Getting to sleep logistics

abbyd03

I'm 34 weeks prego with ds2 and ds1 is 13 months old. I'm keeping calm and an open mind about how crazy things will be once we have 2u2, but the one thing I'm really wanted to know is how you get both to sleep. My husband is a pilot and I can be home alone at night a lot and I'm curious how to logistically do it if both are awake. They have seperate rooms and ds1 thankfully sleeps thru the night already. Do I put ds2 in a bouncer or crib awake in another room even if crying and do normal bedtime routine with ds1? Then tend to ds2? Do I leave ds1 in play pen and put ds2 to bed first? Just wondering how you all have juggled it.

SarahRae85

My DH worked nights, so bedtime was 100% on me as well.

For the first few months, I would make sure my youngest was fed, changed and had no real reason to complain, then buckle her in her swing and take my oldest back to her room for 1-on-1 bedtime routine. We'd established a 5-10 minute bedtime routine while I was still pregnant, rocking in the chair together for a story, a couple silly songs and then our quiet song.

Sometimes, my youngest would get fussy in her swing, but I would let her cry it out a bit while I took just those few moments with my oldest and I don't regret it. I was able to put the swing in a spot where all I had to do was lean over and I could see that she was still tucked safely in her swing and was only being fussy. Sometimes, it escalated to a full fit, and I would hurry up the routine, but I always tried to finish it with my oldest and she would go to bed easily. DD1 had my full focus at the time.

Eventually, we began to include DD2 into our routine. She'd rock with us for the story and sit in my lap while DD1 and I sang the silly songs and then I'd rock/nurse DD2 and sing the quiet song. The chair was right next to her toddler bed, so while I wasn't rocking her anymore, she was content. Bedtime had always been easy with DD1, though, so that really helped.

vnstacie

H works OOT a lot so I'm alone a lot. My two are 15m apart. 

In the beginning DS wanted to eat at the same time I was cooking dinner. After a few weeks I was able to change his eating time to come after bath time for DD.

I use the bouncer a lot, so like while we eat dinner DS is in the bouncer asleep or awake, then when I'm giving DD a bath he sits in the bouncer in the bathroom with us. After I get her ready for bed, I let her run around while I feed DS. By 730/8 I can put DS to bed and then put DD to bed.

I currently room share with DS, he wakes up about 2-3 times a night to eat and DD. STTN.

What I find more challenging is mornings. DD wakes up around 630/7 and so does DS, so I have trouble balancing morning feeding with cooking breakfast for DD.  

kagl08

hocus:

On any given night you'll just have to play it by ear. In my house the baby goes down before my toddler. Most nights she's watching TV while I do that (30 mins) and I have plenty of time. If I did run out of time then I might tell her should watch another 5 mins of TV, play with my phone or play for a few mins with play-dough.

 If the baby was happy in a swing or playing and not ready for bed due to an extra long afternoon nap then I might just put her down (her bedtime is 15 to 20 mins). In the last year and half I've had a person crying for me at bedtime maybe 5 oe 6 times.

All of this, exactly. The younger one always goes down 1st. DH usually puts my DS to bed but he does travel often as well, and when he does I always put my 2nd down 1st while my oldest is watching TV and coloring. 

FWIW, my 2 are 13.5 months apart and the first few months were rough, then it started getting easier each week after that.  

rkmmore

we do bedtime together if dh is not home , we all go lie in ds#1s bed and read stories then once done he will roll over and cuddle teddy to sleep and i take ds#2 to his cot

cat2784

rkmmore:

we do bedtime together if dh is not home , we all go lie in ds#1s bed and read stories then once done he will roll over and cuddle teddy to sleep and i take ds#2 to his cot

Same, mostly. Mine are 15mo apart. DS2 became part of DD1's bedtime routine. He will play on the floor while getting DD changed/pjs/reading (or would sit in a bouncer or something when he was younger), then we tuck in DD, then I nurse DS in his room and put him in his crib.