Tips for 1 1/2yr old and newborn

[Dozeyland]

I am due with DC2 in May 2012. DD will be roughly 1yr 1/2... any survival/handy tips? she plays very well on her own and we go to playgroups like nearly everyday but how can we get the right balance so I have time with both of them? and in those first few weeks where i will be BF newborn (DD has self-weaned to cows milk and sleeping through at present) but things DD can do when i have to be tending to newborn??

and also survival tips for mum! I will be alone for a while as DP is a away until next sept roughly 9difficult situation) but we are very much in love.

Hi Dozeyland
I don't have any advice really as I'm still waiting to deliver my first but I think I recall your previous post with your DP's situation. If it's the one I'm thinking of, I just wanted to say I'm sorry things didn't work out better but this time next year you'll all be together again x
Good luck with the baby

Hi there, DS1 was 17 months when DS2 was born so roughly similar to you and I was also worried! Well it is hard but was actually better than I thought. Put Cbeebies on A LOT and do not feel guilty about it, will only be for a few weeks. It's especially good when you are feeding, to distract the older one. Take all the help you can get - do you have family nearby who could have the older one for an afternoon a couple of times a week to give you a break? Or could you afford a morning a week at nursery?
If any visitors ask if they can help, take them up on it and if people ask what they can bring round then ask for a meal ready to go in the oven (I'm not joking, this was a godsend). If you can, make loads of easy meals now like spag bol for the freezer so you just need to remember to get something out in the morning.
Sorry to hear your DP will be away. As I said if you can rope in any other help then do!! Good luck. It does get easier. DS2 is nearly 6 months now and it is lovely to see him starting to interact with DS1.

Thanks FHD. Hoping & praying he can be about, but just have to take
Each day as it comes. Its been one week and not getting easier. :(

I have family members who can help out. I was just wondering things at home
That can be done too. I'm sure DD will surprise me with how she adapts.

Things like washing up, tidying, cooking, etc those are the things I'm going to think
Woah where is the time?!

Doubt I could afford nursery but will look into it one morning a week or something.
But otherwise I am still going to do the playgroups/babygroups like I did/do with DD.
I want to do baby massage again with the newborn as DD loved this. Its like 6sessions, and I
Think there is a creche in the next room, free. So that could be handy or DPs mum can have her for
An hour.. I suppose when family are around there are always options, its just what I can do
To help the little things like bathtime, feeding, sleep, etc

Do you have a surestart centre nearby? I'm really lucky in that there is one 2 minute walk from my house and 3 in total in a 2 mile radius. Not quite sure why there are so many as we're not that big a town but I'm not complaining and I fully intend to use them. In fact am going along to a breastfeeding cafe on Monday as I attending a breastfeeding workshop and they advised going along before you give birth.
I have a friend who used to go to healthy eating classes there, they had a little creche which your baby could go in whilst you went and cooked a meal that would feed 4. She said it used to do for her and DH for 2 nights meal and you didn't pay for ingredients, just take your container along. It'd give you a little time off from your DC and get some meals to put in the freezer (if you have one that does those). But they do other classes as well, one of ours even has little swimming classes!

I used to go to all the same groups/softplay etc with newborn in a sling (15 months between mine) as I did when it was just DS. Also used to put baby in the leisure centre creche once reached 6 weeks old and take DS swimming for a hour for some one on one time.

Baby used to be quite happy in bouncy chair watching her older brother play and when she started moving and got interesting he was more than happy to play with her.

FHD Yeah Plenty of surestart centres, and i attend one 3/4 times a wek, along with baby cafe.

Will keep in mind the swimming, DD loves it