Having Two Babies?

[KEG123]

So I currently care for a 4 year old (my own), 3 year old twins, a 2 year old, and a 6.5 month old (my own) The twins are going down to part time for the summer (2 days per week) and I have an interview for a part time baby to fill their off days over the summer. The baby is 6-8 weeks old (I can't remember which they said) Anywho, originally I never wanted another baby while my own was still under a year, but I'm willing to give it a go and see how it pans out. I plan to be completely honest about my 2 week trial period. I think it may be do-able based on the fact that the 2 and 4 year old play well together, it just gets really crazy when we add in the twins. So anyways, I'm sure many of you have had two babies before. Any advice for me? How did you make it work?

I admit I am a bit nervous because my daughter is breastfed and quite honestly, "spoiled" in that she naps on my lap (while the daycare kiddies are sleeping that is. She doesn't nap much when they are awake, aka loud). That will have to change when/if the new baby starts. The 2 year old and the babies' parents are friends, and they live about a block away. Based on that, and the fact they work from home and need to get some work done, meaning they are super flexible, means this could work well.

[Abigail]

How old is their infant? You seem comfortable with it so you should give it a try. Just make sure you're honest about the trial because they are still neighbors (if i read it right) and that would be weird if it didn't work out well because you live by each other.

[Lilbutterflie]

It is totally do-able! I had this scenario last summer:

7 mo dcb
2 mo dcg
3 yr old (my own)
3 yr old (dcb)

It was hard initially with the infant. Lots of bottles, but then lots of naps, too!

It got a LOT easier when the infant dcg got into a schedule that fit with the older infant (when she turned about 5 mos; she took 2 naps a day usually at the same time as the older infant, and one extra nap in late afternoon).

You will be tired at the end of the day; but it is totally do-able. And when the two babies get older they will be in the same age range to play together!

[jojosmommy]

I have two babies and I think it's easier if one is not your own.

My own 6.5 mo (spoiled in the exact same ways you said )
Dcg 11 mo but just started army crawling, pretty much same stage as my 6 month old.
Dcg 2 yr old (also delayed)
Own 3yr old
Dcb 4 yr old
Dcg 5yr old
Dcb 6yr old (kindergarten)

The only good thing for you would be the little one might sleep a lot. I feel like the two of them compete for my attention, one is always needing a diaper, bottle, to be nursed etc and the other kids get less attention than I would like. Because the one is my own I haven't been to strict and forced them on the same schedule. Plus mine has some health issues so I think that adds to the stress.

[MNMum]

I don't think I would do it. Unless you are really ready to give up that 2 hour snuggle time you get each day with your baby. I spoil my babies like you, and when I took in another infant with my 2nd child, it was awful. I hung on as long as I could, but in the end, I felt it was cutting into my time with my baby. I told myself it would be fine, I can do it...and I could, but I found myself very sad at what I felt my own little one was loosing out on...

This time around, I waited until my third child was nearly 2! It went much smoother, and I will never regret making him my only baby.

[wdmmom]

From my experience, taking on a baby part time has never worked out well. In fact, I have 2 part timers now that are both leaving this month. Once they are gone, I hope to fill only with full time kids and stop the part time all together.

I had a dcg that came in at 2 months old. She was here for almost a year and came only 7 days a month. It was one of the worst experiences I ever encountered. The days she came, I found myself stressed out een before she showed up. She was a beautiful little girl but she just wan't able to adjust as well as a full time child would have. Every time we would get to a point where she was starting to adjust, there'd be a 3 or 4 or 5 day stretch where she wouldn't come. Then we got to start all over again. I loved her parents and still talk with the DCM but the child just proved that part time infants are not something I'm willing to do ever again!!!

[Lucy]

Just keep a step ahead of them. Do any and all pre-preparation possible. (is that a word? ) I used to pre-pour the right amount of formula powder into all the bottles and have them sitting on the counter waiting to be made. I would have each baby's diapers - the amount I normally used in a day - already sitting in the changing area. Burp cloths were placed in several different areas. I had a little area "fenced" off with a blanket and a few toys ready to lay down one baby with a moment's notice if I had to suddenly tend to the other baby real quick.

