Can you wear your littlest? That might help settle him/her at least.
Its not the same I know, but for nap time I have been getting my oldest changed and ready really early (she wears pajamas for nap - holdover from when she used to fight them horribly), nurse the baby about 45 min before I want to get my oldest down, then when its time setting her in the rock n play nearby (about half the time she is asleep), reading a couple books, rocking my oldest and singing her her song and putting her down. I hold the baby or nurse her while reading if needed. For actually rocking and singing to my oldest though I will put the baby in the next room for the few min it takes if she is really fussy and is too loud for my older daughter to settle. A few min isn't going to kill her, and my oldest needs that time with me too. Then I get the baby and snuggle with her and most days manage to get her down for a nap shortly afterwards.
Newborns are just unpredictable though, and you just gotta run with what they are doing. If you can get your newborn to sleep before your oldest's bedtime that would be ideal of course, but if not, just try and make sure the baby's immediate needs are met (changed, fed, burped) before starting to get your oldest down, and then try and keep it quick but calm and focus on your oldest's needs, then back to the newborn. That's my best suggestion anyway. We are still figuring it all out too.
Agree with PP. I have been playing with baby's feeds during the day to try to ensure she is either fed or sleeping by the time nap comes around for the other girls. I have had to nurse while putting them down several times which was hard but we managed. If all else fails...feed, change, burp baby, and then put him/her down in a safe spot and attend to your other kiddo. A little bit of fussing or crying will be okay on baby's part. Good luck. Bedtime/nap time are seriously friggin olympic events in my household.
Excellent question! I'm wondering the same thing myself. Like you breezymeema nap time is an Olympic event at our place so I have no idea how it will work!!
I am nervous about this! DH works a swing shift and Monday will be his first afternoon shift so I have to do bedtime for both kids by myself. DD usually is due to eat at DS's bedtime so it should be fun!
Re: How do I put both kids to bed?!?!?
Its not the same I know, but for nap time I have been getting my oldest changed and ready really early (she wears pajamas for nap - holdover from when she used to fight them horribly), nurse the baby about 45 min before I want to get my oldest down, then when its time setting her in the rock n play nearby (about half the time she is asleep), reading a couple books, rocking my oldest and singing her her song and putting her down. I hold the baby or nurse her while reading if needed. For actually rocking and singing to my oldest though I will put the baby in the next room for the few min it takes if she is really fussy and is too loud for my older daughter to settle. A few min isn't going to kill her, and my oldest needs that time with me too. Then I get the baby and snuggle with her and most days manage to get her down for a nap shortly afterwards.
Newborns are just unpredictable though, and you just gotta run with what they are doing. If you can get your newborn to sleep before your oldest's bedtime that would be ideal of course, but if not, just try and make sure the baby's immediate needs are met (changed, fed, burped) before starting to get your oldest down, and then try and keep it quick but calm and focus on your oldest's needs, then back to the newborn. That's my best suggestion anyway. We are still figuring it all out too.