Pregnant, soon to be unemployed and moving house... all with a toddler!

[LazyDogJumpedOver]

Oh dear Lord what are we doing??

I am just pregnant, positive test this evening - yey! Due in July

HOWEVER I have an 18 month old, I leave my job in December and we might be moving across the country in April... ahhh! What were we thinking?? It's going to be such a disruption to my little boy, I worry he'll be super jealous of the new arrival on top of moving house and nursery.

I'm a twin and my older brother HATED us, right up until he turned 30!! Seriously - he used to try and beat us up :(
I don't want that kind of sibling rivalry between my children... how do you avoid it?? (PS hopefully not pregnant with twins!)

When I went full time we put my son in a second nursery for 1 day a week and he hated it. He started to cry when I left him at both nurseries. We don't use the 2nd nursery anymore and he's just settling back into not crying at the nursery he has always been at!

The good thing is I'll still have no job when we move in April so I'll slowly be able to settle him into a new nursery/house/area.

But any tips you have about moving house with a toddler, introducing a new baby to a 2 year old... even the concept of a new baby.. would be greatly appreciated!

L

OP it is a shock but I can fully empathise. My ds1 was just seven months old when I accidentally conceived ds2 (pre cum before condom went on...we were really trying NOT to conceive, but some things are meant to be!) Three months later I went back to work following the end if mat leave with ds1 and had the embarrassment of telling my team I was expecting again, as if I had done it on purpose! Just at our 12 week scan we had a phone call to say we had 8 weeks to find somewhere else to live as the house we were renting (privately) had been sold. So there I was, pregnant, with a baby under the age of one, soon to be homeless. I must admit it was one of the most stressful periods of my life, but the baby was unharmed by the levels of adrenaline coursing through me, and is in fact the most chilled and happy little boy, so don't panic if you are worried about the effect of stress in your unborn child. Finding accommodation was tricky but with three weeks to go, we managed it. I had just five months back at work and then went off on mat leave for the second time, only to find the owner of the new house had died and his children wanted us out so they could realise their inheritance. They honoured the short tenancy agreement so we had a full year, but in that time ds1 had two major operations which involved a lot of recovery time, and any spare moment was spent house hunting. Again with about two weeks to go, we found our current house, and bought it so no one can ever make us move again. Ds1 and ds2 have just 16 months between them and are the best of friends. I did feel enormous guilt that I was diverting love from ds1 to give to ds2 but you don't...more love just automatically comes and you have plenty to go around. Giving your dc1 a sibling is he best present for them ever, someone to share their childhood with and be best friends with. So, chin up, it will work out even if its not quite what you might have planned. And congratulations! It will be fine, I promise.

I'm 21 weeks pregnant, we moved a few weeks ago and I have a 2.5 year old. DS wasn't bothered at all by the house move, but we didn't move that far - only a few miles. We had been talking about the new house for months so he was expecting it. He helped me pack up his toys and then we carefully recreated his room as far as was possible in the new house - actually he went from a cot to a bed but all his important toys, books, cushions etc were there. Make sure you pay for really good movers as they will make your life much less stressful. Do not be tempted to go for a cheaper option.

DS knows a bit about babies as some of his friends now have younger siblings. He knows there is a baby in my tummy but don't think he really understands. He wants a sister though as he prefers girls. I'm a bit worried he is going to be disappointed!