How to manage a toddler and a newborn
Having another baby? Here’s what you need to know about managing the competing demands of a baby and a toddler
Once your little one is reaching the one year milestone and showing signs of being a little more independent, it’s not uncommon for your mind to wander into thoughts of when and whether to have another baby.
After all, you may not want a big age gap between your children, and you’re in the baby zone so why not think about it now or you may still yearn for another child to complete your family.
Either way, we’ve used logic and common sense to put together our guide to what to expect from another baby, so you can be as ready as possible.
1. Can I carry a toddler and a car seat?
As much as your first baby is growing in independence by the day, there’s no doubt when that new baby arrives your first child will just want to be carried. But how can you carry both? The truth is, you just do. You will shock yourself how strong you actually are and how you will manage to carry both…at the same time!
2. Don’t expect two the same
As their little personality grows, it’s natural to fall into a pattern with your child, they like this, they prefer to do things this way etc, but don’t be fooled into thinking it’s likely to follow a similar pattern with your second. Chances are it will be the complete opposite. When one likes to nap, the other is likely to want to play, after all, they are all different.
3. You react differently to a crying baby
With your first baby, you probably jumped up the second your baby cried and, were there in a nano second to soothe whatever caused their cry. The big difference with baby number two is that you won’t always be able to get there quite so quick and you may find you don’t panic as much the second you hear a cry as you will have your other child to sort before you can deal with the cry.
4. Less precious
With your first baby, you probably had everything specially chosen for them. Their own towel, colour coded socks and babygrows that went with the perfectly matching vest all tidied in their drawers. This tends to unravel with a second baby, while getting the baby out the bath, it becomes a case of grab any towel you can and reach to grab your toddler before they decide to flood your bathroom floor.
5. Tiredness is on a whole new level
You thought you were tired when you were pregnant, when you had your first newborn, then came pregnancy with a toddler, followed by toddler and a new baby…now that’s tired. But the sleep deprivation in the first year with your first baby will stand you in good stead and the fear of severe fatigue is often far worse than the reality.