Talk me down from my fear of two under two...

[geminibluez]

Just found out I'm pregnant and I'm due a little before my #1s second birthday.

Tell me the good the bad and the ugly please as I'm currently wondering how the hell I am going to manage.

But I'm SO excited!!

I only have experience as a child in this scenario! 18 months between sibling and I. We have always been very close, we were taken for twins most of our childhood. My mum found it easier with second baby as she knew how it all worked and we entertained each other very early on! Congratulations.

It could be worse and you have a 2 year old and 8 month old twins....

It's hard! But you will find your groove x

@geminibluez I'm currently expecting at Christmas! Baby Girl is just turning one ❤️ it took us years and medication to concieve her, we thought it would be the same again so started early! Praying all works out xxxx

I did it twice, in 6 years!

The oldest is now a teenager, it's been a wild but wonderful ride. They are all very close and kind to each other.

A baby sling and a good double pushchair will be wonderful investments.

Good luck!

And yes, they are often mistaken for two sets of twins. Makes us all giggle

Tbh I think it’s one of the best ways to do it - yes, it’s hard work for the first 2 or 3 years, but then they grow up a bit and you’ve done the most exhausting/sleep deprived period in compressed hours instead of dragging it out over twice as long (or longer!) which seems very efficient to me.

I'm in the same boat, OP.

My son is almost 14 months old and I am expecting no.2 in January!

I had two under one (not twins). It’s been much easier than I thought and once they could talk they play together for hours. Plus the elder sibling was too young for jealousy.

Also it’s way easier to just continue on with nappies and sleepless nights than to start getting your life back and then give it up again.

Mine two are 18 months apart. The early days were tough but now they're older it's great. They play together while I make dinner etc.

DD was 20months when our twins arrived

To be fair, as chaotic as the early days was it wasn't as awful as I thought it would be.

Routine is everything 😂😂😂

My second was born a month after my firsts 1st birthday. Honestly, people drum it up to be harder than it is. My only real advise is to have a routine in place before baby arrives. My DD adapted so much quicker because her life pretty much went on as usual, she ate at the same time as before, napped at the same time as before etc. Newborns are much more flexible than toddlers. Also invest in a good baby sling! My second slept so well in his while I played with DD or made lunch or did house chores etc.
good luck and congratulations 🥳

Now gonna have 3 under 3 as due baby 3 at Christmas! 😂

20 months between mine, husband who worked away a lot and a resident step child 15 year old and no family nearby.
I don't recall it being that bad. I started on a routine from day one and so my first was well into it and sleeping through the night after six months (though an early riser) and my second got it after three (bad reflux initially) and woke just once in the night after that.
Sure it's tiring, but take any help you can get. I had my older one in daycare a couple days a week which helped a lot.
And no a 15 year old is not at all interested in minding a baby or toddler.
Teenage years are by far the most tricky (my kids are lovely but it's emotionallly exhausting and stressful in a whole new way).

I have 3 under two -

Lower your expectations, let the housework wait, take all the help you can get.

18months between my girls, my husband works away alot and we don't have family super close. The first year is hard as you learn to balance life ....but I found it easier than when my first was born. The baby is so much easier it's just learning to manage them both. I'm now pregnant with our 3rd and due just before my eldest turns 4 so will likely have 3 under 4 so can't have been that bad! My 2 girls are super super close and I'd recommend the age gap to anyone! x

I’m in a similar position! DS is 13 months and just found out I’m pregnant again. Baby due at the beginning of February. It is very much a surprise as we were using contraception.

In a similar position, baby #4 is coming up to 11 months old and due #5 end of Nov so 16month difference. I am secretly bricking it