What Do I Need to Know/have for Siblings 15 Months Apart?

I just wrote this giant e-mail and pushed the wrong button...deleting it! arg.

Mine are 15 months apart, nw 3 and 4. I have tips for pregnancy if you are nasaus changing the diapers, used the tub so you can get sick and the baby isn't going anywhere. also, I was on bed rest if you need advice on that.

I love the double long Graco with bigger tires for when baby in car seat carrier and walks. Then a double wide for older as it stops fight ing of who is in front and back.

I bought a cheap used crib for the baby and then swapped out for the better one (donating the used one) when #1 was 2.

highchair went from one to the other as #1 went to a booster seat.

toys: buy two of everything. don't know genders but we went with red and bright blue. we have a boy and girl. They parrallel play like twins for a long time so they really don't share. about 3, you are finally getting rid of baby toys and each kids starts wanting their own things.

I can't tihink anymore.so just e-mail me back if you have any other questions...too tired tonight.

I have 2 boys that are 16 months apart. If you like to go for walks to get exercise, I would reccommend a jogging stroller. Most other places I use a sling or baby carrier and my older son walks or uses the single stroller. The double is just so big in the car. Other than that, we did get a second crib. My first boy is very active, but still uses his crib to sleep and for quiet time. As long as he isn't trying to climb out, it gives some control and comfort knowing he is safe. It is a lot of work, but also fun as they start to interact. Already at 21 and 5 months it is getting easier. Congratulations!!!

You could get a bassinett for the first few months. Then move the older child to a crib a few months before baby needs it. Same with the high chair - find a good booster seat that straps to the chair (baby won't need high chair until at least 4 months old, maybe 6). Definitely get a double stroller with seats for both (not the standing kind).

You probably want to move the older child out of crib, high chair, etc a few months before moving baby in, so the first doesn't feel like baby is taking over her stuff.

My girls are 15 months apart. By the time the baby was big enough for the high chair, the toddler was using a booster. A friend gave us a crib, though by the time we moved the baby to the crib we had converted the toddler's crib to a bed.
We have made a LOT of use of a double jog stroller!
The thing that was most challenging for us was making the adjustment of a newborn easy for the older daughter. She did great...they are so resiliant!
My girls are now 4 and almost 3, and they have tons of fun...and tons of battles!!!
Best of luck!!!

You have gotten a lot of good advice. I don't really need to chime in with my story but I will. I have 2 girls who are 14 months apart. I don't know what I would have done without my double stroller. At this time I also had 2 older children. This stroller allowed me the freedom to go places on my own without having to depend on someone else. If I had my oldest child I could go to the store and do deeper shopping, if it was just me I could go and do as much as I could fit under the stroller. If you are nursing, have a basket close by for the older child, only let them into that when you are nursing. Have toys, games, books and snacks for the older child to do/eat while you are nursing the younger one. Keep the things in it new to the child so that they are engaged while you feed, but learning how to nurse and read a story helps too. I would invest in 2 things (besides the stroller) before the baby comes. I would get a bassinet and a play pen. The bassinet the baby can sleep in for a while and when he/she gets older the play pen works just fine. Other than that you don't need to buy 2 of things because the older will grow out of something just about the time the younger is going to need it. Now that my girls are older they are best of friends and share a lot of things. They are even in the same size clothes (easy for me). You might feel like you aren't going to make it those first weeks, but you will if you just take it one day at a time. Remember if your housework doesn't get done that is no big deal, as long as the kids are fed. Also don't feel like you have to buy everything new. I was lucky and had 2 girls that close, but even if you have one of each, reuse any clothing that isn't gender specific. Pants, shirts anything that doesn't scream boy can be used for girls too and that will save you money in the long run. Good luck.
J.--SAHM of 6

CONGRATS
I say don't go buy another crib. Get a Graco Pack and Play that is a bassinett too at first. If the baby isn't super big at birth you can use this for the first three mos (next to your bed or in your room) and then transition your older one to a big boy bed with a bed rail. I used it until almost 4 mos with my first who was petite and for my son at least 3 mos.

That is a lot of money buying two cribs and it probably isn't necessary. Some kids adjust to a big kid bed really easy and by 18 mos your oldest should be able to do that. Then with the pack and play you have a play pen too for naps downstairs and something you need to have for the baby as it gets mobile when you need to get something done.

