Question for those with baby and toddler

[Iren_iren]

I am expecting my second baby mid November and have no idea what to expect.
DH will take 2 weeks paternity and my mum will be around month before and month after baby is born

Currently DS attends nursery full time, but my mum looked after him before he started and now during the summer when he was doing mornings only

My dilemma is to have nursery 2 mornings only from October or 3..
Its very expensive, so additional morning a month is about £200 more
If he goes 2 mornings, would i be able to manage some activity/class/play group in those early days to keep him busy other days during the week?

How others are managing with babies and toddlers? Baby wont need entertainment, but toddler definitely would need some stimulation

Any experience/advice much appreciated

 

[Pink Sarah]

My toddler went to preschool 2 mornings a week and I was fine with that, gave me a chance to get things done in the early days and now a chance to play one on one with baby.

 

[Iren_iren]

Thanks for replying
What did you do with him other days? Managed a trip to park or play group?

My toddler went to preschool 2 mornings a week and I was fine with that, gave me a chance to get things done in the early days and now a chance to play one on one with baby.

 

[Button#]

My DS hasn't started pre school yet so I've had both him and baby on my own 5 days a week. I've got a good sling for the baby and we've managed to do forest school, sports sessions, pizza making session, dance class as well as normal playgroups and going to the park.

I'm looking forward to DS going to pre school as I will enjoy having some one on one time with DD but she's enjoyed tagging along to groups and watching everyone or she's napped during them.

It's not always easy juggling two but it's manageable.

 

[Iren_iren]

Thank you! Good to know its doable i struggled with DS alone and as i am working full time now, will be a big change for me, but thanks for the tip, i am planning to get a good sling too this time and researching some drop in playgroups.

My DS hasn't started pre school yet so I've had both him and baby on my own 5 days a week. I've got a good sling for the baby and we've managed to do forest school, sports sessions, pizza making session, dance class as well as normal playgroups and going to the park.

I'm looking forward to DS going to pre school as I will enjoy having some one on one time with DD but she's enjoyed tagging along to groups and watching everyone or she's napped during them.

It's not always easy juggling two but it's manageable.

 

[mummytobe_93]

I am expecting my second baby mid November and have no idea what to expect.
DH will take 2 weeks paternity and my mum will be around month before and month after baby is born

Currently DS attends nursery full time, but my mum looked after him before he started and now during the summer when he was doing mornings only

My dilemma is to have nursery 2 mornings only from October or 3..
Its very expensive, so additional morning a month is about £200 more
If he goes 2 mornings, would i be able to manage some activity/class/play group in those early days to keep him busy other days during the week?

How others are managing with babies and toddlers? Baby wont need entertainment, but toddler definitely would need some stimulation

Any experience/advice much appreciated

I have a 20 month old and a 12 day old. At the moment im home full time and the kids are with me 24/7, when my daughter qualifies for the free hours after 2 years of age then she will go to nursery a few days a week as I think it's good for socialisation. Then next September both of them will be going to nursery 4 days a week as I start university.

I think if we had the money I would want my daughter to go to nursery one or two mornings a week just so I could get more 1-1 time with the baby and go to groups, but it's not a cost we could justify at the moment. I will bring the baby to the toddler groups I go to with my daughter z

 

[george83]

I had my 2 1/2 year old at home all the time with me when ds2 was born. We kind of just got on with things and tried doing the usual activities, if baby caused problems we either left where we were or tried to pacify him if he'd let us. Now I've got a 4 year old, 19 month old and 4 month old at home because of the school holidays and again we just try and do what we can. Last week we had access to a car so spent the week at farms and parks and baby loved being outside in the pushchair, this week with no car we're park to more local activities.

I agree with pp that it would be nice to send toddlers to a group to give you the one on one time with baby but I wouldn't want to stretch myself financially either

 

[sil]

I have a 4 week old and a 2 year old. I have been taking my 2 year old to places that are pretty easy to escape from if my 4 week old is having a difficult time (playgrounds, park, walks in nature on trails, playing in the backyard, tricycle ride around the block, the mall, free play at the gym) so he can get some energy out. He would go nuts staying at home all day; he's an active kid and LOVES the outdoors.

I also always pack a bottle of expressed breastmilk that I pump before we leave since I personally don't feel comfortable breastfeeding in public. That way if my 4 week old is hungry when we are out, we are able to stay out longer and I just feed him while DS1 continues to play/whatever we were doing.

I am starting a once a week 45 minute long music class in September when my DS2 will be 9 weeks old. Both the boys will be going to the class. We'll see how it goes!

