I’ve been lucky enough to have two “normal” pregnancies with no complications so far, and for that I am thankful. But, I will not lie, this second pregnancy has been much harder than my first. Maybe it’s because I just blocked out some of the less-glamorous aspects of being pregnant from my memory after the first time, or maybe it’s because I now have an energetic little toddler running around 24/7. Either way, the simple, small tasks of everyday life have become increasingly more and more difficult when you have a toddler and a baby bump.
Here are a few that come to mind:
1. ROCKING YOUR TODDLER TO SLEEP OR CUDDLING BEFORE BED TIME
Gone are the days when my toddler can cuddle up on my chest before bed time. She still tries but it’s not the most comfortable of places with a huge basketball between us. The cuddle sessions have evolved over the last few weeks from cuddling on my chest, to cuddling on the side, to now cuddling with Dad.
2. PUTTING YOUR TODDLER DOWN TO SLEEP IN HER CRIB
Sounds easy enough, right? Wrong! Belly bumps make it almost impossible to gently place a toddler in her crib for nap time or bed time – especially if the mattress is on the bottom level. My only solution is to reach in as far as my baby bump will allow and then ever-so-gently drop my toddler onto her mattress while saying a quick prayer that the minor fall doesn’t jolt her wide awake. This works about 75% of the time, and that percentage keeps dwindling as the bump gets bigger and the height of the drop increases.
3. MAKING MEALS FOR YOUR TODDLER
Nausea and food aversions have made it pretty difficult to whip up any sort of weird-smelling vegetable, chicken, or any other food that doesn’t sit well with me on that particular day. What’s worse? Watching your toddler attempt to eat said food while she smears it all over her face and the high chair. I’m still trying to perfect hiding my look of disgust during meal time. “Mmm, yummy green beans!” (barf!)
4. READING WITH YOUR TODDLER ON YOUR LAP
My daughter LOVES reading books so this has been a big adjustment for us. No longer can she sit directly on my lap while turning through the pages of her favorite books. We’ve switched our routine to her sitting directly beside me, tucked under my arm enjoying Good Night Moon for the 50th time that day.
5. PUTTING SHOES ON A TODDLER
Bending down to almost ground level to place shoes on a moving target is quite the challenge. I’ve found that counters come in nicely, if you can get your little one to sit still for more than 5 seconds and not jump off!
6. OVERALL EXHAUSTION
During my first pregnancy I worked full time, and often kept long hours at the office Monday through Friday – I thought that was tiring, even though I had the weekends to rest and do nothing. Now, this second time around, staying home with my 18 month old daughter is sort of like completing an obstacle course over and over again, 24/7. I chase her around, bend down then up to pick stuff up off the floor, lift her up and then down, carry her around for long periods of time, etc. Let’s just say, I hit the couch hard after she goes down at 7PM every night.
I know life is about to get a whole lot harder with “two under two” in the house, but at least I’ll be able to bend down and touch my toes when that time comes.
Pregnant moms with toddlers, what else would you add?
Bath time is rough. Sometimes I just sit in front of the tub, hoping that just warm water and some plastic ducks will magically clean off the sunscreen and yogurt. Trying to wash a toddler with a giant belly is not very fun!
I’ve got a 4 year old, 1.5 year old, and I’m 5 weeks with #3. Thanks for the reminder of all the fun to come lol
25 weeks with a 19 month old. Never been so tired in my life! I have a pretty small bump, but it still is hard to do all of those things you listed and getting that kid into her ginormous convertible carseat is just about the worst.
Mine are 16 ms apart.
When I was pregnant with #2, I found being up in the morning to care for #1 while also battling morning sickness hard. #1 would cry when he’d hear/see me vomit 🙁
Each afternoon after work, I’d put #1 on the floor to play, and lay on my side, since I had no energy (supper? what supper?) to even sit up. People were amazed I got down on the floor, they didn’t realize it was harder for me to sit… #1 didn’t really notice my bump, but did enjoy leaning on it or climbing over it.
I live on the top floor. What I found SO exhausting was getting #1 to climb up the stairs, and since he’d take his merry old time, I often would just haul him up. Turns out, he does the same now with baby in the carrier, so I’m not really any better off. (Doesn’t do with my DH, though… hmmm?)
They become overly clingy so I’d add alone time. My now 3 year old insists on laying on my arms when 9 months ago she was sleep trained enough that she’d fall asleep on any surface by yourself. Also her idea of playing is jumping on the bed, which hurts my stomach. Running errands is difficult, especially when she decides to have a tantrum or wants to wander to far.