In short, be prepared!! You can do it. It may be draining, but it's do-able.

[SunshineMama]

I was in the same situation as you, with basically (even twins) the same ages.

I took a 10 month old when my dd was 7 months and ended up terming the 10 month old because he demanded so much attention and I was unwilling to take that much time away from dd. He also cried excessively and I didnt want dd to start to become a crier. DD was ebf and probably spoiled by me too

When dd was 10 months I took another 10 month old who was a very easy baby, but I wish I had taken an older child. To be completely honest, I would never do that again. I kept the other child because I figured I could tough out the few extra months until he got a little older, and I still wish I hadn't. DD is climbing running, playing, etc, and dcb is still crawling and not talking. It's like he is still a 10 month old baby, at 17 months, which really holds us back on lots of activities.

Just my opinion. Good luck to you.

So I currently care for a 4 year old (my own), 3 year old twins, a 2 year old, and a 6.5 month old (my own) The twins are going down to part time for the summer (2 days per week) and I have an interview for a part time baby to fill their off days over the summer. The baby is 6-8 weeks old (I can't remember which they said) Anywho, originally I never wanted another baby while my own was still under a year, but I'm willing to give it a go and see how it pans out. I plan to be completely honest about my 2 week trial period. I think it may be do-able based on the fact that the 2 and 4 year old play well together, it just gets really crazy when we add in the twins. So anyways, I'm sure many of you have had two babies before. Any advice for me? How did you make it work?

I admit I am a bit nervous because my daughter is breastfed and quite honestly, "spoiled" in that she naps on my lap (while the daycare kiddies are sleeping that is. She doesn't nap much when they are awake, aka loud). That will have to change when/if the new baby starts. The 2 year old and the babies' parents are friends, and they live about a block away. Based on that, and the fact they work from home and need to get some work done, meaning they are super flexible, means this could work well.

[KEG123]

Thanks everyone for the opinions. I guess it could go either way. I think honesty is going to be key here with these parents. I'll have to explain that originally I never wanted to take a baby while my own was still a baby, but that I'd give it my best effort and see how it goes. One good thing is that they are flexible since they work from home and only live a block away. I guess I'll have to talk to them more.

It also may just be a temporary summer thing until my twins go back to full time anyways. Since their mom is off for the summer from school, I was wanting to fill their vacant days anyways (which would be Mon, Tues, and Thurs) but was hoping for an older child 1 year +.

I also think a lot of it depends on the demeanor of the baby. I'm thinking/hoping that with a 4 year old, a 2 year old (who is actually VERY well behaved) it might be more do-able to have 2 babies than it would if, say, the twins were ALSO here. Which is why I think staggering it so I never have both babies AND the twins.

[cheerfuldom]

This is the first time that I DIDNT have two (even three babies) in care. Its doable but very busy, especially depending on the personalities of the kids. Right now my youngest is 11 months, the next 20 months so we have been baby free for awhile here and I have loved to finally move onto toddler and up.

[KEG123]

They seem really nice and their baby seemed really laid back and easy going. Only immediate issue I foresee is that he currently sleeps *most of the time* in his swing.

[Country Kids]

I have four children and three were born since I started the childcare. Right from the get go, I decided no one under the age of two. The reasoning for this was I never wanted my baby to have to compete with another baby for my attention. I always felt I would be so torn because one was mine but I was being paid to watch the other one so my attention should be more towards them.

It always worked beautifully too. The youngest I have ever taken was 18 months but this was when my littlest was older and didn' care if there was a little one in the house.

[KEG123]

Ah see Country Kids, your thinking is what I was laying about last night thinking. I'm so torn. I didn't think I wanted another baby until mine was over 1. And as bad as it sounds I'm really gonna need the money that this baby would bring because of of the state paid client BS in IL. I still think I'm gonna give it a test drive and see how it goes, just for their sake. If it proves to be too much, I think they'll understand. And at least then I can say I tried.

[Former Teacher]

I don't mean to hijack but in July when my current family moves (military) I will be taking care of newborn twins.

I am so many different emotions. Happy, excited, scared, etc. Its been awhile since I had newborns and this time there will be 2 of them! Both boys!

I am sure I will be asking LOTS of questions here once July rolls around! ::