Two under Two

[NicolaC17]

So, i have just found out I’m expecting no.2. My LG is 13 months and I’m feeling anxious. I’m worried about telling work - I’ve only been back two months, worried about the dynamic. Worried I’ll die of sleep deprivation. Someone please reassure me?

I have two with ten and a half months between them. You survive - feels a bit like a never ending treadmill of feeding and shit in the early days but mine now are so incredibly close as siblings and I've got some sense of getting my life back right as others are having a second and looking like they've been hit by a newborn truck of sleepless nights again.

Your first baby suddenly seems absolutely gigantic though when the new one arrives - be prepared for that!

Congratulations!

I realised I was pregnant with dd the day I started a new job at the end of my maternity leave with ds .

There are 19 months between my two, as above, it's hard when they're little but lovely now (5 and 7 but only a school year apart).

BTW dd has always been a much better sleeper than ds, because I was bf dh took ds duties overnight and tbh I got the better deal

Thanks. My LG has started on occasion sleeping through the night so let’s hooe she is by the time next one arrives in November. They will be 21 months apart.

I have 2 under 2. Ones now and 22months the other is 4.5months. Love the gap. Do nappies, sleepless nights etc in one go. Tbh it was no way near as bad as I thought. Was used to sleepless nights so it didn't break me this time round. Had all stuff from first baby, still remembered how to use it all as it was only 5 mins ago. We go to toddler groups every morning and they both nap in afternoon! Sometimes it's hard when they are both screaming (like today at baby weigh clinic). No jealously as eldest is still too young so loves his baby brother and is starting to try and play with him.

I had two under two...then four under five.
I like that we've never really got out the baby stage - been changing nappies for 5 years solid with at least 2 more to go.
I don't envy friends with 2+ year gap. All the baby stuff gone away getting used to a bit of independent child then back to new born.
My eldest two are 16 months apart - one school year, middle two are two years apart and youngest two 18months. Right now is hard but newborns aren't new forever

Congratulations OP! I fell pregnant with my 3rd right around 2nd’s birthday (1st was just coming up to 5). 3rd was due the day 2nd turned 21mo but ended up coming a bit early so just over 20mo between them, eldest was 5.5ish. Can only echo everyone else...very hard to start with, pretty relentless, somebody needs you all the damn time (although tbf I had a school run to factor in as well!), you feel like you’re drowning in a never ending stream of needs. But it’s much easier with the 2nd as you know what you’re doing, and of course you love them and that helps make it feel worth it! And it gets vastly easier very quickly, baby turns 1 next month and it’s absolutely brilliant fun these days. My 3 all adore each other and the little 2 are thick as thieves, they entertain each other so well and it’s just lovely to watch. There’s a much bigger gap between my first 2 and it started easy and got harder; the smaller gap is the other way round. You’ll be fine

This is helping thank you. I think because my LG was such a needy baby and was only happy when attached to the boob or being cuddled and was a struggle to settle at night until 5 months it’s worried me all babies are the same. She’s an absolute joy now though.

I had three under three. It was difficult, I can’t lie but I survived- obviously . You will find a routine eventually and settle into it, things get easier with time.

I had my surprise baby when Ds1 "was 3 and ds2 was 18 months. He was unplanned and I had no idea how I would cope but I did (and still do!) yes it's tough but everyone adapts. I found my 18mo adapted the best as he was so young and now he doesn't even remember not having his baby brother around. Ds2 was very needy and was crap at night and was always attached to me but he completely changed when he was a big brother because he was a big boy (that's what he told everyone).

I have only just gone back to work after maternity leave, little one was 1 last week, will be 19 months when baby arrives.

He is pretty good baby/ toddler, rarely cries and is for the most part a good sleeper up in his own cotbed now.
It is scary, I am most terrified of telling my now 14 year old who when I broached subject recently told me, “ you’ve got a baby right there why would you possibly want another” lol and that what god awful name would I pick if I had another !

18 month gap here between dd1 and ds2. First six months were a slight blur but I was tandem feeding them so maybe that's why 😂 we planned no. 2 but it happened first month ttc so the gap wasn't planned persay but it's worked here.

Seriously though, no regrets as they are proper playmates, no memory of not being a sibling so used to sharing me, still in the nappies and rubbish sleep malarkey. They are 4 and 2.5 now and we're expecting no. 3 any day now and I'm not too worried as they have each other, are used to being siblings and will hopefully play while I'm feeding baby etc. Yeah they fight but they're siblings and it's one of the greatest gifts imo you can give your child.

You'll find your groove 🙂

My eldest 2 are 21 months apart and honestly it was not as hard as I expected at all, I actually found pregnancy with a 1 Yr old the hardest bit. When dc2 was born, I was used to changing nappies, getting up early and being in the routine with dc1 so the new baby just fit into it all and not much changed. That stage passes so quickly too. Congratulations 💐