ISO feels with a newborn & toddler. How to keep your babies occupied during ISO
Let me start off by saying - YOU ARE NOT ALONE. it's hard, it's not just hard. It's emotional. It's sad & it's such a confronting situation for adults let alone our babies. Melbourne has been hit hard with a second wave of COVID-19 & for those in the same position as me I thought I would shed some light on how I'm getting through. I get messages daily saying - watching my stories is helping them get through being a Mum for the first time or that they love picking up tips and tricks I use for my babies and it warms my heart that I'm not only helping someone else but people are feeling less stress and emotional during this time knowing they aren't alone.
Being isolated is HARD. Being isolated as a FIRST TIME, NEW MUM is HARDER. Being isolated as a Mum with multiple children is SUPER DIFFICULT. It means - no parks, no playing with other kids, no seeing family & now having to explain to them that it's ok for them to see the whole world in masks even though they are running the opposite way scared.
There's not enough support out there for Mums dealing with isolating in a pandemic and don't even get me started on new Mums & the hospital regulations. It was a very different experience having no visitors this time around. Honestly my heart goes out to first time Mums, it really truly does.
I was pregnant in the midst of a pandemic & I gave birth in the first wave. I am now dealing with bringing up two children in the second wave like a lot of you are. Let me tell you - ITS GOING TO BE OK. This is new territory for everybody (premier included so give him a break - everybody is working really damn hard to navigate this situation). I get asked daily by Cassia if she can go to Nonno & Nonna's house, if she can go to the play ground & if she can see her cousin Paige. The answer everytime is - there's germs. When the germs are gone we can go & play. She's so used to hearing that now, that she tells other people. So that was my way around those types of questions.
The masks - now that she's understanding what germs are I tried to explain to her that because there are germs in the air we have to wear masks so we don't give other people yucky germs. I've also asked my brothers girlfriend to make her a little mask so she feels apart of it too.
Some great little businesses I've found that keep Cassia occupied (& are eductional) are below, they do things like learning kits or sensory play etc. I've included a few to suit every budget (best part is they are all Melbourne Mama's):
We do personalised photo jigsaws as well & we have a photo of the three of us printed on a jigsaw so she loves putting our faces back together
To keep Charlize occupied as she's staring to enjoy colours, movement & sound etc.
She loves staring at our mobiles or pram Garlands. The more colour the more intrigued she is.
Mobiles are great for them to stare at, as you give them a little spin!
Even the teethers, the sound of the rattling of the wood she enjoys, plus she's always trying to eat her thumb or hand so this is a good replacement.
If you're after a play gym (which she's starting to hit with her own little hands, so cute!) I recommend My Little Giggles. she absolutely loves that. (& of course it's been independently lab tested and is safe just like our Pram Garlands, Teethers and dummy clips).
I'll finish on this note, dealing with a pandemic is tough, it's new territory for everybody, we are all learning as we go. Be kind to one an other, lift each other up & remember this is an emotional time for a lot of new Mums & Mums stuck at home with small children, so be sensitive & support each other. We are all in this together! Xxx