2.5 year old and new baby- help!

[z-girl]

DD is doing a great job of being an older sister- so loving, so nurturing, so kind. I have one big challenge right now- trying to get DD #2 down for a nap. DD #1 wants to help with everything and just can't be quiet to save her life. I can't seem to sneak away to put the baby down, and if DD #1 goes with me, she wakes her up. The baby is 6 weeks old and I just can't sling her all the time for naps. My back can't take it! I've even tried putting DD in front of a computer game or video (big treats around here) to distract her. She'd still rather help. Then she wakes the baby, and then I get mad at her. I've never gotten mad at her, and it seems to both upset and fascinate her. I see the beginnings of button-pushing and power struggles and I don't like it! How do I get the baby down for a nap and not harm my older child in the process? I've never felt so frustrated with her! It's scary to me!

Thanks!

[rosebuds]

Well, I have totally BTDT and struggled all the while. It amazed me how everytime I asked my older dd to be quiet she would get louder. Ugh.

One thing that I tried that worked occassionally was to lie down and nurse the baby while the older one laid beside me either listening to the radio or usually a book on tape. On some wonderful days we would all fall asleep. :D

Do you have a stroller? Could your DD#1 help you push baby around in the stroller till the baby fell asleep? This would work well indoors too if you had the space.

HTH

[z-girl]

great idea about the stroller! and the books on tape. we'll get some new onesa at the library and make a new routine of it! maybe it will be easier to figure out when the baby has more of a nap routine...

[beanma]

hey z, i'm there with you on the 6-week old and older dd (mine will be 3 in feb). dd#2 doesn't have much of a schedule yet, but thankfully about 2/3 of the time i can still get dd#1 to nap. we all lie down together when dd#1 seems like she might crash. often dd#2 and i nap, too, but if the little one wakes up and starts being noisy (she's a noisy baby) we leave and let dd#1 nap alone. sometimes i appreciate dd#1 napping more than dd#2. i haven't tried to put dd#2 down and leave her yet really. dd#1 was pretty high needs and she trained me to carry her at all times so that's where i'm coming from. in case you're wondering no housework gets done around here til dh gets home!

hth, but i doubt it

[z-girl]

DD #1 doesn't nap anymore, but she'll occasionally slow down enough to read books in bed with me. If the mood is just right.... Congrats on your new one, Beanma!