How To Handle Pregnancy With A Toddler

Being in your third trimester while having a toddler running around sounds like a nightmare. But you don’t have to do everything on your own! Now that you’re going through pregnancy a second time round, it’s a lot different to what you handled before when you were carrying your first-born. There are enough things to worry about as a mother but that doesn’t mean your second journey with pregnancy should be overwhelming. So is it possible to juggle pregnancy with a toddler? What tips should you take on board with your second child arriving?

Don’t be hard on yourself

You haven’t vacuumed in the last week. The laundry has been neglected and you can’t seem to find some clean clothes anywhere. We understand how challenging it is to do chores as well as cooking for the family too. Remember to not stress yourself over the little things and understand that you’re not a superwoman. These tasks will be done eventually when all the chaos with pregnancy is over, so for now, relax and don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re doing your best!

Ask for help

Getting grandma in a couple of days is a smart move especially if you’re struggling to do things on your own when you’re in your second or third trimester. Having extra help around the house can be beneficial for you especially if you want everything to remain clean. You’ll also find that grandma can take out your toddler for a couple of hours if you want some downtime for yourself. If no one from the family is available, consider hiring a teenage babysitter that can look after your child a couple of hours a week. It can do all the difference if you have at least one person that can help you out.

Take naps whenever you can!

Are you struggling to get some rest during the day? Naps are the perfect solution if you want to rejuvenate yourself especially when you feel like you’ve been running around all day. When your child is napping, you can snooze for about twenty minutes. If your child is off to daycare, try and nap while they’re away too. You shouldn’t feel guilty resting because in the end, naps can help you give that boost of alertness you need to get through the day.

Encourage independence from your toddler

Getting your toddler to help you out on small tasks can encourage them to become independent and less reliant on you. Sometimes our little ones can get clingy so it may be hard at first but starting small and building on to larger tasks can also help you manage your time efficiently when doing household chores. Having your toddler help you can provide many benefits and it will also give them a sense of responsibility too. They’ll also feel proud if they complete these tasks successfully. Being positive and encouraging is the way to go if you want your toddler to gain a little independence from you.

Try to do your errands online

You might’ve been used to paying your bills in person or taking a lovely stroll down your favourite aisle in the supermarket. Now that you have a toddler while pregnant, doing these errands away from home is simply not possible anymore. Instead of having you run around all over the shopping mall, try and get everything done online. You can order and deliver your groceries to your home and you can pay your bills with internet banking too. Now you can save the drive to the shops and use your time efficiently by doing your errands at home!

Do some tasks in the evening

If you want the next day to run as smooth as possible, get some tasks out of the way the night before. Whether it’s packing for school lunches, doing prep for next morning’s breakfast or paying your bills online, it’ll save you time completing these things instead of having to get up early in the morning. It’ll also allow you to sleep in for longer or have more time spent on challenging tasks set out for you the next day.

Play games you can manage with your toddler

Playing tips is just not an option anymore when you’re carrying a little one in your womb. Don’t stress yourself out and feel pressured to do anything physical with your toddler. Avoid any heavy lifting and be cautious of your limits. When playing games, opt out for board games, kid-friendly video games, colouring or hosting a tea party. If you keep all the games simple, you and your toddler can bond and have a great time without the stress of having to move around with your baby bump!

Handling pregnancy with a toddler has its challenges but that doesn’t mean you can’t juggle the two together. Always remember that there are people out there that can help you out especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed. Toddlers have so much energy, it’s hard to keep up but if you show support and love towards them during this tricky time, they’ll understand and appreciate your efforts.