go to 9am toddler groups... don't put more pressure on yourself... loads of toddler groups later on in the day...

You have newborn so don't be so hard on yourself enjoy your morning lie ins especially if your toddler sleeps until 8! Make the most of your sleep for your sanity!!

I was lucky in that DH had a month off and I started taking DS1 out to toddler groups at 7-8 weeks but he was going nursery twice a week and to my in laws one morning and then my mums the afternoon. Then when DS2 was 10 weeks I reduced nursery to once a week.

But toddlers are easy to entertain whether in the house or outside.. they love just getting out and about whether it's the park, shops, museums, interaction with family/friends they are happy.

In the house toys, activities such as drawing writing, painting, messy play, toys, tv is a godsend if your child enjoys it (Dh1 has only just started to like tv and that's about 10 mins at a time - every little helps), even housework entertains them

Breakfast on the go for little one helps i.e. Pan au chocolate, croissant, banana

I do the same thing every morning. My toddler gets up around 7 on a good day. Change both nappies first. He has milk.upstairs, and I get myself and the baby washed and dressed. Baby will have been having a feed in bed prior to toddler getting up.

All downstairs, toddler in highchair, baby in bouncer, breakfast for me and toddler. I wash up and sweep while he's in the chair (although have started washing up before bed so there's less to do in the morning, no dishwasher) , and prep any drink and snacks he needs to take. Wipe him and brush teeth. Back upstairs to get him dressed.

I keep the changing bag in the car. Pram in the car. Sling in the car. Everything stays in the car. So then I just have to put babies in and go.

In your position I'd do what I've described while toddler is still in bed so all I have to do is get him up and dressed. You could even give him food at the group (ours have a very flexible snack time) instead of breakfast.

Routine is the way forward. We all know what to expect.

Routine and preparation is the key. Although I don't currently need to take DS1 to school as my parents help, I am always ready for the day at 8.30am, as is DS1 and DS2 (6 weeks).

All clothes are laid out the day before, including underwear (baby gros/clothes, vest, nappy etc included). All bags are packed the night before: snack for school in, homework in, lunchbox ready and in fridge, water bottle filled with fresh water and kept in fridge, pram bag packed (bar flasks of water which go in as we leave). My handbag remains packed 24/7 with keys on the hook by the door. The pram is in the car already.

I also go for a ahower at 6am, regardless of day of the week. DS2 has taken to waking at 4.30am and fed and back asleep by 5.30am, I stay up and use that half an hour to tidy and have my own breakfast by 6am and then I an always showered and ready by 7am, giving me time to feed and get both boys ready as well as tidy up afterwards.

Not everyone will enjoy getting up that early, nor will they enjoy waking up at that time every single day, but it works for me and it means we are always ready to go.

Absolutely no idea. I'm at home with a single 9 week old and my mind boggles when I think about adding anything else to the mix