Tips on being pregnant and having a toddler

[Lotta1234]

Hoping you can help. Any of you have tips on things that make parenting a toddler when pregnant easier? I am finding it exhausting and really missing how much fun we had before I got pregnant. I just have so much less energy..

Sleep when you can and have as much organised the night before as you can.

HTH

Its hard isnt it? How pregnant are you and how old is your toddler?

I'd like to know this too-my daughter is 2.6 and I'm due in 5 weeks.

It's hard, really hard, but you need to adjust your expectations.

It's ok to have a day veging in front of beebies when you're exhausted.

Soft play is your friend (and yes, I hate it but...), playground is good. I'm much better in the mornings so tried to do something out of the house in the morning so I could feel less guilty in the afternoon. Swimming can be good to wear them out but I've had spd from 26 weeks so couldn't manage it.

Useful to have a kids table downstairs so you can play games, do jigsaws without having to sit on the floor.

And use nursery/playgroup at least a couple if days a week. Makes pg the first time look easy doesn't it!!

Good luck. It will end.

If you can, try and have a nap when your toddler does during the day. I assume you are in early pregnancy? That is when I felt most tired, so a nap really helped.

Also I find sticker books a life saver.

I always felt better in the morning too so every afternoon we had a 'sit on the sofa and watch a film whilst Mummy falls asleep' slot - DD got to watch Nemo a million times and I got a rest. Win, win.
We then carried on with it after DS was born, only difference being I would feed him and then he and I would fall asleep whilst DD watched the film :)

Not quite the same but best advice I had was to start reading to your toddler side by side instead of them on your lap and get them to start turning the pages. This way, once the baby arrives, you can be faffing around feeding and still read to the toddler - DD and I got so good at this that every time I lifted my top to feed DS she went and got a book :o

So helpful. Thank you for such great tips.

Am 17 weeks and coming out of having hyperemesis gravidarum but spd has started.

Great thread, OP.

I just found out I'm pregnant and DD will be 20 months on my due date - I'm seriously scared about the logistics! Keeping an eye on this.

I'm 33 weeks with a 2.9 year old - I really did not appreciate how much harder it is with toddler!

Best advice (apart from above) is to take up any offers of help from friends/family. Mine have been amazing at taking DS so I can rest.