25 Tips & Tricks for Transitioning to 2 Under 2 (Part 2): AFTER Baby Arrives
If you haven't read "Tips & Tricks for Transitioning to 2 Under 2 (Part 1): BEFORE Baby Arrives", take a moment and start there as it includes all the things you need to know and things to prepare for before baby arrives!
AFTER Little One Arrives:
1. INTRODUCTION: Before introducing baby, make sure he/she is well fed and happy before introducing the toddler to the baby so the baby isn't crying on their first meeting!
When baby arrives, if it's just you and your spouse, have your spouse meet your toddler to get them excited about meeting their baby brother/sister. If you have a 3rd person, have that person stay with the new baby while you and your spouse go and see your toddler. Spend a few minutes with just your toddler first and ask about their time, read a book, and love on them for a few last moments before they meet the newest addition.
Then in a very excited voice, ask your toddler if they are ready to meet their baby brother/sister?! Kids feed off of your tone, so keep it positive and uplifting. We had our toddler come outside to meet the new baby. Have a gift your toddler can give to the baby (such as this Polar Bear Jellycat) and have a gift for the toddler from the new baby (such as another stuffed animal or something more creative) so he/she instantly feels connected. (Wise words from a few friends!) They obviously won't know that the baby didn't actually pick it out. They may also be at an age where they attach the gift giver with the gift which is super cute too. We had baby brother give our toddler this Bunny Jellycat since I'm obsessed with Jellycats (and so is my toddler) as well as a Baby Doll Stroller which she LOVED. When we ask her who the bunny and stroller are from, she makes sure to tell us, "Baby Jack!"
Here is a pic of their first meeting and Evi giving the polar bear to her baby brother. We thought it was best to have them meet outside so she didn't feel like he was intruding on her space the first time they met. I'm not an expert though, just our approach. We also wanted to make sure that our toddler felt like it was the baby joining us and our family, and not the other way around, as the last thing you want to do is make the toddler feel like they are being replaced.
2. EXPECT TO BE EXHAUSTED: First of all, if you plan to be or are already in the trenches with 2 under 2, we are in the trenches with you! Know it's 100% normal to be completely and utterly exhausted. I am writing this as baby is 8 weeks, and we've only had one 4-hour stretch of sleep in the last 3 weeks. Baby has a bad case of GERD, lately hasn't been sleeping more than 1.5 to 2 hours at a time, requires mama to be on a MSPI diet (more on that in another post), and only naps in 30-40 minute stretches. This mama is TIRED! Many days (and late nights) I just have to tell myself, "Keep on going!" I remind myself daily that this is only a phase and soon it will be over, so try to enjoy and embrace each day, even as much of a circus as it may be as we will never be at this exact moment again, and before we know it, they will be off to college.
3. REMIND YOURSELF OF A PERSPECTIVE SHIFT: Sometimes I have to take a step back and just look at their tiny little faces, take in their sweet little snuggles as I hold them, feel their squishy little cheeks as I kiss them, and then think about the faces of my friends' older kids and tell myself, soon my kids will be there, and I'll long for this baby stage again! I also say a continued prayer to help me live in the present and soak in all the moments and joys that this innocent stage brings. I just love this inspirational sign as it is helpful for a renewed perspective during the tougher days as well. Find it on Amazon!
4. GRACE, GRACE, & MORE GRACE: Take time to fully wrap you head around and embrace the mindset that extra grace will be needed - for yourself, for your spouse, and for your kids. There will be days you feel like SuperMom with all you accomplished in a day... and then there are days when mere survival was the only thing accomplished. It's OK and perfectly normal!
Speaking of grace and a perspective shift, I haven't done much in this current stage of life, but one of the few things I try to do every morning and/or night is read this Jesus Calling devotional. (Ignore my scribbles, I usually read it while nursing so handwriting isn't the best.) I have found that each devotional speaks to me in unique ways and offers a source of daily encouragement, especially during crazy pandemic times where we all feel like we have little control in our lives. If you need a little pick me up or some encouragement, I couldn't recommend it more highly.
