2nd baby due, helpful tips + what to buy?

[cheesebubble]

We're expecting our second child and I was wondering as a second time parent, what advice would you have given? Is there anything you bought you found particularly helpful, this could even be the first time round.

My husband will be home for the first 4 weeks to help with everything.

White noise machine
Snoozee sleep trainer clock for the oldest!
Instead of having one enormous bag where everything you need ends up at the bottom, get two smaller initialled bags - one for each child.
If you didn’t get a bath seat for your first child, then make sure you definitely get one for your second! It means you have your hands free so that you can wash your baby, and your toddler at the same time.
Save yourself from traipsing up and down the stairs with both kids in tow and get a changing station for every floor of your home. Buy a really cheap changing mat and stash it underneath your sofa to keep things tidy.
If both of your kids are in rear-facing car seats you may want two car mirrors to keep an eye on what they’re both doing.
Thermos mug - the chances of you finishing a hot drink before it cools down to room temperature are slim to none.
Even if you already have a baby monitor, you’ll want to consider upgrading to a monitor that supports two cameras.
Put together a ‘busy box’ with some toys which will occupy your eldest when you’re feeding your baby.
Consider getting a high chair which supports a newborn so you can put the baby in it without worrying about your eldest poking its eyes out. Useful when you need to pee.

What is the age difference? I got together an activity bag and picked stuff out when I needed time to feed baby but also to entertain the older child. We have a three and a half year difference and had a stash of Cbeebies magazines, colouring stuff, sticker books, water art books etc. Pinterest is your friend here for ideas.

Stuff/equipment wise -sling, next 2 me, 2 changing mats and bouncer chairs for upstairs and downstairs.

Sling, changing mat & kit (nappies etc) for upstairs and downstairs, some where safe to put baby in different rooms - we got next2me upstairs, bouncer in dining room/kitchen and Moses basket in living room, a decent supply of biscuits.

I was given hand me down Dooner car seat/pram from a friend for my 3rd baby. Absolutely life changing!!!cannot recommend enough!!

Doona sorry!

Second baby is 12 weeks now. A soft sling for around the house has been a godsend - the baby is happy in there and safe from the toddler. Means we can move from room to room, play intbhe garden, go to the park etc and I can still be hands free for DC1. We have a close caboo.

Otherwise just reusing all DC1’s stuff. She’s 2.5 so had outgrown all her baby things.

@Fivemoreminutes1 I never used a white noise machine with my first but he was the most chilled baby, no clue how I now have this super energetic, loud toddler that never stops haha! I will probably order one off Amazon if I feel the need for it once baby and arrived (good old next day delivery). Good idea re bath seat, we have one in the loft, will get that one out!

I got the Stokke sleepi mini as I want to avoid my toddler poking the baby, it's quite high up and toddler can't quite reach baby in it. I don't know if that is going to happen but best be safe than sorry, so good idea and thought of that.

We have the Tripp Trapp Stoke for the toddler but will get another one for baby with the little basket you can put on top - clever idea!!!

I will ask hubby to get me a lovely personalised thermos mug - good idea!!

@Tobebythesea he turned 2 last week, loves colour books, sticker books and the play doh he got for his birthday! Will definitely buy more of those and probably wrap them and tell him it's from his baby brother. I will bite the bullet and get the bouncer chair from Baby Björn, didn't with my first but a lot of people swear by them!

@Ticklemynickel changing Mat on every floor!!! Yes yes yes. People actually think I'm crazy for having the changing mat only in his room upstairs but we never changed him downstairs, using reusables, so will probably get a second bucket.

@Bettyboop82 did you mean double? We did get that, a second hand Joolz Geo as I don't think my first is ready for the buggy board quite yet.

Thank you everyone!!! Xx

I would recommend Amby baby hammock.
My toddler was very keen to keep sticking his fingers in baby's nose so she was more secure in a hammock which is more enclosed and higher from the ground.

No I mean Doona! It’s a car seat that transforms into a pram literally at the push of a button, it’s a game changer!