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Anyone with 2 DCs under 18 months, please tell me your routine!

9 replies

pgwithnumber3 · 06/01/2009 10:39

DD3 is due in 4 weeks, DD1(6) is in school and DD2 will be 16.5 months. Can anyone tell me how they juggle two under 18 months with regards BF (DD2 not BF but DD3 will be) etc and what your daily routine is like. Thanks!

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
misshardbroom · 06/01/2009 13:28

I had 15 months between each of mine, and each was bf in turn although I wasn't feeding the older one by the time the baby was born IYSWIM.

Have to admit I never really managed much of a daily routine, but then mine were never big ones for daytime sleep. I'm sure there's more organised people who would disagree, but I'd shy away from trying to shoehorn them into the same sleep routine because you just end up with two overtired crying babies to cope with.

I would definitely ignore the suggestions that while you bf the baby it's a perfect time to read to your toddler. Yeah... great if you can turn the pages with your teeth. But it is a really good time to sit down together for a chat, give the toddler their own drink, sometimes watch a favourite DVD. Failing that, make sure they have a toy they can play with in front of you (possibly one that only comes out at feedtimes, possibly 'given' to them by the baby) so you can see what they're doing. Nothing worse than hearing your toddler doing something dreadful and not being able to get to them because the baby's just latched on and is feeding properly.

robino · 06/01/2009 13:34

Hi,

My DD1 was 17.5 months when DD2 was born. They're now v nearly 2 and 6 months. Both were BF but mercifully DD1 had given up by the time DD2 arrived (not sure I could have managed tandum feeding).

For what it's worth this is my experience! First few weeks was easy, or at least seemed it (DD1 was c-section, DP had to go to work 3 days after I got out and DD1 was,err, high maintenance) DD2 was natural birth, DP had 2 weeks off and DD2 is calm by nature. Oh, and she slept lots. DD1 took to having a little sis like a duck to water.

Then we moved house and area when she was 5 weeks old so the next 2 months are a bit of a blur!

We tried really hard to stick to DD1's routine (she wakes early 6-7ish, naps for about 2 hours at about noon and is in bed by 7 at the latest - she needs her sleep.) I got rather proficient at BF while walking, playing, climbing stairs. And once we got into it, I BF whilst sitting on the floor a lot so DD1 could clamber and cuddle at the same time. Read lots of books and sang lots of songs (at this point I hadn't quite cottoned on to what a godsend Cbeebies can be, I have learnt from my mistakes now !)

Sticking to DD1's routine was great for her, and meant that we did have some sort of "family routine" however, I did find it a bit tricky with DD2 for a few months (probably between the age of 3-5 months ish). This was mainly because I didn't PUT DD1 into a routine, I just watched and studied her lots and sort of followed her lead - couldn't do this with DD2. I won't lie - I found that stage really difficult, I couldn't figure out when DD2 was tired, she doesn't fall asleep on her own (although, she might be just heading in the right direction now, fingers crossed), a couple of times I ended up feeding her so much to try to get her to sleep that she got terrible tummy ache.

I would say that it is only in the last 4 weeks or so that DD2 has been really in a "routine" and as such I feel like I kind of have a routine too. Before then DD1 had a routine, DD2 fitted in around that and I ran between the two of them fighting fires!

Now that I've depressed you I'll give you a brief idea of our routine 6 months down the line in the hope that it will give you some hope. And it's a very "ish" routine, definitely not set in stone. Oh, and DD2 goes for 6 hours without a feed between 3am and 9am - I can't figure out how to get her to do that between midnight and 6am which would be lovely...

7ish get up, usually with both. (DD1 seems to be sleeping a bit later at the moment)

7.30 Breakfast for both (DD2 just started weaning) then get dressed, potter. I try tp clean kitchen

9.00 DD2 BF and 20 min catnap on my lap while DD1 watches Balamory and whatever gumpf follows

Get out the house!

11.30ish lunch. Although sometimes we skip this and go straight to nap with lunch after

12ish, DD1 in cot for nap DD2 BF and nap. I have no idea how I have wangled this but my little beauties have decided to nap at the same time - I love it! Yesterday DD1 had 2 hours and DD2 had 3hrs - it was bliss. won't last for long I;m sure.

2ish DD2 usually has a "wake-up" BF. Either get out if both wake up in time or stay in, run in garden and make a big mess....

4ish DD2 BF and catnap while DD1 Cbeebies again. ( I realised these catnaps were vital to DD2 otherwise she just couldn't cope and she won't nap properly so I decided that Cbeebies was the only way I could make sure DD1 didn't wake her up!)

5ish dinner
5.30ish bath if I can be bothered or if they're doing my head in! I still don't have the energy to have enforced baths every night, they do some weeks, don't others.

6ish DD2 is desperate for bed so BF and sleep in the quiet while DP has some time with DD1 (he gets home at 6).

6.30-7ish DD1 bedtime.

Oops. That's rather an essay. Hope it's some help. Good luck

robino · 06/01/2009 13:37

And that wasn't me being organised, I promise - we've just fallen into it and it's a bloody miracle that they seem to like sleeping at the same time at the moment......

