Due just as summer hols kicks off..

[Tuesdayfriday]

Hi! We have found out that I’m due my second baby end of June 2027, and we currently have a 4.5yo DD who started school this year.

Really happy but how on earth am I going to juggle a newborn (and a likely c section recovery) plus a 5yo who has just started the summer holidays. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed!

Lovely supportive DH who will of course help, but I feel the mum guilt already.

Summer club for the first few weeks when DH finishes paternity leave. Then 2 weeks a/l for DH.

Surely your DH can use annual leave plus he has paternity?
You will only have them on your own for a couple of weeks.
I don’t mean to minimise but plenty of women look after toddlers who need much more daily care than a 5 year old along side a baby. It’s completely normal, you’ll be fine.

Look at the positives, at least you won’t have to manage school runs straight away and you will get a lovely summer at home to get used to being a new family. Your DD will be 5 by then and old enough to not need constant supervision so she can be left to play independently for a little while when you need to feed or change the baby.

Does your DH get the standard 2 weeks paternity? I’d recommend he book the first 2 weeks of the summer holidays off now either as holiday or parental/unpaid leave and if you’re lucky that will mean he gets 4 weeks off work.
Then book your DD in to a holiday club some days and if possible arrange help from grandparents to either look after DD or to spend the day at your house as an extra pair of hands.
You can relax a bit about mealtimes too and do easy things like “picnic tea in the garden” or get fish & chips.
I don’t think anyone having a second baby knows how they managed in the first few weeks, somehow you just do!