Tips on surviving pregnancy with a toddler.

[CareBearWithFangs]

I am only 8 weeks but I feel like hell. DD is 2 and the more I'm struggling the worse she seems to behave. How do you survive the morning sickness, nausea and sheer exhaustion with a 2 year old in tow?

What's the best advice you got? What worked for you?

I am getting desperate!

When I was pregnant with our twins (first babies) I was a childminder and looked after 3 two year old boys three days a week (10 hours a day). The rest of the week was two of the boys.

Honestly, it was just awful. I had awful morning sickness and occasionally had to run to the loo to be sick. My biggest tip is to have a nap when they nap. It was the only thing that got me through the day. I would also go to bed at 7pm and sleep right through until 7am the next day. I had never felt exhaustion like it before.

You wont be so tired for much longer, enjoy the second trimester before you have a big bump and a toddler to carry around.

My DD doesn't nap anymore and doesn't sleep through the night. I am so exhausted.

I can't wait for the second trimester.

DD has been playing on the ipad for the past hour. So I've at least had a little sit down. I feel like the worst mother in the world at the moment.

I'm 34 weeks and my dd will be 2 on Tuesday. It's been really tough. I have her home 3 days a week and it's exhausting. You just need to rest whenever you can. My dd has watched more cbeebies than ever before and eaten more toddler ready meals too. I try to go out each morning but sometimes it's too much.
Toddler groups are a godsend as well as soft play places.

Good luck! Everyone says looking after a newborn and a toddler is easier than the pregnancy.

Cbeebies, lots of it. And activities where you can sit while they play - park, playground etc. when the sickness/tiredness stops you'll feel better, then 3rd trimester will be tough again! It's hard so don't feel like a bad mother, just do what you need to make it bearable. Congrats on your pregnancy

Oh god. It is awful I totally sympathise. I have three weeks left of this hell. DD is 15 months and is becoming a tearaway! She runs rings round me. The house is a complete tip. She's at nursery 3 days a week, I think I would be having a meltdown if she wasn't. DH is a great help in the evenings though and does dinner, bath and bed then tidies the house while I put my feet up!

Whatever it takes, do it. Don't feel guilty.

I had my first trimester sickness during the height of summer last year. Lasted until I was 22 ish weeks

Anyway, DD1 was nearly two and constantly wanted to play in the garden. All I wanted to do was sit in the house and feel sorry for myself . Then as the sickness went, SPD kicked in.

Take any help you can get. Maybe a couple of extra sessions at nursery so you can catch up on sleep?

I don't even want to say this 'out loud' because i don't want to jinx it but i just turned 9 weeks and feel much much better.

It's been horrendous. I've been falling asleep on the sofa while little dude plays on the -really fucking loud-- cbeebies app. For naps i've been putting him down in my bed and climbing in next to him. All his food makes me want to throw up so he's been eating a lot of fruit, welsh cakes, toast, waffles and then something tidy for tea when hubby can help me.. which he is less than impressed with.

The other thing that helps is going for a massive walk and taking loads of snacks and water for us cause the fresh air wakes me up and keeps him entertained for a couple of hours.

Oh and my mum comes and helps me 2 days a week and kicks me up the ass about the state of the place which keeps me in check.

Thank you. Glad it's not just me.

We're currently outside and she is transferring mud from the herb garden onto all the steps/path/my feet/her head but I'm letting her get on with it as she's happy and I'm sat still.

I am doing pretty much no housework bar some laundry that absolutely has to be done.

Sod the housework carebear!

It took me about three hours to clean the bathroom the other day. It lasted for about 48 hours before it looked crap again. What . Is. The. Point.

Exactly Ithought. I haven't dusted for nearly 2 weeks and so far nothing terrible has happened. DP's version of tidying and mine seem to differ somewhat but I have to agree his version takes less time.