How to Prepare for 2 Under 2

(that’s right, two babies under the age of two!)

2 babies, under the age of 2!

A post by Bridgette Guengerich

My two are 15 months apart.

When I found out I was pregnant with my second, my daughter was 7 months old.

Staring at the word “pregnant” in the digital display of that pregnancy test I felt overwhelmed. I had just packed away all our newborn clothes and put away the baby gear. I had a baby who was currently crawling all over the living room, how was I going to handle TWO babies?

Thankfully, I was raised by an extremely practical woman who taught me to meet challenges head on and with a plan.

Preparing is key!

I wanted to enjoy the last months of my firstborn being a baby, but I needed to prepare her to be a little more independent. The biggest thing being transitioning her out of my bed (we co-slept) and into her crib.

I tried to prepare myself, my house, and my family as much as possible.

Going through my days, I consistently tried to streamline my daily processes, declutter, and make things easier to do.

My constant thought during my pregnancy was “how am I doing to do _________ with TWO babies?!” and then I would assess and plan how to make it do-able.

A Few things I did to Prepare:

• Strategically placed baby gates to section off a baby-proof area of the house. Somewhere I could keep my toddler safe + in sight while I could tend the baby or just relax a little.
• FREEZER MEALS, this one is hugely important which is why it’s in all caps. Cooking with two babies is hard. Period. Do anything to make it easier!
• Organized diaper changing station with all anticipated supplies for BOTH kiddos. With an emphasis on everything being within reach.
• Secondary diaper/supply basket of baby needs by my bed.
• Baby dresser organized with baby clothes up to 3-6mo size (I didn’t want to think about having to find bigger sizes anytime soon).
• Costco trip to stock up on essentials so I wouldn’t have to take baby out shopping.
• Plan to use paper plates + Plastic silverware for the first few months to eliminate kitchen chores.

I’m sure there’s more that I’m just not thinking of, but for more on preparing for a new baby click here.

With Two under Two, your new focus is making everything as EASY as possible.

Because doing ANYTHING with two babies in tow is more difficult. Even just a trip to the bathroom involves tucking the baby in somewhere safe (away from the toddler), and either occupying the toddler or letting them come with you.

Take out a notebook and write down anything in your life that is difficult right now, issues in your schedule, chores you don’t like, areas of the home you struggle with. Then write a solution to those issues. It doesn’t have to be a perfect solution, but you need to find ways to deal with these things and make your life as simple as possible during this season in life.

Enlist help from your support system.

I leaned heavily on my family for help during my second pregnancy. Toddlers are SO fun, but they can also be needy and exhausting. During my pregnancy it was so nice to go to my mom’s and have my sisters entertain my daughter for a bit. They gave me a much-needed break.

Mom was also super supportive when I would get overwhelmed at the prospect of 2 under 2, she would always remind me that I would have help.

Don’t be shy about asking for help. Having a baby and a toddler can be exhausting! Whether you leave the kids with a grandparent to run an errand alone for once or schedule a sister/cousin/whoever to help you with the house and kids once a week.

Do what you need to do for your sanity and health.

The first few months of having Two Under Two, we lived in survival mode.

Feeding the babies and changing their diapers is #1 priority. It’s okay if you all stay in your pajamas all day some days! Don’t forget to feed yourself too. Anything beyond the necessities is okay to let go for a while. You can catch up a little later, or recruit help to do what you need to do.

Accept that this is just a phase in life, and that it won’t last forever.

Life with two under two can only be done a step at a time, and you have to do what works for YOU. What works for one mom may not work for you. Do what works for you and your children.

Extend grace to yourself, what you’re doing is important work and it’s hard. Don’t judge yourself for how it’s done.

As moms we do our best for our children. Some weeks our best might be a healthy balanced meal plan, and some weeks we might feed our toddler chicken nuggets for lunch 3 days in a row. The important fact is that your child is fed and loved.

You aren’t alone

Moms are out there living life with 2 under 2 every day. Researching life with two under two, and reading about other moms who are in the same boat really helped me. It’s easy to feel alone when you’re postpartum and stuck under a nursing newborn; but I’m here to tell you that you’re not!

Thanks for reading mamas; make sure to comment below with any questions or tips you have on life with 2 Under 2!