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any tips for newborn and toddler?

Hi,



I have a two year old and am due my 2nd baby in 5 weeks.



I would LOVE to hear any tips for coping with feeding routines - breastfeeding/bottle feeding the new born and feeding toddler plus trying to eat yourself???



any tips for coping with lack of sleeps. I used to nap when my baby girl napped but this time obviously that won't be happening as my two year old no longer has day time naps. So when do I sleep????



I am slightly panicking, any tips and advice, however small, I'd love to hear!!!!



xxx :?

Replies

  • When my baby arrives toddler will be 21 months old so thinking the same! I still breastfeed my toddler and she won't have milk from anything else! With the baby I will definitely be giving a bottle a few times a week so I'm not in this position again! I imagine to Begin with it will be a none stop ewxhausting rollercoaster and routine will be number 1 priority!
  • i'll be keeping an eye on this, the main advice i have been given is routine routine routine, we were very baby led with out first for the first 2 months so not sure how this will go!
  • Hi ladies,



    I have a 6 week old and a 23 month old.



    I am ebf also and we dont have a routine as such yet.



    Things I have found useful are...



    Preparing a packed lunch including snacks the night before or preparing food.



    I try and plan what I want to do on days when I have both boys..(ds goes to nursery or grandparents 3 days a week) a trip to the supermarket gets shopping done even if it's just a top up and kills a couple of hours.



    I bought a wrap/sling so I can rescue toddler from jumping off furniture, sticking his finger in plug sockets etc...(Moby sling available from Amazon or similar from victoria slinglady) is a godsend!!



    I have given up on having a tidy house...it's clean where it needs to be and that's as good as it's gonna get for now!I do what I can when I can.



    It's hard work, exhausting and some days a nightmare but it's gradually getting easier, but they don't stay this age forever, and making the most of them now is more important than being a domestic goddess. I am incredibly tired but try and rest when I can. Ds1 does sometimes have a nap but we also have kept his bedtime routine so by 7pm at least one of them is bathed and in bed and we will be doing same with ds2 in next few weeks.



    HTH
  • Great post.



    I'm scared. I think I've been in denial about how hard its going to be... but if this baby has colic like our ds am not sure how on earth we will cope!!!!



    AAAAHHHHH!!!!
  • Oh God - I wasn't scared but I am now!!



    Mrs B x
  • thanks for the tips sazzle33, that is exactly the kind of tips I want - getting snacks and lunches ready is a really proactive tip I like!!



    I go through waves of being all nervous then this week I have actualy been all excited! It is strange. I have sat down and planned out activities each day that are going on in my local area, once I am up and about after the birth and baby is in some kind of 'routine' then we will try to do one a day to keep my DD amused!



    Any more tips welcome!!!



    xxx
  • Right, I have a 5 week old and a 2 and a half year old. Hubby works away all week so I'm totally on my own mon morn - fri night. He doesnt go to nursery/family either! I was initially breastfeeding but he was a huge baby (10lb 15 at birth) and feeding constantly (seriously hours at a time) so have had to move onto expressed milk in bottles just so I have some time to myself! I have no plan at all, and make things as I go, if needs be dinner is a little late or Harry (the baby) has to cry for a little while. I figure he has to get used to it as I cant be at his beck and call with having Daniel (toddler) to look after as well.



    The main thing thats hard is Daniel constantly trying to play with/cuddle Harry - I cant leave them alone at all, but dont want to be constantly carrying Harry so its a tough one to get around. I end up having Harry in his bouncer and move him from room to room, but can't do that much longer as he weighs so much!!



    He's also in his cot - has been since 2 weeks old - as too big for a moses basket/crib, so naps are a nightmare as Daniel is forever climbing on the cot to see him! But hopefully you guys wont have that prob as baby will be in a moses basket near to you!



    The other thing is eating; I have lots of bits I can grab on the go - cereal bars, biscuits, fruit - rather than full meals/sarnies. Not the healthiest at times but it keeps me going! Just need to remember to drink plenty!



