Life update: baby number 2 is cooking away!
If you’re along for this journey, too, welcome! Now here you are: pregnant with baby number two. Congratulations! And also… what were we thinking?
The first trimester is a wild ride of exhaustion, nausea, and sudden sobbing fits over burnt toast. Now toss a full-throttle toddler into the mix and, well, welcome to level two of the parenting game — where sleep is a myth, snacks are sacred, and your body is growing a human while you chase another one around the living room with half a breadstick hanging out of your bra.
Here’s how to survive (ish).
1. Lower the Bar (No, Lower… Keep Going…)
Remember your first pregnancy? The fruit comparisons, the bump selfies, the colour-coded pregnancy journal?
Yeah. That’s adorable.
This time around, your toddler is the pregnancy journal. You will document nothing, forget your midwife’s name, and if you manage a weekly shower, you’re basically Superwoman. Accept it, and make peace with being an incredibly loving but marginally frazzled version of yourself. It’s fine. The baby won’t notice.
I have been feeling guilty about the lack of tracking, photos and updates – but I know this new baby will be born into the chaos and not be heartbroken to find that I didn’t manage weekly bumpdates.
2. Nap When the Toddler Naps (aka The Unicorn Strategy)
The advice is sound. The reality is… laughable. Toddlers are like tiny club DJs: always high-energy, sporadically emotional, and allergic to rest. Mine certainly is a million miles an hour from the minute his eyes open to the second they close at night.
But on the miraculous days your toddler does nap? Screw the laundry. Leave the dishes. Crawl under a blanket and give in to the glorious, nausea-free abyss. You’re not lazy. You’re growing a brain in your uterus.
My toddler still naps (thankfully) and I know that soon, he won’t do it anymore. So you better believe that on the days we’re home together, we nap together!
3. TV is NOT the Enemy
Let go of screen time guilt. Peppa Pig is your new best mate. CBeebies is your childminder. If watching 3 episodes of “Bluey” in a row means you get to lie horizontal and not vomit on the carpet, then that’s a win.
Repeat after me: “Screens are educational. Screens are my village.”
Also, I watched *a lot* of TV as a kid growing up in the 90’s and I am mostly ok. Shows these can be really educational – check out Maddie’s Do You Know and Yakka Dee.
Photo by Anna Mysłowska-Kiczek on Unsplash
4. Snack Like You’re 17 Weeks into a Hangover
The nausea is real. And the only cure might be 17 packs of salt & vinegar crisps and dry toast on rotation. This time around, I’ve really suffered with nausea and that awful taste in my mouth.
Stash snacks everywhere: handbags, coat pockets, under the toddler’s highchair, next to the bath. Your toddler will find them. They will eat half. This is your life now.
5. Delegate EVERYTHING
Your partner? Get them doing bath time. Your mum? Bring her in for toddler-wrangling duty. Got a neighbour who loves toddlers and owns stickers? Invite them over. You are not a martyr; you’re a pregnant legend. Let people help.
It really does take a village, no time like the presence to get them mobilised!
6. Your Toddler Will Be a Chaos Goblin… It’s OK
They will pick up on something going on. You’re tired, more snappy, and crying over TikToks of puppies. Expect clinginess, wild moods, and a bit of acting out.
Be patient with them… and yourself. Your toddler is adjusting too. They might not understand that you’re growing them a built-in best friend, but soon they’ll have someone else to fight over toast with. Cute, right?
7. Say No (A Lot)
Playdates? No thanks. Well, not unless it serves a purpose and there’s lots of hands to help!
Craft time? Nope, not unless it’s super chilled and keeps your toddler sat down in the same spot for longer than 30 seconds. Hello Playdoh!
Cooking a wholesome dinner? Nah, fish fingers it is.
The world won’t end if you slow down. Your toddler just needs your love and maybe half a banana to smear on the wall. You don’t have to do all the things.
Photo by Ryan Fields on Unsplash
8. Remember: This Is Temporary (Promise)
The first trimester feels like a never-ending fog of fatigue, nausea, and toddler tantrums — mostly yours. But it will pass. The energy will return. Your appetite will bounce back. You might even enjoy this pregnancy… eventually. I am now well into my second trimester and my energy levels are coming back, the nausea has subsided and my lovely bump has started to blossom.
Until then, know this: you are doing something amazing. You’re literally building a tiny human while keeping another one alive. And even on the days when you’re on the sofa in jam-stained leggings whispering “why” into a cold cup of tea… you are enough.
So here’s to you, brave mama. May your toddler nap, your nausea fade, and your crisps always be in reach. You’ve got this. (And if you haven’t — that’s fine too. There’s always the Gruffalo.)
LoveRosiee
xxx
You May Also Enjoy…
EMMA’S DIARY FEATURE: WHY MY NEXT BABY WILL BE BORN VIA ELECTIVE C-SECTION
EMMA’S DIARY FEATURE: WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME FOR BABY NUMBER 2?
EMMA’S DIARY FEATURE: THE JUXTAPOSITION OF MOTHERHOOD
People Also Ask…
How to hold a toddler when pregnant?
Safe lifting techniques, whether it is a box or toddler, dictate a woman should bend at the knees, not the waist, to pick up an object. When it is time to lift and carry a toddler while pregnant, it is important the woman’s back remains as straight as possible and the weight is lifted with her legs only.
Why is the first trimester the riskiest?
The fetus is most vulnerable during the first 12 weeks. During this period of time, all of the major organs and body systems are forming and can be damaged if the fetus is exposed to drugs, infectious agents, radiation, certain medications, tobacco and toxic substances.
How to prepare for a second baby with a toddler?
Preparing for a second baby with a toddler requires addressing multiple aspects: preparing the toddler, making practical arrangements, and taking care of yourself. Focus on making the toddler feel secure and included, ensuring your support system is in place, and prioritizing your well-being.