5. NOT SO PRETTY: Keep in mind, the first few weeks probably won't look so pretty, and even sometimes downright ugly with toddler tantrums and figuring out new routines with sleep deprivation and little time to shower regularly. Few moms talk about it, but postpartum can be rough, and especially tough with a toddler and newborn. Add in fluctuating hormones and extreme sleep deprivation, and it's one giant roller coaster of ups and downs. Did I mention my toddler also started her 2 year sleep regression early, right at the perfect time I was getting 2-3 hours total of sleep per night with our baby who had a bad case of GERD and who wouldn't sleep longer than 1-2 hour stretches? It was rough to say the least and took a major toll on my mama body and heart. If you get so lucky to go through this too, know you are not alone, but you WILL get through this!
Figuring out new routines and a new rhythm takes time so allow extra grace and patience. Just as I would settle my toddler into a book or quiet activity to try and get my newborn nursed or asleep, no fail, our toddler would pounce on the baby, start talking loudly to the baby, start "singing", or the dog would start barking...and baby would be awakened and the process would repeat... It's a special challenge when you have a toddler and newborn as the toddler isn't quite old enough to sit and be safe in a room while I would go upstairs and put baby down. You definitely have to be creative. Try independent play time with a large Portable Play Yard or area that is completely toddler proofed (including safe toys and books and an area they can't escape) so you know your little one is safe and sound if you have to leave the room temporarily. If you do have to leave the room for a short while, have an extra baby camera in the room and watch your child on the monitor to ensure they are staying safe.
6. MAKE TIME FOR YOU: I know it is SO HARD to even find 5 free minutes in the day, but remember, happy mom = happy kids, so do what you can to start with even 5-20 min to yourself. Sit and drink that cup of coffee or tea, take a bath or nice long shower, listen to music, sit outside for a few peaceful quiet moments, or go for a short walk. Have a friend or your spouse watch the kids for an hour and run a solo errand. Do what brings you some joy and relaxation! I remember early on, I asked my husband for 60 seconds of uninterrupted me time, and I would go downstairs and eat some dark chocolate on the sofa and just veg out for that delightful minute. It was small, but I needed it to take on the rest of the night or day. Soon it grew to 5 minutes and now I try to take 15-20 if possible.
Also get out of the house and get some fresh air when possible. I know it's more challenging than in the past, but even try to go for a walk outside, drive through to get a coffee, go to the park, or meet a friend for a playdate!
7. LET IT GO / KEEP "THE BIG PICTURE" IN MIND. Let go of many of the expectations you have early on and learn to just embrace what each day brings! This can be so hard for the go-getter / over achiever / planner types out there, but the more you realize how little is actually in your control, the happier you will be. Then when things don't go as planned, you are much more able to be flexible and go with the flow than getting upset.
Things may look completely different for your next child and that's OK! You may not have the same time, energy, or attention you had with your first, but now your baby has extra siblings to love on him/her! My friend always told me, the greatest gift you can give to your child is a sibling as they will have a lifelong friend that will love and cherish them for the rest of their lives. Again, BIG PICTURE.
It's also OK if your newborn doesn't take all their naps in the crib/bassinet and isn't on a strict schedule! Naps can happen while holding baby, baby wearing, or in the car. With our first baby, we did a modified sleep training approach with her and took the time and steps to get her to master falling asleep on her own by putting her down "sleepy but awake". But when our second child arrived, not only did he have a bad case of GERD and had a hard time sleeping (especially on his back), but he also had a very loud older sister.
We let go of our original plans and let a lot of things slide, such as taking many naps in the swing since he slept the best there, and it was in a separate room away from big sister who loved to wake him up right as he would fall asleep! (I kept the monitor on him of course.) I didn't want him to get dependent on the swing, but also needed him to sleep so he wasn't overtired. I also couldn't spend 30-45 minutes every nap time trying to get him to sleep on his own while managing a toddler. We aim for 1-2 naps in the bassinet and the other naps wherever it's easiest for mama! Don't stress! In the end, you have to keep the big picture in mind and remember, those many naps all merge into one nap (and then the dreaded no nap eventually! Ahhh, don't say it!) Do what you need to do to survive and what makes the most sense for the current state of your family, and keep the big picture in mind.
