Anyone else

Synyster Shadow

Well How many of you have two kiddies with a year between them?:eek: (or year and halfish)

Just wondering how ye managed? I know the first while will be tough I'm not under any illusion otherwise. I also know that it will be nice for them growing up together but how hard exactly was it??

But besides all that I couldn't be happier :P

January

14 months between my first two and 20 months between my second two.

Loved the gaps. They're all so close now.

It wasn't exactly very hard, our first didn't sleep through until just after number 3 arrived (she was 2yrs 10 months when she arrived) and number 2 had very bad colic but we coped. I can't really remember exactly how bad it was haha

Gaillimh1976

20 months between our 2
Was tough at the start - the amount of crap we had to carry around in the card to go anywhere !!!
Plus the baby woke the toddler every night 'cos our house is so small

Now they are 3 & 5 and great company for each other
(And wouldn't swap them for the world )

Mrs Fox

11.5 months between my two pups, and both were caesarean.
They are now 28 mths (boy) and 17 mths (girl) respectively.
The first year was really, really hard. Although he was too young to develop any jealousy, she was, like all babies, very demanding.
I'm not too sure if it's any more challenging regarding lack of sleep though.
I only felt that it began to get easier when she started walking at 11 mths. She needed to be carried around a lot less, plus she prefers to play chase with him. They're great company for each other and play together all time, but they try to murder each other sometimes too.
But he definitely brings her on dramatically -- mobility, speech -- she copies everything he does/says.


** Since I'm still new at this, it'll be interesting to see if it gets easier from now on, or will it go back to being tough at some stage.

dublinlady

My eldest is 18 months and youngest 3 months (2 girls). So I'm still relatively new to this game!! However - this seems to be an easier stage - first 1 months were very difficult - very! Even though my eldest is and has been sleeping 7-6am I'm still drained from the night feeds with the baby and find it hard being up some nights for several hours and some nights not even getting back to sleep before 6 when I have to be up and full of beans for her very active day! But now that younger is sleeping longer stretches I feel so much better!! I've learnt how to keep he elder happy while feeding the younger and she has learnt how to be patient too! It's a learning curve all around I think!! I have done things like introduced tv during feeding time which has helped..!! I make sure I have the younger either asleep or full of grub and well slept when it comes up to the elder girls nap or meal times so that I can give her some undivided attention!
Not sure how we will do from here on out but I really feel now that there's mostly good moments - alot of amazing ones and very few hellish ones!! I wouldn't change things for a second and am delighted they will have each other so close growing up so that if we can't afford to have more kids for a few years, or ever, then they'll have a friend, or at the very least company!! And it's so amazing to watch them together! I get such a kick out of watching my elder impersonate me feeding the baby etc!
It's hard, but I love it!!
2 sections made it trickier..

Fairie

Mrs fox and dublinlady how did you manage with two sections and such a close age gap? Dd will turn one a couple of weeks after new baby's arrival in December. I had section with dd and it's looking very likely I'll have section with this baby too. No problems with recovery first time I don't know if it will be so easy second time!

NBO

Fairie wrote: »

Mrs fox and dublinlady how did you manage with two sections and such a close age gap? Dd will turn one a couple of weeks after new baby's arrival in December. I had section with dd and it's looking very likely I'll have section with this baby too. No problems with recovery first time I don't know if it will be so easy second time!

I'm interested in this too as very likely will the same situation next Spring. I'm slowly getting used to the idea of 2 babies even if I had to keep going into the babies room the night I got my BFP to remind myself how wonderful babies are!

lmullen

There will be 15 months between my 2 when babog arrives. Starting to worry about how I'll deal with my little girl when feeding the baby! Hopefully she'll be ok and not get too jealous!
Any advice greatly appreciated!

wmpdd3

I have 15 months between mine, boy and girl.

The first 3 months were some of the hardest in my life, I would have swapped 60 hr weeks in work for my home life in an act. My partner was in college so it was only really 4 days per week that I was on my own.

A few things I learned was.

The sling saved my life.
Lay out clothes the night before, keep as much as possible down stairs.

Have someone on hand to get you stuff if you run out.

Get your shopping delivered.

Child proof the house ever night before you go to bed.
Dont feel bad for telling the older child they will have to wait for a minute, they wont remember it.

Dont accept help from people that you have to travel to, you might never get there if your babies nap at different times that day, get everyone to call to you.

Stick the two of them in the buggy and get out for a walk every day, even if you feel like crap, it will help you stay awake.

Also now that the little guy is 18 months, I can see that it really does get easier every month.

