Anyone got 19mo between kids?

[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.

[milka]

I have 12 months 1 week gap and the first few months were a blur, now at 1.5 & 2.5 they are like twins in some ways same food, same bedroom, same night routine! And call me crazy but just got my BFP for #3!

[MrsFabuloso]

LOL, Milka, you're not crazy, I have a 29mth gap between #2 and #3. That meant 3 kids 3 1/2yrs and under. I really loved the gap between my boys. Still small anought that they're close in age, but big enough that DS1 was more mature and able to understand more.

[FabFiona]

My boys are 18 months apart. Some days are easy, some days the only thing I can do is sit on the floor and let them both climb all over me.

We let DS1 decide on the bed transition as we had both set up. In the end we had to buy a second cot as DS2 was too big for the co-sleeper basinette and DS1 wasn't interested in the bed. I felt like I was running a nursery with both boys asleep in their cots.

[Life is Good]

I have and still find it really full-on. The actual age difference between DS and DD is 21 months. DS is developmentally delayed by about 9 months to 1 year, so it is the equivalent of having a 10 month age gap in this house. It is hard, but as a previous poster answered, you just have to do it. You can stress and get upset or you can just realise that you don't have a choice. I wouldn't have had such a small age gap if DS had his diagnosis earlier, but that is neither here nor there. DD is 10.5 months old now and I still can't leave them together without being in arms reach to get DD if DS gets rough or tries to cuddle her to death. It is exhausting. I have no parents here and my in-laws aren't very involved. Fortunately I have an Aunty who helps me out, but that's about it. So it is really hard, but if I can do it with such a small "adjusted" age-gap and very limited help, then you should be just fine. Think about all of those parents who have twins and triplets My hat goes off to them. Best of luck - you will cope JUST fine

[courts&munchkins]

I had 16 months between my youngest 2 and my eldest was only 3.5 when his sister was born so 3 under 4. Honestly the first 6-9 months where tough. My middle child has never been a good sleeper and neither was bub early on so I felt like I never slept. People have asked me certain things about that time period and it's more of a blur for me, I don't remember much. But I love it now. They are all sleeping much better, they play with each other. I struggled with 2 in nappies but ds2 is toilet trained now which makes it easier. Some days are full on but mostly we manage quite well.

Eta for sleeping arrangements we bought a cradle which bub slept in for 7 months and then ds2 moved to a big bed just before 2 and she went into the cot. I have a double pram but mostly we used a baby carrier and stroller.

[LuluHB]

I have 12 months and 5 days between my girls and TBH it was very, very hard but DD2 was unwell and extremely high maintenance. I found things easier when I threw out the idea of schedules for DD2 and just took each day as it comes. Lots of times with all three of us sleeping together in my bed because that was the only way anyone would sleep during the day. Probably too much tv on some days for DD1 if DD2 was having an especially bad day. I definitely needed a double pram, even though DD1 had been walking for a couple of months. I found it so much easier to be able to go out knowing that both girls were secure and safe in the pram - nothing worse than one going in one direction and one in the other.

As PPs have said, you manage because you have to. Some days you'll wonder how you'll get to the end of the day but other days will be amazing. I love the age gap now (and have done for a couple of years). My girls are so incredibly close and loving with each other and I'm sure so much of that is because they really have truly grown up together. Having said that, I'm really looking forward to a 4 and 5 year age gap with my new bub. Will be lovely to have some one on one time with her while DDs 1 and 2 are at school/kindy.

I think you will find lots of advantages in a smaller age gap though, and you will all survive it!