How do you handle looking after young children when you're very heavily pg?

[MrsFabuloso]

I am trying to rest as much as I can. But there are things that need doing. They are being good and watching sooooo much tv it's not funny. I'm lucky they have the attention span for it! They are doing well entertaining themselves. DD is great going to get food and stuff like yogurts or fruit from the fridge too. They come a sit on my legs 9cause there's no room anywhere else on the couch, lol!) and give me hugs alot when I'm laying down. Kinda makes me feel really rotten though. The weather is way too hot to do much outside, 35++degrees most days until 6pm or so usually, for the next week at least which isn't abnormal out here. So no outdoor stuff, well not too much. I let them out into their paddle pool a few times a day and sit at the door and fold clothes or prepare dinner and simple things like that. We hang clothes out early in the morning and they ride thier bikes. Walking for me just exaserbates my hips and back, so I try not to go out for too long, plus I just don't cope with the kids at the moment, I have a very short temper right now and low tolerance for anything at all. But I'm just over it all. I'm trying to suck it up and just get on with it, but I am sooo tired, and today and last night, I've been getting a few breath-taking BH I can only imagine as my pre labour ramps up I will be getting even less tolerant of anything. It's my natural reaction to retreat when I go into labour and this is just the begining. I will be getting less able to cope with anything but me soon. I just hope it's not before DH finishes working.

[sasha]

Mine are similar age to yours and I'm sure I'll be feeling the same way in a few weeks' time! But I have daycare and S will be going to kindy at the end of January, plus M is here... if I didn't have those, I would be going insane just like you! The 'Mummy-Mummy-Mummy' drives me crazy too... especially T, who will often send up a huge scream if I need to do something without her!

The heat is also annoying. Are you in town? If you don't have to worry too much about neighbours then I would let them into the garden early - out of respect for our neighbours I try to keep mine inside until about 7.45 (which can be hard when they wake around 5!) I get them to help me water the garden which keeps us all cool and they can run off some energy. Sometimes when I find I just need to sit down for a while, I get them to play with playdough, or I put a couple of towels on the kitchen floor and give them some mixing bowls half-filled with water, and they 'wash up' plastic cups and ladels and wooden spoons (ie the stuff is already clean).

Anyway, I know all of this doesn't really help when all you want is some time on your own... there are days when I feel like I'm so grumpy and short tempered, and I really feel as if I've failed them as a parent - but I'm putting it all into context and I reckon it will all even out I'm sure you're not going to scar them for life - just think, when they go through puberty they'll get their own back LOL

[Arimeh]

It is hard - I've been there!!! Before DD2 was born it was really really hard to keep them entertained. They did watch a lot of tv and they also danced to a lot of music. Plus if I just got the camera out they would play silly buggers in front of that for a while, and that was something I could do from the couch

To be honest, I can't remember how I got through it (and I didn't have a lot of support either and DS wasn't in daycare at that stage either) but obviously I survived.... maybe I've just blacked it out.. ROFL

[MrsFabuloso]

Bec, generally we go out to hang the washing out at about 8ish. They will play out there for about half hour-an hour, but wont really stay out there without me with them. As soon as I come in they come in not long after. Then I let them out into their little pool once it's a bit warmer, about 10ish, which is when I fold clothes or do stuff I can do while watching them. But honestly I just don't wnat to do any of that stuff. It needs doing which is why it gets done, but I just want to flake out on the lounge and not move! I put on the bubble machine which keeps them occupied for a while, or they draw and I will snooze on the lounge. But I always expect to get up and see the walls with a mural on it or something, so I kinda don't really relax properly. Playdough and water play is so much energy for me to do, lol!! All of that cleaning up.....They play in their pool outside with containers and stuff anyway!

Mel, I thought of you when I was writing this post. I so don't know how you got through it all with A and M so little and with bad SPD. My two are big enough now to be able to roam and play without me (not that they do that alot!).
I think it's likely I will be blocking this out of my memory banks too, lol!

[sasha]

Playdough and water play is so much energy for me to do, lol!! All of that cleaning up.....

I hear you ... they'll often ask if they can do drawing or painting or something and I just cringe because I know how messy it's going to be (and that there will inevitably be fighting!) T is getting her 2 y-o molars right now and so she's sleeping quite poorly... most nights only sleeps solidly from 12-5am. I put ABC Kids on and try to nap on the couch for about 10-20 minutes. Somehow that just helps to recharge a bit. They're both generally good about leaving Mummy alone because I'm resting. Saying that, today they were climbing all over me and wanting cuddles and attention and I ended up being more irritable than I would have if I'd not tried to sleep!

Hope the rest of the week goes well for you!