2 under 2

Advice, info, insight... all welcome please. Some specific questions I have are:

- Did you need two high chairs, or was the older child out of the high chair by the time the baby was in one?
- Was the older child still in a crib when the baby came along? Did you keep them in the same room, or separate? And if in the same room, did the baby wake up the older child during middle of the night feedings?
- Were you able to develop some sort of schedule for them go to down for a nap at the same time, or be somewhat in sync with eachother?

TIA

Re: 2 under 2

HI

My boys were 14 months apart.
It is fun and challenging all at the same time.

1 - We did a highchair and a portable high chair that tied onto the chair

2- We had 2 cribs and were in different rooms. DS2 was not a good sleeper ever

3 - double naps were the best; ds#2 wasn't the best napper so it usually involved going for a walk to get him to nap

2 under 2

What's the age gap? I only have 1, but my sister has 2 that are 18 months apart and 2 that'll be 23 months apart. A lot of those answers depend on the specific age spread.

Re: 2 under 2

22 months

Re: 2 under 2

Mine are 23 months apart. If you want complete honesty, it's exhausting for the first two years. The best I hoped for was semi-controlled chaos. But now they are 5 and 3 and it is so much easier.

To answer your questions:

1. We had a separate high chair and one of those space saver ones.

2. DC1 moved to a twin bed before DC2 arrived. She was ready and we didn't want to waste money on a second crib. She never tried to get out of bed in the middle of the night or during naps, so we were lucky to be able to make the transition seamlessly.

3. I got SO lucky with my kids. I was able to get them onto the same afternoon nap schedule and to this day they still usually take an afternoon nap at the same time. Not everyone is so fortunate, but it's possible, and if you can work it out it will be a lifesaver! Either way you'll figure it out.

Two under two is exhausting, stressful and sometimes chaotic but its so worth it and it gets easier and easier every day! Congrats and good luck.

Re: 2 under 2

Mine are exactly 24 months apart. Birthdays are 4 months apart.

Didn't need two high chairs. Baby doesn't go into the high chair until 4-6 months and dd1 was in a boater seat strapped onto a regular chair.

Tried to get a nap to overlap. I almost always had at least one kid up. Dd1 would nap in the afternoon and I tried to get dd2s second nap to overlap.

Things get easier. Then harder. Then easier again. When dd2 was a baby she slept a lot. When she started crawling and touching dd1s toys it got hard again. Now that they're a year and a half and 3 1/2 it's easier again. C they entertain each other.

2 under 2

Oh and both were in cribs in separate rooms. Dd1 didn't move out of her crib until 3 1/2.

2 under 2

17.5 months apart. We had a graco blossom high chair which is a 4 in 1, so when DD2 was big enough for the high chair, we used the booster part for DD1. DD1 is still in her crib at almost 3 so we got a crib for DD2. Separate rooms. Never got a schedule down with either kid.

Re: 2 under 2

I have 2 boys a little under 2 years apart (22 months apart)

Older DS was out of a high chair by the time ds2 went in it, so only one high chair.

We got a second crib, DS1 is still technically in the crib (the front is taken off) and he's almost 4.

They are in separate rooms.

- Were you able to develop some sort of schedule for them go to down for a nap at the same time, or be somewhat in sync with eachother? Yes, we developed a schedule where the baby took one of his naps at the same time as my older DS. They woke up at similar times, and went to bed at similar times too.

No specific advice, but I found the transition extremely easy. DS1 helped A LOT and was such a great big brother!!

Message edited 1/16/2017 3:09:49 PM.

Re: 2 under 2

18 mo apart.

High chairs: baby is not really sitting in high chair til at least 4 months..: and then it's fine for the older to be in a booster chair (more roomy too)

Cribs: as a little baby, DD was with me in the living room. Then, I stuck them together. DS was a bad sleeper... but never woke when she cried. We had 2 cribs. DS started in a crib til 5 and DD til 3. Then, I converted the cribs. Now DS is in the "full bed" conversion.

Nap schedule: yes... they went in synch because I didn't offer them a choice. Obviously, this is not at 2 months... but was a routine by 4 months.

2 under 2

My boys are 18 months apart. They are 3 months and 21 months right now. It honestly has been much easier than I thought it would be. The toughest part has been not being able to do many activities during the week with my toddler, which makes me feel guilty. It's just too hard to bring them both out e.g., gymboree, indoor play places etc. We mostly stay home and/or visit friends / family. I try to leave the baby with family or a sitter from time to time but not always doable.

My toddler is out of the high chair. He won't sit in it if I tried. He has a toddler table and chair set that he eats at and a kitchen helper step stool that he'll stand on and eat on our counter top.

Crib, we just started to transition our 21 month old to a toddler bed. They will share a room until we eventually move. My little guy is still in our room he'll take the crib once he moves in with my big guy.

Nap schedule - not really because my toddler is the world's worst napper and barely naps or has a schedule himself. My little guy is still too little for a schedule, I'm bfing so just doing everything on demand right now.

Re: 2 under 2

My girls are 19 months apart.

We only did one high chair I put my oldest into a booster seat on the chair when my little one started using the high chair.

My oldest stayed in the crib until she was 22 months and than moved to a toddler bed and my little one moved to the crib.

My girls have always shared a room and they are now 6 &4 and the love sharing and it has never been a problem except when one has a stomach virus that will always wake the other up. When they were little they very rarely napped at the same time because my youngest barely napped. I won't lie I found the first 6 months rough but after that it has been awesome. I'm so happy we had them close together they get along so well and very rarely fight.

Message edited 1/16/2017 9:04:06 PM.

Re: 2 under 2

20 months apart

One high chair. Little one didn't have sold until 6 months old and by then the big one was almost 2.5 and just ate at a small table/chair or booster seat st dining room table for dinner.
Needed 2 cribs. Separate rooms for now. Little one stayed in our room for the first 6+ months.
Older one was never a good sleeper so nap time was always a problem regardless. Little one is a better mapper so when their naps overlap, it's the best. Now on weekends I bring them to their rooms for naps at the same time though older ds doesn't always sleep.

Re: 2 under 2

2 under 2

Mine are 23 months apart; I didn't need 2 of everything really because DD was sleeping in a regular size bed when DS was born. DD had that 'Big Girl' mentality so refused to use the high chair when DS came home, etc. My only issue is now DS is off the bottle and has been since 13 months. My DD still uses hers when she's sleepy. Big sister can't kick the bottle habit.

Re: 2 under 2

mine are 15 months apart

We did have 2 high chairs and 2 cribs. There was no way I wanted dd going into a bed at 15 months old. We had them in separate rooms bc dd is a light sleeper, she would have definitely woken up when I went in for feedings. plus ds was a terrible sleeper - didnt sttn until almost 1!
Ds had colic...so the most napping I would get from him was 20 minutes here or there. It was tough. However, as he got older we were able to sync up their naps (dd is now almost 4, ds 2.5) we STILL have naps at the same time :)