logistic of 2 kids under 3

Argh Monic@R, my heart goes out to you! I dont think any age gap is easy! My LB was 7 weeks prem and ended up with reflux for the first 7 months, and then like a light switch being switched off, it all came right! Most days are still crazy in our house, supper can be anytime from 6pm if I'm well prepared to 9pm (for hubby and me) or it may be a cup of soup too!

I learnt that floors, dusting and dishes can be done later, tomorrow or the next day but I can't replay my kids growing up! We kind of live in chaos ost of the time, lol!

PM me if you are having a tough time. Its not easy! Give yourself a break and your hormones are also still settling!

You're a great mommy! Be kind to yourself!

Thanks for this.
It gives me something to look forward too - that things will get easier.

I am having a really tough time with my 3 year old and newborn. My newborn is now 4 weeks old and has been diagnosed with colic - between 5pm and 8pm she cries non stop.
she only wants to be in my arms and nobody elses - and there is nothing anybody even me can do. I feel so bad for my 3 year old and I miss her terribly as I cannot get to do much with her these days. As everyone has said - this too shall pass! gee But when is the big question.

I will definately try some of these ideas that some of the other ladies have posted.

I don't have a nanny - my maid only works 3 days a week and she basically only does the housework - which helps immensely.

My 3 year old goes to school each day and we fetch her about 3pm - tuesdays and thursdays are swimming afterschool.

I find the cooking for all of us a complete disaster.... It just is almost impossible if you have not prepared anything during the day. I find I have to have food ready early so my 3 year old can eat as she is hungry when we get home.

Some days are not so hectic as others - I would love to have calm in my house during the "suicide" hour but i don't think that will happen anytime soon.

We have bathed the 2 together when my boyfriend gets in the bath and baths them both while I am on the outside getting them dressed afterwards. When Im alone - i get my 3 year old in the bath first and then do the baby once things have calmed down.

My 3 year olds bedtime routine has gone awol - but I insist that she at least gets into bed by 9pm on school nights. some nights work better than others.

Everyone tells me that it all will pass and the routines will fall into place.... i just want to know how long this is going to take.

Just yesterday i was thinking that if someone told me how hard it would be - I would have thought twice about having another baby. (Even though i would not trade my 3 year old or my baby girl in for anything).

I would love to read some more on how other mommies cope.

Good luck!

Wow, just looking back and how far we've all come! Like Shrew says, "this too shall pass" and soon the kids will be running different directions in the mall and then fighting over who can look out which side of the car! when we drive, we see aeroplanes out both windows - LOL - even when there ARE NO aeroplanes!

It gets easier!

1st Timer

I have returned to answer the questions for my own experience now that Gemma is 3 months and Rowan 17 months

Mine bath seperately and have different times, my toddler is a handful so he is first then my little girl. I have silence from 7pm.

With the car story, I take Gem and put her in the sling when I fetch my toddler. Is your toddler at creche? This helped me immensely having him away most of the day and I did most of the housework in this period..I have not vacummed for 2 weeks and I am beyond iffy about cleanliness so you must know lol. Anyway back to the car story...when I go back to work, I will fetch my toddler first (he is patient in the car) leave him with windows open in car and fetch baby and go home.

Please get a sling, I could breastfeed my baby and feed my toddler etc. It just gives you hands and I used the sling to get baby to sleep (dancing to music) which my toddler loves lol

When we go shopping, my toddler goes in the trolley with Daddy and I carry baby in a sling, mostly it works out and then you have cr@p days.. I just know that this too shall pass and soon they will be running around.

Lastly get a nanny for the first 12 weeks mine absconded after 6 weeks and I find the period from 6 - 10 weeks the hardest.

I wish you all the best and I had two caesers...please do not pick up your toddler for at least 3 weeks but preferably 6 weeks

I hope this helps some more. Can you imagine being Octomom???? ha ha ha thinking that helps me cope WAY more.

ok really lastly now.. I always told Rowan it was HIS sister and this has worked for us..she is not MY baby... something someone told me that really has worked because of toddler possession rules I stop Rowan from poking Gem in the eye, but he is amazing with her actually!

My opinion, my kids are 14 months apart, similar to you Shrew. With number 2 a lot of things went out the window and changed. I never used the baby chair on the ttrolley with number 1, with number 2 I had no option! With number 1 I didnt even want the cashier/packer to talk to my baby, with number 2 it gave me a few minutes to pull my credit card out of my wallet and sign the slip, lol!

With number 2 I learnt to ask for help. I found Mom's dedicated parking bays, and used them! I asked a car guard to bring me a trolley, and a clean one please! I asked a lady or gentleman in the shop to reach for something for me because little one is in the sling.

basically, I ASKED for help. I had many people look at me like I was crazy, but I went out and did my thing. For monthly grocery, actually even just for weekly things, I pushed one trolley with baby in car seat, toddler sitting and PULLED a second trolley with my stuff in it. Checkers and PnP often offered to give me someone to help me - I took them up on their offer! Housework came last, if and when i had the energy, but I sometimes did it with the little one in the sling. I never even took the sling out the packaging with number one! I do my own housework and help hubby in the garden - something we choose to do so I could stay home.

Take it as it comes! You'll find your routine and groove!

Good luck!

I found a blog that is so similar to Deja's response In my case my little boy will be 14/15 months and my little girl newborn, fun times await!

An exerpt from it:

1. Bathing - I would place baby on a mattress on the floor just outside the bathroom where I can see him, place toddler on the toilet seat where I can toilet train her and that way I got to bathe and sometimes even wash my hair! After that I bathe the toddler and can watch baby at the same time. Changing diapers is the same, just line them up in a row and change both at the same time. This saves a lot of time. Mommies are good at time management.

2. Mealtimes - If baby is crying when I am feeding toddler, I just balance him on my lap with one hand and continue feeding my picky toddler with the other hand. No problem at all, you will soon learn to use your two hands and feet all at the same time. Mommies are good at multi tasking.

3. Bedtime/Naptime - I was worried about this one but it has turned out ok too. Breastfeeding makes it easy. All I have to do is take both to bed with me at the same time. While breastfeeding baby I would sing and tell stories to the toddler until all three of us fall asleep. My toddler has learned to sleep on her own during the afternoon nap so things are getting easier. All I have to do is give her some milk, make her comfortable in bed with a soft toy and a book and tell her to read and then sleep then I leave the room. Sometimes she cries a little but not too much. And to think that I was so afraid at one time that I was spoiling her when a baby by carrying her to sleep when she fretted because some books and gurus say let them cry themselves to sleep or you would have a child who has problem sleeping on her own. If I am still awake I would creep silently out of the room to have some quiet time with hubby. No problem. Mommies still need time for themselves.

4. Housework - This is last on my priority. My babies come first. My husband and I don't mind a house with dust one inch thick so long as it is a home filled with love so I let the housework go a little. We cater our meals so I can concentrate on cooking for my babies. There is also much less mess this way. During the weekends I would throw some meats and vegetables into a crockpot for some nutritious soup for everyone. We do our own laundry and sent hubby’s clothes for ironing. I wear clothes that don't need ironing (there are lots of lovely materials that don’t require ironing. Mommies can still be fashionable too) and the children's clothes don't need ironing, they're so tiny. Just straighten them a bit before hanging out to dry.