For those of you with more than 1 kid, when did you feel comfortable enough taking both if them out of the house by yourself?
Baby I will for 4 weeks on Wednesday (crazy!) and I still haven't gone anywhere alone with both kids. And actually, DH and I haven't really gone many places at all since she's been born.
It's really hard to be 2 against 1 in public! I know it's different since I was with two babies the same age, but it took me a couple of months to be okay with a true outing. You just have to get a system down and it will be super easy.
TTC in 2009, Dx: Unexplained IF
Three TI cycles (BFP...miscarriage), five IUI attempts and 2.5 IVF cycles later...BFP!!
12dp5dt: 765; 15dp5dt: 1979; 17dp5dt: 3379...TWINS!!!!!
Our perfect baby boys were born at 36w1d!!
I take all three out all the time. I was scared out of my ind at the beginning but I knew I had to do it if I didn't want to be stuck home all day. My suggestion is to start with a small trip that you are more comfortable with. As you figure out the routine that works for you then you can get more adventurous.
Unexplained Infertility
After two Clomid cycles, three injectable IUI cycles, two IVFs, two miscarriages, and one lap surgery, IVF #2 has brought us our little boy!
TTC #2 After months of being postponed or cancelled, FET #1.3 (Natural FET) brought us twin girls!
I say go for it! This past winter, I was nannying for a friend that I work with one day a week, I had my 7mo (@ the time), a 4 mo old, a 2 year old and a 4 year old. I had to take the 4 yo to preschool and didn't want to have to take the others in and out of their bucket seats so we always did stuff...it was kind of nuts sometimes, and I got some strange looks... but it was nice to be out of the house!!!
TTC since August 2009 Clomid for 6 cycles starting August 2010- O but no BFP SA Septemeber 2010 Looking good HSG September 2010 All clear 1st RE visit May 2011 - IUI#1 June 20, 2011: BFN IUI #2 July 31 2011: BFP - m/c @ 5w1d Surprise BFP on a break cycle 10/4/11, Due June 4, 2012, Born 6/9/2012 TTC Blog TTC#2 : Cycles 1-3 Protocol 1500mg Metformin Daily, Femara + Ovidrel, Progresterone support
Get out now! I always found it easier in the beginning when the baby sleeps so much. Then, I found it harder once the baby was awake more and on more of a set schedule. With four, I don't take them all out very often on my own, although now that Maren is a year and Sully is walking so much better I think it would be way better, but I find doing two or three isn't so bad.
I took Quinn and Maren out Friday morning and we had fun. It went surprisingly better than I thought it would as it ran through Maren's normal nap time but she didn't fuss once. I think she was just having fun people watching!
You'll do fine!
Kelly, Mom to Christopher Shannon 9.27.06, Catherine Quinn 2.24.09, Trey Barton lost on 12.28.09, Therese Barton lost on 6.10.10, Joseph Sullivan 7.23.11, and our latest, Victoria Maren 11.15.12
Secondary infertility success with IVF, then two losses, one at 14 weeks and one at 10 weeks, then success with IUI and then just pure, crazy luck. Expecting our fifth in May as the result of a FET.
You can do it! I was terrified to take all 3 of mine out in the beginning, but it's a lot easier now. Try starting off small, like a short trip to the park, or something like that and work your way up to longer trips away from home.
I just make sure to plan any outings as best as I can around naps for S&B (V only naps once a day is a lot more flexible since he is so much older) and we only stay out for a few hours at a time. There have definitely been a few melt-downs, but we've all survived. Good luck!
Go for it! I took DS and DD#1 to DS's Little gym class when DD#1 was 2 weeks old - I left her in her car seat/snap and go stroller in the corner while I helped DS. When she woke up crying, I put her in the baby bjorn. I just tried to time her feedings so that she would eat before we left so she wouldn't need to eat for at least 2 hours and she would sleep (hopefully). Once you do it, you will get more comfortable! I started bringing all 3 of mine out pretty early after DD#2 was born - DH went back to work pretty early - maybe when DD#2 was 2-3 weeks old also? You can do it - leave the baby in the bucket seat/stroller and bring a carrier in case she cries...it will be easier than you think!!!
Do it! The more you do it the better/easier it will be and the more you will learn what works and what doesn't. I started taking mine out quite a bit when Jack hit that one month mark. If you haven't already, invest in a good baby carrier and throw her in there. With one strapped to me I was able to do all of the same things I used to do with Ella before he was born. I also agree with PP's who said start out with something small. I started out with taking them both to playdates at friends' houses where I felt comfortable and knew if I needed help someone could easily do so. Then I worked myself up to other places like the Children's Museum and stuff (specifically the Pocket Park area where the kids are gated in just in case E decided to be a stink or I need to feed the baby and she could continue running around). From there I did those indoor play places, etc and eventually worked my way back to storytimes and stuff. And I also agree that it's way easier now than when she gets mobile and wants nothing to do with a carrier!
