Those of you in late pregnancy with a toddler...

[beanstalk]

Are you struggling to get through the day? I am 36 weeks and DD is two and a half and her energy knows no bounds! I have SPD so I am struggling to keep up with her and the 10 minutes walk to the park is a real struggle. I am not sleeping so feel exhausted all the time and I feel awful that I can't give her the attention that I would like to.

How do you do it? Any helpful suggestions of easy activities that we can do together, or just sympathy from anyone in the same boat?!!

I am 37 weeks and nearly 3 yo DS is watching quite a lot of television at the moment!

I'm not pregnant anymore (DS is 17 months now!) but I do remember how tough it is with a toddler. I'm afraid that cbeebies became our friend. Once DS was born I actually had more time for DD - I'd pop him into a sling and spend a couple of hours at the park, pushing DD on the swings, then come home and give DS a feed. NO great advice from me, just wanted to say I know what it's like and although it is hard work with two, having your body back does help.

I met another mum when I was at your stage (which lasted longer than I wanted as I went two weeks over too) and she said that I would be less tired once the baby came along and better able to cope. She was right.

Afraid it's just sympathy from me!
DS1 was 18 months when DS2 was born and I had bad SPD. This time DS2 will be 27 months when DS3 will be born(am 30 weeks pregnant)....all I can say is these last few weeks are a killer.

WHY does it become so impossible to sleep right when you really want to conserve your energy??

On a practical note, all i can think of is plenty of mother and toddler groups - children always amused by others of same age. Also, not sure how practical it is for you but I am putting my boys to bed later (around 8pm) so that they will settle for an after lunch nap . Still, keeps me sane and better rested!

All I can say is GOOD LUCK

Well I am quite reliant on Peppa Pig at the moment I must admit. I tried to steer her away from too much tv before I was pregnant as she's so young but I have no choice at the moment. I suppose most of my issue is guilt at not interacting with her as much as I would like to. And how to wean her off high levels of tv watching in the future!

Omicron - I can't tell you how much I appreciate hearing that it becomes easier to cope once the new baby arrives. I am soooo hoping that proves true!

Well, initially it becomes easier... As for weaning off the telly - that's what the park trips were for. You can't watch it if you're not in the house!

My dd was 2.5 when i had ds. Lots of cbeebies and barbie dvds at the end plus lots of playgroups where she could charge around and i could sit down.

As much as people turn their noses up at the tv I think it can be a godsend. They do 'learn' some stuff from cbeebies and it made breastfeeding a newborn a lot easier too! As long as they have a variety of activities in their day i don;t think it does any harm. Would she sit and do stickers, colouring in, fuzzy felts etc?? That's always a winner here too. Is there anyone that could have her for the odd morning/afternoon for you for a little break? I think kids tend to be pretty adaptable and it's us that worry more than them...

Hi beanstalk

I feel a bit of a fraud here, as only just 28 weeks, so not really towards the end yet - feeling a bit feeble though! Anyway, my DD is 23 months and has been waking a lot during the nights this week due to an ear infection, so we've both been a bit tired and not getting out of the house so much. I take her to tumbletots in term time and, at the end of last term, I bought some of their 'action' CDs off their website - they have been a godsend this week! She'll generally play happily with them on in the background and join in some of the actions (for example, some require marching, spinning around etc...) and I've joined in when feeling energetic - what has gone down really well with her though is when I haven't been feeling energetic (most of this week!) and have got one of her teddies to do the actions with her - does at least mean you get to sit whilst teddy gets a work out. And feel a little less guilty about not being able to run about with her. And it means she gets to use up some energy too.

Having said that, we do still have a sit down in front of CBeebies for an hour before dinner time - been feeling much less 'guilty' about that since I did a language/play course at the local Sure Start centre last year and the course leader was very positive about the benefits of CBeebies - all things in moderation really. DD seems to just enjoy having the cuddle - and so do I, it's a nice way of making the most of the time we've got left just the two of us (in the day, anyway).

