Bath and bed time with two

[SoftFroggie]

Hi,

I am currently expecting my second child, DS will be just over 2 when baby2 is born. I am sure this is a daft question to those of you with two, but I can't see the answer -

At the moment, we have a bath - story - milk - teeth - goodnight routine with DS, which starts at 6:30 and gets him to bed between 7 and 7:30 (nearer 7 if it's me doing it, nearer 7:30 if it's DH). He then goes to bed very well and can be left to chatter and go to sleep. We've had similar timings since he was born.

How do I manage the routine with a newborn 2nd child (and subsequently)? I don't remember reiably being able to put DS down without him crying for many months, so I don't see how I can just leave baby while I bath and put to bed DS. As DH is away or late at least one night in three (often all week), after the first two weeks I can't rely on man-to-man marking and get him to do DS while I do baby.

How do you cope with bedtime routine with a toddler and a baby on your own?

Thanks, SF

I remember getting into a tizzy one evening and giving the new baby to my neighbour while I bathed my toddler {smile]

Then I chilled, and if the baby was awake I bathed him in the bath with his big bother (just a quick dunk and face wipe), dressed and fed baby whilst sitting on toilet talking to older brother. Babe then slept and I could deal with older brother.

Other evenings baby slept through it all. You will find a way honestly.

even

Agree with Sobernow, try not to change ds's routine. Fit the baby in with your routines and he/she will soon learn. There is 15 months between my two and once baby hit 3 months i bathed them together, dressed together bottle/ feed etc and then put youngest to bed and let him cry himself off and carried on with story with eldest. Results now are baby goes off by himself with no problems at all.I just didnt have the time to pamper him like i did the first and it has made him a more relaxed baby.

Good Luck and take care, you will be fine

Take baby into the bathroom while ds has a bath and stick him/her in too. Or if you don't want to bath her, just take her in and lie her on the floor. Make his story quick if she won't sit through it or stick her in front of teletubbies/whatever while it's going on. Or strap her in somewhere safe while he's being put to bed. I recommend Baby Mozart btw! Just read the other posts and they are saying the same, sorry to repeat.

Thanks everyone for answering my daft question. DH and I were in fits of laughter trying to figure out how it would work - but now I'm sure it will, somehow. I did point out to DH that the baby doesn't actually need a bath itself, which makes things easier. The toddler certainly does, though!
I liek the idea that it's easier in practice than theory - I just won't get to check that out till it's too late.

Similar to others. I tend to put dd (toddler) in bath first, then dunk ds (baby). Dry, massage and dress him on bathroom floor. Then get toddler out, dry and dressed whilst baby kicks under lullaby mobile. dd and I go downstairs to get milk. Then we all go and sit on sofa in ds's room and ds gets fed whilst dd has milk and stories. It helps if the book is one that the toddler can turn the pages of and that you know by heart). By the time ds has fed the books and mik are finished, dd kisses ds and "helps" to tuck him in and then does teeth and bed herself. If baby is unsettled you can then go back to it.

I get them both undressed (DS takes ages) and then put DS in bath. Then put DD in bath. Then wash DS. Then wash DD. Then get DD out and dry and in sleepsuit. Get DS out, dry, pjs and teeth. Go into DS's room for story. Dump DD on bottom of bed while kissing, tucking in him so he gets that little bit of mummy contact. Then feed DD and put her to bed.

When DS newborn he had his baths during day usually in the morning, and certainly not every day. Kept DD bath, milk, story, bed routine going the same and DS fitted in around it. Either slept or came along wiht us to the bathroom.
Now he is 10 months and they have bath together, get dressed and both have milk (DS has formula at this time). Then DD has story and bed. Then DS has BF and bed. Phew sounds exhausting but works fine in practice!!!

I found the logistics of this so hard to start with. We went with, settle toddler (21 months) with something to do in next bedroom, puzzle, book, favourite programme on DVD on computer. Quickly bath ds, milk and bed for 6.15/6.30pm, then sit with dd for a few minutes. DD in bath at 6.45/7.00pm stories milk and bed. If dd wouldn't settle to a puzzle she'd come and 'help' in the bathroom and I'd feed ds whilst sitting with dd and put him to bed. This still works fairly well now DS, now 9 mo is usually in bed by 6.30/6.45 and dd in bed by 7.30. It's easier when dh is home, but dd really liked watching her 'special' programme on the computer which keeps her occupied and gives her some wind-down time before her bath

My DS will be 3 in October and my DD is 7 weeks. I have a simialor bedtime routine and it works out fine, I bought a baby bath chair and they have a bath together and everything else carries on as before.

Now actually cooking the tea is another matter...I have burnt so many pans its ridiculaous with putting something on to cook like pasta or whatever and then feeding DD as the pan burns dry

the best baby product we ever bought was a baby bath seat - not a sponge one - a solid plastic thing that they can sit in - obvioulsy you can't leave them but it means you can let go for a few minutes while you bath toddler. I got it from John Lewis and it was the only thing that made bath-time possible. having said that in the earlier days I used to breast feed dd2 while dd1 was in the bath - just seemed tohappen that way