Social Anxiety!

[FraggleRock77]

We are nearly 8 weeks in with our second DS. First DS is nearly 4. I'm getting really thrown/stressed however by taking two out on my own. Our baby has reflux and colic, so screaming and difficult feeds happen often, even on medication. I know he will eventually more out of this phase. It's just the juggle with two and being able to watch our older DS who is very adventurous while trying to feed the baby etc etc! I've tried to use a sling and to be super organised about i but i find it so tricky. Do people just stay in a lot more when you have two? I guess I'm also missing being adventurous with our older DS and had forgotten how restrictive it can feel having a new born. Just looking for some support/ideas?x

Congratulations on the new addition

To be honest, when DD2 came along, my world became much smaller geographically.

I limited myself to the local park and shops with one weekly playgroup which was up the road.

I had visits from my friends now and then or my Mum and that was it!

Going to the supermarket was not something I did...I would take my older DD then aged 3 and the new baby in her pram...DD1 would hold the pram and we'd go to the park for a while or local shops for a comic.

Sometimes, if the baby was asleep then we'd vist the cafe. I also didn't like the stress of it. But it does get betterx

Thank you for that Over. Yes i agree i do think your world shrinks again with a baby. I really struggle with the stress of it all! Going to try some outings again next week but just locally x

i barely left the house for months when dc2 was tiny. He hated the sling, hated the buggy and hated being in the car so the outings we did manage rarely left me feeling inspired to do more. I did feel really guilty about it but the reality was that I could give dc1 much more positive attention if we were at home. We spent a lot of time in the garden and I had friends over a lot. Went a bit stir crazy but it doesn't last long in the scheme of things - dc2 is 1 now and we're back to being adventurous!

For now, do whatever keeps you sane saner you're in the middle of the really hard bit & you're obviously managing incredibly well

Thank you WhatWould, your experience makes me feel so much better! I thought i was being totally pathetic! Luckily my mother is a great help and holds our baby so i can have some one to one time with our older son x