(On those days when I just don't feel like I can do it, I have been taking DS just to the yard to play or trying to do new "exciting" things with him inside like water play in the kitchen or movie night or baking. I also try to wear DS2 a lot so it keeps my hands free to interact with DS1)

 

[Iren_iren]

Thanks for the ideas!
I think i need to make 2 lists of things to do on the days of good weather and when i feel more energetic and for the rainy days as i dont think we would be able to do much outdoors in November/December

Ю

I have a 4 week old and a 2 year old. I have been taking my 2 year old to places that are pretty easy to escape from if my 4 week old is having a difficult time (playgrounds, park, walks in nature on trails, playing in the backyard, tricycle ride around the block, the mall, free play at the gym) so he can get some energy out. He would go nuts staying at home all day; he's an active kid and LOVES the outdoors.

I also always pack a bottle of expressed breastmilk that I pump before we leave since I personally don't feel comfortable breastfeeding in public. That way if my 4 week old is hungry when we are out, we are able to stay out longer and I just feed him while DS1 continues to play/whatever we were doing.

I am starting a once a week 45 minute long music class in September when my DS2 will be 9 weeks old. Both the boys will be going to the class. We'll see how it goes!

(On those days when I just don't feel like I can do it, I have been taking DS just to the yard to play or trying to do new "exciting" things with him inside like water play in the kitchen or movie night or baking. I also try to wear DS2 a lot so it keeps my hands free to interact with DS1)

 

[Iren_iren]

Thanks! I think i am just too scared of unknown if people like you can manage 3, i should figure something out with two and save money for later on when i have no help at all

I had my 2 1/2 year old at home all the time with me when ds2 was born. We kind of just got on with things and tried doing the usual activities, if baby caused problems we either left where we were or tried to pacify him if he'd let us. Now I've got a 4 year old, 19 month old and 4 month old at home because of the school holidays and again we just try and do what we can. Last week we had access to a car so spent the week at farms and parks and baby loved being outside in the pushchair, this week with no car we're park to more local activities.

I agree with pp that it would be nice to send toddlers to a group to give you the one on one time with baby but I wouldn't want to stretch myself financially either

 

[catty]

my baby went to our toddlers group from a week old. she sat in her carseat and slept majoity of the time whilst my son ran around. if she was awake id just hold her and if my son needed me everyone was happy to take a shot holding baby. we also did the park, petting zoo, lunches out etc. pretty much whatever I normally did. I made sure to give baby a big feed and nappy change and hope she didnt want fed when out (I didnt like bf in public)
we normally only went out for 2 hours at a time which was plenty for both of them. my son was 11 months when daughter was born

I personally think the best thing is to get out and about as early as you feel able. means you wont be worried about it and you will realise you can do it. we had plenty times that my daughter would start screaming and my son woukd have pooped, id be halfway through my food shop and id think ahhh why did I do this to myself, but usually when I got home and calmed down id be happy weith myself that I gave it a go.

 

[Pink Sarah]

Thanks for replying
What did you do with him other days? Managed a trip to park or play group?

My toddler went to preschool 2 mornings a week and I was fine with that, gave me a chance to get things done in the early days and now a chance to play one on one with baby.

Yes, occasionally we go to a toddler group, trips to the park, walks to a little stream near our house to throw sticks under the bridge normally do this when baby is due a nap so he falls asleep in the pram x
For rainy days we do colouring, sticker books, making rockets with kitchen roll tubes.

 

[Etoiles]

I am with my boys five days a week. I found the first month really difficult but after that we got into the routine of going out once a day, usually in the morning. In the afternoon I try and do something fun at home with my older one.

For our daily outing we sometimes go grocery shopping, go to library story time, play dates, the park, etc. in the afternoon we bake, draw, paint, play in the backyard, etc...

 

[george83]

Thanks for the ideas!
I think i need to make 2 lists of things to do on the days of good weather and when i feel more energetic and for the rainy days as i dont think we would be able to do much outdoors in November/December

Ю

I have a 4 week old and a 2 year old. I have been taking my 2 year old to places that are pretty easy to escape from if my 4 week old is having a difficult time (playgrounds, park, walks in nature on trails, playing in the backyard, tricycle ride around the block, the mall, free play at the gym) so he can get some energy out. He would go nuts staying at home all day; he's an active kid and LOVES the outdoors.

I also always pack a bottle of expressed breastmilk that I pump before we leave since I personally don't feel comfortable breastfeeding in public. That way if my 4 week old is hungry when we are out, we are able to stay out longer and I just feed him while DS1 continues to play/whatever we were doing.

I am starting a once a week 45 minute long music class in September when my DS2 will be 9 weeks old. Both the boys will be going to the class. We'll see how it goes!

(On those days when I just don't feel like I can do it, I have been taking DS just to the yard to play or trying to do new "exciting" things with him inside like water play in the kitchen or movie night or baking. I also try to wear DS2 a lot so it keeps my hands free to interact with DS1)

Just wanted to add in we went to a petting farm on Friday in the pouring rain and the kids loved it! Baby was safely wrapped up under the rain cover in the push chair and my oldest two had wellies and waterproofs on so the weather didn't matter. They loved splashing in puddles etc.