Surviving pregnancy while parenting during the patience testing-twos. Tips you should incorporate with your pre-toddler for a smoother pregnancy.
1. Try to eat every time they eat
When you start getting caught up in eating less it eventually makes your body feel pretty groggy so before you get too caught up in that pattern try eating when your child eats it will help you out more than you think. As moms and definitely being pregnant again it’s easy to over look ourselves and take care of every one else. we end up finding ourselves with about half the day or all of the day gone by that you haven’t eaten a real meal and for some a actual snack that really helps with your appetite. It’s usually something that barely qualifies as food. This is something i am very guilty of and I’ve done it even during my first pregnancy. Sometimes it is hard to eat when you don’t feel well or having morning sickness, which for some may be all day sickness. So by eating when your child eats you can guarantee that you are getting food in your belly whether it be a real snack or a small meal.
2. If possible take a nap/rest when they nap
Getting rest while they’re resting will benefit you in the long run.
You do not want to be tired with your eyes closing on you with out permission during crucial moments. Falling asleep unintentionally happens all the time and being exhausted while trying to take care of your child or things around the house can end badly if you are just that tired including possibly putting extra unneeded stress on your body . Of course we can’t prevent everything but believe me even a good 3-5 minutes of rest is better than nothing. You don’t have to go to sleep but you definitely need to let your body rest atleast once or twice a day.
3. letting the tv or iPad baby sit for a short time while getting things done.
If your anything like me and have things to get done around the house or handle business specially being a stay at home mom sometimes it’s hard getting our children to understand that we have other things to do other than playing with them at that moment. I know it’s a very debatable topic and not everyone agrees with letting their child have tv or electronic time. Let’s be honest they are young and their attention spans are really short. Thirty minutes or a hour isn’t going to jeopardize their learning process and believe it or not you will be grateful for that extra little time and it can also help with independent play
Which our daughter is great at .our daughters independent play can last up to about 2hrs with out needing to interact with me. She has learned to keep herself occupied alone very well which is a blessing when I have things to get done at home whether it be business, cleaning, or cooking. Try getting them to engage in independent play more regularly and i promise you it will come in handy when the new baby arrives.
4.Putting your little one on a reasonable schedule
I personally didn’t pick a set schedule for our daughter. Because of me being a stay at home mom with no other type of job i didn’t have a schedule to work around. I let her body fall on a natural schedule. Eventually she was on that schedule to the T . Which helped me decide when to get things done or go places because it helped give me something to work around instead of her working around me. Have that schedule helped me get things done and be more productive. It made things go by smoothly. So whether your child has to work around you or The other way around it helps a lot knowing what’s going on or what’s going to happen around a estimated time.
5. Include your little one in making a few decisions or doing chores around the house
Depending on your child’s age or development stages this may or may not work for you. However for me it works great. My child is at that stage were she likes to be very independent but also loves to help when asked. So if it’s time to clean the room she will help pick up trash or clothes or toys what ever it may be. If i am washing clothes she likes to put items in the washer with me. Now for us we have a front loader so our child is very much tall enough to reach the washer and dryer to do so. If you don’t have a front loader you may have to come up with a different way to be able to allow them to help whether it may be using a step stool or sitting on top of the dryer or just having them hand you the clothes or items out of the basket to let you put them in the wash or dryer. It helps keep them occupied while having your eyes on them. Also helps with their independence along with getting them mentally ready for chores when they get older if you plan on going that route! My child gets very excited when she gets to help even if it’s just getting the dogs food and water or helping put up the groceries if she can hold it . It does a lot to a child’s confidence being able to help you out even if you don’t need it.
6.If you have the help use it even if it’s just for small things.
Even I have a problem with this but it is definitely worth it no matter how bad you feel. Me being a new mom I didn’t like the thought of inconveniencing anyone. Even though they already offered to help anytime i need it. I don’t like feeling like a burden on anyone but sometimes you need to honestly put that pride to the side and allow someone to help you even if it’s just watching your child until you finish a shower or just to have some alone time. I highly recommend taking advantage even if you are a stay at home mom but are trying to work from home and just need a little extra time to yourself to get things done. I’m not saying they have to be gone at hours at a time , just for however long you feel you need. It’s better to take the help than end up with problems later when work is backed up or you don’t have much time for the house work or getting important documents sent out on time. Or getting that shower you haven’t been able to get in two days because you’ve been caught up in taking care of your child , husband and being exhausted.
Let’s Share: What tips would you have for someone pregnant and caring for a toddler or younger ?
Join the Conversation:what problems have you ran into being pregnant and caring for a younger child ? An if you came across a solution, what did you do to help or fix the problem?