Tell me about going from 2 children to 3?

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Found out I'm pregnant, I have 2 children, 7 and 2, I'm really anxious about coping and the logistics of the family expanding. When my 2 year old came along my older child was 5 so it seemed ok. But of course my toddler needs me a lot more so it's going to be hard to juggle a new born too I'm sure!

Is the 2 year old in nursery so you’ll get a break?

2 days a week yes

I went from 2 to 4, youngest was 14 months when twins were born. It’s hard, but we try and include our toddler and eldest (8) as much as we can. Toddler gets needy when he sees us giving attention to the babies, but he’s getting used to it. We then make time to play with him 1 on 1 so he knows he’s getting attention too. In the days your LO is at nursery you’ll be able to spend more dedicated time to the new baby, which will feel like a break 😂 but you’ll be fine, it’s always an adjustment but once you get into a routine things just work . Good luck xx

Thank you, that's really helpful. With my toddler I had 5 days a week whilst my older at school and got to sit cuddling on the sofa all day. Not this time around 🙈 xx

I've had fairly similar age gaps.

My eldest was 4 when DTwins were born, and was settled at preschool. So I had time during the day for just the babies. During mat leave I had lots of cuddling time with them during the day and did activities/groups that were right for them. Naps could be when they needed to be. It wasn't exactly the same as having one child (school run, reading.... bedtime certainly could be tough!) But I didn't feel they were being short changes.

DC4 arrived when DD was 7 and DTwins were 3 (so similar to the situation you'll be in). It has been a rather different experience. My DTwins like a lot of time outdoors so DC4 napped mostly in the carrier for the first 6 months. She's new perfectly happy with this so I find think she's at all short changed, but I don't have sllw relaxing feeds on the sofa and don't have nap time to get things done. It is doable, and you will cope, but things will be more chaotic than your previous mat leaves. I honestly have not felt the whole house was tidy for 10 months. Downstairs has really only been "guest" ready twice and that cost me a lot of sleep. The 3 Little Ones Had Chicken Pox Recently And That was very difficult because I just never had a hand free as everyone wanted cuddles and I felt like laundry and sorry dishes were just piling up unmanageably.

Returning to work was also a bit of a change for me. My eldest was in reception when I went back to work after DTwins. I worked 3 days and had 2 days at home with them and I felt like everyone got 1:1 time. That has not happened this time. I still work 3 days, but my boys only have preschool while I am at work, so on ny home days I have 3 to juggle. I do feel a bit sad as I would like to take baby to baby groups and I can't. She gets plenty of stimulation, but I don't see her playing with other little ones and if really like to.

So my take is.... while on mat leave it is challenging but fun and lovely. You'll managr but your house may get a bit messy. Try not to care. But think carefully about what you want at the end of mat leave because it gets hard to get 1:1 time with each child when you have less flexibility.

Hey i went from 2 to 4, and honestly didn’t make much difference to our daily routine, going from 1-2 was harder, any babies after your 1st/2nd kind of just slot into whatever routine you have with your older ones, i now have 5 (surprise baby lol) and we have 2 in high school 12ds and 14dd, one in primary dd9 and one in a special school ds9 and 8 month old dd, she has also just slot into the older kids routine of school runs/meal times/bath times etc takes a week or two to adjust yourself -timing feeds so you don’t have a screaming baby on the school run but otherwise its go with the flow lol xx