Ms is four and Mr is two and has Down syndrome. Both now go to nursery. That leaves me at home with six-month-old B for the first time ever, and our days look completely different.
The early start
The new routine with two kids in nursery begins in the dark, or close to it. I sleep with B in my arms because he still nurses four or five times a night. Mr wakes first, somewhere between six and seven, in the other room. We bring him quickly to the living room so he does not wake Ms. My partner wakes too, and the commotion wakes B, and then of course I am up as well.
I take off Mr’s night nappy and let him play. He is full of energy the moment he opens his eyes. He throws things, he makes loud noises, he is entirely himself. Sometimes I wish the mornings could be a little quieter and calmer. Everyone tells me this racket is exactly what we will miss one day. We will see.
Meanwhile I get to cuddle the boys. I recite little poems, sing, rock them in my arms, kiss and hug them. Mr rarely goes to the potty by himself, so I guide him there. Every morning lately he has peed in it nicely.
Getting out of the door
I do not give breakfast at home. I want them to eat their porridge properly with the other children at nursery, around half past eight. By the time Ms wakes, at about half past seven, Mr’s face, hands and teeth are usually done. Ms goes to the toilet and washes, and she takes her medicine with a snack while I try to dress Mr at the same time. Dressing is quite an undertaking.
At eight my partner takes them both to nursery. Before that it is a real scramble. Ms chooses her clothes, something needs to go along to nursery, something else is missing. Luckily B is a calm baby and takes it all in his stride.
A morning with only one baby
It feels strange and new to be alone with B. All summer, and for months before that, I nursed him while running after two bigger children who fought, hugged, needed the potty or had meltdowns. Now I nurse, and then I tidy. I have wanted to take clothes and toys to be reused and to sort a couple of shelves for ages. I do laundry, cook, enjoy a proper breakfast with hot coffee, nurse again and again, and cuddle B. The time flies.
Before lunch I go for a longer walk, at least half an hour, around two kilometres to the sea and back. B carries on sleeping under the window afterwards and I get a few minutes to potter around alone.
In the evening my partner brings the bigger two home and we are all together again. I miss them while they are away, because when the family is all in one place everything feels right. Being with just the baby is lovely, but the others are missing from the picture.
B and his first foods
Starting solids went well. I had chicken ready in cubes in the freezer. I am wiser than I was with the other two, so I made the puree with plenty of bone broth. Courgette went down well for two days, with a little butter, warmed over a water bath. B is just adorable. I put him in the high chair even though he cannot sit by himself yet, and he seems perfectly comfortable there. Once a day for a short while should not do any harm.
Many people say that at six months a baby should be eating three times a day, ten different foods. That would drive me mad. I start with one or two foods, once a day, one teaspoon. Breast milk is number one and will be for a very long time.
I got some fresh lamb with the bone from a local producer. That is next in the pot. After that I plan to introduce apple, broccoli, egg yolk, fish, cauliflower, potato, carrot and more, slowly.
My biggest question is about chewing. Chewing helps the development of the jaw, so I would like to give B something to bite on, but I do not want him to gag. The other two had only purees until they were one, and with B I would like to try something firmer, though I am not sure how to go about it. I will find a way, but certainly not now, not in the first month. Luckily breastfeeding also helps the development of the jaw, tongue and palate.
The rest of the week
Tomorrow the bigger two are at nursery until lunchtime, and then we get more time together. We have no plans for the weekend, and I hope none appear. I want to be with my family, calmly. The older two come home very tired, because nursery is full of action. Today Ms is off to the zoo with her group, and they have movement sessions and dance circles too.
This new routine with two kids in nursery has given me something I did not expect: quiet mornings, a baby who gets my full attention and an ache for the ones who are not there. I will take all three.
You are not alone.
If this story resonated with you and you’d like to go deeper, you can explore my e-book Our Journey – A Different Path. It offers honest reflections and lived experience beyond this post.
If you’re looking for practical support, I’ve created Routine Templates to help parents and children navigate daily life with more clarity, structure, and understanding.
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