    I have a max of 4 hours of sleep a night and no rest through the day as Daniel doesn't nap, but I love them both to bits and wouldn't change a thing. How do you cope? You just do!! Some days are worse than others; Daniel is toilet trained but has slipped backwards, so that is hard - had 7 accidents the other day image and when I'm really tired its hard to deal with him as he's a very boistrous lad. But its so rewarding, especially now Harry has started smiling at me image I was scared, but you just get on with it and get into a mini routine quite quickly; simply because you have to! xxx
  • What a great thread !



    I'm also expecting baby number 2 in october and my little girl will be 2 & 1/2 !



    I to used to sleep when she slept so I'm worried about sleep deprivation. Lucy goes to Nursery 2 mornings a week so planning to do food shopping / house work on those days. It thery, however might end up sleeping instead lol.



    Keep the tips coming !

    xx
  • I have a 2 year old, and a 16 week old - and I'm in desperate need of some tips on how to cope with 2. Like Baby_blaylock, I slept when my 2 year old slept - now the 2 of them have different nap routines, so there's no napping in the day for me, and the youngest is still waking a few times per night, so I'm shattered.



    Also - can anyone with 2 lo's tell me how do I do bathtime on my own? if my hubby is working in the evenings I don't even bother trying to give them a bath that night.



    It is lovely having them close together though. The toddler is so loving towards his little brother - its gorgeous to watch. Makes the sleep deprivation worthwhile (kinda)



    Keep the tips coming girls xxx
  • We have a 17 month old & a 17 week old. The youngest also still wakes in the night, and has different nap times. I don't get to sleep in the day, but try to get an early night when possible. My hubby works alternate late & early shifts, when he's on lates I bath the eldest first while bubs is in her bouncer, then bath bubs once the eldest is in bed. I do it this way round because it works better with the youngest's feeds & our eldest has always been in bed for 6:30-7pm. Routine really has been the key to coping. Having meals ready for our toddler & eating when she eats really helps. I'll use the time after meals while she's still in her highchair to do dishes, put a load of washing on, or Hoover. A big tip for the early days is having something ready for toddler to do or play with, when feeding baby, as we found she used this opportunity to get into mischief as she knew I couldn't move quickly to stop her. I've recently started getting showered & dressed before I get the girls up, which means leaving them awake in their cots for 10mins in the morning. I used to put them in their bouncers/ highchair in the bathroom with me after breakfast, but the logistics were a nightmare & I find it easier being ready & just having them to sort if we're going out. Sorry for the lack of paragraphs, I'm on my phone at the moment! I've found that it does get easier as they get older, and it's so lovely the way they idolise each other. You'll be surprised how well you'll cope-because you've got to reallyimage Good luck with it all xx
  • thanks again for replies - I am enjoying the tips so far!



    So... routine is a good idea if possible, I like the idea of showering before getting them up so I feel ready for the day, early evenings if possible, prepared meal times - very good tip! I will get organised.



    My DD is at nursery 1 and 1/2 days a week so those days I am planning on staying at home and doing cleaning/cooking and online shopping - plus napping when baby naps. The rest of the week I am planning on having one main activity per day for my eldest.



    It's the lack of sleep I am worrying about!



    best scoot, keep the tips coming!!! x
  • Hi there



    I have a 7yr old, almost 2yr old, almost 3yr old and a 5 week old and my main advice is organisation is key! We have to be out the house to take my eldest to school by 8:30am and again at 2:30pm to collect her, my almost 3yr old is also at nursery so 3 days a week I have to be out again by 12:30 to drop him off. I do as much as possible the night before, I have all the clothes out ready so they don't go out looking as though they've been dressed in the dark. I also pick my outfit the night before so I look reasonably ok! I wash, blowdry and straighten my hair in the evenings so all I have to do is run the brush through it in the mornings. I do get up early, around 6am so I can feed the baby and get myself dressed and do my make up before the other 3 get up at 7. I do all my housework when the toddlers have their nap in the day. I'm trying to get my baby into a routine but he's a bit young at the moment! He's on a 3-4 hourly feeding routine so he has his first feed around 6am (I wake him for this if he isn't awake already), then 10, 2 etc so that it fits in around the school and nursery runs.