8. SAME SCHEDULE: Try to get the kiddos on the same schedule for at least 1 nap a day. Getting the baby and toddler down to sleep in the afternoon for their nap has made a huge difference so that I can have even 15 min of me time while still getting dinner ready or doing laundry, or cleaning up from lunch. If I'm super lucky and baby takes a long nap, I can even lay down for a nap (or at least a little rest period) while they both are napping.
9. SUPPORT SYSTEM: Have a support system and don't be afraid to ask for help! People want to help! Whether it's a meal train, grandparents helping, friends coming over for support, or another mom friend picking up your toddler for a play date or taking them to the park for an hour so you can sleep, make sure to let people help you! When grandparents are visiting, make a list of things that they can help with such as help feed the toddler, help make meals, help do laundry, help with nap time, grocery shop, etc. After all, it really does take a village! Ask your mom friends, church friends, and mom's groups for recommendations for babysitters as well as "mother's helpers". This could be a high school or college student that comes over even a couple hours during the week so you can meal prep, do laundry, go on a jog, or run that solo errand!
And if you're the praying type, pray early and often! There are many mornings I would say, "God, just give me the energy, grace, and patience to get through today." Even simple prayers like, "God help me to be grateful, even in the trenches," "God, help me to be the example my kids need," "Help me to live in the present and not take any moment for granted," really make a difference in my perspective, attitude, and daily living.
10. WEAR BABY: Wear baby with a baby carrier to be hands free so you can still play with your toddler, prepare dinner, or do laundry! Find a baby carrier you love such as this Tula Explore baby carrier or a wearable wrap similar to the Solly Baby Wrap for getting started. Reasons I love the Tula Explore baby carrier:
How easy it is to put on and take off as well.
I didn't need to buy a newborn insert for it.
You can wear it 3 ways (facing in, forward facing out, and back carry).
It works from infant to toddlerhood.
When baby arrived from the hospital, he was right at 7lbs so even though the TULA weight range is from 7-45lbs, he was a little peanut so I used a Solly baby wrap similar to this wearable wrap for the first few weeks until he grew a little more to fit comfortably in the TULA. Bonus, I have a smaller baby wrap (it's actually a newborn photography wrap) that my daughter likes to wear with her baby dolls so she can be like mommy.
11. TODDLER TALK: Toddler's hear so often all the things you have to do for baby ("Mama has to feed baby brother," "Mama needs to change baby brother's diaper," "Mama needs to put baby brother down for nap"), so also let them hear when you are spending focused time on them. For example, even though the baby won't understand this, it will make the toddler feel special when you look at the baby and say, "Mama needs to get lunch ready for your big sister," "Mama needs to help big sis with going potty," "Mama needs to play with big sister now," etc.
12. INVOLVE THEM: When baby does arrive, let your toddler help and be involved as much as possible. My daughter gets so excited to help change the baby's diaper, she will literally stop whatever she is doing and race to me to help get the supplies ready, open and close his diaper tabs, and throw the diaper away. I also have her help diaper her doll or stuffed animal next to me which she loves to do too.
13. BIG SIBLING BOOKS: Keep reading your big sibling books and point out who is who in the books. Include their name and baby's name as you read and point out activities they help with now that baby has arrived (Ex. There you are helping change baby brother's diaper!).
These are some of my favorite books: I'm a Big Sister, I'm a Big Brother, You're the Biggest, I'm a Big Sister, The New Baby, and I'm a Big Brother.
14. NAP/NURSING ACTIVITIES: Have a special box of toys your toddler gets to play with only when you're nursing or when you're putting baby down for a nap. Then they will still feel special and excited even when you have to focus your time and attention on the new baby. Make sure the activities can't cause any harm to the toddler or to your house (such as choking hazards or markers or even colors if your toddler is anything like mine and the moment you leave the room, the kitchen has been crayola'd...)
