https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 04 May 2026 02:32:02 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733808 Tue, 09 May 2017 14:59:11 +0000 snowjewelz 2733808@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@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! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733654 Tue, 09 May 2017 10:33:35 +0000 josina 2733654@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cityliving: DS gets a cup of milk in the morning, and if he wants more he sometimes gets dry cereal in a bowl, or fruit, something easy he can eat on his own to tide him over. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733637 Tue, 09 May 2017 09:47:00 +0000 bubblegum 2733637@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cityliving: aww thanks love<br /> @T.H.O.U.: that change will happen when I go back to work!! More sleep lost Whoot Whoot </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733614 Tue, 09 May 2017 08:53:27 +0000 Mrs. Blue 2733614@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The twins were 22 months old when our next one was born. It was a little crazy for a while, but honestly, I think it's fun that they are so close in age. As the younger one gets older, they have so much fun together. </p> <p>Here are a few things that come to mind:</p> <p>We bought another crib from IKEA so we didn't have to transition anyone at that point. Best $100 we ever spent! We waited until the boys were almost 3 to transition them and it was the easiest thing ever. </p> <p>Screen time probably saved my life (or at least my sanity. During the end of pregnancy and the first few months of having a baby, the big boys watched a shameful amount of tv and I have zero regrets about that. They really only got into watching TV right around the time I had the baby, so it was a huge help. I could turn the TV on in the morning or when I needed to do something with baby and they would *mostly* be entertained for at least 15 or so minutes. </p> <p>You just adjust as far as BFing goes. It won't look the same as it did with your first, but you just learn to get it done while plopping a tantruming toddler in their crib, or whatever you're needing to do. I think that applies to a lot of having 2 under 2: you just figure out how to do things you thought were impossible before!</p> <p>The transition to being a big brother was pretty easy for one of our kiddos and pretty awful for the other. Behavior was not awesome for a few weeks, and I found myself getting soo frustrated. One night, I was reading an article and something it it clicked that if I was having that hard of a time with the transition, how much harder was it on my little 2 year old who didn't even understand what was happening. I would just say to give yourself and your LO a lot of grace for those first few months. </p> <p>By the time baby was born, the boys were definitely full blown toddlers with all the independence, so I didn't have to carry them nearly as much. There were still a few terrible moments where everyone really needed to be held. When we were at home, it was pretty easy because I could have each twin just sit on the couch and cuddle up on each side of me and then hold the baby. Also, there are times when you just put the baby in a safe place and take care of/hug/get food, etc. for your older LO and let the baby fuss for a bit. You just learn to balance who needs you the most right in that moment. </p> <p>You're going to do great! Our LO is now almost 2 1/2 and the age gap is a great one. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733602 Tue, 09 May 2017 08:41:22 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2733602@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@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. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733601 Tue, 09 May 2017 08:40:12 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2733601@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bubblegum: it will get better. We have three kids. We are all up around 6:30 and out the door by 7:30. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733578 Tue, 09 May 2017 07:55:29 +0000 Banana330 2733578@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@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. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733575 Tue, 09 May 2017 07:53:54 +0000 cityliving 2733575@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bubblegum: it sounds like you're doing great for only three weeks in, hang in there! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733562 Tue, 09 May 2017 07:29:38 +0000 bubblegum 2733562@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>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. </p> <p>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. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733541 Tue, 09 May 2017 06:10:25 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2733541@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cityliving: my son has a cup of milk and that seems to delay his need for breakfast. We also do smoothies for breakfast which are easy because he can eat it alone not at the table. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733449 Mon, 08 May 2017 19:39:55 +0000 MrsSRS 2733449@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@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... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733434 Mon, 08 May 2017 18:55:30 +0000 cityliving 2733434@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you all SO much for your responses! I feel better just being able to "picture" (I'm sure the reality will be totally different) what this is going to be like and how to make this work. You've all made me feel a lot better about dealing with my little cuddle monster, and the suggestion of having some toys for DD near where I'll be nursing is great. Mildly terrified now for the bed transition but might still get it over with when we move her in to her room (we recently moved and are currently in the basement while we wrap up renovations..) Does anyone have tips for gradually delaying breakfast? It seems like a lot of you have your kids eat breakfast at daycare and right now DD eats at both home and then again at daycare because I've never had any luck getting her to wait to eat (my husband is the same way so I've always wondered if it's just a family trait.) Usually when she wakes up she stands up and starts crying "mama hold" and getting more and more upset until someone gets her and then she immidietly asks for food (and cries if you try to put her down or delay that.) Maybe once a month she'll entertain herself in her crib instead. Sometimes breakfast can be marginally delayed with reading or 1:1 playing but never with independent play. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733388 Mon, 08 May 2017 15:58:28 +0000 gingerbebe 2733388@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My boys are 20 months apart.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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. </p> <p>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.</p> <p>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. </p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733361 Mon, 08 May 2017 14:51:35 +0000 snowjewelz 2733361@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mine are exactly 24 mo apart </p> <p>Either way it will be an adjustment period. DD1 def wanted us to hold her more, esp when we're holding DD2 sometimes. But I held her tons and gave lots of snuggles regardless before DD2 arrived! Whenever possible I will put DD2 down for DD1 unless DD2 is sleeping on me or nursing. </p> <p>I can't comment too much about morning routine since DH is flexible so he's around to tend to DD1. But normally DD1 up by 6:30 and leaves for school at 8:30. DH gets her breakfast and preps her lunch. DD1 usually wakes around 7 and I leave also by 8:30.</p> <p>She fought nap and bed times HARD; but I think it was a 2 year regression thing and that was her way of protesting that life has changed. DH slept in there with her. But we kinda failed to transition her earlier... She was taking naps in her room but still with us at night till the day I gave birth literally! </p> <p>Just give yourselves a lot of grace. It's a big transition for everyone and you just have to find a new normal! And with an ever changing infant, I find that I needed to find a new normal many times! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733354 Mon, 08 May 2017 14:36:38 +0000 kodybear 2733354@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>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. </p> <p>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.</p> <p>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. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733353 Mon, 08 May 2017 14:36:02 +0000 josina 2733353@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our 26 month gap has gone really well...</p> <p>DS did not need/want to be carried much so can't comment on that...</p> <p>Our morning routine - DD (2 months) usually wakes up to nurse between 5:30 and 6, if she falls back asleep, great, otherwise I'll get her ready before I shower and she hangs out with me in the bathroom on a playmat.<br /> DS is usually awake by 6, we set him up with Peppa Pig and some milk &amp; toys and he's ~usually~ ok. Sometimes he showers with me. (DH leaves at 6:15)<br /> I can get myself ready in a half hour, so once I'm ready I get DS ready / pack my bag, and we're out the door by 7:15. (They do breakfast at daycare, I pump at work at 9) I've somehow managed to be earlier to work with 2 than I was with 1!</p> <p>DS was crawling out of his crib at 18 months, so he's had a toddler bed since then, we did swap beds at 2 so DD could have the convertible crib, but it wasn't a big issue at all. He does always end up in our bed at night though by midnight.</p> <p>Other tips - Luckily we haven't had any jealousy issues, but a good tip I received beforehand was to have a basket of toys that you get out for older LO just when you breastfeed to keep them entertained/happy.<br /> Dont' be afraid to put on a tv show for older LO for your own sanity.<br /> Get as much as you can ready the night before when it comes to work, outfits, lunch, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733350 Mon, 08 May 2017 14:30:31 +0000 mrsrain 2733350@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>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! </p> <p>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. </p> <p>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 😉 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733348 Mon, 08 May 2017 14:28:10 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2733348@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cityliving: Good luck! Our first two kids were 3 years apart so it was much less logistics. But my oldest daughter was out of the crib by 20 months. </p> <p>With my second two (24 months apart), We did let him keep the crib and we bought the baby a bassinet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733333 Mon, 08 May 2017 13:47:06 +0000 winniebee 2733333@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>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! </p> <p>I think by 2 (as opposed to 18 months) there is a lot less "hold me" from the toddler. </p> <p>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). </p> <p>Don't stress too much, you've got lots of time to figure everything out! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/parents-who-survived-a-2ish-year-age-gap#post-2733330 Mon, 08 May 2017 13:38:20 +0000 cityliving 2733330@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I KNOW I am overthinking this but just have so many questions about the logistics. My DD will be 23 months when our second is born.</p> <p>- Did you have to transition your oldest off of being held as much? While my DD is fine at daycare and always seems to want to walk when it's inconvenient, she insists on being carried a lot around the house, especially in the mornings. Is she likely to outgrow this (18 months now) or is it going to be an issue?</p> <p>-Tell me about your morning routine. DD gets up at around 5:30 50% of the week which already makes getting myself dressed and out the door by 7 more challenging (my husband goes in early so he can do pickups.) I am hoping to BF again and just can't imagine getting everything done while also carrying a nursing newborn around with two hands for 30+ minutes a morning but also really don't want to get up at 5am if it can be avoided.</p> <p>- DD's crib transitioned from a bassinet to her crib so I am hoping to graduate her to a full size bed with guardrails soon to reuse the crib. Did anyone do this and have challenges if it wasn't initiated by the toddler?</p> <p>- Any other tips?</p> <p>Thank you if you read even half of this! </p>