Running after a toddler who’s cottoned onto the fact you really can’t run……..I ended up putting my daughter on reins towards the end of my pregnancy!!
I LOL’d at these so hard! This is my life right now! 6 months preggo with a 1.5 year old makes for some interesting days 😉
29 weeks here with a 2.5 year old. He is non stop…and I’m exhausted. Bath time is the worst! Along with anything else that requires bending down. Changing diapers without a struggle is another one too.
Chasing a toddler (he was fast) in a Prego waddle, and trying to carry him on the hip, around the bump was the hardest. The drop in the crib…I turned to the side, put his legs and bum down first, and slid his upper body and head down my arm until close the the bed. Very trick lol.
Morning sickness while your toddler cries about seeing mommy sick!
Try all that being pregnant with twins, working full time. Welcome to my life. They’re now 5 and 3.5.
My two are 14 months apart and being pregnant with a toddler was easy compared to the first six months of #2’s life. (Sorry to scare anyone). Neither of them slept through the night. Neither of them could climb into or out of a carseat, stroller, or a bed by themselves. They peed, pooped, and woke up mid-nap within moments of each other. I carried two babies together down the stairs for a couple of months until they both got too squirmy and I feared dropping them. Seven months into #2’s life, we are dealing with a crawling, teething baby and a potty training, teradactyl voiced toddler. It’s wild… that’s putting it mildly.
Diaper changes – you mentioned the food aversion. I gagged every time I smelled my 1 years olds poop. Sooooo, my husband was on all poop diapers for 3 months…which I extended to 4 because pregnancy.
Chasing said toddler around putside! I can’t even keep up with him anymore!
Lifting a toddler into the car seat at the back of a two door mini with a baby bump. She will not accept her daddy’s help it had to to mommy.
The absolute worst for me was trying to put a squirming (often unhappy and uncooperative) toddler into a center positioned, rear-facing car seat with a huge bump. I felt like I had completed some huge feat with each installation. Probably just as bad, getting said toddler out of the rear-facing, center positioned car seat. Holding a 25-lb ball of energy and (beep beep beep) backing that wide load out of a back seat would definitely take a lot out of you!
I can’t give baths either. Potty training while I was in the first trimester was almost unbearable. I could barely dump contents of small potty into big toilet. Ugh. And the shoes! I have to hold my breath to put his on, or just make him scoot into Crocs everyday.
I’m 30 weeks with a 3 year old. I’ve never been so exhausted in my life, even when I was recovering from a c-section with a newborn!
I agree with the other moms who’ve mentioned bath time being particularly difficult. Daddy’s in charge of baths now! It’s just too hard to kneel and lean over the tub.
cloth diapering is so gross when you’re pregnant. Spot on about dropping the toddler in the crib!
I am 37 weeks and can’t touch my toes or put my shoes on anymore and this is my first baby so can’t imagine feeling this way and having a toddler!
xx
http://www.lifeofprinkie.com
29 weeks here too and I would have to add bath time and diaper changes as a serious struggle too! Changing the nasty smelling poop is gag central and not being able to reach or bend down during bath makes it SOOO hard!!
I’m 16 week pregnant w/#2 and have a spirited 19 month old who prefers mommy to daddy anytime I’m home. I need to toughen up. And toughen her up. How in the world will I be able to pick both her up in one arm, my work bag in the other and navigate the potentially snowy / icy streets of Minneapolis in Jan, with a giant bump? Time to get some quality winter boots for #1.
I also recall how comical it became to even dress myself toward the end last time. Looks like my daughter will be wearing a lot of doutfits (dad outfits) and getting subpar shampoos due to the nonexistent bathtub bend. Cheers (with n/a cider) to babies!
I’m only 5 weeks now with a 2 year old. She loves being carried a lot and rocked to sleep at night. I am so nervous to see how it will all change as my belly grows.
Fighting with my toddler during diaper changes and trying not to get kicked!
Playing trains and cars on the floor.
The worst for me was that starting at 16 weeks, they put me on reduced activities because of a short cervix and kept threatening me with bed rest. It made everything so much more difficult and try explaining to a two year old that Mommy can’t do anything that she would like to do. And now that stupid short cervix that they were so concerned about is taking it’s sweet time dilating. Go figure.
The worst was having to bend over the bathtub in kneeling position to give my toddler a bath.
Yes! I am feeling all of those right now at 29 weeks with baby #2.