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advice, baby, baby gear, babywearing, blogging, carrying, design, essentials, family, LÍLLÉbaby, Life, motherhood, summer, toddler, two under two, wrap
Good morning! Today I am so excited to be partnering up with LÍLLÉbaby to share a few things that have helped keep us sane with two under two! There are days where everything feels like a hot mess and other days where I feel like we might just make it out alive. I honestly think the transition from one to two has been easier than zero to one for several reasons, but I think it mostly comes down to realistic expectations and a couple of really key products.
Here are a few tips and tricks we’ve learned so far!
- A diaper bag backpack. I love this option because it has an over the shoulder strap if you just want to throw it on, but it also has a backpack option so that you don’t have to deal with it flopping around and you have both hands free. Plus, it’s roomy and stylish which helped me feel put together even when I was sweating and running around like a crazy person before 9 am. On our outings this summer, it was a serious lifesaver.
- A double stroller. I get lots of questions about this one that we use. Most people think it’s a single stroller and wonder where the baby is. She’s down in her little nook!! So pretty much it’s the best ever because it has the feel of a single stroller, but the second seat attachment slides right in and still leaves plenty of room for stuff. It’s incredible.
- Give the older kiddo manageable tasks they can achieve with ease. E is such a pleaser so she loves to help and ‘out-mama’ me everyday. She’s constantly trying to help or do what I do with her baby. So, giving her tasks like throwing away the diaper or wiping up a little mess keeps her occupied and feeling like she’s a part of things.
- Manage tasks you feel like are difficult into manageable parts. We learned early on that trying to bathe both babies on the same night stresses everybody out and nobody can sense stress like a kid. Until both are able to sit in the same bath, we will do one kid one night and the other the next night. Or one right when I get home and the other later in the evening. Just piece out/manage tasks to make them as easy as possible. Give yourself a little grace here.
- Get on a schedule. Obviously, with the little one, a schedule is just now becoming a thing, but we still, even from day one, had a solid routine with E. We are in the groove now with unpacking and preparing for the next day as soon as we get home from work, eating dinner as a family, baths/relaxing before bed and then bed. See more on how we establish nighttime routines here. A healthy routine has really helped us all feel a little more control in the day!
- Babywearing has also ramped up with two under two. I hardly ever wore E because I just didn’t really get the hang of it and I felt like I was hurting her or messing it up. I loved holding her and it just seemed easier. Claire has been a whole different story. She only wants to be held and over the last few weeks, has been almost colicky in her need to be upright and bouncing 24/7. I figured out how to baby wrap REAL quick. Wrapping her in the LÍLLÉbaby Wrap was one of the only ways to get her to nap and relax a bit. PLUS, both hands are pretty much required when you have a toddler and newborn. The Complete Carrier is also perfect for carrying either kiddo. It has 6 carry positions including forward carry, which somehow we missed as a feature in the ERGO. If you get a carrier that doesn’t have the forward facing feature, you probably won’t use it except on your back. I would highly recommend investing in this if you are thinking about a carrier of this type because you can use it for all ages, in any position.
What else would you all recommend? Life with two under two can be a little chaotic, but it’s also a beautiful adventure that we wouldn’t trade for anything!
Hope you all have a great week!
Erin
*This post was sponsored by LÍLLÉbaby, but all opinions, as always are my own
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