18 month age gap, does it get easier?!

[Chunkymonkey123]

We had our second DS 5 weeks ago and our DS1 is 19 months old. We purposefully had a small age gap as we wanted them to be close in age but now it’s seeming like a big mistake!
Our toddler has suddenly decided to be very hard work and is throwing tantrums about everything. The baby is up most of the night so we are both very tired and probably have less patience.
I had a c-section so have had loads of help so far but it still takes hours to get out of the house, the house is a tip and I feel like I am neglecting DS1 while wishing for DS2 to hurry up and get passed the newborn stage which is really awful as he will only be this small once!
Have we made a big mistake or will it pay off in the end? I’m starting to understand why people have bigger age gaps.

I hope so. I have 25 months between mine, oldest is 3 youngest is turning 1, and I'm exhausted. The baby sleeps through but the 3 year old became really hard work with tantrums and night waking about 6 months ago.

14 month gap here. They are one and two. Got easier when I got full night sleep, when I got them having afternoon nap at same time, when youngest walked. I can't wait till youngest speaks then I think it will be easier still!

DS is 22 months and DD is nearly 6 months - it's definitely getting easier. Once you're recovered try to get out and about. Toddler groups are my saviour, there's always someone happy to hold the baby while I play with the toddler

Same age gap here, eldest is now just 3. It definitely gets easier and easier. You're in the hardest bit really, the early days are such a blur to me! Be kind to yourself, you're knackered and it's a big adjustment and looking after two tiny people who need you to do everything for them is tough.

Toddler groups are great for sticking the baby in a sling and letting the eldest run around. Also I would pretty much stick cbeebies on until we left the house otherwise we wouldn't go anywhere . Tbh in the early days my eldest watched an obscene about of tv . I just kept reminding myself that this was a temporary state!

@fireworkbang this makes me feel better! My 18 month old is watching cbeebies all the time atm. Bubba is 2 weeks now and I'm still trying to get the hang of parenting two under two.

Honestly @dreamyflower just do what makes your life easier for a bit, it won't hurt at all.

Congratulations x

Yes it definitely will!! I think dc2 was 6 weeks before I stopped feeling shell-shocked and 6 months when I actually started enjoying it. Now they're fab and enjoy all the same things and play funny games (interspersed with squabbles!)

5 & 6 here, great friends most of the time, youngest pretty much potty trained herself by copying the eldest - was out of nappies completely by her 2nd birthday. They enjoy the same things, share friends and it's generally pretty easy. The thing is, I don't know any different, it might be easier with a 2yr or 3yr gap but I found it pretty ok, and my stbxh was no help whatsoever, hence x!

First six months I found being alone with both of them very tough. Then it got easier. So much easier we went for an 18 month gap again for DC3. Now they are older and it’s great!

There are 10 and a half months between my two - it gets easier massively... and then when they both start school it's bliss! Then when people with bigger age gaps have their seconds and look absolutely knackered with the newborn phase - you can sit there and feel privately a little bit relieved that you're well out the other side of that.