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Thankyouandgoodnight · 06/01/2009 14:35

Don't panic - it's not nearly as bad as you think and remember that new babies sleep LOADS.

Stick to older one's routine as best you can and make baby fit in around it (i.e. get meals on the table roughly the usual time, their sleep at their usual time etc.

Buy DD2 a 'baby' of her own and give her a muslin or blanket to go with it. They really get in to the swing of this after a a few weeks or so of watching you and it becomes a really good way to amuse her and communicate with her about all sorts of stuff over the next months.

Always explain what you are about to do about 3 times before you do it - ie if you're going to go and get the baby from another room / change it's nappy and then play again with DD2 etc etc so she feels reassured that she knows what's happening.

Getting up in the morning:
Have something you can put baby in or on downstairs so if they wake up first, you can scoop them up and let the older one carry on sleeping. If they both happen to wake at exactly the same time....if baby will let you, deal with the older one first (ie leave baby in cot while you get milk, change nappy for DD2. Then let DD2 play in the room while you sort out baby's nappy etc. Then carry baby and get DD2 to do the stairs with you holding her hand or if she's not walking yet, plonk DD2 downstairs in front of toys (or cbeebies if more reliable source of distraction) while you nip back up and get baby. If baby needs feeding the minute she wakes, then leave DD2 in cot - maybe chuck in a couple of books / toys if she's a busy little thing or quickly pull her out and let her play in your room while you feed DD3.

You will find that you're more resistant to noise and happily let baby cry for a minute or so if it's just a minute or so that you need to finish getting DD2's dinner on the table so you can feed DD3 while DD2 is eating.

Bed time:
We bath 3 times a week - it helps! Get everything you need during and post bath in to the bathroom before hand! PJs, nappy for DD3, nappy sack, wipes, towel to put DD3 on, towels to dry them both.
If you can feed DD3 while DD2 is in the bath or if not, just quickly swish baby in the bath before DD2 gets in and then have her dry and dressed lying on the bathroom floor (on a towel for comfort!) while you wash DD2. Transfer DD2 to bedroom for nappy and PJs while baby still on bathroom floor. Then go and get baby, both in to grobags on your bed and give DD2 her bottle while you feed DD3. When DD2 finished, either let her rest there while you chat and finish off DD3, unless she's the busy type, in which case, stop feeding DD3 and then put DD2 in to bed and go back to DD3. If DD3 kicks off, pick her up and reattach while you go back to finish saying goodnight to DD2! Just muddle through the day and I strongly recommend not trying to sync naps as baby needs more per day for ages and so they may conincide sometimes but generally not!

Thankyouandgoodnight · 06/01/2009 14:38

sorry - another essay from me and realise i've laid it out as if you're doing their whole day on you're own which i am monday to friday but you may not be!

BlueCowBackToWondering · 06/01/2009 14:45

just one word of advice from me (20 months apart) - whatever it takes to get through! (not one word after all) And if that's plonking older one in front of Cbeebies for half an hour, so be it.

I think my main problem was focussing too much on baby's physical needs, and older one's emotional. But ultimately the 'big one' is still just a toddler,so needs lots of regular food/ drink/ sleep/ nappies just like baby.

The school run will dictate a lot of your day, so if someone offers help with that - take them up on it.

And keep tellling yourself it will get easier with time, esp as we get into spring, the days are lighter and longer and the baby needs feeding less often.

4andnotout · 06/01/2009 15:19

Hi i have 4 dd's with a gap of 13 months between 3 and 4 who are now 10 weeks and 15 months.
7.00 Alarm wakes us up, wake dd1&2, get washed dressed and take them all downstairs
7.30 dd3 sits in her highchair whilst i do breakfasts, dp makes pack lunches.
8.15 load pram with babies and school bags.
8.30 walk to school, drop dd1 off at school, dd2 at playschool
9.30 arrive home usually both babies are asleep, do housework .
11.40 walk to playschool again to collect dd2
12.30 lunch for everyone
1.00 play with toys,then watch cbeebies with blankets and they usually nap.
2.40 load pram up again to pick dd1 up from school
3.40 get home, dd1 reads, then playtime.
5.30 dp usually home by now so he either cooks tea or plays with kids
6.30 bath if needed
7.30 bed for all 4.
DD4 is breastfed so i just sit and feed her as and when she wants it, dp is usually inat some point during the day so he can take over for a bit.

pgwithnumber3 · 06/01/2009 21:11

Thanks everyone for some very interesting insights into how people manage with 2 so close together.

DD2 luckily is a dream child (so far) and very easy to read. She still naps for 2 hours and is flexible with food/nap times etc. Hopefully DD3 will just slot in! It is the school run etc which will cause meltdown I am sure...

OP posts:
Thankyouandgoodnight · 06/01/2009 21:23

Usual things apply:

Get all clothes ready the night before.

Prioritise with who you deal with at any one time. i.e. poo up the back wins over wanting you to read a book with them!

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