How do you do it?

[Ezz]

I've been minding my friend's 3 y.o. today, while looking after DS (12 weeks) & it was exhausting - trying to juggle both kids (keeping 3 y.o. entertained while trying to feed DS & get him to sleep, resettle, etc). Makes me wonder how I will go with 2 (or more). How do you do it?

[Rach75]

last year I babysat a 12mth old jack was 9mths old talk about exhausting I used to wonder how mums of twins did it, then I thought by the time they were 12mths they would eb used to it IYKWIM!!!

this year jack is 17mths and the little one I babysit is 14mths man oh man ..........

[Olive]

dont worry im thinking the same thing!

[Willow]

Can I be honest and say it was haaaard at first! And the guilt - sheesh! Took me a few weeks to find my feet and get us all into a routine that worked.

DD was great - it was me that was in tears at the lack of time I was spending with her!

DS was really unsettled the first few weeks and I found the hardest part was when I was trying to resettle him in bed and DD would come in constantly.

It's a learning curve but you get there eventually - 4 months on, I can't remember what it was like with only one! DS is a much more settled bub now which makes it a lot easier.

We still have our days though...but just like you do with one, you do your best and you get through it.

Now that I have two, I wonder how the hell mums with 3, 4, 5 do it - yikes!!

[Jas]

Hi,

A mum I know with 4 kids was talk to me about this the other day and she was saying that it's all about capacity. When you first have one baby it is hard but the older bubs get the easier it gets and you relax into it you learn and you develop the capacity to mostly be calm collected and find it easy to take care of one baby and she said the more kids you have you relax into the role and learn what works for you. She was saying if she has 4 kids given to her at one time she would have been hiding under a rock but as the years went on and the babies came her capacity grew!

[~Belinda~]

I have more respect for my Mum these days, I am one of four kids! She had 3 under 5 too and then I came along 10 years later.

Having Madeleine has been wonderful, she's a great baby, I've had no baby blues, PND or anything, I've got the most supportive partner who works good hours so he is home a bit to help out, I have a Bub that doesn't even cry much! Yet...I think women out there with more than 1 child are "SUPERMUMMYS!"

We only want one child...sometimes I think I am strange for feeling this way...and of course all our friends tell us we'll change our mind...I bet we do in a few years...!!!

I praise all you women out there that juggle two (or more) children...you need a huge big trophy for that!

[mbear]

i was PETRIFIED when my DH had to go back to work night shift and i had to look after my 3 girls alone......PETRIFIED i tell you. Now, 5 months on, i reckon i could handle another (he, he,he).....i think when your routine is thrown a bit out of whack (i.e newborn) then it becomes a bit scary, but once that routine gets nestled back into place, it kinda takes the thinking out of it....
There are some days when Sam is screaming on her play mat, wanting to be cuddled, DD#1 is screaming from the toilet that she wants her bum wiped, and DD#2 wants a drink, and wants it now that i think 'someone help me', but then there are days when they all giggle under the blanket together, or something as simple as that, and you realise why your there !!!!

[aussienic]

Hi,

A mum I know with 4 kids was talk to me about this the other day and she was saying that it's all about capacity. When you first have one baby it is hard but the older bubs get the easier it gets and you relax into it you learn and you develop the capacity to mostly be calm collected and find it easy to take care of one baby and she said the more kids you have you relax into the role and learn what works for you. She was saying if she has 4 kids given to her at one time she would have been hiding under a rock but as the years went on and the babies came her capacity grew!

Well said