As it says one the tin Mums with a toddler and a newborn, what was your routine like at first? We've got a good routine going with just Milo, but can imagine it's going to be pretty crazy adding a new baby to the mix. Was there anything you did that helped reduce the stress?

Haha! Routine? Yeah, right!

First of all, dont beat yourself up when you realise that you are winging it for the first 4 months - we all did!

I tried to keep Aimee's routine exactly the same as it was, it just meant that I had to do more bum changes and feeds for Lily inbetween everything. Nothing really changed much for Aimee, and it all seemed to work well.

x

Laura wrote:

Haha! Routine? Yeah, right!

Haha, yeah I thought that word might be a bit optimistic!
I have a feeling those first few months are going to zoom by!

Can't wait though

Will be watching this with interest as it's something im thinking about but it does just seem like we're going to wing it the first couple of months

If by any chance they both sleep at the same time - make sure you rest instead of doing the housework!

Have your toddlers' meal all ready and to hand (even dessert is hidden) before you sit him/her in the highchair, so you can hand over the dessert without interrupting breastfeeding. But make sure the satsuma is ready peeled etc.

Plan nappy changes and your own toilet trips carefully when going out and about. I go to the loo after playgroup when they are both strapped in the pushchair, Seb doesn't seem to mind.

Other than that... wing it!

We have been pretty ok. Rowan goes to nursery mon-weds so he has to be there at 8am or his misses breakfast. He then needs to be picked up at 1pm. Depending on the night I'll catch up on sleep after dropping him off as H is sleeping.

To be honest for us the only thing that has changed is I wake up 1-2 times a night to BF. Rowan has been fine. I clean up as I do things then there is no huge amount of housework. Cooking has been fine.

But I'm barely 2 weeks in and it may all change

Everyone says you just wing it and you do. But I call it just get on with it nothing else you can do.

I must say BF is easier this time round (even with the pain) as all I need to do is make sure i have nappies and a change of clothes for them both and we can just go out. No bottle washing, making up bottles etc. So I'm thankful BF is going well

Ros, sounds like a great idea about mealtimes and bf! Milo eats at the speed of light but is happy when he has a full tummy and often goes to play by himself, so as long as I can syncronise his meals/naps and bfing, I should be ok then. I hope I'll be that organised!

Kelly, you sound so organised! Send me some of that mojo!!
I'm hoping to do 100% bfing this time round, I would love to not have to mess around with bottles, glad it's working out really well for you

Like Laura says - you definately just wing it for those first 3-4 months and it passes you by in a crazy wirlwind before you've had chance to blink.

I totally get where Ros is coming from with the being VERY prepared for meals etc and planning loo trips well. The bit about hiding desert and making sure the satsuma is ready peeled made me Lol coz it's exactly what I did.

The first few weeks aren't too bad because they do sleep a lot still but once they start to be more alert for longer periods it can get difficult at times. Just remember you're not alone, you're not bad for still being in your PJ's at tea time and not getting your toddler dressed other than clean Pjs for a week it's blummin hard work! If baby and toddler both wake in a good mood you can have a wonderful day but those days where they both wake with a sh1t on - eeeeeek watch out . You will have days where you literally think you will meet yourself coming back and some days where you just want to sit a cry because nothing you do is right and that is where we (BANDA) come in! Always remember you're not alone

From day one I kept Thomas' routine the same and encouraged Hannah to fit into it, won't pretend it was easy but I did get there in the end and they have both been napping together in the afternoons for 2 hours+ since Hannah was about 4 months (Hannah would have an extra small nap in the morning too at first but doesn't now). I'm not sure I wouldn't have been sectioned by now if I hadn't persisted with it tbh

xx

Ill be watching this topic.for tips too! we are re starting potty training when we come back from the caravan. i thin we are goingto try and keep paige in her routine answer then.after the first dew months get baby into it. So so scared though.lol

lol with laur and the rest above!! you do wing it for the first few months... mind can really say now 8 nearly 9 months later we have no ot it sussed!! (some days doesnt feel it!) but yep be organised as much as you can and have everything to hand and ready for when you need it.

Meal time I find the hardest, cooking differnet things and Hollie has her dinner before us. slowly getting easier now as she is able to eat more and finger foods are a life saver!! lol but it does get easier once it all falls into place

it madness for few months but one day will click and you'll be away xx

We're only just getting into a routine now, but it's been bloody hard work!!! (sorry but thought you'd best be prepared )

Like the others we kept Libby's routine exactly the same and Dexter has kind of fitted in. Its been very tough for us though as Dexter has reflux so up until a couple of weeks ago he was feeding hourly, just wouldnt be put down and was waking often in the night (usually because he'd soaked his bed in vommit ). Thankfully he's on meds now which is helping and enabled us to establish a much better routine (and he even goes to bed at around 730pm until 7am with just one feed every night!! )

I always the mummies of two or more words in my head 'the first 4 months you just wing it' and now I completely understand what they mean - I have well and truely 'winged' it . I've often thought of giving up breastfeeding but glad now I stuck at it - like Kelly says it's so much easier when out and about.

I do still have down days - when Dexter is really refluxy and Libby is being very naughty but when I get a big gummy smile from Dexter and a big 'tuddle' with the words 'I love mummy' it really does make EVERYTHING worth it.

xxx

think we were very lucky, we was able to keep bradens routine exactly the same and just work feeds etc around it, luckily dita was never fussy n could be fed whever so we fed when convenient as close to 4 hourly as possible! x

Im with the above its hard to plan it right you have to ust see how it goes and i deffo agree with the 4m thing.

Awens got reflux so she feeds little and often rarely going more than 2 hours betwen feeds and sometimes 90mins and doesnt like to be put down she takes a lot of holding so I put her on EASY in the end. I still cant do the 3-4 hour plan they reccomend but even on a 2 hour cycle by feeding her then making sure she gets some time playing and being held and if shes full enough i can get her down on a playmat for a while now then as soon as shes showing signs i get her on her tummy in cot or basket for a sleep. Thats the time i get with C then for snuggles or playing. Awens on 3 small naps of 20-30mins a day now and 1 big one of 45-90 mins so i get more time with C. For mealtimes ive had to accept that sometimes i have to let awen cry to see to Caelyn.

And housework i do on naptimes or 1st thing in morning when c has her tv time or after they go to bed. I do a lot at bedtime like accounts and sorting out ebay stuff etc so im not doing it in the day. I also do my house over 3-4 days not in one big lot like i used to so one day might do kitchen and dust/tidy downstairs in a few ten min sessions over day then the next day do bathroom and tidy/dust upstairs