Transforming Your Family from a One Child Household to a Two Child Household: How to Survive

There is nothing more exciting than finding out you are having a baby. If you already have a child running around the house, you might be a little scared. Just remember, one day you will be hearing two "I love you mommies and daddies" instead of one. People tend to get so engrossed in the excitement of having another child that they overlook one important thing – the transition from a one child household to a two child household. The unfortunate truth is this is easily the hardest thing you will ever do in your entire life. It doesn't matter how good your first child was or how easy you thought handling him or her was as a newborn, this child is going to be different.

No, You Don't Need To Panic

As scary as that might sound, there is no reason to panic. Having a second child is a beautiful thing. You have to learn how to be the parent of two children the same way you learn how to do anything else. It is a process that will take time. There is no reason to get frustrated or beat yourself up when things feel hard. They will get easier as time passes. If you are still freaking out, below are some tips which may give you peace of mind.

It is Fine to be a Little Selfish

There is nothing wrong with putting the baby gate up on your toddler's room and letting your newborn cry in his or her bed for a moment because you are frustrated and feel like you are going to pull your hair out. Go wash off your face, take a few deep breaths, and then you can let the toddler out and pick the crying newborn up. It is not going to hurt them when you reach a point in time where you need to walk away for a moment.

Sleep is Vital

Few things are more important than sleep when you have more than one child. Whenever the opportunity presents itself during the first few months, you should be sleeping. If there is more than one parent in the house, you should take turns letting each other get a few hours of quality sleep. There is a huge difference between sleeping with your ears open to listen for your baby crying and sleeping with them close because you know your spouse is watching him or her.

Make Sure Your Older Child Gets Extra Attention

Your older child is used to being an only child. He or she is not used to having to share mommy and daddy. This is going to be hard for him or her to deal with at first. While sleep is important, consider using some of the time the baby is asleep to spend time with your other child. Giving them some one-on-one attention is going to make all the difference in the world to them.

The last and most important thing for you to have is a support system. This can be family or this can be friends. It needs to be someone you can call when you reach a point of no return and need help. Someone you can call to go get you some groceries because you don't want to take the children out. Someone to take the children so you can go on a date with your spouse for an hour or two. A support system will make a huge difference in your ability to handle this transition. Just be patient and remember it is alright to stop and walk away to take a few breaths. You will survive.