What was more tiring, pregnant with toddler or newborn with toddler?

[Rounder888]

I’m 3 days out from my due date with number 2, will be a 20 month gap between my eldest and new bub, and the exhaustion has HIT HARD in the last 2-3 weeks! Mums with two under two, what was more tiring? Pregnant with toddler, or newborn and toddler?? My eldest is a great sleeper, sleeps through the night 13 nights out of 14 and also still has a 2 hour nap, but she is defo a handful when awake!! Panicking now (bit late I know)

Pregnant with toddler. Most tired I’ve ever been. Good luck!

Definitely pregnant with a toddler. Then fine for six months. Then absolute hell on earth when the baby started to move and trash toys. Year of navigating that. Then fine again.

For me it was much easier once I’d had the baby and much harder being pregnant.

I had my body back, I had more energy, I felt like myself rather than just a very pregnant person. Of course it’s tiring with a newborn but a different kind of tired. And you (mostly) know what you’re doing second time round, so it’s really not that bad. In my experience at least

Same. My DD was 22 months old when my DS was born and my DS fed every 2 hours 😅

And DD didn't start nursery until DS was 5 months old.

If your first still naps and your baby sleeps well you'll be shattered but at least you'll be able to nap when they nap x

Edited to realise it's not the same haha sorry I'm tired 😅

Pregnant with toddler worse

The worst was when the baby was no longer a newborn (4+ months) and the toddler was going on three. Being pregnant was much easier for me, and I was not a fan of late pregnancy.

Thank you!! Was hoping this was the case. I’m not a fantastic sleeper naturally, so have always done quite well off 5-6 hours a night anyway, but think it’s the physical side of things atm that’s so tiring!! Especially with a toddler demanding pony rides on my back round the front room 😂

Although DD1 was 3.5_ when DD2 was born pregnant with a toddler is 10 times more exhausting. I had the same worries but has so much more energy after birth x_

Exactly this! Pregnant with toddler was hell, toddler plus newborn totally fine, mobile baby plus toddler hell again, toddler plus older toddler totally fine and progressively easier after that.
You’ll get through it OP, don’t expect to enjoy it all but take heart from the good days and the fact it all passes in a blink. 20 months between my #2 and 3 (now 7 and 9) and 20 months between #4 and 5 - #5 just born last night so I’m about to do the small age gap days all again! It’s exhausting but the baby and toddler days are so precious ❤️

Pregnant with a toddler. Never knew fatigue like it before.

Newborn with a toddler had its moments, but pregnancy was 9 months of solid exhaustion.

Pregnant with toddler worse! I remember worrying because I was struggling but having your body back makes life so much easier x

I’ve just reached the hell on earth stage (mobile baby plus toddler) so this is providing some reassurance that it will get better.

For me OP late pregnancy with a toddler was awful, soooo much better newborn and toddler.

It was horrific. Until then I didn't know what people were complaining about, it was fine. And then the baby started to move.

It got better when the baby was about 18 months, and hugely improved by the time they were 2yo. Now I can leave them playing together without issue and hear them negotiating over toys (2.5 and 4.5 now) but before I had to be sat on the floor in-between them at all times to prevent physical injury. It was so hard.

Agree pregnant with the toddler was worse. Once the baby arrives you get all the cuddly hormones 🥰

Newborn and toddler was fine.

It was the 2 final weeks of pregnancy with a toddler and then the subsequent 2 years after the baby become mobile alongside a pre-schooler that were exhausting 😂

Mine have exactly the same age gap.

I found both extremely tough. But what I absolutely loved about newborn and toddler (toddler was only on one nap at this point).l was that I managed to align one of their naps and got them to sleep 2 hours straight, best thing ever! I napped with them 😁😁

This.

There's nothing like a toddler to make a newborn baby feel like a pot plant in comparison. Though your toddler (unlike either of mine) sleeps, so maybe they don't seem as tricky.

The couple of years after they are both mobile is challenging, and toddler whilst pregnant is tough. Toddler and newborn is the eye of the storm - surprisingly peaceful compared to what went before and after.

Pregnant.

My second child has been very very easy though.

Pregnant with a toddler honest to god

Pregnant with toddler is definitely harder! I also think a toddler plus newborn, people are more likely to offer to help out.

Pregnant with a toddler and working full time broke me. Maternity leave with toddler and newborn was a joy in comparison.

Ahhh fuck. I have a 2.5 year old and a 6 month old. Thought I was doing pretty well (apart from the pinch points where I am solo parenting a lot like nursery pick ups, bedtime and letting baby get final nap of the day in) and now I’m terrified about how shit is going to hit the fan when baby starts moving after reading this thread!