Hellobee Boards

TV Time and Husband picking up a LOT of slack. Be kind to yourself and don't stress if some things fall through the cracks. Caring for a toddler while pregnant is no joke.

Oh- and congrats!!

With DS1 I had morning sickness for like 6 months straight. With DS2, I had morning sickness that was less severe for the first 4 months, so it was shorter/better. That said, chasing after a toddler while pregnant was no joke. Currently 34 weeks pregnant with a 19 month old.

DH took over a lot more toddler care after I got pregnant. We agreed he'd do MOTN wake ups, getting up with DS in the morning, and bath/bedtime routine because I was just too sick or exhausted. The first few months I just made sure DS had whatever he needed in terms of food and meals and I let DH and I just fend for ourselves. On the weekends, DH takes DS on long trips to the park or on walks to burn off energy and give me a break. I also made a point of napping whenever possible. On the weekends when DS is down for a nap, I'm napping too.

They wouldn't give me Zofran this time around, but I needed something because I couldn't function with DS and work, so I was Fenergan for the nausea in the beginning. By 4 months I was feeling well enough to go off it. I still take a Unisom and B6 every night before bed - it helps me fall asleep and control the 3rd trimester nausea that's returned.

We found one TV show that DS will sit through - the Wiggles on Hulu - and I'll put that on if I'm really exhausted. We also got a lot more board books and toys for DS to play with. He has a Little Peoples set, a set of MegaBlocks, a set of wooden blocks, a keyboard, cars, animal figurines, animal fridge magnets, and a Cozy Coupe in the living room next to a recliner. I can sorta recline/rest while DS makes a mess of his toys, I can play music with him with the keyboard, or I can sit him on my lap and go through a stack of books, or he will watch the Wiggles with a snack trap of puffs.

After a lot of trial and error, we have also found a regular babysitter to come help me out. Usually I don't go anywhere, but I just need an extra set of hands to keep up with DS, who is at that age where he's into everything. I'm solo every other Saturday, so I have the sitter come right after breakfast and have her play with DS and keep him occupied while I go back to bed for a few more hours or cook/clean/shop. Then I feed DS lunch, put him down for his nap (during which I also nap or rest), and then I have the energy to keep him occupied for a few hours until DH comes home. Knowing I have a reliable, regular sitter I can call when I get overwhelmed has been a valuable mental help too.

I also cook all our meals on the weekend at night after DS is in bed or while DH has him out at the park and just reheat during the week. I cook 3-4 meals between Friday and Sunday and then we eat the leftovers one more time and that basically covers all our meals for the week.

I work during the week but on weekends, I nap with my son (I'm 10 weeks along and he's 3 so he's been fighting the nap). He sleeps longer when I'm with him. As long as there are naps, I'm a happy mama.

My strategy was "try not to die".

Seriously though, it was hard. We watched a LOT of tv.

Crayola Magic Wonder. Normally I think it's a little ridiculous because it's twice as expensive as normal art supplies, but I can give him the art pack and lay down on the couch while he creates.

I make easy art packs for him to use too. Foam stickers and puffy stickers are thick enough where he can remove the backing by himself. He's happy to color a page with crayons and then stick stickers on it and it gives me 1/2 an hour to an hour.

He likes to play with painters tape. We made a road on the carpet with it for his cars and he really liked that. He also likes to tear it up and then tape it to a sheet of paper.

Washi tape for art projects too.

Colored vinegar in shot glasses, baking soda in a sheet pan and eye droppers.

Making pizza dough in the kitchen aid. I measure everything out and let him re measure it into the kitchen aid bowl. He likes to use a teaspoon so it takes a while. He's not big on mess, so I don't know how this would work for a toddler that delights in chaos.

New bath toys. I bought bath tub paint, raided my kitchen cabinets for old soup ladles and cups with spouts and splurged on a battery operated sprayer. He will play in the tub for an hour as long as I rotate the toys. There's a lot of bath fun ideas on Pinterest too.

DS does part time daycare and I asked his teachers to recommend babysitters. I have had a sitter I could use for OB appointments that don't line up with daycare and on days when I felt like I just couldn't sit up. It helped logistically and mentally to know that lining up a sitter was an option. And bringing a toddler with you to the dr office is rough. If you can avoid it- do it!

Nap when LO naps. I had to let go of getting all non essential chores done during the first trimester. I just needed the sleep. If your so is willing ask what chores they can pick up so you can mentally let go of them.

My SO took on grocery shopping and bedtime and daycare drop off/pick up and it helped a ton. Plus it helped us start thinking of how we will adjust parenting responsibility when LO 2 arrives. I'm really glad we had to start adjusting our parenting roles early on. I think it'll help LO adjust without blaming baby.

I hope you get some good rest and that your second and third trimester are a breeze. Oh and Congratulations!!!!

TV here too (and full-length movies on weekends), extra help from DH, and trying to get her to find activities that she can mostly do on her own while I sit on the couch. And lots of snacks, for me and her.

@Pumpkin Pie: don't feel bad about doing what you need to do!
My LO was the same age when I was in the first Trimester and between the first and third trimester he became so much more independent and began to enjoy independent play. He loves cars and duplo characters and will spend a lot of time (1hr plus) doing really elaborate imaginative play with his toys. He wants me to be near him but I don't have to play with him- just occasionally check in and ask questions. It started with him starting to play with them for 10-15 minutes at a time when he was around 22 months and stretched out from there.

I guess I say that to give you encouragement, being pregnant with a toddler is tough, but their attention spans and desire for independence will increase over the next few months and it makes some aspects of parenting easier. What's hard now probably will be easier when you hit the end of pregnancy.