As far as strollers, I had a Graco, that fit with my infant carrier. My older daughter could sit in the front and the infant carrier sat in the back. It was great as it transitioned to them both sitting upright and we used it all the time and loved it. Lot's of underneath storage and it folded up in the back of the van well.

I also wouldn't buy another highchair. Your first won't be in a highchair until he or she can sit upright well and that is about five or six mos and then by then your oldest can be in a booster attached to a kitchen chair and they have trays just like high chairs. Save your money. Take it a day at a time.

Also, just a hint, take the bottle away from your oldest at the year mark. That way it won't be a power struggle and the baby having one be a factor. Start sippy cups around 10 mos so he or she won't think the bottle has to go because of the baby.
You will have a 15 mos old headed to toddlerhood and with toddlerhood can come some independence on things.
My daughter transitioned into a big girl bed right after her second birthday and did great. My son same time, some kids even at 18 mos do wonderfully!
Just enjoy as you will want to get sleep when you can, nap when they do and save your money for two in diapers! :)

My oldest two are 16 months apart and I didn't have two of anything. Really you can totally survive on just one set of baby equipment. I have 4 kids now and I have only one crib, one bassinet, one single stroller, one swing, one bouncer and one walker. I happen to have 2 booster seats that strap to our dining chairs, but I absolutely hate one of them and only use it when I have to. I have never had or used a baby monitor, and you know what? You just get by. We didn't have the money to go out buying tons of duplicates, so we just made do with what we had. Everything worked out just fine, and it's good to know that you don't NEED to go to all the extra expense of having doubles of everything.

The double stroller was our only real need as well, and boy have we used it! : ) We also went with a Graco, and 8yrs and 7 kids later, it's still going strong.
All of mine have been moved out of the crib before the next baby arrives (mine are mostly about 18mo apart, with 16mo between 2/3 and 3/4), and I usually have baby in a bassinet for the first couple of months anyway. We've never done a second highchair or anything like that either; like someone else mentioned, by the time baby was old enough to be using it the toddler was already at the table with us.

Congrats and Good Luck-some days are fairly tricky with them close together, but it really is fun! Just remember to take it one day at a time, and know now that on some days you'll wonder if you will make it through. On those days make sure you go watch your kids sleep for a bit when the day is over, it will remind you of how much you adore them and what a privilege it really is to be a mom, even on the crazy days!

I don't have children 15 months apart, but I do have nieces 15 months apart. My sister-in-law had a double stroller. But I think that was about the only thing she "doubled" up on, most of the other gear the older daughter grew out of in time for the younger daughter to use. Now those two are so close, almost like twins, two peas in a pod.

Mine were 16 months apart. I bought ...
A found a used crib and matress from a friend
Only one highchair and used a boaster type seat for the other.
Find a cheap stroller. You will not use it as long as you think. My first two were boys so I spent a lot more time running after them. If you have boys it might be a bigger need for safety reasons. My other two were girls and walked with the stroller instead. My friend who has 6 just teaches her kids to walk holding on to carts and strollers as soon as they can. I just really never used my double strollers all that much to buy a really nice one. I would also think it would depend on how much you use one now. There is always the option of using a baby sling or carrier with a stroller.

I was very busy, but it went very fast. You will be fine!!! Now they are 9 and 8 and it is nice to have them so close together.

Hello Ashley,
My 2 little ones are almost 2 years apart, however my sisters kids are 15 months apart and in some ways it is almost like having twins, and she loves it. the biggest thing is having a good stroller, but for your high chair once the new baby is ready to eat baby food your oldest will be able to move to a chair seat chair, (that will save you the money and the space of 2 highchairs) and for the crib that is a judgement call. My 1st child was in her "big girl" bed at 19 months, and my second child who is 16 months I can not imagine putting her is a real bed for at least another 5 to 6 months. The same went for my nephews, they were about 2yrs when they went toddler beds. The one thing that my sister stuck to with having her boys so close together was she did the "Routine Baby" feeding and sleeping schedule with them and it worked really well with getting them both to sleep through the night, due to they shared a bedroom. Hope this helps.

