I was very nervous about becoming a mom of 2 under 2. Caleb, my first child was 20 months old when Benji was born and I expected it to be a REALLY HARD season! To my surprise, it was a much smoother transition than I expected!
If you would like to read my post on tips for life with 2 under 2 you can find that here. Don’t get me wrong, we still have some challenging days around here but I feel like these are the things that helped make the transition much easier.
After writing that post, I realized there are some specific things that I cannot live without in this current stage of life, and so I want to share them here. These two under two must-haves are things that have personally made my life so much easier!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links which means that I make a small commission off a sale if an item is purchased (at no extra cost to you). This does not affect what items I recommend, and I am only listing items that I truly believe are the best.
Baby Carrier
Because you still have a toddler to run around after and things to get done, having a baby carrier is essential in my opinion!
There are so many baby carriers out there! I personally really like the Solly wrap because I feel like I can bend and do what I need to do with my baby feeling nice and snug. It did take some time to get used to but now I just wear it throughout the day and take Benji in and out when I need to. I find that after I put Benji in the wrap, it doesn’t take long for him to fall asleep which is a good sign that he likes it too!
I also like taking walks around my neighborhood with a single stroller for Caleb and Benji in the wrap. Or if I go grocery shopping, I will put Benji in the wrap and Caleb in the shopping cart seat. It is just such a great thing to have if you still want to be able to get things done.
Baby Bouncer
If I were to purchase one other baby gear item (other than the baby carrier) it would be this!
I regret not purchasing this for my first child. Both of my kids hated the swings and so this allows me to have a safe place to put my baby down. I love that I can set it on my counter so that it is out of reach from my toddler, and if I have to run to the bathroom I know that the baby is safe.
When you have two under two it’s important to be able to place your baby somewhere where the toddler cannot get to him, and this is perfect for that.
Benji likes taking some of his naps in this (obviously only under my supervision) and I can rock him if he starts moving around which puts him back to sleep. He has reflux so the incline really helps!
A “Yes Zone”
Before creating Caleb’s “yes zone”, I felt like all I was doing was saying “no”, “stop”, “we don’t do that”, or “put that down”. You know how it goes with toddlers. And with another baby, I was not able to have my attention on him 100% of the time.
It was important to me to have an area where he could do whatever he wanted without me constantly having to redirect him and where I knew that he was safe.
A “yes zone” is an area that has distinct boundaries whether that is a room, or an area in the living room separated by a gate, etc. And everything within that zone is a yes. In order to have a safe yes zone it’s important to put some thought into planning it out. For us, the yes zone is Caleb’s room. I made sure to put locks on all the dresser drawers, covers on all of the outlets, no accessible cords or choking hazards, etc. Pretty much, it is a space where I know he will be safe even if I am tending to my infant and do not have my attention on him. He does have coloring markers in the room that he can access but they are easily washable so even when he does color on the furniture or walls, I can just wipe it away.
I am not always able to have my attention on my toddler, so having this yes zone has really given me a piece of mind and sanity.
Double Stroller
This is obvious, but having a double stroller is essential if you have two small children. While I do use the baby carrier and the single stroller quite a bit, I also like just taking the double stroller when we are out and about.
During the warmer months, a downside to the carrier is that it makes you feel hot so I use the double stroller for both children.
We went with the mockingbird stroller, and if you would like to read my honest review on it, you can check that out here.
Child Locks
This includes door and cabinet/drawer locks. We didnt childproof the drawers until we had our second baby because thats when Caleb began opening drawers, getting out snacks, taking out all of the pots and pans, etc. Having all the locks in place saves me from constantly saying “no”, which he already hears enough of.
Toddler proofing is good to do even if you don’t have two under two, but if you do, it is especially helpful!
