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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

How do you still get other DC to school on time when you have a newborn?

17 replies

AgentZigzag · 01/12/2009 11:23

I'm 35 weeks with DD2, and this has been playing on my mind for a while.

DD1 is 9, and we have a 15/20 min walk to school everyday. When DD1 was a baby, I didn't have to be anywhere regularly dead on time, so getting to places was a bit of an 'as and when' affair.

We're pretty organised in the morning, and she's never been late to school yet, but with a newborn who will need feeding/changing etc that will take precedent over everything else, and wont have a set time as such, I'd be really grateful in hearing how others coped with this stage.

I know it will get better, and we'll slot into a new routine, but it's the weeks it'll take for us to get the hang of it that's worrying me. I'm sure the school will be OK and understanding if we are late, but I'm just having visions of wheeling a screaming baby that needs feeding and changing down the street and not being able to help her out!

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Lionstar · 01/12/2009 11:30

I was worried too, but we had 3 weeks to build up to a routine (2 weeks paternity, 1 week my mum came over). After this it wasn't so bad, DD gets up 7.30am and I get her dressed & fed while DS is still asleep. While she eats breakfast I get dressed, change baby & feed. We are ready to leave house by 8.30. Once you are into a routine it's not so bad (though there are bad days when she plays up and he chucks up )

Julezboo · 01/12/2009 11:32

Wtih DS2 he kind of fitted into our routine. We set the alarm half an hour earlier and fed - changed him first. When they are little they mostly sleep when on the move so that made it easier x

thedollshouse · 01/12/2009 11:33

I'm not looking forward to this either!

TigerFeet · 01/12/2009 11:34

I'm doing it atm, dd2 is 10 weeks old and I have a 5yo who is at school a 20-25 min drive away

How do we do it? I have no idea

DD2 has just had to fit in

I get up early enough and am ready to head out of the door in plenty of time to make sure dd2 gets fed and changed before we leave

She has had to squawk in the car occasionally but really not that often

I have fed her in the school car park

Make sure uniform, packed lunch, homework and book bag etc are ready the night before

DD1 is much more self sufficient now, I made sure she could do most of her morning tasks by herself before dd2 came along

Accept any help with the school run that is offered

Don't worry if you look a bit unkepmt... I often don't get chance for a shower until after I've returned home

I was really worried about it before dd2 was born but it really has turned out fine. We've only been late once and only by 10 mins - although we have cut it fine a few times. Good luck and congratulations on your impending arrival

4andnotout · 01/12/2009 11:41

When I had dd4 (now 14m) dd3 was 13 months, dd2 was 3 and at preschool and dd1 was 6 and at infants. I just set the alarm an extra half hour earlier, loaded the pram with bags p.e kits etc the night before and put the babies in the pram with snowsuits over their babygros and bathed then when I got back. In a few weeks you will be so used to the routine you won't even notice it anymore

izzybiz · 01/12/2009 11:46

Organisation!

Everything ready for school the night before, clothes ironed ready, packed lunch made etc.

Get up a little earlier, school age child eats breakfast while you change and feed baby.

I used to take Ds in his pram with his sleepsuit still on, change him when we got back!

I have always bottle fedmy babies, so needed to be a little extra organised, always did sterilising and made up bottles in the evening, all ready for the next morning.

You will find your way! Good luck!

Original poster

AgentZigzag · 01/12/2009 11:49

Phew, I'm so glad I'm not the only one who's worried about it

That sounds reassuring tiger, I suppose it's about prioritising and leaving stuff that can be left til we get back. I do usually get everything ready the night before. It's just that I remember the main thing about babies is that you just want to be able to meet their needs when they 'ask', and I don't want to be in a situation walking down the road where I cant.

4andnotout four?? I have nothing to complain about really lol you deserve a medal

OP posts:

titchy · 01/12/2009 11:58

It's just that I remember the main thing about babies is that you just want to be able to meet their needs when they 'ask',

No - you need to read the next chapter in the rule book - the above only applies to the first child. Subsequent children have to wait!

