Anyone got 19mo between kids?

[Beach Mama]

I have 17 mths between mine, so it was pretty hectic. DD fell in love with DS the minute he was born and is a pretty independent kid so I found the early days fairly easy - she was happy to chat and play around me while I fed, or she would sit and feed her dolls at the same time!! Cute! I have actually found it harder when they were older, especially when they were 2 and 3. That year from when DS was 2-just recently was really tough in behavioural stuff for both of them really but we are coming out of that now and I am loving that they are such great friends! As for what you need, once you have had one I guess you really realise how little babies actually need and how much is just nice to have stuff. I didn't really get organised until I was on mat leave which was at 36 weeks and that is when I set up the nursery and bought what I needed. Good luck I am sure you will be fine and one thing I reminded myself of both times because sometimes I lost sight of it was that shops are still open once the baby is born So if you DO need something you don't have once they are here, you can go and get it!

ETA: My DD had a low bed in her room from 14 mths and from 15 mths decided to sleep in it all the time, DS was in a hammock until he was nearly 12 mths anyway but we had the cot for some nap times as well.

[misty]

There are 22mths between my kids.

You cope because you have to. There is no other choice. And yes it can be hard. But the good moments make up for all the tough ones.

[feeb]

I have 18 months and 4 days. Its hectic and full on for 12 months but does get easier!! But its also fun seeing them grow up together and kiss and cuddle.

DS1 was not walking when DS2 was born so that made things difficult as we have no off street parking so was exercise just to get to car!

DS1 didnt move to a bed until he was 2 as we had a bassinet for DS2 (not that he used it much).

You will cope because you have too there is no hard and fast rules!

[Feijoa Mum]

I have a 19mth gap between my first two (all those years ago now ) but I from what I do remember it was a case of "I have to do this, there is no point wondering the hows"

My DS14 wasnt overly fussed or put out when his brother arrived so that certainly made things alot easier.
We bought him a bed a few months before DS13 arrived and started off with daysleeps in it and slowly over time progressed to full time so no need for another cot. We had a sling I used for the first few weeks until I found a double pram I liked.

Lots of stuff was eased up on until I had some kind of routine down ie housework, washing, trips out, social life - love life! And that was just my personal routine I didnt bother trying to get the boys into one. The rules kept changing so I just went with the flow for a long time as I found that was the best way for me.

As a survivor I can say it is not going to be a piece of cake but you can do it!

[raffy]

My c section is booked for exactly 2 weeks today and there will be 14 months and 13 days between my boys. I'm also scared how I will cope as ds1 isn't all that independent and can be quite clingy and demanding! He does love little babies but so I'm hoping he likes his little brother even though he's gonna take up lots of mums time.

I like that we have him in a very good routine but so hoping that makes adding a new one a bit easier. He's still in the cot that's now in the nursery, he does have a toddler bed that's in his room and he has his day nap in that just to get use to it. I figure bub will be in the bassinet for at least 3/4 months so it gives us that long to get ds1 to sleep in his bed all the time. The way I see it I don't have a choice and as hard as it's going to be I cannot wait to see my baby boys grow up together and be really close due to their age.

[Charlotte91]

Anyone else got any experiences?

[PinkPalace]

. Its hectic and full on for 12 months but does get easier!! !

Personally i found the first 2 years the easiest! and the first 12 months especially - when DS started moving about and DD realised she couldnt determine what he played with etc then it got interesting! then once DS found he could fight back and declare some independence and confidence much harder!.

It was this 3yr old and 2 yr old and public outing that got difficult too as they were old enough to be interested and too young to understand they cant run in different directions on me! Once they were 3 and 4 got easier again as the eldest understood more and ds' hormones calmed downa little

[MrsFabuloso]

We have 16mths between our first two. I found it pretty difficult for the first 6mths in particular, but up to a year was pretty tough. I suffered with AND and PND, which made it all the more difficult. My children are terrible sleepers, and having two that don't sleep well, a very frequently feeding breast fed baby, a DH who worked 12+hr night shifts, and having to return to work part time when #2 was 5mths old was really difficult.
But now looking back at it all I love how close they are to each other. They are a bit like twins in how close they are and they miss each other terribly when they are separated. I love their relationship and how close they are to each other. They do drive each other (and me!) bonkers sometimes, and are now getting to the stage of tormenting each other (at 5 and 3 1/2), lol. But that is what siblings do and I don't really think it would be much different if they were any further apart in age. Their adoration for each other far outweighs how they torment each other, lol.
I wouldn't change it at all now. Had you asked me in the first year, I would have said I would have preferred that they were further apart. But that was in the think of my depression and struggling with work ect. It was all circumstantial and mostly due to lack of sleep. As I got more sleep, I felt better. I love how it is now.
As for sleeping when they were tiny, we had DD (eldest) in the cot and DS1 int he cradle for about 4mths, and then we brought DD a big girl bed. by then she was pretty much too big for the cot anyway. She transitioned really well into the bed, and DS1 ended up cosleeping full time anyway!

[Phteven]

There was 16 months between DS1 and DS2.

Luckily for me DS2 was an 'easy' baby. He didn't cry lots and only woke up once or twice a night.

Once they were both mobile shopping could be a bit crazy because they would both take off at top speed in opposite directions at least once every time we went to the shops.

[Sunny Love]

I had 15 months between my DD and DS....it is easy peazy lemon squeezy I reckon. I'd go another yesterday!
Every day is different. Some days are good, others are great, and others you want to forget about. Same as the weeks. For me, the second baby was a breeze, I was more natural and followed my instinct, and baby did the same. You will be fine, and you know you can say when you're not 'fine'.

Your DD will love the new addition, love works in wonderous ways.
xxxxx

[Charlotte91]

DD is a great sleeper. She generally sleeps 10+ hours at night.
She's currently 'difficult' as she's transitioning herself from 2 day sleeps to 1.
But, surely, by the time Beez turns up in 14 weeks she will have sorted her day sleep/s out.

DH works from 7.30am to 5pm. I hate him leaving early, but it's great to have him home early.
He works different hours depending on the time of year. Oct-March he works 5 days a week, and is on standby (for bushfires) every second weekend.
April-Sept he works 10 days on, 4 days off.
And all year around he can be called away for an entire week with only 4 hours notice.

DD was already in a routine when she finally came home from hospital. The biggest thing for me will be learning how to deal with a newborn (full term, without medical issues).
And learning to breastfeed. DD was too sick and I was too stressed so after 2 months of expressing she was switched to formula.

I'm really looking forward to July and seeing how DD copes with the new arrival. She loves our cat to pieces so hopefully she's as gentle with the baby.

DD is still so tiny at only 8kg and is a 'sleep crawler'. So we won't be putting her in a bed this year. She's just too little. We will review it around Christmas when she turns 2.
She finally started walking and is walking everywhere! In only a few days she has gone from a step here and there, to not crawling at all.
I love it. I was worried she wouldn't be walking by July.