    Quality time with your other child/children is very important with a newborn around and although it may seem difficult to find the time a bedtime story makes all the difference. Also if their willing get them to help with the newbie, "Can you get a nappy for X" etc and lots and lots of praise if they do help and for being gentle with the baby but if they don't show any interest or wont help don't force the issue or tell them off, it'll come with time. I read in a book that for a toddler, bringing home a new baby is like your husband/partner bringing home another woman and announcing that although he still loves you he also loves this other woman too so don't be surprised if their behaviour or attitude goes down hill at first.

    And don't be too hard on yourself, no one is superwoman and your bound to make mistakes but you'll soon fall into your own routine and a few weeks after baby arrives you wont remember a time when s/he wasn't around!

    xx
  • Oh and with reguards to eating I never have time for breakfast so I have cereal bars in the house which I eat on the way to school and I make my toddlers a packed lunch when I make my 7yr olds in the evenings because even though they eat it at home it saves me 10 minutes in which I can be hanging the washing etc.

    xxx
  • Fab thread my DD will be about 17 months when number 2 arrives in October and your tips sound great - not sure how I'm going to cope with the sleep deprivation - I love my bed!



    Amme

    23 + 6
  • Wow, am so impressed with how you're all coping with 2+, Pickles, you are my hero, still straightening your hair with all that going on, how I wish I could be that organised with one child!!!!



    Am still scared but just want to get on with it now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



    Great thread, keep the tips coming!!! xxx
  • Haha I'm just vain! I'd be mortified doing the school run without my hair done and a bit of make up on, I feel crap if I feel like I look like crap!

    xx
  • My DD will be 21mths old when her sibling arrives in Sept. The advice I have been given thus far is to include her in things as 'mummy's helper' though not to force it if she doesn't want to, to try and make sure I'm not holding baby when DD first meets them and give her a cuddle first then introduce baby, having a teddy or dolly for DD to 'mummy' whilst I'm feeding baby, trying to maintain set routines such as bathtimes/mealtimes/bedtimes to as near as possible and setting aside time for me and DD whilst baby is asleep with 2 or 3 choices on what mummy and DD do during that time. Now waiting to see how well it actually works when the time arrives.
  • I have found the best way of bathing two (eldest is 2 years 4 months youngest now 6 months) is to get everything you need ready before they get in. Undress both and bring the clothes and changemat into the bathroom. Wrap littlest in a towel and put eldest in the bath. Wash hair and have a little play and then put in littlest one in and wash. Take him out and get him dressed next to the bath while eldest plays in the bath (we usually sing songs etc). Then at the end take out the eldest and get him dressed.



    It gets easier as they get older - especially now the yougest can sit up unaided!
  • Thanks for that Bookmarkuk - at the moment my youngest screams when he gets out of the bath, and if I get the toddler out first, he runs around the upstairs naked, getting wound up, and then he won't settle to go to bed. It sounds daft, but i never thought about getting the littlest out and getting him dry while the other still plays, I was trying to get them both out at the same time and bringing them both downstairs - that might just work for us too! Will give it a try.



    Thanks xxx
  • i have an 8 week old daughter and a 26 months old daughter and so far have found that DD2 is in no routine at all.



    Iv kept DD1 in her routine as much as possible, and DD2 just seems to fit in around her. We try and get out for some activity each day as it keeps the eldest happy and busy. a sling is great for putting DD1 in so i have free hands. i've completeltly let the housework slip - but i guess i'll just get back on that sooner or later (more likely later!!)



    DD1 loves her new baby sister, but doesnt quite understand she cant lay on her to cuddle her etc!! but she gets nappies / wipes for me (1 wipe for a wee, 2 for a poo!) she loves helping there. she sings to her if she is crying, its so sweet, and she'll tell me that "baby needs boobies"



    its definatly worth the hard work, but just remember not to be too hard on yourself, forget about non essential things, accept for help when offered, and ask for help when its not ! xxxx
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