Pregnant 10 months after 1st born. Can someone reassure me that I will be able to cope!

[Tootingbec]

I have just found out that I am pregnant again 10 months after having my first baby. I had planned to have another baby quite soon after my first as I am in my late 30's. I thought it would take at least another 6 months to conceive, but bugger me, it happened the first time we had unprotected sex . My DH and I must be some sort of geriatric hyper fertile freaks.......

I am in shock and a bit scared. How on earth am I going to manage a new baby and an 18 month year old?

Just need some reassuring words from anyone who has had a short gap between children to say that you coped and got through it. My daughter is an angel and sleeps really well so that is one thing in our favour!

Do not worry TootBec my 2 are 16 months apart and although it was hard work for 2 years they play together now like little angels aged 3 and 5. I had a P and teds as I discovered how difficult it is to rescue a toddler from the climbing frame with a small baby in a sling. If our hallway had been wider I'd have bought a cheaper double.

I'm another one living in fear of how I'm going to cope with my newborn (due April) and my 15 month old girl! Just reached 30 weeks and suddenly the reality of what is to come is dawning on me!

Another factor is that I'm on my own 7am to 7pm Mon-Fri and I don't have any family/extra pair of hands to help during these hours. Would love to hear from someone in the same boat who coped!

Alo, thanks for the great advice on here - I was planning on a single buggy and sling... now researching double buggies!

Thanks Loopymumsy... nice that someone else in the same position survived.

Hmmm.. double buggy expensive and now in a dilemma as to whether a decent sling (anyone got any recommendations? Are there any slings that are good for breast feeding too?)and my existing buggy may do short-term (if I ever get out of my house that is!!).

I have 11months between my two and found that a good double was invaluable. I also found that planning each day gave me something to aim for as I found it very daunting have two under 1 when DH went back to work

it will be tough, dont get me wrong but you will be fine

I used a Close carrier, which is a kind of cheaters stretchy wrap as it has rings to thread the fabric through. I didn't bf in it much but there was an instance of be in it stood on a train platform. I even got on the train without stopping and no-one noticed what I as doing.
Both DH and I loved it, but I know people who haven't got on with them at all.

That should be "an instance of feeding in it stood on a train platform", sorry.
Oh bugger and obviously WAS in the next sentence

I have only 11 months between my 2 - you will survive! And on the plus side now mine are a bit older (oldest is 3.5) they get on really well. As they are close in age, they like doing similar things. Well it can't be that bad, as we are due with our 3rd in July

Thank you everyone for your kind words of encouragement and advice - I feel much better now!

gilliana dont worry, if your dh back @ 7 its not too bad i'm sure you will cope. mine works quite late like average 9 or 10 (doesnt leave at 7 tho more like 8-9) i was worried if it wd be hard once he's gone back from paternity leave but nope its fine (17.5 months dif), i do have inlaws near by but they dont help. its easier 2 do things by urself in a way you can make your routine how you like it and just get things done. it can b easier than having someone else faffing around making things take longer than they need to. u adapt pretty quick

20 month gap.

phil and ted definitely - sometimes they would both have their afternoon nap in it while i sat and had a coffee in the park - twas bliss!

you will be ok - there are rough patches but mine are now 3 and 5 and (mostly) play together really nicely....

17 mth gap between dd1 and dd2, and I thought/ think it worked really well. It meant that I wasn't altogether out of baby mode when dd2 came along, so we seemed to adapt easily to her coming along. DD1 was too young to be jealous- she can't remember a time when dd2 wasn't there, and because the age is small they will play similar games, share friends, happily share a room and are generally quite close, despite having very different personalities!

I had a 2.5 yr age gap between dd2 and ds, and I founmd that harder- harder to find things they can all join in. dd2 also seemed to regress more when ds came along, it upset her more than her arrival did dd1.

I know it seems a huge undertaking, but you will be fine!! My DH is in the navy and disappeared off for 5 months when dd2 was 12 wks, but once we got into a routine of sorts, it was all fine- you'll see! Congratulations, btw!

Haven't read any of the other replies but dd is 6 weeks old and ds is 19 months. The first couple of weeks are rough but it gets better really quickly and I am loving it now. Congrats!