Having 3 preschoolers

Was looking for ideas on how to get through the first week, month or year having 3 preschoolers. My eldest son is 3 1/2, 2nd son is 2 an I'm due to have number 3 in 5 weeks. I'm really starting to get very nervous as to how I'm going to cope with it all. After my 2nd was about 6 weeks old - 4 months I really didn't cope. I'm not good at asking for or accepting help and really tried to hide my feelings of incompetency...I remember one time when both the kids were crying in the car and all I could think about was if I went for that lamp post maybe it might just all stop. There were other really black moments, I tried talking to my husband but he has a "harden up" attitude. Anyway, due to these feelings last time I'm really scared about having a 3rd (not planned but we're stoked about it). So, what I'm looking for is what worked or didn't work? How do I nurse my baby and control the older ones etc etc?

Edited by 2bmumof3

Oh and a few tips of how to keep the older 2 entertained while you're feeding is to set them up first with things that will keep them amused for a bit while you're tied up with bubs. Perhaps get your older boy to read his favourite book to you, do some colouring in, and I find the cartoon channel a lifesaver as well! Or a kids movie. If your backyard is secure, let them ride their bikes outside.

Thanks for your ideas guys. It sound like organisation might be the key. Having plans in place as to how to deal with things before they arise rather than just figuring it out afterwards. I've had someone else suggest packing lunches the night before (whether we're due out or not) so the older ones can simply help themselves, so thought that might be good with my grazers. The book ideas are great as both my kids love to read an I can still do that with them whilst nursing, and I might keep on hand colouring in stuff as well as the TV remote.

My mum has bi-polar disorder so I've seen first hand how hard depression of any form can be on the person involved and their family. It's my biggest fear that I'll be the same, I simply couldn't put my family through it an I guess that's why I try to hide feelings of not coping and despair (reading too much into them) that are probably more common than I realise.

I'm glad I've found the Oh Baby forums as it's great to find people who have either been there and done that or going through it with you.

2b, did you want to keep the grazing thing going? If not, now would be a good time to put that routine into place too

Aww I only have 2 but I so have moments of wanting it all to stop. My theory is one day it will all pay off having them so close cos they will all play together while I relax

All the best anyway

OK back, altho given I am shattered from getting thru jungle hour, might not have the best perspective atm!

I had a preschooler and two babies, then a preschooler and two toddlers and now am having a wee break having gotten Miss Five off to school before baby #4 arrives and I'm back to having a baby and two toddlers at home.

The one thing I am doing with trying to get my head around having another baby to add to the chaos is trying NOT to change too much so the gremlins don't have to make too many adjustments. They're staying in their cots for the forseeable future, I'm not even going to consider TTing till next summer and they can keep their bedtime bottles even tho by the time Maya was around their age she had ditched the bottle, was in a bed and was TTing.

I have got them self feeding with a spoon tho, that's one thing that will make my life easier, especially at breakfast time when I am trying to get us all out the door in time for school.

The gremlins are grazers like your kids, I have no issues with that, it just means they spread their eating out a bit more, I still make sure they get all the "right" foods, just not neccessarily in one big meal.

I'm also going to get a whiteboard to write stuff on so I don't forget - appts, phone calls I have to make, bills to pay etc coz I am not terribly organised atm!

Funnily enough, I also cope better when I'm out than when I'm at home trying to find ways to entertain them so we've started going to playgroup and mainly music and they really enjoy it.

As for the PND, I had it pretty bad after the gremlins and this time I have been referred to maternal mental health during my pregnancy so we can try and put some strategies in place to avoid a repeat performance of last time, and that has made me feel a lot more confident. They're helping me to look at the things that made me feel isolated and alone last time and how to combat those.

This is definitely our last too! No more babies! I'm trying not to think too much about what will happen when baby arrives coz I have nightmares that the gremlins will sit on her or poke her eyes out, or try to pick her up...

LOL @ the mini petrol heads!

I'm gonna do the portacot in the lounge thing too, one of the ladies on the multiples board on EBB suggested it. Mind you, gremlins can climb out of their portacots so what's to stop them climbing in