How to Survive Pregnancy with Two Toddlers at Home
Kristina
—May 08, 2022
Pregnancy is a time for excitement, planning and anticipation. Your first pregnancy often goes by slowly as you dream what life with a baby will be like; you have plenty of time for naps and daydreaming. Then all of a sudden you are pregnant with your third child while running after your other two toddlers and you wonder how am I going to survive?
Pregnancy is exhausting at times, you are growing another human being, and add on two toddlers at home and every day might feel like a marathon. Below you will find 16 tips on how to survive pregnancy while also taking care of toddlers.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Rest assured all products I suggest are products I have bought or would buy based on personal experience or through my network of other mommas.
Lower your expectations of what to accomplish each day
Taking care of toddlers all day is a full-time job and tiring. If some days that is all you accomplish and the laundry pile grows and the dishes are left unclean that is okay. Give yourself some grace.
As a mom you might feel like you are failing by not keeping up with everything that needs to get done, but remember the most important part of being a mother is ensuring your kids are loved, healthy and safe. All the other things such as household chores are secondary.
Set one or two goals a day that you hope to get done. A good example is a load of laundry and getting to the grocery store. If you can accomplish that while taking care of your toddlers, call it a successful day. Days of having a long list of tasks to accomplish can wait.
Know when you have the most energy to get things done
Take note of when you feel like you have the most energy. You might find you start the day with a great deal of get up and go and by 2 pm all you can think about is putting your feet up. Or perhaps you’re the opposite, morning is a struggle and later in the day you feel a surge of energy.
Perform your daily tasks that need to be done during your peak energy times. Don’t be hard on yourself that you don’t have energy all day long, just take advantage of the times you have the most energy.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
You might pride yourself in being able to get everything done yourself, you like to feel like supermom. But when you are pregnant and taking care of toddlers you will be exhausted. You need to take care of yourself and that means knowing when to ask for help.
Help can come from your partner, family, babysitter or child care. Even an hour or two of child free time can make a huge difference to you mentally. Asking for help is not a weakness but a strength. Often others might not know you are struggling until you ask for help. Do not suffer in silence.
As your pregnancy progresses and your belly grows, talk with your partner on ways they can help out more. Small changes such as your partner carrying the laundry up and down the stairs, taking over bath time with the other children, or carrying the younger toddler up to be changed can make a big difference.
If you can schedule more time for other family members to watch the toddlers and give yourself a rest do so. Even better if your toddlers can have a sleepover with your parents or in-laws. The goal is to allow you more time to recharge and rest, as long as your toddlers are in a safe environment.
Stock your kitchen with easy meals for toddlers
Some days your energy levels will be down. That is okay and expected. Prepare for these low moments by having easy options for toddler meals, the last thing you will want to do is cook.
You can cook double batches when you feel full of energy and freeze the leftovers. Or when at the grocery store pick up some easy options such as hot dogs, frozen ravioli, frozen vegetables, or fish sticks. If you are feeling like meal prep is too much there is always take out.
Don’t feel guilty if dinner one night is sliced cheese, crackers and grapes. Toddlers are notorious for being picky or not eating great at all meals. Sometimes you can cook a delicious nutritious meal and your toddlers will barely touch it. A simple meal here and there won’t harm them.
Before your due date you can also prepare frozen meals for new moms. This will help with the first couple weeks of being a family with three kids.
Make lunches the night before
If your toddlers go to daycare or preschool, prepare their lunch the night before. Attempting to pack lunch and get your toddlers ready for school all in the morning can be a lot, especially if one or both your toddlers are having a tantrum and you need to get ready yourself.
Some night prep after the toddlers go to bed will go a long way. If you feel exhausted at night ask your partner if they can prepare the lunches for you. Anything you or your partner can prepare ahead of time to lessen the load for the next day will be a blessing.
Nap time or quiet time is sacred
Most toddlers nap daily, or if not actually sleep, they will benefit from quiet time in the middle of the day. Take this time for yourself to unwind. Some days you might feel up to doing chores during your toddlers’ nap times, but other times you will benefit from putting your feet up or closing your eyes.
If one of your toddlers doesn’t nap, try having them play quietly in a low light room, such as their bedroom. Allow them to read books or play with their stuffed animals, but set the precedent that it is quiet time.
If both your toddlers nap try to get them on the same nap schedule. Chasing after toddlers is tiring and doesn’t allow much time for you. A quiet house for two hours will do wonders for your sanity.
Go outside and soak in vitamin D
Often the last thing you want to do is drag yourself outside when you’re feeling nauseous or exhausted. The change of scenery and fresh air will do wonders to boost your mood and hopefully curb your nausea.
A great way to build outside time into your schedule with your toddlers is to take morning and/or afternoon walks. You can pop your toddlers in a double stroller for the walk, have them ride their scooter or bikes or even walk along with you. Toddlers love routine and as long as you stay consistent toddlers should adapt to the new schedule and might even pull you out for a walk.
My toddlers love their scooters. My 2 and 3 year old are able to ride their Skidee Scooters faster than I can walk while pregnant and further than a mile. It is a great way for me to build in daily walks in my neighborhood.
Or my toddler also get around on their Strider bikes. Strider bike is a balance bike that I love for toddlers. Read my full review here.
If you prefer your toddlers to stay in the stroller, offering a snack or treat works wonders. Pack stroller friendly stacks and water for them or even play music from your phone to keep them entertained.