I only bought a second crib because I had twins. My first and the twins were two years apart, but the twins and my fourth were 13 1/2 months apart. By the time the fourth came along, the twins were sleeping in big boy beds on the floor, and the baby in the bassinette for a few months, then into the cribs. I never had an actual high chair, even for my first. We had one of those booster seats with a tray that you can strap them into and set on a kitchen chair. I now have three of those instead of multiple high chairs. My oldest sits at the table in a regular chair, the twins in the booster without the straps, and my fourth (14 months old now) in a booster strapped in. All are at the table, though without the trays on the chairs, but they used to use the trays. The double stroller is a must, especially if you plan on walking with them at all. I did that a lot. Really, you can adjust without buying two of most things. at 15 months, the older one will be big enough to move to the next step on some things. Congrats, and good luck!

I have sons 14 months apart, I found having a double stroller to be very helpful...and infact have one you could have if you are in the Boise area. A baby sling or your other prefered baby carrier is a must. You may have been able to carry around #1 in a car seat, but it is much harder to do while chasing a toddler. We had only one crib, which my first hardly used, he prefered to sleep with us. We purchased a king sized bed before #2 because I was worried there wouldn't be enough room for all of us. That worked well for about 6 months, then #2 seemed to like sleeping in his crib in our room, about this same time we purchased a fun toddler bed that looks like a vw car. This was exciting for #2 and he began sleeping in his big boy bed, for at least part of the night. I think the most helpful thing is to make sure you have help the first couple of weeks. Good luck. I figure those first 6 months were the hardest...but my boys are the best of friends.

This happened with my first two also. First of all, you can handle it. You do need a double stroller that has two reclining seats. Get a hanging table chair for your 15 month old. I like the ones that are fabric, but the hard plastic ones work well too. You could get the kind of high chair that attaches to your kitchen chair.
My first baby hated his crib and so he was already sleeping on a twin mattress on the floor. I have 5 children and the oldest is 7 with the youngest 12 months. She has been sleeping in a porta-crib as her 2 year old brother still loves the crib.Newborns don't care where they sleep so I would not suggest a second crib unless it is an Ikea crib for your 15 month old (the ones that do not adjust in depth). Get a reversible car seat for your older one and just pass the infant seat down. I hope that was a little helpful.

Hi Ashley,
I have two boys that are 15 months apart and other than having to buy a double stroller, we have re-used all our other gear. We bought a convertible car seat for the older one and are using the bucket car seat for the baby. We also transitioned the older one to eating in a booster chair so the highchair is free when the baby is ready for that. Each boy has a crib that converts to a toddler and then adult bed, so they each have their own.

I would box up all the older one’s clothes by size, that way you can pull out the newborn, 0-3 month, etc. boxes as you need them. As far as the bouncy chair and things like that, we have just explained that those are for babies and we need to share. It’s hard sometimes, but kids can be very resilient. If you would like more info or want to know what kind/brand of things have worked for us, please let me know. Good luck!

Congratulations.
Mine are 13 months apart and here is what we have found my second is now 9 months.
Move number 1 into booster chair at the table by the time your second can sit up for the high chair.
A MUST is a double stroller I LOVE mine which is baby trend sit and stand LX it has the support on the back it is not just the stool. The best deal has been at shopko even cheaper than online. it is red.

If you don't have a front carrier pouch I would purchase one. That is a must if you are going to go grocery shopping with both.

As far as beds I had my second sleep in his bassinet until he started to move around and I moved my older boy to a big boy bed when the second moved around more. It worked out great. As far as equipment I haven't had to buy any doubles of anything. It actually works out great. Good Luck!!

Good luck with two, once you get past the first few months, you'll love that they are so close together. My two are 19 months apart. First, it really helped when I learned how to nurse (or feed) the baby, and have the older one sit next to me and read to him at the same time. This really cut down on jealousy. I did have the older one move to a booster, so he was well out to the high chair. I just bought a new crib, instead of stressing about moving the older one into a big boy bed before he was ready, it's hard to go back. I wouldn't move a 15 month old out yet. I finally moved him out at 2 1/2 and I still think it was too early. Definitely get a double stroller, check Craigslist and consignment stores. Tandem ones are good when the baby is in the carrier. I actually have a side by side as well which is great for travel and it weighs less. Other than that, you'll just have to add a few extra diapers and another bottle and sippy cup to you current diaper bag. Good luck!

My youngest is 18 months, and we just moved her into a cheapie booster seat. I wouldn't worry about a second highchair, since your oldest will be around 21 months when the little one needs a highchair.

