Tired Mommy of two....?

Question

Okay, I'm sure I'm not the only one with two children in this world but I am a stay at home mom of two wonderful children ages 2 and 6 weeks....and I am exausted!! I'm not sure if it is our time schedules that are affecting this or what but I am looking for some tips on getting more rest with 2 children so close in age. What do you other mommies do? I seem to be so tired when my head hits the pillow I'm out and when the baby wakes up to feed, I can't seem to even hold my head up. I'm just looking for some tips on getting some more rest and maybe some scheduling tips also. Thanks!!

Answer 1

schedule naps [[for the baby]] around when your 2 year old naps...
then you can nap too!!

Answer 2

unfortunately there isn't much you can do With the 6 week old, and until about 3-5 months, you really can't force them onto a schedule, but make sure your two year old is on a very strict schedule, nap time at the same time, my 2 year old naps from 1 - 3 0r 3:30 every day. Bed time exactly the same. And don't be afraid to let your two year old watch a little Einstein movie once in a while so you can at least sit down and rest. There really is not much more you can do until you baby gets old enough to be on a schedule, but I promise it will happen. Make sure you are eating properly and taking your vitamins, and get dad to help. If that is not an option, just take it a minute at a time. It will get better I promise.

Answer 3

I am a mother of a 5 year old, 2 year old, 1 year old and another due in November. I have a schedule, all children eat at the same time, nap or quiet time, ect. The first 3-4 months are the hardest. Hang in there, call grandma to take the older child for the day. Enjoy one on one with the baby and nap while baby naps. Forget get the guilt. The older one is having a blast.

Answer 4

I am the mother of two, born exactly 2 years apart. My husband worked 'on call' and out - of - town. So I know what you are going through. Of course that was over 23 years ago and now we are planning a wedding for my youngest daughter. You have to get some extra help, especially until you can get the new born on a regular schedule. You also need to get the two year old on a schedule too, if you haven't already. Bedtime needs to be at 8 p.m at the latest for the children. Your husband (I hope there's one in the picture) needs to really kick in with helping out with chores, dinner, bathing the kids etc. If you have parents or inlaws that are willing to help, see if they would be willing to come and sit with the kids while you take a nap. I remember it's almost virtually impossible to take a nap with kids this age. The minute you get one down, the other wakes up. If you are breast feeding the new born, you might want to consider giving it up, just so you can get some sleep. I had my children in a 'mothers day out' program in our church 2 days a week. Is there such a thing where you live? It gave me some time to myself so I could stay sane. Believe me, this time will pass and things will eventually get easier. One other thing--if you are fairly young, you should have plenty of energy, so make sure your thyroid is working as it should. After my second child was born and I had lost a bunch of weight, I still felt tired all the time and found out my thyroid was under active.
Bottom line: Don't hesitate to ask for help..

Answer 5

Ugh, that was me, but with three kids, as I had them all roughly a year apart. Not sure if you're breastfeeding... what worked for me, is I would go to bed really early, around 7:30pm or so. My husband would stay up and do feedings for the baby until 11pm or midnight (if you're breastfeeding, try pumping a bottle or two). Then I would take care of any feedings from that point on. This scheduled allowed me to at least get a good 5 hour block of uninterrupted sleep which helped me function through the day. Good luck!

Answer 6

Is Daddy doing his share? Can he take a nighttime feeding? That may make a big difference in how you feel. Does your 2 yr old still nap? Or can you afford a few hrs a day of preschool so you can have a little break? Try to nap when your baby naps, even if its 15 mins on the couch while the 2 yr old watches an elmo video!! Good luck

Answer 7

Hey hun..feel your angst! I am a mommy of a boy born 1/2004 and girl 3/2005. Yup that means they are 13.5 mos apart in age. Much closer than yours.
And my best friend has a 27mo son and 4mo daughter.

My deal was staying awake during mid morning.. I was fine once up, getting breakfast for them, etc..but come 10am.. I wanted to crash and HARD.
I quit caffiene/soda/pop....back when pg w/my very first child but decided, I NEED it and now drink at least 2 cans of diet mt dew a day now.
I eat bananas and take a vit B complex.. drink propel and boost.

sometimes..still sooo tired.

i tried walking/pushing stroller in am; for a few mos and did give me a lil more energy

I don't have a cure all answer.. I wish I did.. cos mine comes in cycles and lately i'm soo tired again, feel like a narcaleptic..some days..

my biggest prob is gettin on laptop once all are asleep cos 'my time' then i have to wake too early.

I don't have family close or sitters..

but if I were you and you do....have someone you know,love trust..take your 2yo to the park while you and baby sleep/nap at least once a week for now.

does your 2yo nap once/twice a day or at all? Mine sometimes naps...ugh..kills me..but we do have quiet time and that does help me for the 2nd half of day and getting dinner/bath and all that done....

if you are breastfeeding, who cares if you fall asleep feeding baby??

if not...then get dad to feed a least 2x a week.. I know, my hubby rarely did also, cos he was the one working and needed to be up in am,. etc.. and bs...not like i didn't have to get up in am to feed the older whining child or anything..err..lol..
but, try to convince him anyway to feed baby.

put older child in some sort of activity..gymnastics or something that someone else could take to and you could sleep.

It does get better.....in a few mos...your baby won't be waking as much and your toddler, depending on how many mos, should not be such a brat..lol...
mine is 26mos and has always been a good eater and sweet...and just what seems over nite has gone on hunger strike and tantrums from beyond hell at LEAST 3 times daily. Ugh...
Luckily my almost 3.5yo has seem to outgrown the fits...tho will still whine..but is much better and can reason with him.

anyway good luck... I hope you have a plan to get the two to nap together or at least a way for you to nap when baby does or with baby...

Answer 8

I would always take a nap when they take a nap I'm sure the baby sleeps all the time if you can schedule the 2 year old to eat just after the baby you should be able to get a nap in right after breakfast and then right after lunch
good luck!

Answer 9

Okay, first thing-this will pass. I remember both of my kids going through this.. At the time it feels like world is going to end if you don't sleep but it doesn't. Now my kids are 3 and 5.
They are both sleeping right now. But I just got divored last Friday and I am now the one who can not sleep. And my house is very quiet when the kids are here only 2 or 3 days a week. So enjoy the crying-it might not last forever!

Answer 10

Try to take a nap of an afternoon and have your older one take a nap to! If she does not want to you can get someone to help you if possible i have a 7 year old girl, twin 2 yr. old girls and a 6 month old son it would help me tremondesley if i could get help sometimes good luck!!! Oh yeah get into a good schedule!! Start with a clean slate and wake up write down times of feedings and naps and learn from your chart it works for me a little and when my hubby is home on weekends he lets me sleep in till my son wakes up i breastfed my oldest till 5 months my twins till 5 months and my son i still am

Answer 11

This was me about a year ago. My kids are now 3.5 and 15 months old. When my son was a couple of months old I started looking for activities for my daughter. We started with dancing school but she hated it. We evetually started daycare "school" for her two days a week and it was a life saver. Im not telling you to put your child in daycare but my daughter was definitely ready for it.


I guess at those ages I would say.. leave the dishes and laundry behind (unless of course you're out of baby clothes or undies!) and sleep. Make lists to help sort your days out. I find it SO hard to get things accomplished when Im feeling overwhelmed. If my list is HUGE, I keep dragging butt to do things. Now I have a weekly list where I only do certain things on certain days.

and of course the standard answer... nap when your kids nap. I know thats alot easier said than done. ;)