Shock Pregnancy! 2nd baby, 1st baby 5 months old!!

[MaeBug]

Hi Everyone,
I'm reeling a bit from news that my 'tummy bug' is actually my second pregnancy! I feel so so shocked! DS is 5 months old, i'm EBF and DH and I have only had sex 3 times since DS was born!!! (I know it only takes once though- haha!)
Anyone else have 2 babies with a tiny age gap? Any tips or advice?
We always planned more children, just not so soon!! I am feeling grateful, just stunned!!
x

No advice but Congratulations! I'd love to have two really close together but I wouldn't be able to make it work around work. How far along are you?

Congratulations! I've not been in the same situation but am pregnant and will soon have two under two. I like to think we will already be in the baby zone and nappies and sleepless nights are not going to be such a shock!

I'm currently 16 weeks pregnant and DD has just turned 9 months. We always wanted two really close together and although this pregnancy was planned, I didn't expect to get pregnant on our first month off contraception.

But now that the news has sunk in, we couldn't be happier.

Same age gap as a close friend. She said the first year was hard as she had two babies but unlike twins, they were at different stages. After that it got easier...

And she knows what she is talking about re twins as that was what she had for babies 3 and 4!

A friend of mine has 2 children 13 months apart so very similar to your situation. It works for them and she's often selling the virtue of small age gaps to anyone who will listen. Being in the baby zone, not getting used to no nappies, sleeping through etc, just continuing it for an extra year or so.

It definitely can be done and doesn't need to be a nightmare. Of course it's hard but any kids at any age have their hard times.

Thank you all!! I feel a bit more reassured. Half of me is so excited, the other half misses sleep- haha!! I'm not sure how far along just yet, we're estomating 7 weeks, we've got a scan tomorrow to find out!! It hasn't quite sunk in just yet!!

Congratulations! I had 13 months between my two, now 3 and 4. I won’t lie, it’s hard work, but so worth it and I look back and wonder where the time has gone!

there is 18month between my two who are now 5 and soon to be 4! they are super close and do everything together I wouldn't have it any other way congratulations xx

Whoops! This sounds familiar. That WTAF moment. 13 month gap between mine. I was so shocked that I didn't actually tell anyone I had another bun in the oven for 4 months. Congratulations! It will certainly keep you out of trouble for the next 20 years. And it's been a lot of fun.

Congratulations! There is 10 months between my oldest two and I love it! I barely remember much of the first year with them both but it’s basically like having twins now! X

Thank you!! So nice to see all positive feedback!! We had the scan today and we're 8 weeks and 4 days along!! The shock is subsidising and being replaced with pure excitement!!!
Just an aside, how do i bathe the two babies?! Haha! Together? Separate bath nights? Two bath seats?
I'm trying out a million scenarios, haha!!
x

Hi ladies I’m in a similar situation. I thought I had a dodgy Chinese take away however when the sickness didn’t go away alarm bells rang. I have a 5 year old boy and after 4 miscarriages and almost 3 years of trying we were blessed with a little girl who is 8 months and now I’ve just found out I am 7 weeks pregnant. I am still in shock and feel guilty for feeling this way I almost feel a little embarrassed and am going back to work next week and dreading telling my boss! I know this is a blessing and we always did want a 3rd baby however maybe not this quickly. Feeling very overwhelmed

Not me, but a close friend has kids a year apart (their birthdays are 2 days apart).

She found some times very hard work but she felt it also got the hard parts over at once, rather than going through it twice.
The kids are so, so close and play together brilliantly.

Congratulations to all you expectant mums! I was massively broody immediately after ds' birth up until he was about two years old so this would have been my dream but it didn't happen. Am sure it's more daunting when it's reality though!
I would have said separate baby seats in the bath Mae but of course I'm no expert.
All the best to you and little ones.

@ItStartedWithAKiss241
A ten month gap?! As in you got pregnant within a month of having your first baby?!

11 months here. Really hard at first, it was pretty insane to be honest as DD had been easy but DS was a high needs baby who screamed constantly it seemed —for the first two years of his life—. They’re 5 & 6 now, and although it’s a blur looking back, they are SO close. Best friends. It was tough on myself and DH but such a gift for them and I don’t regret it for a moment. Just make your life as easy as possible and ditch anything that makes it harder than it needs to be. Leaving the house will be really hard but you’ll get in the swing of it (one would poo, change them, find the other had pooed, change them, turn round and find the toddler had undressed themselves again...you get the gist 😄). I’m a bit of a perfectionist so I found it hard but I was also very organised (still am) and that’s saved me a ton of stress. I batch cooked dinners etc in advance, the toddler’s food was all batch cooked and frozen, changing mats & nappies upstairs and down, wipes in every room etc. I know many people with tiny gaps are absolute naturals, I can tell you I wasn’t and also had PND, but I did cope and it really did get easier. But organisation is your best friend.

It was referred to by my friend as “dysfunctional twins” and that’s exactly what it was, with one always slightly ahead and more able and the other frantically trying to get there. It also killed my back constantly lifting them both. But that got better and honestly when you’ve had two so close, if you ever have another in the future it will be a doddle. I’ve got a bigger gap now with #3 and it’s been a breeze!!

I’m 14 months older than my younger brother. I won’t lie, it was very hard on my mum. However, she did have bad untreated PND. Just bear in mind that the first bit will be bloody hard work.

I'm in the thick of it here. 13.5m between the two. DE now 16.5m and DD 12weeks.
It's going crazy quick but he is so lovely to his sister it melts my heart.
I remember the WTF moment finding out about our surprise DD, but I'm loving it so far!

My youngest daughter is 6 months I'm 17 weeks pregnant and also have a under 2 year old

Thank you for the tips, i think organisation, not sweating the small stuff and asking for help whenever available will be key!!
@Mums, it sounds like you have your hands full!! But i'm sure it's loads of fun! x

It's all fun lol wouldn't change it

I’ve got a 17 month old and a 4 month old. I won’t lie, it is very challenging at times. Some days I’m like ‘wow I’m so good at this, let’s have another’ and other days I actually can’t believe how bad it’s been. It’s all highs and lows so far!

Tips:
-try and spend your pregnancy making things easier for your future self. For example, I got DS settling in his cot by himself by the time he was 10-11 months so that I could relax of an evening/have one on one time with DD.

• get a sling for the early days. Double buggy will be a must, even if your little one is walking by then.

• be organised. Things set out the day before etc.

• give yourself time. The first 4 weeeks... omg. They were so hard. But now it is much easier.

I always worried about bath time when I was pregnant but it’s actually really easy. DS sits in the bath and DD sits in the angelcare bath seat.
I have towels set out on the floor for them, take DD out and wrap her up on the floor and then I dry DS off and he runs around naked until we go upstairs and get them both ready. DS climbs up the stairs with me stood behind him holding DD.

We all go downstairs on our bums and I hold DD.

If I didn’t have my second so soon, I don’t think I would ever have planned another!

Question for those with a small age gap, did you buy a double pram? If so, which one?

I'm so undecided as to whether I should get one, or use a sling. I never used one with DD, but I've got quite a small downstairs and no where to really store a big pram, like a bugaboo donkey.

My sister has 13 months between her dc1 and her dc2 and 3, oh yes, i and our other sister laughed heartily when we recieved the call to say she was expecting twins! I wont lie, it was hard and she is super organised, they did go through a feral stage but the twins have just started school and all is good.