If you keep baby near your bed in a bassinette or cosleeper, you might be able to get away without a crib. It depends on when you want your oldest to be "free" to get out of bed. I put my oldest in her own bed when she was just over 2 years old. She did just fine. Our kids were in their own nursery and crib by the time they were around 6 months.

My best recommendation is to get a good quality sling. My favorite is a mei tai, an asian baby carrier. It is comfortable for baby and mom, and easy to put on. My youngest basically lived in her mei tai for the first four months or so. You will not believe how much easier it will make your life. Especially as a new mom, you are going to really need your hands free. I make slings, so if you have any questions about different sling styles, I would be happy to offer any help I can.

Best of luck,
S.
Little Roo
____@____.com

My kids are 12 months apart (they are now 15 and 16). Our newborn daughter slept in a bassinet for several months which gave our son that many more months in his crib. When she was ready for move from the bassinet to the crib, he moved to a bed (just the mattress on the floor first, then we added the boxboard, THEN finally to a frame when he wasn't rolling around so much.) This saved us the money of having to buy a second crib. Of all our gear, I remember most loving our double stroller; we used it for years. Oh, and when my daughter was ready for the high chair, we moved our son to a booster chair at the table.
Good luck! And congratulations!

My two boys are fifteen months apart too, so you are going to have a lot of fun! As far as beds go, we did have two cribs for them, even though my oldest was out of his crib only three or four months after his younger brother was born. I would definitely get a stroller than can hold two kids. by the time the younger one was old enough to sit in a highchair, my oldest had moved on to a booster seat at the table, so I don't think you'll need two highchairs. That's about all I can think of that you would need two of. It was nice because usually be the time the baby was old enough to use certain things, the older had already grown out of it. So, good luck with everything. I think you'll be surprised at how much older and mature your oldest will seem when put up alongside a newborn baby. You'll never want to have kids that close again, but you'll love that those two are that close. Just be prepared for when they are closer in developmental age, and you'll have to buy all your toys in twos.

Hi Ashley~

My youngest 2 are 13 months apart. For the most part, you'll be okay. The first will be done with most things before you'll need to be able to use it for the 2nd, or they'll be able to trade off. What you may want to invet in is:

* a second crib. Most kids don't get out of their cribs until around age 2 or when they can climb out. Conversion cribs will save you money for turning it into a toddler bed in the future. Get more sheets and blankets too.
* a double stroller. Your oldest won't want to walk all the time yet and will get tired easily, so don't push him/her to walk all the time. A double stroller will help you through this. I would recommend NOT getting a side by side double unless it's a jogger...just for ease of use in terms of getting through tight isles in stores.
*high chair or other seating for the table. I don't believe you'll need to actually get a full functioning high chair. By the time your youngest will need one, your oldest will probably want to sit in a chair/bench to eat. So, something that attaches to a regular chair like a booster may be good for the oldest and then the youngest can use the highchair (you have time for this one).
*don't worry about getting another changing table, etc. Your oldest will start getting changed wherever you can hold him/her down for a couple seconds of changing before their off. If you have a changing table, just plan on it being the youngest's.
*don't worry about more toys either.

I can't think of anything else that is essential when you have 2 that close. I'm sure other Mom's out there will give good ideas though and fill in the blanks.

Congratulations by the way.

Oh, what a good question! I have read everyone else's responses because I have two boys 15 months apart. Look how common we are!

Right now my oldest is 19 months and my youngest is 4 months. Let me tell ya.. the first 6 weeks were REALLY hard. After 2 months, I felt like I was going to survive and now at 4 months, it's getting better and better. I hear that 6 months it just gets really nice cause the youngest can sit up and the oldest will love to entertain him.

Anyway....I could not survive without a double stroller. Everyone has said that.

Right now, I'd like to get another crib, and have two....but my husband thinks I should just use the pack and play. It's true.. it will work, but I think 2 cribs would be nice. It doesn't have to be that expensive. I don't know where you live, but yesterday on ksl.com's classifieds, a lady was giving away two cribs for free. So there ya go.

Anyway,, good luck to you! It's busy. I have learned that I can be proud of a productive day if my kids are dressed, fed, and happy. That's pretty much all you can do for a while-take care of your babies. No extra projects. My hubby has been the housecleaner and the laundry guy. It really helped to have him step up. It's REALLY needed too.

