Anyone got 19mo between kids?

[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.