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JenniferL923
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I am fuh-reaking out about 2u2
JenniferL923
member
After the first six months, we'll be golden, right? Just have to get through the first six months.
::breathes into bag::
Any words of wisdom? Sanity savers?
I Can't Resist Those Chubby Cheeks
Dx with endo & blocked left tube - TTC #1 for 29 cycles before miracle BFP, #2 - Surprise!!
My TTC/PG blog / Panda Phenomenon Explained
Dx with endo & blocked left tube - TTC #1 for 29 cycles before miracle BFP, #2 - Surprise!!
My TTC/PG blog / Panda Phenomenon Explained
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Re: I am fuh-reaking out about 2u2
So, I'm a total newb to it. But SO FAR it's been waaay easier than I feared.
I know that won't last. I know there will be nights he won't sleep and I'll go crazy and think whatthehell did we do??? My plan is to think of DD. This will remind me of two things:
1. It won't last. She and I went through really tough times, too, and now she's a funny, smart, sweet, loving, independent person. There will be crazy hard times with a newborn, but they won't last, and before I know it, my "baby" will be about to turn two just like my first baby is.
and
2. It won't last. All the newborn snuggles and milestones and calmness, all the wonderful, fun newborn stuff...none of it will last either. Before I know it, he'll be running away from me, telling me "Do it myself!" and not wanting any more mommy help. Soon he'll be too big to snuggle the way I do it now. Soon he'll sleep on his own instead of in my arms. So none of the wonderful newborn things last either, and I just need to focus on them and soak them up while they last.
So that's my plan. To remember that, good and bad, none of it lasts and I'll survive.
breathe
honestly, you WILL be golden. it isn't always easy and it isn't always fun, but there are moments of such joy you feel like you might burst (and that makes up for the moments when you feel you might burst for the opposite reason!)
hang in there. ask for help when you need it. trust yourself and just know DD will make a great big sister
"Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum." Baz Lurhman from the song "Everybody's Free (to wear sunscreen)"
Have as much help as you can in the beginning. Make some meals ahead. Plan on doing NOTHING for the first 4-6 weeks if you can help it. Plan to veg and sleep as much as you can
It's going to be great! Sure, some days will suck, but some days suck with one kid, right? The best advice a friend gave me about 2u2 was to let go of your high expectations. I tend to be a neat freak, I like my days planned out in advance, and when I had just DS I felt like I had to make his food (all organic, obvi), have him dressed perfectly at all times, do everything just like the books said, blahblablah. Let any of those hang ups you may have go. In the first couple of months, your house will be messier than you like and some days getting out of the house will be more work than it's worth. More than once I'd pack the diaper bag and feed the baby only to have DS have a huge meltdown or DD barf everywhere and end up throwing the Target trip idea out the window. Oh well. You'll get through the early days and it will start to be a lot more fun! Then you'll get their naps coordinated and it will be even better. Every passing month seems to get easier for us now. DD is 15 months and DS 2.5, and they looooove to play together. Watching them together brings me so much joy I can't believe I ever *didn't* want kids that close!
You're going to do great!
(read it. you know you want to.)
anderson . september 2008
vivian . february 2010
mabel . august 2012
Some things that helped me:
1. Have a plan. When I went into labor, DH called his BFF, who picked up Griffin and he and his wife kept him through the first night we were at home with Jackson. DH was resistant at first, but in the end he agreed this was an excellent idea--this way, our focus was completely on the baby the first day home and Griffin was eased into the mix gently.
2. Have meals ready ahead of time. My mother's club provided meals for the first two weeks after Jack was born. It was wonderful not having to worry about what we were going to eat, or where we were going to get it from. So nice.
3. Divide and conquer. For the first week or two, DH was in charge of Griffin almost exclusively, and I was in charge of Jackson almost exclusively. This worked out really well for us.
4. Post partum doula. After DH went back to work, I loved having someone come in to help me out--she cooked breakfast, did light housework, entertained Griffin while I tended to Jack, and offered breastfeeding support.
5. Get out of the house. We went out daily in the first few weeks after Jackson was born. I wore him so no one would get close enough to give him any cooties. We took lots of walks and became very familiar with a lot of the parks in the NW Austin area. It helped us keep our sanity.
I think before Jackson was born, we had braced ourselves for the shock we felt when Griffin was born. When he actually got here, although there were rough times, it really was so much better than the first time around!
:-)