Are you going to have two children under two years old? Have you reached the point where you just need help and what your already doing isn’t working? If you have, this is your lucky day. There are many tips to help you make your day run smoother with 2 children under 2.

You probably already know that it is impossible to get anything done with toddlers especially if it is new to you. Fortunately, you can learn ways to keep your toddler in control while you spend quality time with the younger child and get some work done. 

You will have days where everything is feeling like it is getting out of control and you are going insane. However, those types of days will decrease as you learn to add these tips to your daily life. If you are interested in knowing how to deal with an infant and a toddler. keep reading.

In this post, the following will be discussed.

• The Plus Side of Having 2 Under 2.
• Problems of Having 2 Under 2.
• How to prepare your toddler for 2 under 2?
• How to promote sleep for two kids under two. 
• 2 Under 2 Tips

Disclaimer:

This post may contain affiliate links that should be at no additional cost to you. Also, I am not a professional, this is just an opinion of a mother.

The Plus Side of having two children under two

You should have two kids under two years old because it is great for the children themselves to be close in age.

Are you terrified of having two kids under age two? I know I was! I was reading thousands of articles just trying to find ways to make sure my family does not fall apart and my toddler gets the attention he needs.

But, keep in mind there are good things and bad things about having two babies under two.

• The younger will learn from the older.
• They will share interests and be close.
• You can use the older one’s clothes and toys for the younger ones.
• They can play together.
• Trust me you will have to live the struggle once instead of twice. That is a huge plus.
• The children can share a schedule when they get older.
• The struggles are over faster.
• You will still remember how to take care of a baby since it is still fresh in your mind.
• The best thing is you can get them occupied with each other and have some time for yourself.
• They will support each other when they are in school (if they go to the same school).

Problems of Having 2 Under 2

• They will be jealous of one another. You will feel guilty for spending more time with the younger one.
• Sleeping will be harder for you and the toddler especially if the younger isn’t sleep-trained.
• You will be experiencing pure exhaustion and will be much more exhausted physically and emotionally. You will be taking care of two little ones close together while facing postpartum depression. Your body has gone through two pregnancies.
• Problems will arise with your partner because dealing with two under 2 causes a lot of stress to build up in the house.

How to prepare your toddler for having 2 under 2?

To prepare your toddler for a baby, you must talk to him/her and explain to him/her that you will still love them.

Having a new baby is not easy for you or your toddler. He/She will realize mommy loves two things now equally (Me and Baby). Here are a few tips on how to prepare your toddler for a new baby.

• Teach your toddler what a baby is by showing pictures.
• Buy a doll and treat it as if it is an actual baby.
• Teach your toddler how to be gentle. 
• Let your toddler feel your belly.
• Show your toddler videos of babies and toddlers playing together.
• Pretend the doll is sleeping and teach your toddler to do quiet activities when the doll is sleeping.
• Explain that a baby is coming with words too.
• Read books together about a new baby coming to the family.
• Do Not Force Potty Training On Your Toddler If They Are Not Showing Signs Of Readiness

How to promote sleep with 2 kids under 2?

To promote sleep with 2 kids under 2, you need to establish a bedtime routine and separate the two kids into different rooms. I personally follow the moms on call schedule. 

You should give your child a bath and/or do common activities with them right before bed. You can play music and keep reassuring them they will be just fine. 

2 Under 2 Tips

Meet the needs of the two children.

It is important to remember what your children need. Once your children’s needs are met, you can relax and feel like a great mother. So, keep in mind what needs to get done, and get it down. Let’s get to it!

Your toddler has several needs. His/her diaper needs to be changed (if not potty trained). He/she needs to be fed and needs rest when tired. Change your child’s diaper every three hours, or when there is a stinky one. Your child needs to eat 3 meals and 2 snacks. Let him eat the three meals when you do and the two snacks in between. Your child should sleep up to fourteen hours at night and two hours a day. Outdoor play is very important. Try to take your child out for at least an hour every day.

Moreover, your infant has needs too. The diaper needs to be changed. He/she needs to be fed and needs rest when tired. Change your child’s diaper every two hours, or when there is a stinky one. Your child needs to eat or drink milk according to his/her age. You should know how many ounces your child should be drinking. If older, let your child eat the three meals when you do and the two snacks in between. Your child should sleep a certain amount of hours a day according to his/ her age.

Prepare with snacks and stories.

I cannot give you a better tip than this. Have emergency toys and snacks in your home and purse. Toddlers have tantrums. There will be days when the tantrum is so bad that you just need to escape from it for a second or you just don’t have the time to deal with it at that time. Try to calm your child down. Distract him. Sing him a song.

If this does not work, get out an emergency snack or toy. They should be something he loves. You will see how easily calmed he would get. Some ideas include dollar tree toys like small cars or dolls.

Your toddler will want your attention the whole day. I am not joking! So, sometimes you need to clean, work, or nurse your baby.

Busy baskets will give you some extra time to do those things. So, what are busy baskets? Busy baskets are baskets filled with snacks and activities whether they are toys, books, or drawing supplies.These baskets should be separated from their everyday toys and only taken out when you need to be occupied with something.

When you nurse your baby, you can use a basket full of stories to read to your child. This will also be soothing for the baby and encourage the baby to sleep.

Check For Wet Diapers and Give Baths At The Same Time

Your toddler should be changed every 3 hours and your baby should be changed every 2 hours. What you can do is check both of them every two hours and change them at the same time.

This does not include stinky diapers. You should check for those frequently. Also, pick three days a week to give them both a bath. Place your toddler in the bath and give him some toys.

