Tips for coping with pregnancy and a toddler.

[glasspaw]

I’m only in week 5 and I’m already feeling very rough. I had a horrible trimester 1 with DS1 (18 months) and this is looking like it’ll be similar.

for those of you who have come through the other side, what are your tips for handling pregnancy with a little one?

first time I could nap when I liked, go to the shops for snacks when the thought of eating anything already in my house made me feel ill, have a bath in the middle of the day… I didn’t know how easy I had it 😂

(disclaimer: this isn’t an entirely serious post, I’m fine, just feeling a bit sorry for myself and wondering how to make it easier).

Know the feeling OP - I am now 21 weeks and I am back to myself so there is a light end of the tunnel (you may not feel it now)!

I just basically nap when my toddler goes for his nap and I pick the mornings or afternoon to take him out to entertain him (preferably mornings) and have a chill afternoon where he can watch tv, paint, drawings, play with his toys etc. Basically just take it easy and tell your partner to pick up your slack while you're poorly.

It's so hard, especially in the first trimester. Things getting me through it were I stopped caring so much about house work, order shopping online and make sure there's plenty of snacks, cooking very simple meals, roast dinners etc can wait till I'm not pregnant anymore lol and unpopular opinion but lots of screen time when I'm feeling rough. If you have a garden when the weather's nice put up a paddling pool, my children would literally play in it for hours and I can just sit and watch them.

38 weeks with a nearly 3 yo who doesn’t nap anymore. I feel you. Get out in the mornings, tire them out, lower your standards and don’t be afraid to use a lot a bit of TV in the afternoons…

My DD watched a lot of tv in the first 12 weeks; I just did what I could to survive and sometimes that was go to bed straight after her and develop the ability to play while lying on the sofa. I made up for it once I started feeling better then got slower as I got bigger and again lots of playing while I sat on the floor.
When I was heavily pregnant there was a thread on here about whether it was worse to have a toddler and be pregnant or newborn and toddler; I was surprised when people said newborn and toddler were easier but in actual fact that was true

My son is 2.5 and doesn't nap at home, only just found out I'm pregnant and work full time too, doing at least 3 days of 7:30-6 and then 2 mornings 😭 already feeling shattered and I'm only just getting positive tests!