15. PLAN FOR EXTRA TIME: Just know that getting out the door takes not 2x, but 10x longer with 2 under 2. It is inevitable that by the time you are ready to load up the car, one or both will need a diaper change or the toddler will throw a tantrum because the sky won't actually rain cats and dogs... or whatever reason. Just plan on getting everything ready long before you plan to leave with the car packed, then right before you plan to leave, try to nurse/feed the newborn so hopefully they can take a nap in the car, and feeding will be one less thing you have to worry about right away.
16. EMBRACE "CLUNKY": My friend told me that my new word for 2 under 2 would be "clunky" and she was right! Getting out the door feels extra clunky with 2 kiddos and diaper bags, snacks, milk/water, toys, and a larger double stroller, etc. Embrace it and know this stage is only temporary and soon they will be in kindergarten (and then college - yikes!) not needing all your help to get from point A to point B.
17. EXPECT MELTDOWNS: Bringing home a new baby rocks everyone's world and routines and requires sacrifices from all, but this is especially true for your toddler. My toddler started throwing tantrums right around the time baby was here, so expect it and know it's completely normal, so take extra deep breaths and know, this too shall pass!
Toddlers go from getting you 100% of the time to having to share you more than 50%. They likely will not be able to understand, identify, or express their big emotions, so many times this results in meltdowns and toddler tantrums. It's like they don't know how to deal with all their big emotions and process having to share mama or dada, so the only way they know how to communicate at times is to act out. It helped me to have extra grace and patience by thinking how innocent and helpless they are, and every time she would throw a tantrum, I would imagine her little self saying, "Mama, look at me, I need you. I miss you. I just want love and am a little jealous of new baby, but don't know how to express it so just give me a little more love as I don't know how to deal with all this change!"
Many times they are just acting out as they are craving more attention from you but don't know how to express this. Help them by staying calm and figuring out what is going on in their heart and mind. Help them to recognize and identify the emotion and feeling they have instead of just focusing on the action or behavior. Give them extra love, grace, and patience. Praise them and offer lots of positive reinforcement for any time they do the right thing and exhibit positive behavior, especially when it comes to loving on their new baby. Whenever Evi gives the baby kisses or hugs, we praise her and tell her what a great job she is doing by loving and protecting her baby brother.
Get extra help where and when you can! And I promise, it does get easier and better! Hang in there!
18. "MOMMY & ME" / "DADDY & ME" TIME: Provide extra care, love, and nurturing for your toddler and make sure to spend quality time with just you and the toddler too. This can be done during baby's nap time or when others are holding the newborn. Find something fun that babies can't do to make it even more appealing to your toddler like cooking together, playing with play-doh, or sharing ice cream. Make this time special by saying something like, "Now it's time for "Mommy and Me" time! What would you like to do?!" Make sure your tone of voice reflects how exciting this time is!
19. MULTI-TASKING MAMA: Moms really needed to be made with another arm or two, but since we weren't, you will learn how to juggle and multi-task like never before. There are many dinners where I'm feeding my toddler while simultaneously nursing my baby. Other days I'm nursing my baby while making dinner while keeping my toddler distracted by asking her to show me new skills, "Can you show Mama how you feed your baby doll?" "Can you make Mama a strawberry ice cream cone with sprinkles from your Ice Cream Cart?" etc. Eventually this usually turns into some independent play time when I'm lucky. You will be amazed at the new skills you will learn while managing multiple kiddos and keeping a home together. Many days the home will be messy, laundry won't get done, dinner is a frozen pizza, and that's A-OK. This is a season. "Messes are expected as memories are being made." That will be your motto for many years...embrace it now.
