When did you get back into the swing of things!

A&J

It has recently occurred to me that I haven't been planning for our second baby at all like I did the first. This seems totally normal to me as we feel pretty confident in most regards about bringing a second baby home and definitely have all we need to care for baby.

The aspect that I realized I hadn't considered much ( which when I say much, it means I have definitely thought about it, but not over the top planning or preparations) is going on about the life and established routines we already have in place. Today I just signed up for another series of music classes, more swimming, and have been making plans with family and friends for this Sping.

I know one of the main recommendations we all suggest to new mothers is to get out and about and try to grasp a sense of normalcy and routine in our day to day lives. Well, this applies to having our second children too right?

I know so many things can not be planned for, like how I will physically be feeling, how our son will be feeling/ adjusting, and so on, but based on my experience with Olivia I birthed her in the tub then was up walking within minutes. Aside from being tired I was ready to go! So, at this time I'm intending on keeping with things such as our regularly scheduled classes and activities. I'm thinking it will keep Olivia and I in good spirits. In the case that I am feeling we want to spend more time at home we have been making plans to make our yard more suitable and appealing to our busy toddler and I've been tucking away " special games/ projects" to keep O busy and entertained while I'm tending to the baby.

So what do you think? Were you ready to resume normal activities right away? Did you even want to? How did your older child adjust to the new routines with baby? Did you find that it helped to keep with your previous activities and routines? I also want to mention that since my partner has a VERY kid-friendly office environment and at most times a flexible schedule she will be able to take either or sometimes both kids to her office on a weekly basis. So, while in both music and swimming I am welcome to bring baby brother along we are thinking that initially Anna will take him with her or stay home with him while O and I go to our classes ( or vice versa). Eventually I would love to include him in the classes alongside O, especially music( this is allowed for the first 7 months). So again, what do you think? What has worked for your family? I just like to gather options, possibilities,etc and contemplate ideas we have yet to consider. I also get that the best laid plans are just that

cocolibby

It's been a long time since we had to do this, and our last one was a summer baby, so the other two had convenient down time for several months. You're brave, though! I have just purposely NOT signed up for Spring swimming lessons, and I'm not ready to commit to kickball, which starts a few weeks after my due date.

I guess I feel like I will have so many ways I will have to be out and about for the end of the boys' school year that it will be enough. We are, however, on board for baseball this summer, and we're planning a giant cross country road trip in August!

ncmomstobe

I think we did a good job of getting back to normal routines quickly. DS went back to school the Monday after Alfie was born, and we were out qnd about with the baby (dinner, church, shopping) pretty quickly.
One thing that I thi k really helped big brother's transition was how much we wore the baby in the beginning. With her in a sling, our hands were free to play and read,and he had our attention.

Zen

I don't have parent experience with two small children but I do have friends/family experience. When my "niece" (child of close friends) was born, I spent lots of time with her. My friends worked weekend hours so I often had the baby with me. Then when she was 13 months old, her baby brother was born. And let me tell you, there is a world of difference between having one and managing two! Looking back, it's funny because I can't tell you what the difference is. But it's big! Whatever energy you need for one, you can figure that it's like 4 times that when it's two!

Shanny

My one and only turns 4 in a few hours and I am expecting to get back in to the swing of things any day now

Seriously, as you said a lot depends on your labor and delivery and just your personality in general. There are weeks I'd have another baby just for an excuse not to leave the house for 6 weeks! But that's me, I'm such a homebody and have never been a go-go-goer so I love that time when you get to stay close to home and enjoy lots of snuggling. All you can do is see how it goes and what everyone weighs in on. It maybe O - not you or the baby - that needs some extra down time those first few weeks!

I didn't birth children 12 months apart but with taking K to work at 6 weeks and A being 13 months what Zen said is exactly true. Flashing back 4 years I don't know WHAT exactly made everything seem impossible, I just know that is how I felt!

Shaeley Mae

My second delivery was so easy, that I recovered very quickly and had already started feeling great again before I even left the hospital. Within one week I was pretty much doing everything without limitations.
That said, balancing two kids was a breeze for me ..... for the first several weeks. The baby slept so often that I had tons of time to get stuff done and cater to the older one.
Once the baby got a little older though ....... that's when things got a little more intense. The baby started SCREAMING everytime we got in the car to go somewhere, he wanted to nurse more frequently, he spent more time awake (and thus needing attention), he needed to be bathed and changed more frequently, he spent more time in the common living area (which means that big sister could easily torment him), etc.