? about shopping w/ 2U2 & another ?
When did you ladies first venture out w/ them? My LO is 2.5 wks and so far the only place I've went by myself is to walk my 6yo the 2 1/2 blocks to school. I can't even do that sometimes w/o LO waking up wanting to eat... so I make sure I take a bottle of BM w/ me and go to the office to feed him if necessary. (I know most of the office staff pretty well) This being said, it makes me very nervous to to go anywhere else by myself, but I know DH doesn't feel like running all these places and/or watching the boys while I go in between his work and school schedule. He's been shouldering the majority of the load for quite some time and need and deserves a break! TIA!
Know what? Speaking of taking DD to school reminded me of another Q. My 14 mo old DS still requires a lot of attention and doesn't understand that little babies need more attention. I'm trying to teach him patience, but it's slow going. I have to keep him on a pretty strict schedule b/c he gets thrown off very easily... so I try to make sure LO has everything he needs before I know I have to get up and do something for older DS. (Making food, giving a bath etc) LO stays in his sling a lot, but it's killing my back and I literally can NOT do it all day. Sometimes I just have to set LO down and let him cry for a couple of minutes while I get it done. I feel terrible about this. I don't believe in letting LO's this young cry like that (and really, not even older ones) but what other choice do I have? ... No really. That's my question. What else can I do. I feel like a bad mother!
Re: ? about shopping w/ 2U2 & another ?
#3 usually goes 3 hours between feedings and sleeps a lot. I feed and change her right before we leave and she is good to go. I also feed and change DD and DS right before we leave. I bring snacks and toys to keep them happy. They love leaving the house so they are actually happier going somewhere than being at home. So far it has been fine.
As far as the sling, I use the bouncer and swing a lot. #3 sleeps longer and better in the swing. If she is awake I put her in the bouncer and carry it to whatever room we are in. She enjoys watching everything.
I discovered I could do it alone pretty early on. The key was snacks and things for DD to do (like push the cart or put things in it) and wearing DS in the ergo (I prefer the ergo to the sling because it is MUCH easier on my back). Perhaps look into a more back-friendly carrier like the ergo or beco.
As for letting the younger one cry, yep, you have to do it at times. It happens. Baby will be fine. You aren't a bad mother. All the experts say to tend to your older toddler's needs first, that he will remember you ignoring him and baby won't. It's okay. A lot of us were not the oldest, were likely left to cry while our moms tended the older sibs and we turned out okay!
DD -- 5YO
DS -- 3YO