Some other ideas of things to do outside with toddlers can be found in the below posts:
Nature Sun-catcher Arts and Craft for Toddlers
25 Outdoor Winter Activities for Toddlers
25 Outdoor Rainy Day Activities for Toddlers
Schedule in workouts
Working out releases endorphins which boost your mood. Regular exercise is also recommended when pregnant unless advised differently from your doctor. To ensure you find time for yourself, plan when you can exercise. Planning workouts the day before makes it more likely for you to follow through.
Pregnancy zaps your energy and you might think working out will make you feel depleted. Don’t push your workouts; keep a reduced working out regime and you might be surprised how rejuvenated you feel after. Looking after yourself during pregnancy is vital.
If you are hiker check out my 11 tips for hiking while pregnant.
Go to bed early
The first and third trimesters are hard on your body. You feel tired and exhausted and that is normal. Your body needs more rest. Once you put your toddlers to bed it is okay to call it an early night as well.
You never know if your toddler will wake up sick, pee the bed or have night terrors. By going to bed early you give yourself more chances for a full night sleep even if you get interrupted. If you don’t get interrupted you can always wake up early and get a couple things done before the toddlers awake.
Teach your toddlers ways to be independent
Toddlers require an enormous amount of your time. At times it feels they need help with everything they do and constantly bending down to their level gets harder as you grow bigger.
The more you can teach them to do themselves means the less bending down and more moments of rest you get. Great examples of things you can do are:
- Install a coat hanger your toddlers can reach. Teach them to retrieve and hang up their coat so you don’t have to
- Have shoe racks that are accessible to toddlers so they can put on and take off shoes themselves
- Allow toddlers to have access to pick out their own clothes, you can encourage them to put their clothes on and take them off themselves, also teach them to place dirty clothes in a hamper
- Put step stools in places so toddlers can wash their own hands or get to their own toothbrushes
- Healthy snacks toddlers can reach themselves
- Regular habit of picking up their toys
Go to organized activities
One of the hardest things while pregnant is coming up with ideas to keep your toddlers entertained. Take advantage of organized activities around you.
A great option is if your local library does story time or toddler time. Brining your toddlers to activities you didn’t have to design allows you more time to sit back and rest while they are entertained and breaks up your day.
Other options can be indoor play gyms, YMCA or other family gyms, toddler activities (such as tumbling, swim lessons), toddler sports, or a music class.
Use screen time effectively
There is no shame using screen time to help you out while pregnant. If your toddlers are more cranky than normal, not feeling well or you just really need a break, pop on the TV for small amounts of time to give yourself a chance to put your feet up, get something done or to rest.
TV time can be a great distraction for your toddlers when you are trying to cook dinner or clean up. As long as you don’t have the TV on constantly and use it only for specific periods of the day your toddlers should be entertained and give you a break.
Practice Toy Rotation
Toddlers are excited by new things. New doesn’t have to be brand new from a store, but something they haven’t seen every day. By rotating your toddlers toys you bring back excitement to old toys and keep a tidier house. You don’t want to have to bend down and pick up more toys while pregnant.
Rotating toys on a weekly basis helps keep your toddlers entertained and your money stays in your wallet. One week you can have the train set out and the next week the big block set or hot wheels cars. You will be amazed how excited a toddler can be seeing an old toy after not seeing it for only two weeks.
Finding ways to keep your toddlers entertained helps cut down tantrums and allows more peace for you.
Let your toddlers be your helpers
Toddlers are great little helpers. They often slow down the chore you are trying to do, but over time they will get quicker and become great helpers. Chores can be boring for us, but toddlers just want to be included.
You most likely won’t have the energy to get everything done you use to while taking care of your toddlers. The more things you can do together the less things you will feel the need to do once they go to bed when you would rather rest.
Let your toddlers help you get laundry from the washer and put it in the dryer. Let them help you put away their clothes. Or you can get them involved in sweeping the floors, watering the plants, feeding the dog or putting away groceries. Toddlers are capable of helping with more than you think.
Let the older toddler help with the younger toddler
If your toddlers are different ages enlist your older toddler in helping with your younger toddler. An older toddler will be able to help with picking out clothes, getting jackets/hats/gloves, retrieving items for you, or even entertaining their younger sibling.
Your older toddler will jump at the chance to be mommy's little helper. He/She will feel special and proud that you chose him/her to help out.
My 3.5 year old son has been a great helper in getting his 2 year old brother interested in potty training!
Talk to your toddlers about what is happening
Toddlers will notice your appearance changing. Talk to them about what is happening and that you are growing a baby. Explain how growing a baby is tiring and how it can make you feel more tired or unwell. You would be surprised how an older toddler will be understanding or want to help out.
Toddlers are full of energy, but also very loving. Communicating with them in simple language can go a long way in helping them understand the changes that are occurring and anticipate the arrival of their new sibling.
![how to survive pregnancy with two kids at home](https://res.cloudinary.com/ds8uw7t44/image/upload/v1685975491/2022-05-07\_16-12-08\_482.jpg "Reading to my two toddler boys "I'm a Big Brother"")
My toddlers loved reading books about babies and being a big brother. Our current favorites my two toddlers read each day in anticipation of their new baby coming soon are Good Night New Baby, I'm a Big Brother!, and I Am a Big Brother.
Conclusion on How to Survive Pregnancy with Two toddlers
Pregnancy can be rough and some days are better than others. Remember that pregnancy is a fixed period of time and will not last forever. Finding ways to enable you to rest more during this time is the key.
Pregnancy is not the time to feel like you have to be a supermom, reality is you already are! You are growing a human inside of you. It is the time to enlist help and take care of yourself!
Looking for fun ways to announce your pregnancy. Here is my 12 Ways to Announce Your Pregnancy to Family.