Finding out I was pregnant with my second child when my first – my daughter Samaiya – was only 6 months old, was shocking, to say the least.
Excitement, joy, shock, anxiety, and a bunch of other emotions I couldn’t exactly name at the time, took over me.
I was about to be a part of the two babies under 2 club.
The emotions I felt when that unmistakable line showed up in the result window of my HPT, were so intense they could’ve knocked a grown man down.
My husband and I were just getting used to life with one baby and now another one was about to be added to the mix.
After much prayer and of course seeking counsel from my mother and the other ladies on my pregnancy apps, I became more comfortable with the idea.
Very soon I was excited and really began looking forward to life with not one but two little ones.
Very soon, trimester 1 turned into trimester 2, and then came trimester 3. I’m May of last year we welcomed our little boy Xavier Josiah.
At that point Samaiya was about 15 months old.
The look on her little face when she first laid eyes on him was priceless; her eyes grew wide open and she smiled nervously looking back and forth between myself and her brother.
I’m pretty sure that I sported the same look while looking at both of them. I was no longer pregnant – both my babies were right there in front of me!
Today, my daughter is now a little over 2 and my son is 11 months old. My husband and I haven’t gone totally nuts and my kids are happy as can be.
So far it has been a journey of constant learning (I thought I was finished after university..boy was I wrong) and of growth.
I’ve learned a lot over the past year and today I’m going to be sharing with you how to manage all of this.
10 Tips on How to Manage Life with 2 Babies Under 2
1. It All Begins With You
The way you start your day is very important.
I used to sleep until the very last minute until I’d hear my babies call aka: cry for me. That’s a huge no-no!
I would always be rushing to get things done and I’d get all flustered and frustrated. Your mornings usually sets the tone for the rest of your day.
Wake up earlier and do what you need to do.
You can pray, or meditate, workout, or take a shower, do whatever it is you need to do to get yourself prepared for the day. You can even eat without having chubby little fingers poking at your food! The possibilities are literally endless.
Wake up earlier and take the time to do something for yourself. You will be so glad you did and your babies will appreciate it to!
Happy mom=happy babies!
2. Have a Routine/Schedule
Little kids are just that, little kids. They don’t have an accurate perception of time.
Your watch will read 12PM but to them, it may as well be 6AM.
If you move to the beat of their drum, it’ll always feel like you never have enough time to get things done.
Set up a routine that works for YOU. During the earlier days I had no routine whatsoever and because of that, my days were a mess.
Set your day up for success without the stress, by having a creating a routine/schedule that works for you.
3. Keep Your Oldest Baby Involved
When and if possible, keep your oldest baby involved.
You’ll most likely always be doing something with your youngest, so to prevent your oldest baby from feeling left out, get them involved.
Whether it’s “helping” you clean, or even “helping” you feed the baby, get your oldest child involved. It’s a great way for you all to bond and also keep an eye on them at the same time.
4. Allow Oldest to Become Independent
I stopped feeling like an octopus the day Samaiya started eating in her own.
I no longer had to do a million things at once. It’s kind of bittersweet, having to watch your first baby grow up but it’s great because it reduces your workload. Once your child starts showing signs of wanting to do things on their own, allow them!
5. Get Your Partner Involved
First off I want to tip my hat off to all the single moms and dads raising kids on their own.
I don’t know how you do it, but you are all some very strong people and I admire you!
Dealing with two babies under 2 can be challenging. Whether it’s getting ready for dinner or bath time, it really does help to have 2 sets of hands on deck. I know many of us mamas would rather just do things on our own but if you’ve got someone with you that’s willing to help, let them!
6. Synchronize Nap Time and Bedtime
I get that this won’t be possible with a newborn, but once both your kids are of the age when they can take scheduled naps/bedtime, do it.
I literally live for nap time and bedtime.
Those are the times I take to do what I need to do around the house: cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc… Sometimes I catch up on some work #momblogger ?, or I take the time to hang out with my husband.
You won’t get much alone time with two babies under 2 so it’s up to you to take advantage of the time you’ve got!
7. Plan Ahead
Getting ready to go out with 2 babies under 2 is no easy feat.
In the earlier days, Jason and I would rush to get out of the house every single time because we never gave ourselves enough time to get everything prepared.
Now, I try to have everything from outfits, snacks, and diaper bags prepped hours before we have to leave the house.
To avoid driving 45 minutes from your home and then realizing you forgot your stroller (true story), plan ahead.
8. Encourage Independent Play
It’s hard to put down an infant (especially when they’re so warm and cuddly) but it may be what you need to do to get some time alone with your oldest baby.
When Xavier was younger, he was extremely clingy.
It was hard to do anything with just my daughter and I because he always wanted to be held…by me.
Around the time he was 3 months old I thought enough was enough. I started putting him in his swing chair and I’d let him just chill out on his own.
It was tough at first because sometimes he’d cry, wanting to be held but over the course of a couple of weeks, he got used to it. He was then able to keep himself happily entertained while I took some time to bond with my daughter.
9. Be Easy on Yourself
Try not to be so rigid with your schedule that you cause yourself unnecessary stress. You can’t exactly plan everything to a T when you have two babies under 2.
Things will come up that you can’t exactly anticipate (think blowout poos and potty training “oopsies”). Let your schedule be your days’ framework, and allow all the little details to work themselves out.
10. Mommy’s Timeout
My husband isn’t always home during the day so when things do get crazy, I put myself in timeout!
Now although my timeout doesn’t involve sitting a pink Trolls plush chair, it does involve taking some me time to regroup.
Sometimes a mama just needs a break! You can plan every second of your day but babies will be babies. Some days they behave like little angels, and other days it’s as if they conspired against you. It’s ok to put yourself on a mommy timeout. You’re a human being too.
In case you’re wondering, when I am home with my kids and I just need a break, I set them down in their cribs with some toys and let them play on their own. There’s no shame in taking time to regroup.
You can either deal with them while your flustered or you can take some time off so everyone gets the chance to calm down. I’d go with the latter. 🙂
There you have it mamas! Ten tips on how to make life easier with two babies under 2.
Whether your anxiously awaiting the arrival of baby #2 or already have two babies under 2, just know that you can do it!
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like things will magically stop being challenging once your oldest passes that 2 year mark, but they will get easier. Allow yourself to grow, to make mistakes, to cry, to laugh, and especially to love.
Because at the end of the day, that’s all that matters.
Now it’s your turn – share your tips to manage little ones at home!
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