Congratulations on your pregnancy, it’s so different the second time around as you get very little time to actually rest with a toddler but anytime you’re able to- put your feet up and relax!
My little one was 14 months when I was pregnant with my second, there’s 23 months between them.
I told my little girl once I was 12 weeks that there was a baby in mummy’s tummy. She quickly grasped what that meant. We included her in everything, she ‘picked’ colours for the baby’s bedroom. (She picked bright pink which we led her to believe was the perfect colour but choose something else 😂). She shopped for clothes etc. She got to see every scan picture and when we had chosen a name, we told her so she could refer to the baby as that name.
We decided to use my toddlers bedroom set for the baby so ordered new Ikea chest of drawers and a little toddler bed so her room had a mini make over. She got used to her new bed before the baby arrived that way she didn’t get upset about her stuff being taken away from her.
She went shopping with me and picked out a little Teddy to give to her baby brother. I then bought a little gift and wrapped it and put it in my hospital bag. She came to the hospital with my dh to meet the baby. I left him in his cot so she could sit and hug me first before going over to see him. She was a bit overwhelmed at first but once we said his name she then clicked that it was the baby from mummy’s tummy. When she was leaving she became upset because I couldn’t go with her so that’s when I said her brother got her a present and she was quite excited about that.
When we got home we asked her to be our helper. I know she was just under 2 but she still loved grabbing nappies and sitting next to us during a feed.
She didn’t sleep great for the first two weeks whilst getting used to the baby crying but soon adapted and now sleeps through his cries.
We also showed her to stand and look at the baby in the moses basket and not to touch without us there as she was very keen to prod him!
It took a little while to adapt to life with 2 young children and trying to prioritise needs. It can be overwhelming but you get through it and soon manage a new little routine. I tend to make his morning bottle with her breakfast so we all sit together and she eats her breakfast whilst he feeds. That way she’s still part of it all.
Congratulations on your pregnancy, it’s a rollercoaster of emotions with 2 but incredibly loving!
Sorry for my long comment 🙈