Use the bathwater to also bathe your baby. Your toddler could help. Dress your baby in the bathroom. Then begin bathing your toddler. This will save you a lot of trouble. Another tip is to keep toys in the bathtub so your toddler won’t mind waiting for you to finish bathing the baby.Keep in mind to always stay next to your toddler when they are in the bathtub. That is one of the plus sides of having two children under two.

Combine their naptime and bedtime.

This is one of the main tips of 2 under 2 tips. Your baby would shave more naps than your toddler. But, your toddler should have a 2 hours nap each day.

Make sure one of the baby’s naps comes at the same time as your toddler’s nap. This way you can have two hours for yourself to cook, clean, relax or work.

Trust me you need at least two hours of quietness. To help get them both to sleep play a lullaby or meditation music and pull down the drapes. They should also sleep at roughly the same time at night.

When Both Kids Want To Play 

Once your baby starts to develop the need for play, place your baby and toddler on a safe play mat, and pour some toys around them. This will fulfill the emotional and interactive needs of both of them.

It is important to understand that your toddler cannot be left alone with your baby. The toddler may unintentionally harm the baby. Playing rough is common among toddlers and babies would not expect to be handled with that roughness. You may work next to them, but make sure you are very near your baby. If your toddler behaves wrongly towards your baby, do not shout no and punish him.

Instead, acknowledge your child’s feelings. Your toddler is now realizing he is not the only child and not the only thing mom loves. So, keep that in mind and comfort your toddler by telling him you understand how he feels. Teach him how to be gentle.

Go out and about with two under two.

All toddlers have excessive energy and trust me it would not be an easy thing to deal with. But, keep in mind, they love running and jumping and can do this all day.

There is a time in a day when your child will be energetic and begin to run around or throw things. Your neighbors would not like that. When I see my toddler behave like this I know he has a lot of energy and needs to get it out.

So, I take him outdoors. Sometimes, I take him to the park or anywhere he can run. Or, we just go for a walk. If outdoors is not an option, give your child a warm bath with bubbles.

This will transition him from being energetic to calm in a few minutes. Some mothers have something called a boredom box for kids who become too energetic when they are bored.

Involve your toddler wherever and whenever you can.

You need whatever help you can get. So, why not ask your toddler to help you? This will encourage vocabulary and cognitive ability. It will also keep your child occupied for a short period of time.

Some, things you can have him/her do are washing vegetables, helping with baby diaper changes like getting the diaper, pouring things in a bowl, and picking up his/her toys. This is the time when your toddler should learn to understand simple requests. So, this is a great way to help them learn this.

Expectations VS Reality – Lower your expectations.

Okay, so your baby is screaming and wants milk right now. But, you look on your other side and your toddler is having a meltdown throwing himself on the floor and needs attention now. What should I do? The answer is to prioritize. Who needs you more?

That doesn’t mean to go nurse your child for twenty whole minutes and leave your toddler crying. That means you should ask yourself who do you need to calm down first. You have only two hands. So, don’t be hard on yourself, and get rid of that mommy guilt. You cannot satisfy both kids at once all the time. So, calm your first child who needs you more, and think about another way to quickly calm the second.

Never Hesitate to Ask for Help and Deal with Exhaustion

Do you have family members around or someone you can trust like a specific babysitter? Whomever you choose, keep your children with them for a day and take a break.

It is time to rest and do the things you want to do. Most mothers forget that it is okay to have some time for themselves. We, human beings, need time for ourselves to be able to get our jobs done efficiently.

So, get rid of that mommy guilt, leave your children with someone trustable and get out there. Live the life you have lived before your children came even if it is just for a few hours.

This is one of the very important 2 under 2 tips. Quiet time is essential for toddlers, babies, and you. It is a time when everyone can relax and the children can play too.

Many activities can be done during quiet time. Mom can work and the children can be occupied. Here are some examples of quiet time activities.

• Play Dough
• Puzzles
• Books
• Busy Baskets
• Drawing
• Building with Legos
• Cars and Trains (That Don’t Make Noise)
• Stuffed Animals

You can also have a relaxation box. I used to put sensory objects in it for my students to feel. I usually hide the box until they have tantrums. You could also ask for help. Let someone watch your kids and practice self-care.

2 under 2 (# 11): Wear your baby by getting a baby carrier.

This is another essential one of the 2 under 2 tips. You need to wear your baby. This would save you so much time. Wearing your baby will allow you to do two things at once.

You would be carrying your baby and cleaning, playing, and cooking. So, invest in a good baby carrier. Choose a type of carrier that would distribute the weight over your body and will not cause pain in your back.

Wearing your baby outdoor is also great because this would free both hands for your toddler. And, trust me you are going to need both hands!

Avoid favoritism because remember your toddler is still a baby.

Yes, your toddler will notice if you are preferring one over the other. I know you love them both equally, but remember to treat them both equally.

If your toddler does something wrong, acknowledge that he/she may simply want your attention because he/she is still a baby. Don’t say the word “no” too much.

And, if your baby does something wrong make sure to not just ignore it because they are the younger ones. Your toddler is watching you and everything you say and do. Be fair!

Make a fuss about your older child.

You didn’t expect this to be one of the 2 under 2 tips. But, it has a huge effect on your toddler. Again, your toddler is watching everything not just you and dad. Some visitors may want to carry the baby more than the toddler because sometimes it is just considered a cuter age to carry. Tell them to share their attention because toddlers need affection and need to feel they are important. 

• Backpack large Capacity Diaper Bag 
• Ubbi Snack Container
• Baby Trend Sit n Stand Ultra Stroller, Morning Mist
• Toddler Backpack
• Playmat for Baby
• Car Seat Protector

In Conclusion

These 2 under 2 tips should ease life with two kids under two. There are many 2 under 2 tips out there but these are the most influential ones. Try using some of them if not all. You will not regret it!