4andnotout · 01/12/2009 12:00

It gts easier the more you have, I did the school run the afternoon I came home from hospital with dd4, I took her n the pram and it was the first time her sisters had seen her

Dumbledoresgirl · 01/12/2009 12:06

When I last had a newborn, I had 3 other children, 2 of whom went to school and the 3rd went to playgroup half an hour later.

The way you manage is the baby has to wait, simple as that. I found that (maybe because he did not have his every need attending to instanteously?) the baby was actually less demanding than a first child might be.

I used to start feeding him and change his nappy before leaving for school (older children had to become more independent at eating breakfast, washing and dressing, but this should not be a problem with your dd as I imagine she already does everything for herself), then when it was time to go to school, baby was simply removed from breast, put in pram and walked to school. Yes, he did sometimes cry, but sometimes he went back to sleep again and might even stay asleep long enough to get 3rd child to playgroup. If not, he continued his feed when I got home.

Honestly, you will be surprised how easily babies adapt and fit in. The first child is usually given everything they want straight away (natural for the parents to do so) but if a baby has to wait a few minutes, they don't melt away!

OmicronPersei8 · 01/12/2009 12:21

I used to give DS a feed when I woke up, then change of nappy and still in sleepsuit he'd go in a a fleecy all-in-one and in a sling, or just bunged straight in a pram. He'd get dressed (and have a proper breakfast once old enough) once we got back home.

I find picking up easier than dropping off as DD can really drag her feet, much easier to pop baby in pram (or sling) and go to get her.

Babies fit in - DS stopped napping in his cot as his naptimes coincided with picking DD up from preschool.

alana39 · 01/12/2009 12:23

Guessing your baby will come in the Christmas holidays so you won't have a chance to try it out while DP/DH is still on paternity leave, which I did twice just to have a go while there was still back up.

DS3 now 3 weeks and so I've been back on the school run for a week - shower before bed instead of 1st thing, make any packed lunches and pack bags the night before, and get up half an hour to an hour earlier to feed the baby.

At the moment I'm lucky as DH is able to give the older kids their breakfast so I only need an extra half hour to get the baby fed and ready in the morning. Haven't been late (yet!)

ArthurPewty · 01/12/2009 12:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

humpydumpy · 01/12/2009 12:58

I've just been throught the same thing, DS is now 3 months old so it's pretty easy now.

At the beginning I made sure everything was ready the night before. I showered in the evening and only had a quick rinse in the shower in the morning if I had time.

I would also give DS a top up feed before we left if I knew there was no way he would last until we got back.

I actually find doing the school run in the morning a good thing (although maybe not at first). It means you have to be up and dressed at a set time and ready to face the day. I tend to get any jobs done after I've dropped DD off, like go to the supermarket, post office or do some housework and then I've got the rest of the day to relax. If I don't feel up to it I just come straight home and get some rest.

Morloth · 01/12/2009 13:09

I just figure DS2 is going to have to wait for feeding occasionally. Intending to use a sling rather than a pram though so hopefully it will work like it did with DS1 (i.e. he was always content when in sling).

We are pretty organised here with school stuff already and DS gets himself up and dressed and DH gets his brekkie for him, so really just need to add baby to my morning.

traceybath · 01/12/2009 13:12

Orgnisation as others have said.

I'm out the door by 8am with DS1 (5) and DS2 (22 months) and DD1 (4 months).

I tend to get up at 6.30am feed in bed and then get breakfast done and then get myself ready.

That includes bath and hair wash for me too. If oldest child sorts themself out it'll be fine.

The thought of it was much worse than the reality.

Good luck with the birth!

Original poster

AgentZigzag · 01/12/2009 13:22

I admit, DD1 was definately PFB, and has been pretty much ever since (she is a sweetie though) so it's good to hear that babies do survive if they have to wait, I just couldn't imagine it!

Yeah Omicron, due on 8th Jan so we're hoping she'll put in an appearance over the hols, on Boxing Day when there's fk all on telly would be good, big lols

Leonie, I was wondering about not being able to catch up on the sleep missed in the night, so I'm banking on trying to sleep when LO drops off, which from what I remember is pretty often

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