Looking after two babies at the same time

I’m about to have a newborn in a couple weeks and a 2 year old same as you lol 😂 my 2 year old plays independently but not for long as she’s always looking to us to show us something or try to play with us . I thought about using the sling for my newborn once she arrives but like you said it would be uncomfortable and my toddler would want me to hold her sometimes so I’m thinking that setting up the playpen /bassinet in the living room where she plays and put newborn in there while I play /entertain/get stuff done that way they’re close and easy to keep an eye . Involving my 2 year old in things I’m doing for the baby or household so she won’t feel left out and making sure she continues taking her nap because I’ll definitely need some down time . Other than that I’m following because I don’t know how this will play out 🤣 but I think we will be fine , we’re built for this !

thanks for responding! ah yes if your toddler can play independently that's great. We don't have space for a playpen but even if we had my daughter gets bored easily. Her idea of playing with me is taking me from one place to the other and exploring which is very cute but also requires lots of energy.
Hahaha I wish I was built for this but I'm definitely not one of those super mums 🤣

Hi, I have a 2yr old and a 9 month old. My eldest was 15 months old when his little brother arrived. In the early days your baby sleeps alot, but also feeds alot. I set up an area where I could put a gate and a carrycot for the baby to sleep where I knew my toddler couldn't go and lay on him drop toys into him or whatever the impulse came over him 😂 we have a tonie box, and this helped my toddler have a sense of independence, something he could control, turn on/off, skip, change etc we got a box that only came out when feeding so that the box was exciting and would draw a bit of attention. If that didn't work I'd ask my little one to bring a book and we'd read together as I could do that whilst feeding. Try and get them involved, ask them to 'help you change them' by passing things like nappies/wipes etc

Things like showering I would wait until my baby needed a nap, then take my eldest in with me as he happily played. I would plan their outfits the night before to reduce needing to go upstairs:) x

I have a 5 day old and a 2.5 year old..... help!! I have no tips, just solidarity. My husband is here for 1 more week, then I'm on my own. My toddler wants constant cuddles, especially when I'm feeding baby. And bedtime as become an absolute mission trying to juggle 2. I'm so scared of driving my toddler away, making him feel sad/stressed. And making him act out in his behaviour

I have a 2.5 yr old and 8 month old and when the baby was a newborn j just spent loads of time out the house at the park etc then my 2 yr old was happy and baby would always sleep in the pram so i was able to play with my 2 yr old. It gets easier as they get older i go to soft play etc now and they sit on the floor together to play all the time at home now. I also do things like bath time together so my attention is on both of them doing the same thing

Thank you for your responses ladies. They're helpful. I was looking at getting a tony box. It sounds like a good idea to keep them entertained independently with that!
my toddler gets so upset sometimes when I hold the baby. Other times she wants to hold and kiss him, too. I can definitely relate to it. It must be difficult for them to share their parents.
that's great to hear they can play together now. I can't wait to get to that stage 😄

and how do you do bedtime for the toddler with your newborn? My baby cries a lot just around my toddler's bedtime. So I'm not sure how I can keep them in the same room as my toddler gets easily upset around bedtime.

So normally at bedtime there is my husband and I, so we will do 1 child's bedtime each. We then swap every day so that 1 doesn't get too used to a particular parent. When 1 of us is on our own, we get our toddler to help with our babies bedtime, as my youngest doesn't mind who is in the room as long as he's got milk. Whereas my 2 yr old hates his routine mixed up. If helping isn't really an option I put on a 5 minute learn with me thomas the tank episode on my phone, my toddler then happily watches that whilst I sort our youngest, then go next door and do his routine. Both of ours start their routine about 6:30 and are in bed by 7pm.

Happy to message if you have any other questions :)

When i baby was a newborn she always cried around my toddlers bedtime! I used to put her in her swing with her dummy and play dancing veg on youtube 🤣 this would keep her calm enough for me to change my toddler and for her to have her milk. And ive always been really lucky my toddler just goes off to bed i lay her down and she goes to sleep alone. I always get my toddler to bed before the baby in my house now its alot easier that way as baby cant move 🤣

Thank you ladies, great tips!
Like Emma, we need to work towards my toddler to sleep by herself as it'll really make things easier. Otherwise she can take up to 30-40 mins to drop off and I'm sure my newborn would be crying a lot during that time 🤣
Cat, I like the idea of mixing parents to do the routine! We used to do that for my toddler until I got heavily pregnant. Then she started being too wiggly for me to hold with my massive belly at that point 😀

Defo try and get your toddler falling asleep on their own if you can itll make it so much easier for you. My newborns has also napped/bedtime by herself since she was about 8 weeks old like i lay her down awake. It helps so much because your hands are free for your other child ☺️

Like Emma said, I have learnt with my second not to rock to sleep like I did my first. My second can be put down awake and will self soothe. That has 100% be a liver saver with two. Luckily my 2 yr old is happy with teeth, potty, pjs and a couple of stories and his tonie on for his routine x

Thank you for the tips both. I also find it easier with my newborn in terms of settling but my toddler has been something else since the newborn stage hahah let's see!