Best wishes!

We found out that the pill didn't work for me when I found out I was pregnant with my son (3 1/2 months into the pregnancy!) Our middle daughter and my son are 18 months apart. I was very nervous at first, but I love it now and wouldn't have it any other way. One thing I would strongly suggest is getting a double stroller. I use mine for everything. I didn't think I'd use it very much because my daughter is very independent and wants to do everything herself and hated riding in the stroller with a passion. Then she realized that the would get to ride in the stroller and then she wanted to ride too. We have a van, so it fits nicely in the back and it fit in our Corolla, but not very well (I would have to take off a sunshade and cupholder to get it in). This is also wonderful for taking them on walks. There are many options available depending on your needs; we got a Graco tandem stroller. You can put two infant carseats directly in them (or just one because your oldest will be in a convertible or front facing seat by then), they have cupholders for you as well as both children and a snack holder for one child. There is also a place for your keys/cell phone that closes up. The basket for putting stuff in on the bottom is also huge to help hold the extra stuff and diaper bag. I also heard that the double umbrella strollers are nice for when you need something smaller or for walks. I haven't tried them and someone told me that some of them are hard to maneuver and you won't be able to have as much storage. Another thing that I've found very helpful is a sling or front pack for your little one. It helps carry them around, especially when your oldest wants to be carried as well and also lets you carry them while you are doing dishes/cleaning, etc. if the oldest won't leave them alone (my daughter is still obsessed with him and her little maternal instincts came in).

Another thing you'll need to make sure is that you have a big enough diaper bag/extra diaper bags. You'll need diapers/Pull Ups/wipes for both children, extra clothes, snacks, etc. When my son was first born, I used the Eddie Bauer diaper bag I got at Target. I felt like I was packing for a weekend trip, but I always knew I had everything I needed for each child. I also like to have a couple extra littler diaper bags around so that if for some reason, one child is going somewhere else, they can have their own diaper bag (example: dinner with Daddy or Grandma and Grandpa). This helps a lot. I usually keep a diaper bag packed in our coat closet for each of them complete with diapers and extra clothes so that I can grab it when I need it. I usually leave the wipes out because they would get too dry when I would leave them in.

As far as a crib, it will depend on your 15 month old. My daughter was ready for a toddler bed before my son was born. I like because they are low to the ground and have side rails on the top part. They use a standard crib mattress and sheets. You can also buy sheet sets with blankets for them. What we did with our daughter/son was have him in the bassinet in our room for the first few months until he started sitting up in it and got too big. By that time, she had adjusted to the toddler bed and then when he was ready for the crib, she no longer needed it.

My daughter was out of the high chair before my son needed it. You will want to get a booster seat for your oldest.

Lastly, you might consider buying stock in diapers :) Just kidding...I can't wait until my middle one is completely potty trained :) We'll be saving so much on diapers.

Good luck...let me know if you need anything...I live pretty close to Denver.

Congratulations on the new addition.

I loving having my kids close together in age my son will be 3 and my daughter is 19 months they are 16 months apart.

I did get a double stroller and used it alot though not so much any more because they both like to walk all over the place. The crib thing is an issue but yes we do have 2, actually they are both 3 in one beds which is great.

I only have one high chair because by the time she was using a high chair my son was almost 2 so we just got a booster seat for him, funny thing my daughter liked the booster better so she used it and he still used the high chair. The best part is really not needing to many duplicates because by the time the youngest is able to use a jumper the older one will be out of it.

Of course car seats are the biggest thing. We were able to transition our 16 month old into a convertable carseat and then my daughter was able to use the infant seat. The only thing is that they will both be in a big carseat for the next couple years.

Good luck and if you have any questions or want to talk about the crazy transition I'd be happy to chit chat.

Best of luck and enjoy the craziness it gets so much easier when they can do things together...
N.

I would not purchase a new crib or additional highchair. As some others have said a pack-n-play with the bassinet would work for a few months. I was able to tranistion my son to a big boy bed with rails at 18 months with no problems. Buy one of those booster seats that hook to the chair for the older one when it is time for the baby to start using the highchair. I did purchase a double stroller, and it worked great for fairs, malls, outdoor festivals, walks, etc. I would recommend that being the only major item that you would need to purchase. Good luck with everything! S.