Synyster Shadow

Thanks everyone for the advice and all yer stories feel better known I'm not the first and won't be the last to have under a year between them. I'm picturing the first few months to be hell but my hubby is a help and I'll call on grandmother's just rotate there days around each other. The baby will only be born or I'll only have weeks to go when we decide to buy a house. Also hubby is going to Thailand for training next summer and they get to bring there families. I can see it been impossible goin on a plain with two babies. We will be gone for 3 months. I wouldn't make him miss out the time with babies so I will be goin we'll have an apartment and they train an hour then few hours off then train an hour again. We'll be right beside a beach looks like paradise but won't be too much of a holiday. Plus babies won't remember there first holiday

Times will be tough but I love my son and I'll love his sibling just as much so gotta just remember that

I had a fast labour with my son and was home a day later so I'm hoping it's the same this time round. Labour was an hour and half long and no epi so got home no problem was hard goin but I'll do it again once I get home early to DS

Mrs Fox

Fairie wrote: »

Mrs fox and dublinlady how did you manage with two sections and such a close age gap?

The first was an emergency section, and because my wound didn't get the chance to heal due to the immediate second pregnancy, my obgyn firmly suggested to have an elective section.

Anyway, because the husband worked around the clock, and I've none of my own family here, plus my in-laws weren't in the position to give us a hand, we had to hire a minder a week before my due date, knowing that I was going to be in the hospital for 5 days after section, and that it was going to take 6 weeks to recover. At least I knew my boy was going to be looked after and played with to help him progress; that was one of my concerns -- that his development might stall because most attention would've gone to the new baby.

When the help was gone after I've recovered and I was on my own, it was hard going. Everything needed to be planned in military precision, and this was for my own benefit really. I agree with previous posters regarding taking them for a walk everyday, using sling for the new baby so you can still handle the big sibling, etc. I actually preferred to be out as much as possible, as hard as it was, it paid off eventually as I got into a routine to get them ready, get their gears ready, etc. in lickity split.

If someone offers to mind even just one of them, grab the opportunity and spend time with the other. As much as you want them both to interact and be around each other, it's actually nice to have a one-on-one moment.

Synyster Shadow

I reckon DS will be easy to handle on his own so I know I can get help there and I'll get some bonding time with baby but I know I'll feel horrible when he's not with me. (might change as time goes on but at min I hate leaving him)

Annabananna

Hey

There is 13 months between my two a boy now 4 and a girl now 3 they are the best of friends and spend all day playing together in playroom so I get to work from home this year.

I would go against the trend and say it is hard for the first 18 mths I had a fast labour on both and came home after the girl the next day but I had my mam here for a full two weeks during the day as my husband boss had a bad crash the day before I give birth so he couldn't take any time off.

After the two weeks I did manage but I had to make a rota for myself like on a Monday I get three pound of mince from freezer sunday night and make up meat balls for Monday dinner shepherds pie and lasagne for later in the week Tuesday would be bacon and then Wednesday would be shepherds pie Thursday would be chicken curry I make double so half go in freezer for next week. Re housework I used to clean bathrooms Wednesday and Saturday or more if needed and washing was done two days a week fro adults everyday for baby and three times a week for older baby. I used this routine for a good eight months and it kept me sane.

I also set aside an hour when the two were awake to bring them for a walk rain or shine and it cleared the head.

RE visitors I told everyone not to visit for at least three weeks and when anyone came I asked them to boil the kettle and take the mugs out as I had two babies to look after me and did not have the time to mind visitors.

A tip someone gave me was when you bring the baby home to the older child cuddle him/her and let hubbie mind baby for a while then take the baby and let the older child examine the baby and see they are a person too. Also I didn't bring the older child into the hospital as I thought it be better to do at home.

I also kept the baby in a playpen from about three months on as the older guy was up to anything and I couldt put her in a bouncer also I used to always bring the older guy to bathroom with me and shower room.

It will be hard but I a few years you say they were fun exhausting times

littlemissfixit

15 months between the two (now nearly 3 and 1 and half).
To be honest I wouldn't stress too much, I found having the first one a lot more difficult for a lot longer than dealing with the two close in age. I wasn't as panicky and full of worries and that helped a lot.
Got the first one involved with getting nappies and things, and introduced her to cartoons. She became a proper daddy's girl for a few months but I didn't take it too personal :rolleyes:
The one hard thing was feeling a bit guilty of the lack of energy to play with her, and maybe as well that she didn't yet understand "quiet", so better get the baby used to falling asleep in noise!

NBO

Thanks everyone for the positive stories. I will be having a section as my consultant told me after my first baby that I would be having a section on any further pregnancy. I know I'll survive but I'd like to enjoy the time as well. I'm feeling a bit bad about work as I'll only be back for about 13 weeks before I go on leave again....I think I'll be re-reading this thread next march/april

Fairie

NBO wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the positive stories. I will be having a section as my consultant told me after my first baby that I would be having a section on any further pregnancy. I know I'll survive but I'd like to enjoy the time as well. I'm feeling a bit bad about work as I'll only be back for about 13 weeks before I go on leave again....I think I'll be re-reading this thread next march/april

Some really good advise and tips here, thanks everyone!

NBO, I'll be the same as you I'll have 13 weeks back at work and I'll be on maternity again! I'll def be looking at this thread again in December

Synyster Shadow

thanks all.. the positive outweighs the negative

Roll on April