20. EACH BABY IS UNIQUE: Keep in mind that every baby and child is different. Try not to compare yourself, your parenting, your baby, or your other kids to anyone else. Each child and situation is uniquely different. My daughter hated baths (still screams when her face gets wet), had GERD but overate so spit up constantly, went on a nursing strike where she would only drink from bottles for a month, and didn't mind dirty diapers. On the other hand, my son loves baths (he doesn't even flinch if water gets in his eyes), but he hates a wet diaper. He also has GERD but is a snacker. Oh, and he won't take a bottle if his life depended on it - trust me, we've tried EVERYTHING! It's OK if you don't have all the answers and you don't know how to do everything perfectly. My friends and I joke that the reason we have more than one kid is so that we can realize even more how little we actually know and experience even more of life's potential parenting problems while learning even more patience than we ever thought possible. Each child will be different. What worked for your first child likely won't work for your second, or third... Expect and embrace it now, and get ready to be creative and learn even more!
21. EMBRACE DUPLICATES & TRIPLICATES: We have 3 floors in our house so when it comes to a baby, toddler, and fur baby, I wanted "easy and simple" as I didn't want to have to carry a Play Mat or an Exersaucer/Activity Center from floor to floor, so I set up a Play Mat and an Exersaucer/Activity Center (for when baby is bigger) on each floor of the house where I spent a lot of time.
We have the playroom in the basement, so that was imperative to have one there. I also spend a lot of time in the living room play area and kitchen, so also wanted one there. I also wanted one on the top floor for when we were in their rooms or if I needed to take a shower and needed them contained in one spot in the bathroom. I ended up borrowing 2 from friends and bought the Skip Hop Baby Activity Center below for the other floor. My toddler still loves playing with this on occasion as I will find her climbing into it to play. I also did this with Baby Play Mats so I could lay the baby down in a clean, safe area near me while I played with my toddler.
22. MULTIPLE DIAPER CHANGING STATIONS: Similar to the reason above, I didn't want to have to run upstairs and haul the kids and fur baby with me when needing to change a diaper. I had 3 different quick access areas for changing diapers - one on each floor. This little Baby Diaper Caddy is great for organizing baby diaper supplies, and we have one for each floor of the house!
23. NURSING TOPS: My new wardrobe consists mainly of comfy clothes, nursing tops, and nursing dresses. Here are a few of my favorite nursing tops by Ekouaer and Smallshow as well as a few fun ligthweight nursing hoodies for fall! I have found my go-to's are whatever is easiest to nurse in. Many days this may just be my robe! Finding a cute and comfy robe will make you feel like a pretty mama, even if you only got 3 hours of sleep and never get out of your PJs for the day! So many fun styles, patterns, colors, and sizes to choose from!
24. FIND WAYS TO MAKE LIFE EASIER: Even though we try to be green whenever possible, sometimes you just need to make an exception. For the first few weeks when life is at an all-time level of crazy chaos, we use paper plates and plastic utensils to limit washing dishes/unloading the dishwasher as often. I also only use one kids plate for my daughter per day (I just do a quick hand wash after each meal, and at the end of the day, I throw it in the dishwasher), which eliminates dishwashing duties too. Find apps that make your life easier. I use the Glow app to track baby feed, wake, and sleep times as well as dirty diapers early on.
25. UTILIZE THE SURPRISE BOX: Read all about it in Part 1, but for a quick summary, create a box of "surprises" for your toddler that is from the baby. You don't have to spend much to do this, just be creative! This may look a little excessive below with all the gifts, but I didn't spend over $100 with everything. Some people just pick out one special gift from their baby sibling, and that's fine too!
I let her pick out a new "surprise from baby brother" every week (and following a time when she has really good behavior to offer even more positive reinforcement), and she gets so excited to open the gift. I remind her it's from baby brother! I found a lot of little cheap thrills at the dollar store as well as some old toys and treasures my mom saved for me from when I was little (like dolls and an adorable vintage Minnie 'n Me dish set) that have been major hits with my little one. Be creative - you could make a sock puppet with a mismatched sock and they would have a blast! For more ideas, check out the Surprise Box section in "Tips & Tricks for Transitioning to 2 Under 2 (Part 1): BEFORE Baby Arrives".
Thanks for reading! Read more tips and discover must-have, essential items that will make the transition with another kiddo much easier in "Tips & Tricks for Transitioning to 2 Under 2 (Part 1): BEFORE Baby Arrives" and "Essential Items for 2 Under 2".
