Question for SAHMs with nannies or sitters for 2 under 2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get as many nannies as you can afford. The best and happiest mother I know has two nannies during the week (three kids under 6) and two more on weekends. She gets to spend quality time with all her kids.

There are no medals for slugging it out.

I’m OP. You’re last line made me laugh. Thanks for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- thanks for all the kind, thoughtful responses! I didn’t even know about split shift nannies. I’m terrified to add another baby to the mix when my youngest is under 2 (have been worried it will be really tough on my son) but hopefully with a little help everyone will survive 😂.

Good luck, OP. Glad I could help!

[Anonymous]

I have a 3yo and a 4 month old. I work part time from home 15-20 hours per week mostly during naps and in the evenings.

I drop my oldest at a babysitters house 3x a week from 8am-12:30pm then pick her up and she naps after that from 1-3/4pm. There are two other toddlers there and she LOVES it. I've kept my baby home so far, but in the Fall my 3yo will start preschool and my baby will transition in to the sitter those 3 mornings a week.

It's been a really good balance for us.

[Anonymous]

I had overnight help. They did an early shift from 7pm-4am. DH handled 4-7am.

The thing about having someone in for daytime is that I would be sending my older kid away and I thought that would actually be harder on him than having to learn to share attention.

My routine: 4am I would pump and then go back to sleep until 6. At 6 I would shower and throw together breakfast for myself and DS and prep lunch and pull something out to thaw for dinner. By 6:45, DS is usually up. His DH gets him up and changes his diaper and has a little snuggle, then at 7, DH puts DS in the high chair and leaves for work. DS and I eat breakfast while I nurse the baby. We go out somewhere (rotation of 3 neighborhood parks with fences around the tot lot or a sandbox or other easy-to-supervise section). Baby naps in the stroller or in a baby carrier while I chase toddler.

I’d nurse again somewhere in the middle. We’d usually eat lunch at the park just to avoid having to clean the kitchen. Head home right after lunch and nurse the baby while DS played in our super-toddler-proofed playroom. Then I’d settle the baby down in the swing long enough to get DS ready for nap. Then the baby and I would go to my room and do a little tummy time and usually a short nap until DS woke up.

In the afternoon I would set DS up with a rotation of activities (sensory bin with rice, playdough, finger paint, etc.) at his art table while the baby played on a playmat nearby or nursed. We’d do a short walk around the neighborhood, weather permitting, then early dinner. After dinner I would give DS and bath and nurse the baby. At the end of his bath I would put the baby in with him for just a short little rinse under the warm faucet.

Then I’d wrap everybody in towels and get them dry and in jammies and nurse the baby more while I read books. Around that time the night nanny would come and get the baby down for the night while I did bedtime with DS. Once he was down I would pump, then go to bed myself. I’d wake overnight and pump, then leave the milk for the night nanny to feed the baby.