2u2, how bad (or good) is it, really?

Bride2b2004 · March 2011

I am so happy that we are having another baby. But nervous that DS2 will only be 19 months old when the new baby arrives. How is it really? Give me the good/bad/ugly

TIA!

LDQAM516 · March 2011

Ours are 21 months apart...I happen to love it...it is a little stressful in the beginning...but eventually smooths out!

MammaBear81 · March 2011

I'd say having two under two is great about 85% of the time. I love having babies, all my kids get along (most of the time), it's easy to pass one set of clothing down to the next etc. I'm great at multitasking and organization so things run fairly smoothly in my house...The other 15% is when they are all crying at the same time, sick/throwing up, flushed something down the toilet, the occasional hitting a sibling and the generally icky things that you have to deal with one child anyway, but they are magnified because you have two or more

My biggest spread is 21 months apart and the smallest is 16 months apart, and I'd say there is a huge difference in the ease of transition depending on how old your LO is. My 16 month old was more clingy when the baby arrived, but she was also a girl, so that might have made a difference. A few months later and she was fine, but overall I love having 2 under 2

rosesandpeonies · March 2011

mine are 18 months apart. Personally, my sister and brother are 11 months apart and I think it was much easier for my mom to have them VERY close than what I have (she agrees). My toddler is a great sleeper so that is very helpful. However, by the end of the day I am exhausted and I am not done yet...baby still gets up every four hours or so...some nights i get 5-7 hours. Don't get me wrong I love it, and I am happy they have each other and will grow up together but it is no walk in the park right now. I have heard after the first year it gets much much easier...i don't know though I am still in the thick of it!

My daughter loves her sister though we havent had any jealousy issues at all.

When people ask me about number 3 I tell them I need to sleep a few years before that happens!

I think the lack of sleep is the worst part for me.

kcisthebombdotcom · March 2011

You'll hear a broad range of answers, but most people like it overall. For me, I think it's been really good and there are few downfalls. I thought pregnancy was easy because I got to nap when the baby napped. DS adjusted really easy because he was too young to really be aware. My DS was also at an easy age at the time my DD was born-he was really independent and loving his newfound ability to walk that he didnt want to be held all the time, which was great because it gave me time to tend to the baby without a jealous toddler. I like the idea of getting the sleepless nights/diapers/teething/terrible 2s out of the way quicker instead of getting spoiled and starting all over again. It is much more challenging to get out of the house with 2 small children, but it's managable. Overall 2 kids is a lot more work than 1, but it's definitely double the joy as well.

Experiences vary greatly between how easy the toddler/baby is. The good thing is even if it is a really difficult transition, it wont matter once you get past the first year or 2.

GL!

Scout1218 · March 2011

It has been pretty amazing so far. Mine are 16 months apart.

We are getting into a very fun stage. DS started crawling a few weeks ago and is so much more expressive, into things, and they are starting to actually "play" together...which is really just DD handing DS toys and then taking them right back.

The worst part for me is always sleep. I was very lucky because DD was an amazing sleeper, pretty much from birth. DS is absolutely, positively NOT. It was a struggle to get him sleeping well, and for long stretches, but he's doing really well lately, which has also made things more enjoyable.

J&JSuiter070205 · March 2011

It's really stressful.

juliane2004 · March 2011

Ours are 14 months apart and it's really not that hard at all. It's hard in some ways, but no where near how hard I was told it would be.

Here are the pros:
-They interact really well together.
- DD was never jealous. Sure she wants to be held sometimes when I'm holding DS but it's a couple seconds of whining, nothing worse.
- They're in the same diaper size, so it's really easy to buy diapers, lol
- They both sleep extremely well (i.e. appropriate amounts & lengths of naps for their ages, they fall asleep in their cribs on their own, and DD sleeps 12 hrs overnight and DS sleeps 10-11 hrs overnight)
- I am looking forward to when DS is 9+ months and DD is 2+ years when they can really start to "play" together

Cons:
- it's hard to go out because they both need naps, though this is probably the case no matter how old your older one is if you have a baby.
- the comments people make are annoying.

zill01 · April 2011

This is the same question I had. My first son just turned 3 months old and I just found out I'm 7 weeks pregnant with my second already. They will be 11 months apart. But, Adrian was early so if this one is early, it could even be 10 months. Indifferent

I have 2 nieces that are 18 months apart and it seems to work well because the younger one always strives to do what the older does. And clothes/toys/bedding, etc can be passed out. I think it's probably easier than holding onto everything for 2-5 years waiting for the next one.

sarie1621 · April 2011

zill01:
This is the same question I had. My first son just turned 3 months old and I just found out I'm 7 weeks pregnant with my second already. They will be 11 months apart. But, Adrian was early so if this one is early, it could even be 10 months. I have 2 nieces that are 18 months apart and it seems to work well because the younger one always strives to do what the older does. And clothes/toys/bedding, etc can be passed out. I think it's probably easier than holding onto everything for 2-5 years waiting for the next one.

I'm sort of in the same situation as you. However be careful with saying that things can be passed down..

For clothes and some toys, I'm sure that's correct. But your 10/11 month old will still be in their crib so you will need new crib bedding.

They won't share car seats (as in 2nd car seat for rear facing/forward facing combo), cribs, changing tables, strollers, ect.

Just saying this because I thought this in the beginning until I really sat and thought about it and we do need double of a lot of things. But mine will be 8 days less than a year apart and I am truthfully excited! I will get out of the baby stages all at once and they will literally grow up together My FI and his brother are 4.5 years apart and they barely speak.. not to say that having children close in age means that they will be best friends but it is more likely than kids 5 years apart IMO.

mechanicsgirl · April 2011

First 3-4 months are awful - or at least they were for me. I had a pretty good bout with PPD this time and it really took a toll. Since then, everything is amazing and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

detroitblondie · April 2011

Ours are a year apart and I love it. Stressful moments from time to time (as with just about anything) but SO glad to have them both and overall it's just great. Now that my little guy is cruising they've started "playing" together which is the cutest thing ever. I love it!

zill01 · April 2011

Well, I just went to the doctor yesterday and found out we're having twins. And they are 2 weeks apart. The doctor said I ovulated twice in the same month and got pregnant both times. Maybe because I was more fertile since I had just had a baby 6-7 weeks before? At any rate, I will now have 3 babies under a year old at once, plus my 2 stepchildren (10 and 7). So, they really can't share things now. I only have one of everything right now and, you're right, my oldest is still using them. 3 car seats, a triple stroller, 3 sets of diapers, 3 bottles. And I can pass down the clothes if the twins are both boys but it's too early to find out yet. The oldest twin is 8 weeks and 6 days along and the younger is 6 weeks and 4 days. This is going to be insane...

2u2, how bad (or good) is it, really?

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