Tips for Juggling Babies and Toddlers

In this day and age where rapid technological innovation has been changing jobs, family structure and social behavior at unprecedented rates, taking care of babies and toddlers takes on a new meaning — and new challenges.

It is without a doubt an exciting time we live in, as we are constantly churning out something new each year, making things smaller and optimizing its usage. An increasing growth of technology and globalization of organizations, for instance, is causing a transformation in work and family that demands to adapt is becoming a norm for both moms and dads.

The following are a few key practical tips that Alice Gomstyn compiled from bloggers, netizens and parents who have successfully juggled babies, toddlers — and their sanity! — all at the same time.

Naps for Everyone
"The key to caring for a baby and a toddler at the same time is make sure everyone naps and, if possible, at the same time. Sometimes, the three of us would take a long drive after [the toddler's] preschool ended at noon, just so I could get the two of them to fall asleep. Then I would carefully extract them from their car seats and put them in their rooms, so that I could then take my own nap!"

— Luchina Fischer, 46, mother of three, New Fairfield, Connecticut

Rely on Good Fortune(s)
"My secret for managing the baby-and-toddler game: fortune cookies. For the first time in his life, [big brother Max is] being asked to share Mom and Dad with someone else. That’s tough for a 2-year-old. So, when he’s particularly patient or helpful, he gets a fortune cookie—which he adores. Some might call it bribery, but I prefer to think of it as a targeted incentive system. Win, win, win."

— Kathleen Paley, 32, mother of two in Fairfax, Virgina

Wear Your Baby
"Generally, one of my favorite strategies is to get baby fed and happy, and then put baby in a front carrier so that my hands are free to manage the toddler as I find I often need both hands to engage with him or keep him safe."

— Robert "Daddy" Nickell, 53, father of seven, Torrance, California, and founder of the Daddyscrubs blog

Bring a Buffet
"Bring a buffet of foods for the older one for while you change a diaper or take 15 minutes to nurse. Snacks were my life saver!"

— Jasmine Bashaj, 36, mother of two in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada, and CEO of So Rad Boutique

Keep 'Em Close
"Invest in a good (expensive) carrier (like Babyhawk or Beco). For cooking, you may want a Ring Sling so she's on your hip to the side and a bit more out of harms’ way. It works nicely because mommy can pay attention to toddler and baby doesn’t feel neglected."

— Cheri Augustine Flake, 40, mother of two, Atlanta, Georgia

Kitchen Gadgets Are Your Friends
"Two rugrats = two screaming kiddos, which kind of makes you want to pull a Van Gogh and cut off your ears. But I've found that the easiest solution in the world is to open up your kitchen drawers and pull out a new toy to distract them. Nothing shuts a screaming kid up faster than giving them an eggbeater or a turkey baster It's totally random, but like 90 percent of the time it works."

— Karen Alpert, 40, mother of two and blogger at Baby Sideburns

Spend QT with Your Cutie
"I think carving out special time for the older child is key and reduces the kind of tender feelings the older child can have when the new baby is on the scene. For a mom with an infant, this doesn’t have to be a Broadway show! A few special books while on Mommy’s lap can do the trick."

— Melissa Lawrence, mother of five in New York, New York, and co-founder and CEO of CloudMom

Divide and Conquer
"USE DADDY. It's easy, as the mom, to become the 'expert' in all things baby, and to expect yourself to do everything for both children while pushing away and disempowering their dad. But that’s a recipe for exhaustion, frustration, and resentment. We try to have a divide-and-conquer strategy. When he’s home in the evening, Matt handles Max’s diapers, bath, and bedtime. I'm left with baby Gram."

— Kathleen Paley

Use Your Crib
"When I had my first rugrat, I was constantly with her. If she cried I was there in a millisecond. But with numero two I’m like, ‘Hold your horses kiddo, I’m changing numero uno’s diaper!’ So one thing I’ve learned is that there’s a reason a crib is like a comfortable cage. Because you can leave them in there safely crying for a few minutes if you need to."

— Karen Alpert

Involve Your Toddler
"You have find ways to involve the older child in caring for the new baby so that he feels as if the baby is his baby, and doesn’t feel threatened or excluded. Have the older child help you take care of the baby by bringing you a diaper or burp cloth or just by being there! You can make a big fuss over what a great helper he is!"

— Melissa Lawrence