Anyone got some tips on toddler and newborn

[laura109]

Hiya I come on here for all sorts of advice. I am now blessed with an almost 3 year old and a two week old. It's been busy. Visitors, appointments and midwives. It's my last day tomorrow before oh goes back to work. We have been splitting the work. Night feeds, looking after the toddler and taking care of the baby and housework. I'll be honest it's been hard even as a team. Sort of feels like we are living separately as ones always doing something whilst the other deals with something else. The baby feeds every 3 hours. He's a little star though. My toddler is doing great in lots of ways and loves her brother but she's a toddler. Her paddy's are worse. She's still not easy to get to bed either.

We've sort of been getting up at random times. It depends how the night goes and where everyone sleeps to when we get up. We are obviously tired. But to make life easier has anyone got any tips to make the morning easier. Like breakfast and getting dressed. Including me lol!!! Is this something I should be good at by now or does it take several months?

I also want to find special time with my toddler. As much as I love oh being here I think Itl be easier in some ways when we are back in a routine work wise.


House work wise I do the same jobs everyday and we are not scruffy but I don't feel I can keep the crumbs and toys at bay before people come round. The washer is suddenly on twice a day.

Any super tips that could help get us all in a good routine would be so greatly received. Thank you xx

P. S I'm determined to get out and about. I think the biggest thing for me is feeling I can't get jobs done and get out for a sensible time like 10am x

 

[Babybump87]

All I can say is routine is key to everything ! Have a set bedtime for your toddler and baby that way you might get a few hours before either one of them wake . Both my girls have gone to bed at 7pm from the day they were born.

Mornings are still difficult for us too . I usually just prepare everything the night before so we can just get dressed . I usually put my make up on etc when the girls are having thier breakfast . I used to put DD2 in a sleep suit in her pram unless we were going to visit family for the first few weeks .

I used to play / snuggle with DD1 when DD2 was asleep or we would go to playgroup which helped massively just getting out the house , fresh air , adult conversation !

I wouldn’t put pressure on yourself to be out the house at a certain time might only stress you out

It’s definitely overwhelming at first but once your in a routine things defiantly fall into place and it becomes easier and normal . We still have our hectic days lol!

Congratulations !
Xx

 

[willowblossom]

Don't worry it does get easier! I struggled at first getting up to do the school run. I set my alarm half hour before the kids get up so I could get dressed and have a cup of Tea in peace! I find getting everyone's clothes out the night before helps! Hang in there it will all click into place soon! I found as soon as my dh went back to work I got into my own little morning routine xx

 

[laura109]

Thanks getting the clothes out is a great idea. The tip on not focusing on a time too is a good one. It's good to see what others do. I'm torn between wanting to be up before everyone else and needing to get as much sleep as is on offer lol.

I'm going to work on routine abit more this week. I agree a set time for bed is going to be key. X

 

[Babybump87]

I would deffo go for more sleep in the first few weeks than being somewhere on time. Unless it’s an appointment lol I just cannot function if I am super tired .

You won’t even realise your in routine soon it just becomes normal. I agree with PP once the men are out the way at work it’s better haha ! X

 

[KatBar]

I'm in the same boat with a 2 week old and a 2.5 year old. I find ("so far") trying to get up just before my toddler, quickly shower and get some food into me really helps. I've been getting clothes out the night before as well. I don't wear make up, so I can generally shower and be dressed in 10-15 minutes max.

I also make sure my toddler is dresses the moment he wakes up, and I feed him breaky straight away. Whilst he eats, I start doung the morning dishes and bottles. This all works well if the newborn is still sleeping, but of course that just depends on what time his last fed - so I'm sure each morning will be hit and miss.

I just keep reminding myself that this isn't forever and things will improve in even just 4-5 months time.

 

[wish4baby]

some of my little tricks to keep it all running smoothly...We have 7 kids (4 school aged and 3 babies!)

I keep the diaper bag packed with everything we may need & refill it with anything we used when we get back. It’s always ready to grab, don’t want to mess with that as we are trying to get out!

Baby (2months tomorrow) is happiest when in AM and gets up the earliest of my Littles, about 7am. Since my 15 month old & 3 year old are typically still asleep at that time (until 8am), I bring baby into the bathroom with me, in the rock n play, and get to shower, dress, and then maybe even have coffe & start breakfast

I dress the 3 littlest kids as soon as they wake up, down to socks & shoes, hair & teeth, so we don’t have to worry about that later, going up and down the stairs! (Luckily my older kids dress themselves and get completely ready for school on their own lol)

Baby goes into a woven wrap carrier so I can do breakfast, some daily chores, etc.

We get out of the house everyday: errands, play dates, classes (swim, gymnastics, etc), library, Park, whatever... Keeps us all sane! Bored, energetic kids stuck inside all day is a disaster

A crockpot! I almost always have dinner in (or pretty much prepared) before we leave in the mornings.

And 2 weeks in, you are still figuring it all out for sure!!! Give yourself some slack -sleep when you can and let the house go a bit

 

[laura109]

Thanks ladies. Today I am going to get everyone's clothes out tonight ready for morning. I am going to start getting dressed too before I go down. Great ideas. I think sleep has to win as you say. I'm going to try start a bedtime routine with my toddler again tonight. She's had a month of Christmas and a new baby so it's definitely going to be making things harder. Thanks again ladies. I think the slow cooker needs to come out more too.

 

[Natasha2605]

You’ll get there

I have 4 children (7,5,21 months and 6 weeks). My OH works nightshift so it’s often just me and the kids day in day out. Somethings “clicked” in the past fortnight and things are so much easier. Things I’ve found helpful -

* prioritise. What’s more important - eating or cleaning etc.
*clothes/bags out the night before. Saves so much time.
*packing baby bag night before if going out.
* when we switched to FF I was making up every feed fresh , by the book. Now I make up a few and refrigerate and it saves so much time, especially in the night.

All the little things take up so much time accumulated so the more you can do in advance the easier and more time it saves the following day.

It does get easier. I usually get Freya and jack to nap at the same time. I make something for my lunch, tidy up then chill during nap time. That’s my time to relax or catch up on anything needing done.

 

[noon_child]

If someone is coming round to visit in a house with a newborn they either deal with there being crumbs and toys or offer to clear them away themselves!! Seriously though, if these visitors are the sort you need to be clean and tidy for, are they really the visitors you need right now at this vulnerable time?

 

[Tabby89]

There are some really helpful replies in this thread! I feel like a lot of things are easier said than done eg. I get the clothes out the night before and try to to get my toddler to bed at the same time every night but something always goes wrong, like baby crying or toddler wanting to see daddy when he gets home etc. so far our routine is non-existent, except me being tired all the time, that's been pretty consistent since DD was born!

 

[Twag]

Not going to lie it is hard and sometimes you won't get out due to a tantrum and you will be late at times too that is just reality but getting things ready the night before certainly helps

I have 20 months between my two and the first weeks/months are a blur and tbh even now with 2 toddlers on my hands getting out at 7.30am for work is a struggle but just don't put too much pressure on yourself and you will be great

ps - if stuff doesn't get cleaned or tidied for 1 day the world will not end