Growing your family is an exciting time, but having babies close together, especially two under two, can be exhausting and may seem a little daunting at first.
However, there are so many benefits of having babies close together in age; firstly you will already be used to the tiring days and sleepless nights, you don’t need to buy much for the new baby as you already have most of the essentials, and your children will most likely enjoy the same activities, games and toys and be able to play together developmentally.
So to help you get ready and prepare for having two under two, we’ve spoken to some of our writers in the same situation to get tips and advice that might prove helpful;
Preparing your toddler for the new arrival:
Get your toddler used to nights away from you weeks in advance if you can. Plan to have some trial sleepovers whenever you can. That way, when you’re in the hospital or need some help during the newborn days, your toddler will be used to staying over with family and it won’t feel like they’re getting pushed out, and the transition can be as positive as possible. Don’t forget that you could be at the hospital for several days, so having this support in place will give you a huge piece of mind.
Natasha: “A great way of preparing a toddler for a new baby, is to get them a toy baby doll, treat the doll as you would a newborn, show them how you feed and bathe the baby, things you can involve your toddler where you can once the time comes. This will make things seem a little more normal.”
Hayley: “Having the same meal times really helps, making sure that they’re eating and drinking at the same time so that she knows it’s ‘food time’ really worked for me.”
Sleeping arrangements:
Your newborn will most likely be sleeping close to you for the first six months, so establishing a routine for your toddler is crucial before the baby comes. Get them used to sleeping in their own room and going to bed at the same time each night, this will help give some much needed space between your toddler and newborn crying in the night, and prevent waking him/her up throughout the night. Add an indoor smart home camera into your toddlers bedroom, so you can easily check on them, without disturbance using an app on your phone, the EZVIZ Indoor Wifi Camera is recommended by our editor.
Upgrading to a toddler bed will also save money in buying a new crib / cot, and if possible, keep the cot in the same room and once your new arrival is old enough they can sleep well together in the same room.
Travelling with two under two
Getting around with two babies can be a real struggle, we’d recommend investing in a quality stroller that can grow with your family. This is probably the one ‘big purchase’ you need to make for two under two. There are so many good options out there, from double prams to ad-ons.
We recommend the Graco Time2Grow Pushchair as the perfect double stroller for two children close in age. It’s a neat and nifty pushchair that can be used as a stand-alone pushchair, and as a pram with a carrycot for travel can be transformed quickly from a single stroller to a double in seconds when baby number two comes along without compromising on space.
Offering extraordinary value and versatility, the new Graco Time to Grow is the perfect solution for a pushchair that grows with your family. Suitable from birth to around 3 years, this forward and parent facing stroller is travel system compatible with all Graco infant car seats using Click Connect technology as a stand-alone or using the front/toddler seat in the rear.
Meeting the needs of two babies
One of the biggest concerns for parents with a toddler and a newborn is having enough quality time with both, and ensuring your toddler doesn’t feel pushed out by the new arrival.
Donna: “Try and set up a toddler area where they can have space to play by themselves and you can sit and play with them during nap times etc, I found this really helpful with my two.”
Check out our list of handy toys to help get you through times at home with a newborn and toddler.
Wear your baby if you can, with a wrap or sling carrier (Amawrap is a great choice) and give yourself some freedom to do some activities with your toddler, be more hands on with play or even just reading a story book, they will feel the attention is on them.
Lara: “Routine is absolutely key for me, having children so close in age is great for their development and they grow up to be best pals, get yourself a baby wrap, I have 3 under 3 and I swear by it.”
Plan one on one time with both you baby and toddler, schedule an afternoon each week of baby sitting with a family member if you can (weekly / bi-weekly), go for ice cream, to the park and feed the ducks or even if it’s just time at home alone watching Pepper Pig, quality time alone together is really beneficial.
Time for yourself:
It’s important to take time out for yourself, looking after two babies is hard work and can take its toll on your well-being. Try to get both babies into the same nap routine so you can rest yourself while they sleep, this is not always possible with a newborn and toddler, but even if its just for half an hour so you can chill.
Time with just you and your partner is also important, having two babies so close together, you don’t want to just feel like ‘mum’ and ‘dad’, it’s so easy to forget about putting effort into your relationship. If you can get childcare, at least once per month set a date night for you both, either go out for dinner / movie or have a relaxing night on the sofa together. This will do wonders for your relationship and your sanity!
We hope some of these tips and advice have helped get you and your toddler ready for your new bundle of joy.
If you have any tips of your own please feel free to add them in the comments below.
Just a group of real women dealing with life’s daily struggles! Want to write for us? Email: hello@thedailystruggle.co.uk
