My oldest son Mason just celebrated his third birthday on New Years Day so I can’t say I have three under three anymore. But the past three months have been interesting to say the least. I haven’t really talked much about the experience, so I wanted to start off the new year with a quick review of my experience so far and some of the challenges I had to overcome, because while there were plenty of special moments, it definitely wasn’t easy.
As you may know if you’ve read some of my previous posts, I didn’t have too difficult of a time transitioning from one kid to two because my middle child Myles was so incredibly easy going. But our new addition Maxwell was not so easy going in the beginning. About 2 weeks in, he developed what the pediatrician called “a touch of colic” which basically meant he would scream and cry all day and night if he wasn’t held, but he was usually perfectly content as long as he was in someone’s arms. If you’ve never dealt with colic, trust me it can be pretty stressful. And with two other toddlers to take care of, unfortunately holding Maxwell all day long was just not an option.
I got around this by “baby wearing” as much as I could. I used this inexpensive carrier (available on Amazon). It allowed me to keep my daily schedule with the other boys mostly the same. I also gave Maxwell Gerber Soothe probiotic drops at the advice of my pediatrician, and I do think they helped a little. From there we just waited it out.
Another huge challenge was sleep deprivation. Maxwell was up every 2 hours until very recently and it was hard to transition back into those sleepless nights again so soon. I divided up night shifts with my husband but we knew we would mostly just have to hang in there until he started sleeping longer stretches.
Breastfeeding and pumping around my toddlers was also challenging because they demanded so much of my attention during those times. Maxwell’s weight dropped a little after his birth and our pediatrician recommended that I supplement with formula until it rebounded. After that I made the decision to continue breastfeeding and supplementing (something I also did with Myles) so that I could give Maxwell the benefits of breastfeeding while also being able to make a quick bottle of formula if I couldn’t nurse him or pump around my toddlers during the day. I plan to continue doing this for the next few months at least.
But despite those challenges some things went really well. Mason and Myles handled the transition to being a family of five well. I can tell that Myles (who was 17 months at the time of Maxwell’s birth) has felt a little jealous at times, but because he’s so easygoing it hasn’t been much of an issue and I’ve tried to prioritize giving him individual attention. Mason was really excited and has been very sweet towards his little brother. Dealing with colic was new for me, but Maxwell’s general care was still easier this time around because I have experience. I also felt like he became a part of the fabric of our family very quickly.
Now that Maxwell is 3 months old the clouds have lifted and we’re not really dealing with colic anymore. Instead we get to see his super sweet personality forming, and I’m beginning to develop routines that align with Mason and Myles’ schedules. He’s even starting to have a more consistent bedtime, which means more “me time” and alone time with my hubby. And there are moments when I’m holding Maxwell and my other boys are snuggled up against me and I feel so blessed.
But during peak exhaustion I had considered getting a mother’s helper and strongly recommend that route if its a possibility for you and you need an extra pair of hands. But I waited so long to consider that option that now things are finally getting easier and I’m not sure if I want to use a mother’s helper. But I will keep you posted on what that’s like if I do.
I’m sure there are a lot of things I could discuss in more detail, but that’s a brief overview of my my life with three under three. I’m excited to see how the next year unfolds.
Xo,
Courtney
Living The M Life 