Talk me through teatime and bathtime with a toddler and newborn...

[tvfriend]

Interested in how people do it!
My 19mo DD has a bath every night and always has done as part of her bedtime routine. Poor DS (9 wks) has had about 2 since he was born!
He is mainly BF and he doesn't really have a routine yet. Life revolves around DD really. I just try and make sure he's had some sort of feed before starting the torturous tea and bath with DD who insists on feeding herself with little success and wants to spend hours in the bath and drinking her milk. Often I then have to leave him crying while she is in the bath etc.
Think we need to get into a good bedtime routine for him soon as well but can't get my head round 2 baths (as DD has bubbles and lots of toys so can't treally do them together as she'd be jumping on him or something), 2 feeds, 2 bedtimes etc!
So please just let me know how it works in your house!

i wouldn't bother with bathing ds.

i have vivid memories of trying to bath ds who was 2 and newborn dd at the same time and ending up in floods (of tears and bath water because i knelt on the baby bath and tipped it everywhere, no dd in there at the time luckily!)

he doesn't need one everynight, and before you know it he'll be in there splashing with her!

could you bath him when dd has a nap, if he really needs one???

could you sling ds in a sling while negotiating the arsenic hour (or the grot slot as my friend calls it!)?

LOL a year on I'm still trying to find the answer to this question. 5-7pm is hell in the ohdear household.

I used to bath ds1 every day, but that has fallen by the wayside - very couple of days is fine, I feel.

I've always put them both in the bath together though (much easier, obviously, when the younger one can sit up unsupported).

a baby bath seat was invaluable to me when DS2 was a newborn, we had one of these - I have 23 months between mine. I did bath them together in a shallow bath at first, took he baby out and got him ready whilst I put more water and bubbles in for DS1, then when the baby was dressed got DS1 out, him dried and dressed then all had milk in front of the TV, baby to bed first, stories for the toddler, then toddler to bed - then crack the wine open

Everyone is different, but I found that bathing them together was great - DD2 loved it from when she was about a week or so old. There's exactly 24 months between my DDs.

My tea / bed routine was as follows:

5pm / 5.30 ish give DD1 her tea and sit at the table with her whilst breastfeeding DD2.

6pm ish up for bath - I had a plastic bath support for DD2 so as long as I was right there next to them I didn't need to hold her and could wash DD1 etc. DD1 into bath first and out second - she's always enjoyed splashing around (and yes - bubbles and lots of toys - DD2 didn't seem to mind one bit, I just had to have the bath slightly shallower than without DD2. If DD1 shoved or jumped on DD2 she was whisked out immediately - she soon learnt not to as she wanted to stay in the bath). I'd get DD2 out, dry and dressed and popped into bouncy chair then get DD1 out dry and dressed. We'd then move into DD1's bedroom, she'd have a beaker of milk and I'd read her a couple of stories (DD2 gnerally stayed in bouncy chair and I would bounce her with my foot so DD1 had a chance to sit on my lap and cuddle etc.

I'd then put DD1 into bed (generally 7pm ish by then), and take DD2 through for final bf and settle her to bed usually by 7.30 ish.

Well from someone who has done this twice and 2nd time around was with a newborn and 2 toddlers, I have always bathed them together.

I also used a bath support for the baby until they could sit. They all love the interaction.

If your dd loves to stay in the bath for ages then just have all the baby's things reay in the bathroom- clean nappy, creams, vest and sleepsuit. Get your baby out and reasy for bed whilst chatting to and supervising your toddler enjoying some solo bath time.

I would get the baby to bed first then give dd her bedtime milk and story in peace.

I also used a bath support thing (one of those frames with towelling material over it) when I was brave enough to bath my 2 together. However I can't remember when that was from as I have lots of memories of bf dd sitting on the loo whilst ds was in the bath. I also have lots of memories bf dd whilst ds has his tea, whilst reading his bedtime story, etc.....
You will become pretty adept at bf whenever, wherever and always one handed as the toddler always has to come first
I took us ages to get a bedtime routine for dd but she was a happy baby and is a good sleeper despite this.
Good luck - this was one reason I was very nervous about having a second dc!

DD1 is 2.5, DD2 is 5months, I always bath DD2 first, DD1 like to help, passes me her towel etc.

Then once she's in pyjamas I add more hot water and bubbles to the bath water, put dd2 in moses basket with some toys and bath dd1, then get her ready for bed with dd2 on our bed.

I only bath them every other night at the most, and if dh is back from work he will bath dd1 so I can have 5 mins peace!

Teatime, dd2 tends to nap about then so I can get on with feeding dd1, but even if she's not sleeping, dd1 is big enough to feed herself with a bit of supervision.

Put older one in bath first and wash them while baby on bathroom floor (on folded towels or chair or whatever).

Put baby in bath, give them a good swish and then get them out, dry and dress them and feed them while older one plays.

Get older one out, dry and dressed in bathroom and then let them walk to wherever you go next while you carry the baby. Feed baby while older one having stories or whatever you do. Put baby down while you put older one in to bed and tuck them in and then carry on feeding baby wherever you want to be.

Bingo

Yes, I have always bathed my new ones with the older ones too. It means just one bath and the older ones can help with the little one. Before you know it the newborn will be splashing around with the older one!

I've got 23 momths between mine, nad I do baths together.

Run bath.

Ds2 onto changing mat in bathroom for a kick around.

Ds1 clothes off into bath and quick wash, Then give him his toys.

ds2 clothes off and in bath, wash and out.

Get Ds2 dressed and leave on change mat

Ds1 out, dressed.

Then night garden for Ds1 while DS2 feeds.

Ds2 to bed.

Ds1 to bed

22 month gap. after a month or so, bathed them together - baby in a bath support. her big brother was always v gentle.

got baby out first, then she had a good kick on changing mat while got ds out.

downstairs for milk and tv. left ds downstairs with drink and biscuit watching tv while put dd to bed (pretty quickly) - and then back down for cuddle with him before reading him stories and bed.

it gets easier!

Baby did everything DD1 did here. I used to put a bucket on the loo and bath DD2 in there while DD1 played in the bath (teeny bathroom). Used a bath support later, but she loved the bucket.

Everyone had milk together straight afterwards, baby under gym for nappy off time while dressing DD1. Dress DD2 while DD1 bounces on bed. Read story. Lay down BF for DD2 snuggled in between me and DD1.

Sneak out when DD1 asleep.

DD (three) bathed every second to third night. DS (four months), rare bath, good wash every day. Both sleep well. Not connected to the less frequent bathing but just to show might not affect sleeping. Although DS has a spot of eczema on face where he rubs to get thumb in, rest of skin lovely and soft where dd's dry. Again prob not connected but there you go. Baths lovely though - just can't manage it at the moment.

Thanks everyone.
Will endeavour to do the bathing together now the weather is a bit warmer and our bathroom is less artic like! (Was worried it was too cold for DS). Then just need top persuade DS that going to sleep at 7pm is a good idea...
Was planning to do it last night then DD projectile vomited her tea all over the kitchen so she had to be thrown in the bath straight away!