A question that a lot of parents who have a toddler and a newborn find themselves asking is how do I leave the house by myself with both children? It feels like such a big task!
And then just when you think you can finally leave, one of them is bound to need to use the potty, have a nappy change, need a new outfit for some reason and maybe even an emergency bath! We’ve all been there at some point, but hopefully this will help you find a way to start easing yourself into leaving the house with 2 children.
Our girls are just 23 months apart, so getting everyone ready meant I had to put my toddlers shoes and layers on too as she was unable to dress herself. If you have an older child and a newborn, try to get your eldest to get themselves ready as much as possible so you can focus on getting yourself and the baby ready to walk out the door. If you have a toddler though this may not be possible, but I can reassure you that it is still possible to get out with them both.
I was very fortunate that my Mum was around to help a lot for the first few weeks, although I ended up heavily relying on her coming over a couple of hours after my hubby left for work and staying until a couple of hours before he got home. I remember the day she suddenly said she couldn’t come and help one day the following week and feeling quite overwhelmed about how the day would go. I made a plan that we would do some arts & crafts and go to the park. I felt like I had to have a Super Mum day to prove to myself that I could do it, but in hindsight it would have been far easier to have stayed home all day. For the next couple of days, we did little trips out to Asda or the park and I insisted that my Mum didn’t help as I had to work out a way to do it all by myself. She was there though and so obviously it was all OK.
The night before my Mum couldn’t come over I got all organised. I packed the baby bag for our walk, made sure I had all of our hats, gloves, coats etc by the front door and set the pram up in the hall all ready. Organisation is key!
Well the morning was great, somehow we managed to get our painting activity in, although it wasn’t even 9am and I still had the whole day ahead of me!! So I decided to do our walk… I got myself ready first so when the girls were ready we could just leave. But by the time we had to do the extra emergency nappy change for the baby, along with a change of clothes, I was so hot and bothered as I had been wearing my coat and scarf for around 10 minutes inside. If I wasn’t so determined to get to the park to prove to myself that I could do it I would have scrapped the whole thing.
When we eventually got to the park we had a lovely time, but getting inside once we got home was equally a challenge as both girls were asleep in the pram and I can’t get the double buggy up the steps to our house with them both in it. I ended up sitting at the bottom of the stairs to our house for quite some time - at least we had all those layers on eh!
Needless to say, something had to change for the next time. And this is when I worked out the best way for me to get out and about with both of my girls. Driving! Now I know this isn’t the most environmentally friendly thing to do, so please don’t judge me, but I needed something that worked and at that time, this was it. If however you can get your pram into your house if both kids fall asleep, then this may not relate to you - skip to the bottom where I'll come back to helping you too.
If you drive to a park, or the shops etc, you only have to get part ready in each location. Load your car up the night before or first thing in the morning of everything you need - pram, baby bag, coats, hats, gloves etc. When you’re ready to leave, pop your shoes on, make sure your children don’t need the loo or a new nappy and get into the car. It’s much less hassle getting out of the house*. As they can't wear their coats in the car anyway, it is so quick and easy to leave.
*If your car is parked quite far from your house, this won't be a good solution in winter as they will need to wear their layers to the car.
When you get to your location, set up the pram and get one child into it and finish dressing them to the weather (coat, sun cream, whatever it may be). Then get the next child ready. I found it easier getting the newborn sorted first as my toddler was contained and happy in the car. On the way home, just do it in reverse. I do my toddler first - take off her extra layers and put her in the car seat, same for the next child, then the pram and you.
Doing it all this was was so much easier for me. When I had help I would walk to a local park though.
When the weather wasn't so cold and my little one was a bit sturdier, I would use the baby carrier and let my toddler walk, but this wasn't always the best option as I couldn't carry the baby bag and potty too and inevitably my toddler would want to be carried on the way home or sit on the floor waiting to be carried.
I always preferred having the double pram as my back up plan - with plenty of snacks for my toddler, just in case. As time passed, I found it easier taking the pram to the local park, but then again it has been the summer and I haven't had hundreds of layers to contend with.