11 tips for getting through pregnancy with a toddler or three.
- You will be permanently tired. Make peace with this. It is ok for them to watch copious amounts of TV and movies especially during the first and third trimesters. Ive actually been known to sleep whilst ‘watching’ a movie with the boys.
- Nap when they do. If you’re silly enough to have 4 in 4 years you may still have napping children. Embrace this.
- You will routinely piss yourself when picking up children and or toys. Again make peace with this. Or invest in liners and or nappies for the entire pregnancy.
- Giving the youngest the elder children’s left overs as their main meal is also ok. Food is food right? I figure it is creating a diverse palate.
- Try to have the new baby in summer. That way your third trimester will also be in the warmer months and clothing/shoes will be optional for children. Well mine are anyways. This also reduces washing. Win all round.
- Embrace water play. This assists with keeping the children clean and helps reduce proper scrubbing at nighttime.
- Arrange playdates almost daily. This will keep all involved sane.
- Keep permanent snacks on hand. Again reduces time and stress when the spawn are overcome with hunger even though they have just ate 15 minutes prior.
- Throw away lace up shoes for you and your children. Unless they can do it themselves. Wrangling a toddler to put high tops on looks cute but is a f’ing nightmare when heavily pregnant.
- Enjoy when the kiddies love the unborn baby prior to it arriving. This is probably the only time the newborn will be safe from snot kisses, blueberries and or sultanas being fed to it at 6 weeks and the odd toy thrown at its head…
- Oh and let the dog clean food scraps off the floor. This is basically the only reason I like my dog.
So basically summing up these tips I am basically saying it is perfectly ok (and very normal) to become a lot more lax and carefree with your parenting and cleaning skills whilst pregnant. Well maybe it isnt but for me I have had to convince myself of this otherwise I will go crazy with thinking about the things i should be doing and what I shouldn’t be allowing the kids to be doing. Just go with the flow and before you know it you have extra cleaning duties with a newborn.
Four Little Creatures 