What it’s Like Having Two Kids Under Two
Deciding to grow your family by an extra pair of tiny feet is so exciting! But what if you’re pregnant before your first born hits the age of two? Congratulations! You’re about to be the proud mama of two under two — a feat often feared and looked at with great respect. But don’t worry, Mama, you can absolutely handle this. You might be the mama living off of coffee and pure magic, but you’ll find your groove easier than you think!
So how do you handle two under two? You’re going to need a lot of patience, love, and great scheduling! The best part, though? You’re going to get double the love in return…and what could be better than that? Plus, with a little forethought, you’ll be cruising through two under two motherhood in no time!
What to Expect
LOTS of opinions. To you, your first born will officially seem like a ‘big kid’, and no longer your baby — you’ll be ready for a newborn! But others around you will still feel that your oldest is a baby, and they’ll likely have opinions about it, Mama. Hang in there and don’t let it bother you — you know your family best!
Your pregnancy will fly by. With a little one underfoot, you won’t have the same presence or thought process on pregnancy as with your first one! The months will fly by, and you’ll be ready to pop in no time!
You might experience mom-guilt. Many mamas having a second child experience guilt about how much “only child” time their firstborn received. The important thing is to not let the guilt hang around! You have plenty of love for both little ones, and your oldest will love having a sibling once the foreignness of it wears off!
During Pregnancy
After you’ve made your choice and are pregnant with your second, there’s plenty you can do upfront to prepare! As mentioned, your second pregnancy will seem to fly by in comparison to the first, so being present and setting yourself up for an easier first few months will help you stay tethered and not watching the 9 months rush past!
Solo playtime. This is so important to your sanity as a mother of two kids under two! Take the nine months of pregnancy and teach your little one how to entertain themselves — start introducing toys and books they can use on their own, and encourage them to leave you out of it! Don’t worry — you can still be near and watch, Mama.
Patience. The best part about being a small, only child is that you get immediate answers and gratification — there’s no one else to attend to! When you have a newborn, it will be much harder for you to answer your first born’s cries or requests immediately. Take the time before your baby arrives to teach them to wait a few minutes — whether it’s when they want to wake up, leave the dinner table, have playtime, etc. It may be hard to do, but you’ll be so grateful in a few months!
Put them down. That sounds harsh, but all we’re really saying is to start declining your child’s request to be carried occasionally. Of course you can still carry your Bitsy and hold them whenever you’d like! But teaching them early that you won’t be able to stop and pick them up at all times once Baby arrives will help you juggle them both!
When Baby Arrives
Yay, they’re here! We’re sure you’re getting a ton of snuggles in, and know you’re looking forward to adjusting with both little ones! Here are a few ways to make it easier:
Gentle touch. Teach your older Bitsy how to interact with your new arrival — the more comfortable they are with them, the happier they’ll be! Teach them the importance of very gentle touches, and answer any (and all!) questions they may have about the baby!
Keep everyone well-fed. This includes you, Mama! You’re sure to be exhausted those first few days and weeks, so don’t make it worse by starving yourself! Try to keep easy snacks on hand to grab and nourish your body with. Even better, they’re great to keep your Bitsy busy when you need to feed baby!
Establish routines. By now, you very likely have a set routine with your first born, so adding your newborn to that routine should be a little easier! Everyone takes naps at the same time, eats at the same time, and so on! But you can make routines easier for you, too — have a couple of options on repeat for breakfasts, lunches, and snacks, and find times to head out of the house that coincide with everyone’s nap and feeding times!
Accept help. Seriously, Mama, take the help where you can get it! If your partner isn’t home to help during the day, welcome friends, neighbors, and family members any time they offer — it will save your sanity, truly!
At the end of the day, Mama, you’ll figure it all out! It can feel like navigating foreign territory, and for a while it will be! But after a few months of toting around two kids under two, you’ll forget what it was even like only having one!