Babies less than a year apart and scared!

[sarahmatlock]

Any of you been there done that have any helpful advice... my babies will be 11 months at most apart... and my 8 month old is very very spoiled and I can't fix him because his nannie is living with us!

[mama2myangels07]

Originally Posted by sarahmatlock

Any of you been there done that have any helpful advice... my babies will be 11 months at most apart... and my 8 month old is very very spoiled and I can't fix him because his nannie is living with us!

I'm going to have two that are just about a year apart. Maybe a little less. So no advice, but to you

[mauraa629]

I was hoping for some advice too, mine are going to be about 12.5 month apart, the thought of that with a 3yr old is starting to feel very overwhelming

[sarahmatlock]

Its just now that I am feeling pregnant and it is feeling real... but its when I am putting my baby down for the night or feeding him at 3 in the morning that I break down now and am like... how will I do this with 2??? Other thoughts of I was just here last year at this time and the feeling of it being never ending... but it does end and it is one of those situations where I am on my 4th baby all around and I want to be fixed right away... but I am worried I am not in the right frame of mind... anywho anything you guys are feeling and want to discuss??? We could be our own support group

[texmati]

Mine are going to be a little further apart, but other than that I could have written your post. We need a tribe!

[MaryLang]

It will all work out, try not to worry so much, you can't predict how other siblings will react UNTIL the baby is born, so there isn't much that will come of trying to plan or prepare or worry. I know its easier said than done. I had two 12mnths apart exactly and then 3 under 3 for a while and now 5, 6 and under. My biggest tip is BABYWEAR! I couldn't survive without it!

[sarahmatlock]

Will I be able to wear both babies with two peanut shells? I know worry doesn't make anything better but it is definately easier said than done. I am trying to remain calm and just in general keep the cool because I am also dealing with ppd which my dr thinks is more stemed from post tramatic stress syndrome. So I do have someone to talk to but boy there is a lot of stress with having two this close Yes texmati we need a tribe!!!

[MyFullHouse]

My girls are 1y1m1d apart. I'm not going to lie- it was tough for me. Then again, both of my girls were "colicky" babies, and we were going through autism evaluations with my older son. Obviously, none of that made it any easier!

There were upsides though! They've always entertained each other, even as babies. Clothes and toys were handed down without packing and unpacking them. They were weaned off of sippy cups at the same time, instead of two separate processes (sippy cups with two toddlers were a sanity saver for a while there!) Potty learning was slightly longer than average, but way shorter than 2 separate processes. Most of the crummy stages (clinging, hitting, climbing, etc.) worked the same way - a longer deal, but shorter than doing it twice.

My girls don't have any sort of *perfect* sisterly relationship, but they do love each other, they do help each other, and they do encourage each other. It's fun to watch them growing up together.

It *is* way too easy to find yourself lumping them together though. Not only are mine close in age, but they share a room, they're "the girls" and have been "the middle ones", flanked by two boys, for 3 years. There can be a lot of twin-like animosity with that. We have to be careful to acknowledge their separate identities.

[::Babycakes::]

Okay so....I have three children. One was born 11/07, one was born 11/08, and one was born 11/09. I am expecting the fourth in 02/2011. The last two were not planned, and I was on birth control when I conceived both of them. When my second child was born I thought that it would be really hard because my daughter (the oldest) was really spoiled, and clingy. Her little brother was born 2 days short of being exactly a year apart from her. It has been A LOT easier than you think. We just fell into a routine after a few weeks, and its been like that ever since. The first few weeks may be rough, but after that it isn't that hard. My older two love to play with each other, and entertain each other a lot, and my smallest just loves to watch them run and around and play. I know it may be hard sometimes, but I like to think that they will always have each other, and they will be closer because they are so close in age.

[Pinoikoi]

My now 6 year old is 11 months older than my other 6 year old who is 8 months older than my 5 year old. It was tough. I had three in cloth diapers at the same time, plus my older 6yo never latched correctly so I was EPing for him and wohm... Thankfully I have a very supportive dh- who makes himself VERY useful.

[MaryLang]

I would expand out of just peanut shells, those are good for somethings, like the newborn will be fine in it and its good for quick trips in and out of places. IME get yourself a good ring sling (these are all purpose!) and a Mei Tie for the older one. And practice back carries, I know they seem a little intimidating, but soooo worth the effort. And you don't need to babywear them both all the time. But it will help them to give each a good amount of time that close to you while you get other things done. And it will make shopping a breeze too!

[Cookie5765]

I'm just curious as to if any of you were exclusively breastfeeding when they got pregnant with the babies close in age....

I usually get AF within 6 weeks of birth and I haven't yet....feeling like I will but haven't.....same feelings at the beginning of pregnancy for me usually and we've been DTD (not that I love that term).....

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by Cookie5765

I'm just curious as to if any of you were exclusively breastfeeding when they got pregnant with the babies close in age....

We adopted.

[lilmiss'mama]

Originally Posted by Cookie5765

I'm just curious as to if any of you were exclusively breastfeeding when they got pregnant with the babies close in age....

I usually get AF within 6 weeks of birth and I haven't yet....feeling like I will but haven't.....same feelings at the beginning of pregnancy for me usually and we've been DTD (not that I love that term).....

My girls were a little further apart...16months, but I was exclusively breastfeeding my oldest when I got pregnant.

[MyFillingQuiver]

It's great! In many ways, I prefer it!

Our second and third are 12 months apart-now nearly 8 and nearly 7. Our youngest child just turned 1 on the 3rd, and I'm due in August-so just over a year.

It's busy, but in a different way. I suggest organization, lots of love, boundaries, routine, and a great sense of humor!

I was breastfeeding both times I conceived, and didn't have any fertility signs.

You'll do fine!

[blessedwithboys]

hi OP. congrats and welcome to MDC!

your baby is not spoiled and doesnt need to be fixed. i hope you stick around the boards for a while, you'll understand what i mean.

[Got_Cloth]

I love having my kids close in age. my first 2 are 13 months apart,and it was great!. and my oldest tunred 3, 2 weeks before my 3rd was born. Now they are all so close.
There is 5 1/2 years between 3 and 4 and it was much harder than having 2 close in age. there will be about 18-19 months between 4 and 5, and i am looking forward to them being close in age.

Then the girls were little, i did a lot of resting when they slept. That was a big one! also eating all the time, to keep energy up. I filled the fridge with veggies and fruits already cut up, that i could just grab. I would cut them when i was making dinner, the night before, and put them in tupperware.
I got a great double stroller, that was "front/back" so i could easily take them out. Baby number 2 was super colicky, so she was worn about 99% of the time, so i didnt put her in the stroller often, but if she was sleeping, when we got to where we were going, i would not wake her. ( she never slept)

it really is a lot of fun! and even having 2 ( and 3 in my case) kinds in cloth diapers was super easy. I used prefolds, so there wasnt a lot of thought needed, and I was able to keep up easily.

good luck. i am sure you will be fine!

[jwpsgurl]

My first 2 are 14.5 months apart and it was really hard at first, but it gets easier. I did a lot of babywearing and read stories to my older one while nursing. I also let her pick out the babies diapers and she was great at getting me things. Now, they are 3 and almost 2 and they are the best of friends. They share a room and entertain each other a lot. Everything will work out!