Tips for a New Mom of 2 Under 2 - Bloomington,IL

I bring my newborn in the bathroom with me. I put her in the infant chair while I shower. Also, I know this sounds bad, but TV would get my boys to sit while I showered. My twins are 2.5 and when they were 18 months, I couldn't shower without the TV. As long as something educational is on (Sesame Street, Word World, whatever), I felt a little less guilty. Also, it's okay if the baby cries. Newborns also sleep a lot, too, which we sometimes forget. Showering right after a feeding when the baby goes back to sleep is a good time to get it done.

1. Get everything ready and in the car the night before.
2. You can try to get a shower with one in the playpen and one in the bathroom, but realistically that will not always work (ie multiple diaper blowouts, there goes your time to shower). There is some kind of dry powder shampoo that you shake into your hair - you might want to check that out for those days. You've got a low maintenance hair cut, right? If not, you soon will!

Expect that it is going to take a couple months to adjust and find a routine that works for you. You will get there - I swear!

Mine are 15 months apart -19 months and 4 months now.

Honestly, I would take my showers the night before, but if you prefer a morning one I would get up at 545 and hop in and out before hubby leaves. Just remember, it will not be forever! I know how hard it is with 2 tiny ones, but it seems like no time at all and they will be all grown up and all this stuff will not seem like it was such a struggle, ya know? Best of luck and blessed be!

I always felt kids were safe in their cribs and I showered fast. It wont hurt them if they wake up before youre done. Just make it quick and quiet. Do all the shaving, and stuff another time when daddy can be home with them and you can take more time and relax.

Bouncy seat for newborn and toys on the floor or in his crib (if he is still in it) for toddler! Luckily my toddlers always slept till around 7 so I just had to deal with the baby! Also consider a full shower at night and just jumping in to refresh your hair in the morn. I also used to stick my toddler in the shower sitting down with toys on the floor. My first 2 kids were 15 mos apart and my third is 2.5 yrs later (currently 11 weeks) so for a few mos I had 3 under 4 yrs! It is a crazy life! You will love it once the baby is around 10mos and they start to play together and also if you can get both kids on the same nap schedule once the baby drops to one nap....but for the first yr, things are harder because someone is always napping and at different times so less rest for mom! Best wishes!

Get a bouncy chair for the newborn to bring in the bathroom. Or just drag the carseat in there. My oldest two are 20 months apart- I remember those days- showing with the shower curtain open just to make sure they don't tear the place apart :) Good luck and enjoy your babies!

I am in same boat right now...
Buy a see through shower curtain...
TV and a sippy cup/snacks in bed w/cartoons on
doors shut to bathroom/bedroom.
baby in crib.
and if you do a shower night before, check out Tresseme dry shampoo spray! I love it and also have oily hair.

Good luck!

I can't get up before my children. I had two under two then three under three. Shower just as you do now, with your new baby in the bathroom in a bouncer, or in their crib. Don't worry about the crying. You won't be long, and they're safe. Have really easy breakfasts. I fed my children baby food jars of apple and oatmeal as well as arrowroot cookies. Also get some of those breakfast drinks. It all adds up to a decent breakky. Lose any mommy guilt. I felt bad not making real oatmeal until my mom showed me i was doing ok! Have bags packed and ready to go the night before. Oh, I've just remembered! I used to put my children to bed already dressed in their clothes for the next day! They had had their baths and were clean, and they did't mind one bit. it really saved a lot of stress and time in the morning. I would buy soft shorts and t-shirts so they would be comfy when sleeping. Once again I had to lose the mommy guilt for that, but it was great! Good luck!

mine are about the same distance apart, and I would just put the baby in a bouncy seat in the bathroom with me and set my toddler up on my bed with morning cartoons. I was very anti-TV until I had my second child..then it become a true life saver in some clutch moments when I needed to keep my toddler occuppied while taking care of myself or the newborn. You will be able to figure it out during your maternity leave--planning it all out now won't do much good since you haven't even met your new baby yet :)

I had a baby chair in my bathroom.. I could put either child in the baby seat while I took a shower. Mine are 18 months apart. I tried to get my shower beofer they got up.. but sometimes I would hear the first baby squeek and ruun and get a fast shower while they were in their cribs.

do not do errands with 2 kids.. wait til hubby can watch them.

you will only have them for a bit of time in the am and then a few hours in the evening.. that will be easy.

I had my second when my first was 17 months old. Have everything ready the night before. Diaper bag already packed, everyones clothes laid out, breakfast out, bottles pre-made (if you don't breastfeed), and do the kid's baths at night.

If you do not want to wake up early to shower feed the baby as soon as you get up and then get in the shower. He/she will be able to sit in the swing/bouncer/playpen while you shower and you can keep your routine with your toddler of him playing on the floor of the bathroom. It is important that you keep his routine the same, and your morning showers sound like they are important bonding time to him so I would try hard to allow it to stay the same.

Wake up BEFORE them and get yourself, ready.
1 hour beforehand.
Get EVERYTHING and you ready, before they wake up or the night before.

I have always thought adjusting to two was harder than adjusting to one. I would say you have to play it by ear. You might have to leave the baby in the crib while you shower and if he./she cries, it won't be the end of the world. Do you have maternity leave? That will give you some time to figure it out. If not, then I would say let the toddler keep his routine and let the baby adjust. After 5 kids, believe me when I say that they will adjust much easier than the first :).
Good luck and congrats!

When my daughter was a baby I would put her in her bouncy seat in the bathroom so I could see her & I knew she was safe. We also had a clear shower curtain for awhile so she could see me too which helped keep her calm. I felt like I was taking a shower in a spotlight when it was dark enough that I needed the light on but it seemed to help her a lot that she could see me & knew where I was. Good Luck!

There have been time where I washed my hair in the sink and just listened to the crying. Not the best of times, but I felt more able to run and get them if needed. I would also get hubby on board with allowing time in his morning routine to give a hand if needed. Once my S.O. realized I really was just going to let our DS cry in the playpen while I took a shower then he made some adjustments to help out.