Mums of 3 - help!!!

[Zephram]

I’m due with baby number 3 in February and over the last few days I’ve started to freak out - I find 2 kids hard enough, so how the heck do you get through the day with 3?

Seriously, up until now I figured I would just take it as it comes, but my two boys are both going through really challenging phases and I don’t know how adding a newborn (a third boy, I might add!) into the mix is going to go.

My 5 year old is too clever and stubborn for his own good and my two year old is the cheekiest little monkey, the phrase terrible twos was invented for him, no joke. Lately I feel like they both run rings around me. If I can’t keep up with two, how am I going to cope with 3?

Not to mention, by the way, that my OH wants to have a fourth kid after this, since he wants a girl and we’re up to boy number 3. I may actually be dead from exhaustion and lack of supermum power before then.

So, no, for real. How hard is it having 3 and am I right to be dreading it right now?

 

[WackyMumof2]

I had the same concerns but to be fair, I deal with ADHD and I was having a hard time actually getting a review done on DS2's Ritalin. It took 6 months of one certain someone ignoring me and not passing my concerns on that I took him into clinic WITHOUT medication and told him to 'be himself'. I was seen in 10 minutes. Also made the threat that AFTER his medication was reviewed and increased accordingly that if the nurse in question came anywhere near me or my family again I would have her job. She caused so many issues in 6 months it wasn't funny. I was ready to commit suicide it got that bad!

Mind you, my first 2 were 8 and 7 when the little one arrived so it was easier as they were at school. I think regardless of age there are challenges with every age so it's just a case of waiting until baby arrives and adapting really. But you will be fine.

 

[Natasha2605]

I actually found going from 2 to 3 the easiest transition. Baby has no choice but to fit in with family life and us mums have no choice but to manage and get on with things

 

[Zephram]

Thanks! I’m hoping it’s going to be easier than I’m fearing. Just so tired and hormonal and finding my kids to be a lot of work right now, I’m worrying about what I’ve got myself into having another!

 

[pinkstarbinks]

Hey I’m in your shoes age gaps child ages child personalities the lot, 3 years down the road from you though. The children’s personalities may seem like you have no extra time or energy to spare but you’ll find that no matter what comes your way you will find your way of doing things and you’ll always make sure everything’s okay, you’ll get much much faster you’ll become a dab hand at doing so much at once it’ll become second nature. The age gaps are good too x

 

[minties]

Well, you just get used to it I suppose! It was hard for me when Emma was a brand new baby, but I have found that she's had no choice but to slot in with the rest of our routines and I don't feel like life is any harder at all now.

The older kids are more difficult than Emma is by far, so that would have been the same anyway. Thomas has recently been diagnosed with ASD and opposition defiance disorder, and Sophie's finally going through her first ever stroppy stage so that's been hard. The toddler is a breeze in comparison!

 

[george83]

Agreed two to three was so much easier than one to two. I have 3 boys and I love it, it’s crazy busy and exhausting but I can’t imagine being without them now

 

[Livvy]

I feel the same way! I wanted to have just two for a loooong while and now I'm feeling totally overwhelmed at the thought of adding a third next year.

 

[Gym knickers]

One to two was sooo much harder than 2-3 and number three has been really challenging with illness and allergies. She’s quite a demanding baby however my older two have each other to play with so I don’t feel quite the same guilt I did when number 2 was a baby. Now she’s 10m I do manage to give all of them some one on one throughout the day but they all just mostly get on with it and so do I because I have to!

 

[catty]

I found it quite difficult in the early months as my son needed to be at nursery for 8.30am and daughter at playgroup(where i left her for 2 hours) for 9.45am. It involved lots of faffing around back and forth etc and in hindsight id possibly have pulled my daughter out of playgroup to make life easier for those first few months. Id also probably have taken up offers of people taking my son to nursery. I wanted to do it all myself and show i could manage but i was so bloody exhausted, developed mastitis and really struggled.

Sooo... if people offer help actually take it! If your husband offers to do something let him!
Apart from that baby did slot in very nicely. She was so chilled and slept well. I would say any slight tiny bit of me time was gone for the first while but baby is 1 tomo and life is getting alot easier! Im actually really enjoying it. Let the little ones help get nappies, maybe do things with them whilst they feed.
Another thing i used to do to avoid jealousy is if baby and one of the others were crying (but i knew there was nothing wrong with baby) id say things like ul just have to wait for now brother needs me too and hes important too. Silly things like that but i really think it helped that they felt important too

 

[lau86]

Absolutely agree with catty- please DONT try to be a superwoman! I think I was trying to snow everyone I could manage, and the voices saying 'you've got your hands full' really didn't help. I tried to carry on as usual too much, what I should have done is stuck the tv on and relaxed. I found it very hard work but I think I'm my own worst enemy a lot of the time. 3 is lovely and mine love each other, it's really worth it

 

[superfrizbee]

I have a 5, 3 and 11 week old so it's early days for me but going from 2-3 has definitely been the easiest. I'm busy yes and I do have to be organised but I can relax over babyhood now. My older two are definitely more work/difficult (especially my son with significant addiitional needs, bless him) but good on the whole. Got to say I just love having my sling! I wouldn't be without one if you don't have one already. As others have said, number 3 just slots into life and goes along with everyone else's routine. Remember, online shopping and the slow cooker are your friends!

 

[misspriss]

Having a 4 yo and a 2 yo and a newborn is way easier than having a 4 yo, 2 yo, and being late pregnant.

Going from 2 to 3 was easier than 1 to 2.