How to survive the early days alone with two children

Emily Taylor - 19 Feb 19

Going from one child to two can be is overwhelming. Having one child felt like a huge responsibility but suddenly juggling two feels almost impossible. Particularly when your partner goes back to work after just a couple of weeks and you’re left all alone with two children! But it is possible to survive the madness! Here are my top ten tips to surviving the early days with two children:

1. Rules were made to be broken. In the early days we watched a lot of Peppa Pig and we ate a lot of biscuits. Snacks and TV are a life saver when you have a toddler and a baby – particularly if you’re stuck under said baby either sleeping or feeding!
2. Take advantage of a sleeping baby and give your toddler some one-to-one time.
3. Take advantage of toddler naps and REST! Even if the baby isn’t napping in their bed, it’s surprisingly easy to rest with a baby on you when the toddler isn’t around!
4. Packed lunches. Make your lunch and your toddler’s the night before. You’ll thank yourself when the baby’s screaming and you’re starving and the toddler is hangry.
5. Feeding time (which happens a lot in the early days) is probably the most challenging time. The toddler will either take full advantage and run riot, or will become super clingy. Either are not ideal when you have a newborn who wants to feed all day!
6. Books are a good way to entertain a toddler when you’re feeding the baby.
7. We also had a toy box of new toys that were brought out for feeding time. They weren’t allowed at other times, so they were always quite exciting.
8. Baby and toddler groups are a godsend. Your toddler can play (and expend their energy) and you can sit and have a hot drink and some grown up conversation.
9. Get organised. Anyone who knew me prior to having two babies will laugh at this but in the last year, I have become surprisingly organised. Pack your change bag the night before. Make sure the car is packed if you’re heading out for the day, or the buggy is all ready to go for walks to the park.
10. Take all the help you can get. Not just with the babies but with cooking, cleaning and general housekeeping.

And remember, this period really doesn’t last for that long. It feels like it never ends when you’re in the thick of it but suddenly, it’s a year later and your newborn is nearly toddling after your toddler. And your toddler is nearly, or already, a pre-schooler. Things change very quickly and they are challenging in their own ways but they are easier.

Emily Taylor

I'm a first time mum, blogging about my adventures over at The trainee mum. I'm totally winging it and loving it! Right now my life is consumed entirely by this tiny little boy which is overwhelming and wonderful all at once. I'm hoping at some point in the future, I'll remember who I was again!

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