Have you just welcomed your 2nd (or 3rd, or 4th, or 5th!) baby into the family and are wondering how to juggle having a newborn who needs you 24/7 and a toddler running around your legs at the same time. I see you! I was you. My 1st child was just under 3 years old (2.75 to be exact) when we welcomed our twin boys into our family. Here I am now over a year later (I survived and you will too!) and I wanted to pass along some of my best tips from this past year of babyhood and toddlerhood intertwined.
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Tip 1 – Use a Baby Swing
It doesn’t need to be a fancy. As long as it swings back and forth and securely keeps your baby in place it will do the trick! I recommend the Ingenuity Baby Swing. Having somewhere to safely put your baby while parenting your toddler is so important. I had 2 swings in our living room for our twins and used them constantly and continued to use them until my boys didn’t fit in them anymore, which I believe was when they were around 6 months old.
Tip 2 – Use a Baby Carrier
I didn’t use a baby carrier for my 1st but there was definitely a fussy phase (around 2-3 months) when I used the Moby Wrap or the Ergo 360 Carrier with my twins. In the evenings during dinner time chaos, typically one twin would be pretty fussy so I would pop him in the carrier while I tended to my toddler and figured out dinner, etc.
Tip 3 – Have Special Activities / Engaging Toys for your Toddler
Before my twins were born I made sure we had some engaging toys that would keep my toddler content for more than 5 minutes. Here are my top 3 ideas my toddler loved:
- I set up a sensory table beside her play kitchen and put kinetic sand in the sensory table. She loved (and still loves) this activity!
- I also set up a paint easel in her play area. I found big colouring books that I could tear the pages out of to tape up and I put washable paint in a muffin tin (I got this idea from BusyToddlers on Instagram). Make sure to have this activity set up on an easy to clean up floor, aka not carpet.
- LeapFrog LeapStart Reader – This reader keeps my toddler engaged for almost an hour at a time! You can buy various books and I like the 3D reader option because it has a little interactive display at the top that keeps my toddler’s interest.
Tip 4 – Set up a Secure Baby Area
There are various baby fence options. I went for the plastic option because I was able to connect two sets together and make one bigger play area. We needed the extra space for our twins. I know it is not the most aesthetic structure but it serves a really good purpose. It keeps an area safe for your baby (or babies) so you can put your baby down for tummy time, etc. and perhaps have a moment to yourself to grab something to eat, go to the bathroom, parent your toddler, etc.
When my twins became super mobile I actually moved the plastic fence to section off my toddler’s play area, this is how it is still currently set up on my main floor. It allows for my toddler to have a safe play area with her toys out and gives my twins access to the rest of my baby proofed main floor.
Tip 5 – Baby Proof/Toddler Proof your Main Living Area
Speaking of a baby proofed main floor. It is so important to baby proof your home! Or at least all the areas that your baby & toddler have access to. My whole main floor is baby proofed and it has been a game changer for me to be able to be in the kitchen (prepping food, cleaning, etc) while my twins and toddler are able to safely roam free around me. If you are able to gate off your kitchen I would highly suggest it, unfortunately that isn’t an option for our home.
Tip 6 – Nurse/Feed you Baby in Another Room when Possible
This is a bit of a two-fold piece of advice. I do believe it is important for babies to know how to nurse/feed within the hustle and bustle of your day but I also strongly believe it is important for both you and your baby, to nurse/feed in a separate calm room when possible. This allows for a good full feed where your baby isn’t getting distracted, which is important for getting those daytime calories in! It also allows for a moment of one-on-one connection with your precious babe.
Tip 7 – Screen Time!
Speaking of finding times to have quiet feeds – please don’t feel guilty for utilizing some screen time with your toddler. It is okay! I know I have had times where I felt guilty for how much screen time my toddler had in a day but I had to remind myself that this is a short season of babyhood where you as the mother/parent need a moment to breathe and a screen gives you that much needed moment.
Tip 8 – Get a Tablet (aka mobile screen time) for your Toddler
Speaking of screen time. My toddler loves her Amazon Fire Tablet. A few of the many great features I love – it is super toddler proof with a very protective case, you can set a daily screen time timer, you have control over what apps, etc. your toddler has access to. For example, we removed all TV shows and movies from my toddler’s tablet so she can only play more educational games during her screen time. We have a visual timer in my toddler’s room and she knows how to set it to 30 minutes. When she has quiet time, she sets her timer for 30 minutes of tablet time, then when her timer beeps, she turns her tablet off and finds other quiet activities to play with her in room.
Tip 9 – Teach your Toddler Independence by Keeping Healthy Snacks Accessible
I am a huge advocate for promoting independence in our children. Independent play and independent skills are so important. I always keep healthy snack options on hand for my toddler (and now twins as well). My toddler knows where these snacks are and is able to get them on her own, which was key when my twins were little and I would be busy nursing, etc and she could go grab herself a snack.
Some healthy snack suggestions:
- Mozzarella cheese strings
- Fruit pouches
- Granola bars
- Fruit – apples, bananas, oranges, berries, etc
- Drinkable yogurts
- Crackers
Another quick “snack” we have gotten into lately in our house (that I have to make, but can do it quickly) are smoothies! It puts my mama mind at ease knowing that my kids all have had a nutritious filling smoothie and I now can whip one up within 5 minutes. I always keep frozen fruit and veggies in the freezer for this exact reason.
My quick smoothie recipe includes (I measure by the heart):
- Vanilla yogurt – we buy the big bag of yogurt by IOGO (available at most grocery stores, including Costco), so convenient to squeeze into the blender
- Water
- Hemp hearts
- Frozen blueberries
- Frozen fruit blend – Strawberries, mango, pineapple
- Frozen banana
- Frozen spinach
- Sliced up cucumber
Quick parent hack – Pour the remaining smoothie into a popsicle mold for easy popsicles later!
If you have found these tips helpful, well good news! There are more! Please check out How to Balance a Newborn and a Toddler – Part 2.
