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I have my experience from when DS2 was born (DS1 was 30 months). DS1 was still in a crib and didn't show signs of wanting to sleep in a bed so we left him until 34 months. Mornings were tough because when you have a second, there's no sleeping in after a rough night with the baby. You learn to BF on the go. I remember breastfeeding while making scrambled eggs for DS1. Just plan to give yourself plenty of time in the morning - assuming you'll have some time off work, you can be a little more relaxed with morning routine. If your first is going to be in daycare still, just bring her an hour later!

I think by 2 (as opposed to 18 months) there is a lot less "hold me" from the toddler.

We just transitioned DS2 to a bed so that DS3 (I'm 32 weeks) can use the crib...but also he was climbing out of the crib regularly despite sleep sack. Not gonna lie, it was a really rough 3 weeks of transition (and he's 29 months). He's also spirited/independent/the type to do what he pleases so getting out of bed a lot was par for the course. Part of that probably had to do with the fact that we moved him to room share with DS1 (5).

Don't stress too much, you've got lots of time to figure everything out!

Mine are 22 months apart. Honestly, I had to transition my daughter away from being carried because of was so sick and uncomfortable during pregnancy, but by the time her brother was born she was entering the independent "I can do it" stage!

We transitioned our daughter from her crib when our son was a few months old (we had him in the pnp in our room). It wasn't a big issue, but I know every kid is different, so I guess that's not too helpful.

It can be a tricky thing transitioning to two kids, but the good news is at 2 they are too little to remember anything about it

We have a 20.5 month gap. DD (our oldest) was really clingy around that age, so we still had to hold her alot. Mainly during dropoff at daycare. I do wish i would've trained her to walk into daycare by herself prior to having #2 but it worked out. I put DS in a baby bjorn and carried DD on my hip. Hah it sucked but the walk to her classroom was pretty short.

In the beginning I wanted to keep DD's schedule as much the same as possible, so i did wake up 30 min before she woke up and fed DS. He went back to sleep easily so then I got DD ready for daycare, and by the time we were ready to leave, I'd either wake up DS or he'd had just woken up already. so it worked out well that DS slept while me and DD got ready. As he got older we had to adjust but by that time, you're already adjusted to having two so it wasn't too bad.

We transitioned DD around 15 or 16 months to a twin bed. it went well! she isn't the type to get out and wander so that helped. we just made the bed like a crib by blocking her in with the bedrail and it was really easy. i'd do it earlier than later for sure, so they aren't attached to their crib by the time the new baby comes. If you can do it a couple months prior, it gives your oldest time to adjust and kind of forget about the crib.

My boys are 20 months apart.

DS1 was not a clingy boy, although he surprisingly wanted more hugs and snuggles after the baby was born - probably because he saw us toting the baby around everywhere.

We kept DS1 in his crib (he started climbing out at 26 months, so when DS2 was 6 months old). The baby slept in a bassinet at first and then we put him in a pack n' play with the Dream on Me playard mattress because I refused to buy another crib and we already had the PNP and mattress. DS2 slept in that comfortably until almost 10 months when we finally stopped being so lazy and disassembled the crib and moved it to DS2's room.

DS1 basically has to stay in his room until we get him. When he was in his crib he would just play and sing and wait until we came to him. After we transitioned him, he had to stay in his tent or room (we transitioned to the Privacy Pop bed tent with a twin floor bed) until we got him. Same deal - he sings and plays and rolls around until we say good morning. He can wake up as early as 6am some days, but he just has to hang out until we get him (which is around 7-730am). But he's been trained that way, so its not something that stresses him out.

I usually shower at night and get as much of the daycare/lunch prep done the night before. This includes laying out everyone's outfits for the next day. I put them right next to the changing table so I can change diapers and clothe everyone in one stop. Then I quickly get ready in the morning and load everything in the car before I get the kids.

I get baby first in the mornings, then the big kid. Baby gets distracted when eating if big brother is running around and making a racket. I've found its easier to bottle feed in the morning - its faster and less messy. I would feed a bottle I pumped the night before and then pump later in the morning when it was less hectic since I didn't want to wake up earlier to pump. After feeding baby, he gets buckled in the car.

I get DS1 last. He gets breakfast at daycare as long as he arrives by 745am. So I get him up, change his diaper and throw his clothes on and take him directly to the car. He gets a bottle of water and a dry road snack like cereal and we're off.

Logistically with daycare drop off for 2, its easier for me to drop off bodies, and then go back to the car for stuff (and do the reverse at pick up - stuff first, then bodies). DS1 has been trained to hold my hand while I heft his brother in and out of the building. When unloading, I unbuckle DS1 and then go to the other side and grab DS2. When I load, its the exact opposite - baby first, then DS2. We have a minivan, so DS1 can crawl over to the other side of the car, or he can walk with me around the car if he wants.

We keep shoes in each car and take them off the kids before we unload them so we're not scrambling around the house looking for shoes in the morning. We do this with winter coats and winter stuff too - we keep it in the car.

I also keep 3 small baskets in my car. One is for socks, another is for sweaters/jackets, and another is for dry road snacks. Once I arrive at daycare, I can throw socks and jackets on as I'm unbuckling the kids out of the car. And if people are melting down, I can hand them some rice cakes or a Mum Mum or whatever. On Sunday nights, I just check to make sure there are clean socks and sweaters and crackers in the bins for the week.

In the trunk, we keep several packages of wipes and a box of diapers. That way if daycare says they've run out I can just grab a package from the trunk and give it to them right away.

@cityliving: I wouldn't try to delay breakfast, but I would do easy, independent foods. That might be time you need to nurse or get ready. We had a lot of luck with yogurt pouches, granola bars, frozen waffle/pb sandwiches. LO1 could eat while I nursed LO2. Either we sat at the dining room table and we chatted while LO ate and I had yogurt and coffee and LO2 nursed, or LO1 ate cuddled up to me on the sofa while I nursed if he needed some snuggles. Occasionally LO1 ate and watched a show at the table while I nursed in the other room. Desperate times call for desperate measures...

I'm in the weeds right now! DS is about to turn three this month and DD is three weeks old and the transition has been super hard on us. DS is about to start pre-school but has a speech disorder and sensory issue so that adds to our load. He knows when he's not getting attention which is what really makes attending to DD difficult when DH is not here.

The mornings are HORRIBLE. DH will try to feed DD before he leaves to work and get her back to sleep but that doesn't always work but even if it does DS will wake up by 7:30. Getting them both dressed and ready for the day before heading downstairs takes at least an hour. I then make DS breakfast and by the time he's done eating I have to either pump again or feed DD. It's an endless cycle. I'm praying it gets a little easier when DS starts pre-school.

@cityliving: #2 isn't here yet but we are up and out the door in 15-20 min everyday. I get dressed then get DD, she gets dressed right away, we head downstairs. If we have time she can have cereal etc but she's be eating super slow lately so I usually do a pouch or muffin in the stroller on the way to daycare. They get a breakfast there too so I don't feel so bad.

@cityliving: my kids immediately eat upon waking up. It just helps our routine. They eat a Greek yogurt or cereal or a banana that they can eat on their own.

@cityliving: aww thanks love
@T.H.O.U.: that change will happen when I go back to work!! More sleep lost Whoot Whoot

@gingerbebe: I love your prepared-ness! We never have anything in the car and thank goodness nothing major has happened but I really need to get on that!