I would try to plan something small this week. Maybe even just taking them both for a walk around the block. Wear the baby and push the toddler. Or push the baby and let the toddler walk.
For me I would often go and meet up with a friend who also had children so even though I was 'outnumbered' by my own children, I wasn't totally alone and at least had a familiar face. I would geerally go with in the first 4-6 weeks post c/s when I had been approved to drive again and felt like I had enough strength/endurance.
But I agree with the others to just power through it. Today, after a poop-tastrophe in the morning threw a wrench in my plan to take just 2 kids to the mall to buy DH's X-mas present, I had to take all 3 to the mall alone. And 2 of them fell asleep in the car on the way there and I hadn't brought a carrier, only a stroller. Fortunately DS1 wanted to push his sister in the stroller, so I carried a still sleeping DS2 through the mall. One of saleswomen who helped me also has 3 children of similar ages, and thought I was a crazy person. But Momma's gotta do what Momma's gotta do!
Re: Taking two kids out
12dp5dt: 765; 15dp5dt: 1979; 17dp5dt: 3379...TWINS!!!!!
Our perfect baby boys were born at 36w1d!!
Unexplained Infertility
After two Clomid cycles, three injectable IUI cycles, two IVFs, two miscarriages, and one lap surgery, IVF #2 has brought us our little boy!
TTC #2
After months of being postponed or cancelled, FET #1.3 (Natural FET) brought us twin girls!
Clomid for 6 cycles starting August 2010- O but no BFP
SA Septemeber 2010 Looking good
HSG September 2010 All clear
1st RE visit May 2011 - IUI#1 June 20, 2011: BFN
IUI #2 July 31 2011: BFP - m/c @ 5w1d
Surprise BFP on a break cycle 10/4/11, Due June 4, 2012, Born 6/9/2012
TTC Blog
TTC#2 : Cycles 1-3 Protocol 1500mg Metformin Daily, Femara + Ovidrel, Progresterone support
Get out now! I always found it easier in the beginning when the baby sleeps so much. Then, I found it harder once the baby was awake more and on more of a set schedule. With four, I don't take them all out very often on my own, although now that Maren is a year and Sully is walking so much better I think it would be way better, but I find doing two or three isn't so bad.
I took Quinn and Maren out Friday morning and we had fun. It went surprisingly better than I thought it would as it ran through Maren's normal nap time but she didn't fuss once. I think she was just having fun people watching!
You'll do fine!
Kelly, Mom to Christopher Shannon 9.27.06, Catherine Quinn 2.24.09, Trey Barton lost on 12.28.09, Therese Barton lost on 6.10.10, Joseph Sullivan 7.23.11, and our latest, Victoria Maren 11.15.12
Secondary infertility success with IVF, then two losses, one at 14 weeks and one at 10 weeks, then success with IUI and then just pure, crazy luck. Expecting our fifth in May as the result of a FET.
This Cluttered Life
You can do it! I was terrified to take all 3 of mine out in the beginning, but it's a lot easier now. Try starting off small, like a short trip to the park, or something like that and work your way up to longer trips away from home.
I just make sure to plan any outings as best as I can around naps for S&B (V only naps once a day is a lot more flexible since he is so much older) and we only stay out for a few hours at a time. There have definitely been a few melt-downs, but we've all survived. Good luck!
DX: DOR and MFI
IVF w/ICSI brought us our 1st precious miracle
V born via induction 4.29.11
TTC #2: IVF (MDLF) August/September 2012
ER 9/7: 6R, 5M, 4F ET 9/12: 5dt of 2 blasts
+HPT 9/17! Beta #1 (9/25) = 1,000 Beta #2 (9/27) = 1,860 U/S #1 (10/11)...TWINS!
1/8/13 - It's a..boy and a girl!!
S&B born via induction 5.8.13
For me I would often go and meet up with a friend who also had children so even though I was 'outnumbered' by my own children, I wasn't totally alone and at least had a familiar face. I would geerally go with in the first 4-6 weeks post c/s when I had been approved to drive again and felt like I had enough strength/endurance.
But I agree with the others to just power through it. Today, after a poop-tastrophe in the morning threw a wrench in my plan to take just 2 kids to the mall to buy DH's X-mas present, I had to take all 3 to the mall alone. And 2 of them fell asleep in the car on the way there and I hadn't brought a carrier, only a stroller. Fortunately DS1 wanted to push his sister in the stroller, so I carried a still sleeping DS2 through the mall. One of saleswomen who helped me also has 3 children of similar ages, and thought I was a crazy person. But Momma's gotta do what Momma's gotta do!
You'll be totally fine once you break your seal.