What did you buy for dc2 that was massively helpful?

[Tory79]

Dc2 is due in sept. I'm just trying to compose a list of things to buy, and was wondering what magic items people had bought for subsequent dc that turned out to be incredibly useful when managing 2, or that you came across free the arrival of first dc and wish you'd heard about before etc etc

Eg I'm thinking of getting one of these as ds only ever slept on me for the first 3 months or so and this seems to have great reviews....

[Tory79]

Free should read after!!

[Antidote]

A really really good sling (manduca).
A buggy that either one could go in (3 year age gap). In my case it's an out and about nipper 360.

Can't think of anything else.

[Bearsinmotion]

Watching with interest!

[rubyslippers]

Sling

[stargirl1701]

Interested. DC2 due in Aug

We have bought a co-sleeper crib this time as I can't face the idea of trying to get baby to go to sleep. DD had silent reflux and just screamed every time she was put down.

We plan to get a Stokke Newborn Chair and a buggy board for the pram.

[Trollsworth]

In the night garden DVD

[BrianButterfield]

I came on here to say sling! Far more useful with no 2 than no 1.

[MrsHende]

Marking my place!

[Iggly]

A manduca sling

A decent double buggy (2 year gap)

A decent rucksack to carry all the toddler and baby stuff.

Peppa pig episodes to keep ds quiet in moments of stress

[BrianButterfield]

Oh yes, co-sleeper cot v v good idea. Worked well for us.

[Dirtymistress]

Definitely a sling. I would go for a Tula.

[BikeRunSki]

Sling!
Nipper 360 too
Ds was 3 just before dd was born. He got doctor dressing up for his birthday, which he wore very proudly to the hospital to come and "help" his new sister. The MWs played along too.

[blueseashore]

I bought various things to encourage better sleeping by DC2 (swaddle wraps, cocoonababy thing, white noise comforter etc etc) but sadly despite best efforts we were outfoxed by my DC2 who was a faaaaar worse sleeper than my DC1!

Things I did find/ do find useful : all manner of travel combos - we have a 2.5 year gap and were unsure about getting a double but I'm so glad we did as some afternoons it was great to strap them both in and march round the block - if baby was in a bad mood then walking along with buggy at toddler walking pace was not ideal. We also have a sling, and a single (one of those lie flat maclarens) that both can go in, and a buggy board.

Truly though, what saved my sanity in the early days was my new tablet, on which DC1 could watch Cbeebies faves on iplayer and mess around with various toddler apps.

Good luck OP!

[BetweenDogandWolf]

A bath support so I could bath both baby DC2 and toddler DC1 together. Was really useful especially as I usually had to do bath time on my own as DH often still at work.

[KissItBetter]

Absolutely a sling but would start with a stretchy like a moby or Victoria sling lady before going onto a Tula or manduca.

I also got a multi pocketed gilet type jacket and dispensed with all the palaver of a change bag. A couple of nappies, wipes and a new vest deposited around my person and we were good to go.

[notadoctor]

Sling absolutely definitely. We have a Connecta and I can't reccomend it highly enough. DS2 lives in it!

I'd also say a high chair with a newborn position. It's really lovely for DS2 to have been able to sit at the table with us all since he was teeny and it's also a safe, cosy out of the way place to pop him.

[magichandles]

Same as BetweenDogandWolf - a reclining bath support. Massively useful, plus DC2 seemed to enjoy baths much more from an earlier age, I think he felt better supported.

[longtallsally2]

Not a thing, but a moment of inspiration. As dh left the hospital to go back to ds1, I told him not to tell ds1 that his baby brother had arrived, instead he was to tell ds1 that "now he is a big bother". No idea where the thought came from but it worked a treat, with the baby increasing his big brother's status in the family, not diminishing it. (Baby also brought a whacking great present for ds1 too, but actually he didn't need that. He was now a big brother - and still is!)

[JuniperTisane]

Thermal mug. Slings and high chairs and gadgets to get your baby to sleep while toddler ransacks the house are all very well but if you don't have a hot cup of tea to fall back its just miserable.

[longtallsally2]

Oooh yes, I'd forgotten the bath support - that was a lifesaver

[The3Bears]

The stokke newborn seat for tripp trap was great for us, also baby bjorn seat was one of our best buys ds2 loved it and could see everything going on so I had chance to help ds1 with his homework etc.
I had a sling/baby wrap but didn't get on with it ds2 was a big baby and I'm only small so i never felt it was secure enough and it wasn't v comfortable.
Luckily for us ds2 was a great baby loved going for walks in his pram and would drop of to sleep easily in his bugaboo carrycot, ds1 was a nightmare and refused to sleep in the carrycot had to be held.
if your planning to breastfeed like I did, I wanted to get ds2 on bottles from 6 weeks with ebm and he wouldn't accept them like ds1 so we got some breast flow bottles and these were amazing ds2 took to them straight away.

[enormouse]

My ergo baby carrier which meant we didn't have to fork out for a double buggy.

And the jumperoo has paid for itself.

A buggy board for our existing buggy has been great too.

[Notso]

For babies number 3 and 4 an electronic bath thermometer. With 1 and 2 I relied on my hand as was told in Nursery Nurse training. They hated baths.
I bought one for DC3 and realised 37 degrees is actually pretty toasty and I had probably been freezing my other poor babies. DC3 and DC4 loved their baths, and would go all sleepy and dreamy in them.

[MaryWestmacott]

A buggy board for the buggy, 3.5 year gap, dc1 didn't need a seat, but sometimes a little help on hills.

A stretchy sling

A bike from dc2 for dc1

Good storage in dc1's room, so all the toys with little bits can go in there, rather than having to watch if dc2 is eating them...

[Tory79]

Yes the decision about transportation methods is really playing on my mind!

We will have a 3 year age gap (due date is 10 days after ds 3rd birthday) and I'm really torn about getting a double - ds does love being in the buggy and I do quite a lot of walking so I feel it would be handy, but at the same time feel like ds should be old enough that I shouldn't have to and some combination of sling/scooter/single should see us through.... A sling is in my list, but like a pp I am small and not that strong, and didn't get on with it at all with ds (had a kari me, would definitely be going for something with more structure this time)