FTWM who have 2 or more DC ...

When you had DC#2 + did you keep your other DC home with you. My original plan was to keep her home for a week then send her back to daycare/school ( she's 3) for 3 days week to keep her on her schedule somewhat . My DH thinks we shouldn't keep her home for a whole week and just start 3 days right away.

I'm literally due anytime now and now I can't decide what to do!

FTWM who have 2 or more DC ...

I would try to keep her routine
Granted its only one week that she would be off schedule but I'd imagine you may want the alone time with the newborn just as you had when your eldest was born

Re: FTWM who have 2 or more DC ...

When I had my daughter in February I kept my older ones routine by sending her to daycare. It worked out well.

FTWM who have 2 or more DC ...

My third was born mid june. I had a 3 and 4 yr old in daycare. We let them miss a few days for the last few weeks of June then pulled them for the summer
Worked out great for us.

FTWM who have 2 or more DC ...

When our 2nd was born, we had already decided we would keep sending our older one to daycare twice a week (as opposed to his normal schedule of 4 days). We didn't decide on an exact start date for this new schedule, we just took it day by day after the baby was born. He ended up missing about a week, maybe slightly less. We really wanted him part of everything- coming to the hospital to visit each day I was there, and being there when we all came home as a newly larger family. After that, we just decided each day what we would do, depending on how things were going at home, how everyone slept, what was going on with them, etc. He did great, no issues.

FTWM who have 2 or more DC ...

When i had DC 2 i knew it was a CSection. We dropped DS at daycare and went to the hospital. For the 2 weeks following he went to daycare everyday but i did pick him up early everyday. Then i kept him home after taht as I hired a nanny once i went back to work.

Re: FTWM who have 2 or more DC ...

When I had DS2 DS1 was 2 at the time and I kept him in daycare 3 days a week. It was the summer and since the daycare does cute outside stuff including sprinkler days I didn't want him to miss that. Especially since I had a newborn and couldn't take DS1 outside as much. Figured he was getting a lot of water and outside play at daycare. Plus, he kept his routine.

FTWM who have 2 or more DC ...

Before I had DS 2, DS 1 was only going to daycare PT, 3x a week. He continued that schedule throughout my leave.

Re: FTWM who have 2 or more DC ...

DS was just shy of 3 when DD arrived this past January. We did our best to keep his schedule and routine EXACTLY as it was.

At first I thought maybe I should keep him home a bit but others advised me that could make the jealousy worse (to have him around me when giving SO much attention to the baby).

Also, I wanted my time with her. I had my alone time with him, I needed the bonding time with her and time to recover from my csection.

Best decision ever. Not an ounce of jealousy and he transitioned so seamlessly.

Re: FTWM who have 2 or more DC ...

As much as I would like to keep ds routine, I simply can't afford to keep him in daycare. Once baby is born he will finish out the week and then he will be home with me. DS is 4.

Re: FTWM who have 2 or more DC ...

Re: FTWM who have 2 or more DC ...

When #2 was born I kept #1 in daycare for six weeks and then pulled him to be home during the rest of my maternity leave (10wks). Then they went back to daycare together. When #3 arrived I was WAH so the babysitter/nanny/mothers helper helped keep the older two in a solid routine to better adjust to the new baby.

Re: FTWM who have 2 or more DC ...

Re: FTWM who have 2 or more DC ...

DD went to Daycare 4 days a week, while I was on maternity leave dropped it down to 2 days a week.

This way she stayed on a schedule and I had a break and could spend some alone time with the baby.

Re: FTWM who have 2 or more DC ...

DS1 was 3.5 when DS2 was born. He went to daycare FT for the first week or two while I was recovering from my C-section. Then, he went to daycare 3 days per week. It kept a routine, allowed me to bond with DS2 and still gave me quality time with DS1.

Re: FTWM who have 2 or more DC ...

ODD goes 3days a week normally, so I still send her. Gives me time to clean and play with baby.

Re: FTWM who have 2 or more DC ...

I had DS #2 in may. I pulled DS#1 from daycare and kept him home with me. I really enjoyed having them both there with me. I didnt have any issues. I ended up not going back to work and just started DS#1 in nursery shool 3 days a week starting september. dS#1 transitioned fine.

Eta: i had a c/s

Message edited 11/16/2013 11:20:23 AM.

FTWM who have 2 or more DC ...

DD will be in pre-k 5 days a week (half days) when DC2 is born at the end of March. I plan on keeping her in her routine, which will also allow me some alone time in the mornings with the baby. If I were sending her to a babysitter (as I did in the past) I believe that I would have pulled her and kept her home with me.