Hope that helps - and hope you manage a bit of sleep here and there.

cbeebies
toddler groups
get in the bath tog with lots of bath toys?
(if you think you can get out again of course)

Hi beanstalk, I don't have any advice to offer as I'm in the same place - 36 weeks and my son is 23 months and I am exhausted. Can't take him to the park or softplay on my own because I can't keep up! There has been rather a lot of telly on in my house recently too.... but as someone else in the thread mentioned, I'm not sure how else I'll get him to sit down while I feed the baby when she arrives...!

Thanks for all the replies, it is much harder than I was expecting being pg with a toddler. I have just discovered my iron levels are low so am starting on iron tablets today and hoping that helps a little. 3 weeks to go now, so hopefully I can manage....

I'm 30 weeks and DD is 30 months old. I'm afraid we have gone from being a house that didn't even own a tv to one with hours of cbeebies! She also enjoys colouring (particularly copying pictures I have drawn) and dancing to radio three, although she tends to want me to join in.
We can generally get a good half hours entertainment out of a bath, I run her one with plenty of bubbles, chuck her ducks and cups in there and sit on the toilet lid reading the paper and having a brew while she splashes.
Bus rides are a current favourite, so we are hopping on the bus to go all over the place-our £15 a week for a bus pass is getting good use!
It is hard work, but DD is being lovely, she keeps telling me not to worry because her baby sister is very heavy

Hi Beanstalk. The aneamia is probably a big factor in how you're feeling atm. Fingers crossed the iron works quickly for you. I've just started taking them too and I already feel better. I am 30wk with number 5 and finding it very hard this tme around. I have to run around after dd 2 and ds 11m non stop, I'd love to find the off button for them for a few hours

No new suggestions here just agree with others. Toddler clubs are my life saver right now. They both get to play in safety and I get to sit down with a cuppa, bliss!

We go to one everyday and it does dd the world of good. I find if we spend a whole day indoors she is so bored and ratty and that just makes things even harder.

Even if you could just manage a quick trip to local park it would probably be worth it.

Anyway I'll stop waffling now. Good luck with everything

I'm 40 weeks with a 2yo and very relieved to read all of these - DS goes to nursery 2 days a week and has grandparents keen to come and take him out so I'm really lucky. But I do struggle on the days when it's just me and him which is a shame because he's lovely
Sorry, quick hijack - -EasyEggs, did you want one of my books? I emailed you a little while ago, did you get it?

I can completely sympathise! I'm 37 weeks with a DS who's just turned 3 and it's exhausting! He started pre school 3 mornings a week which is a godsend, but the days we are at home seem a little endless, and I fondly remember the time when he would take long afternoon naps!

Cbeebies has been on a lot more recently, and I've also been taking him out to see friends or to playgroups and soft play as often as possible. Actually just being in the car is good, as at least I'm sitting down!

I've also been saved a bit by the fact that he has just had his birthday, so there are several new toys in the house which he is happy to sit and play with for half an hour at a time (he's currently occupied by a new train track!).

And, as the weather has been unexoectedly nice the last few days he's been in the garden, riding on his bike and playing in the sandpit. I also gave him a load of plastic cups and toys and some water and he happily spent some time washing them all in the garden.

I too am hoping I'll feel better once the baby arrives, although I also know that will be the time when I'll have hordes of relatives offering help!

I have DD1 3.5, DD2 2.4 and am 35 weeks pg. I get them out to park and toddler groups as often as possible then DD1 has nursery every afternoon which is a massive help and DD2 normally has a sleep then (hence why I keep them doing activities in the morning!!)

Things are much better now it's term time but the last 2 weeks of the school hols were really hard work!

DS1 was 19m when DS2 was born and not being pg anymore was such a relief that it carried me through the 1st few sleep deprived months w DS2 and gave me renewed energy to do more with DS1 again. A few weeks of "benign neglect" (as I saw in paper the other day) won't hurt DC1, plus is good preparation for not having your undivided attention afterwards.
I found that sticker/magnet books kept him really engaged while I was feeding/otherwise busy. Hope same works for DS2 when DC3 arrives.
Nearly there. Good luck!