My Toolkit to Survive Mom Life With a Baby and a Toddler
*Heads up, mama: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase. I only share products I genuinely love and that make mom life easier *
(aka How I Manage Two Kids, Work, and Still Find Time to Breathe)
When I went from one baby to two, I knew it was going to be harder.
What I didn't expect?
That it would demand a total rework of how I managed my time, energy, and sanity.
With two little ones needing me (plus work, plus, you know, life), I had to get super intentional.
Here’s my real-life survival toolkit — the systems, mindsets, and lifesavers that helped me go from total overwhelm to “okay, I’ve got this... kind of.”
1. Meal Prep = More Sanity, Less Stress
Gone are the days of casually whipping up Pinterest-worthy meals at dinnertime.
Now? Meal prep is my mid-week lifesaver.
I dedicate time on weekends to prepping:
Easy toddler lunches
Crockpot-ready freezer meals
Snack baskets for grab-and-go (for me and the kids)
Even just chopping fruits and veggies or pre-cooking some chicken saves hours during chaotic weekdays. I either do this when the kids are asleep or have my husband watch the kids for a few hours so I can get this done. I use it as a little me time - I always put on my headphones and listen to a audiobook or TV show.
Here is one of my favorite meal prepping storage containers*
Quick Tip to Save Your Sanity:
Figuring out what to eat week after week can feel like a full-time job — especially when you're trying to feed adults, a baby, and a toddler without living on dinosaur nuggets and coffee alone.
One trick that’s been a total lifesaver for me? Using AI (specifically ChatGPT) to help build my meal plan for the week.
I simply prompt it with something like:
"Help me create a meal plan for 2 adults, a baby, and a toddler following baby-led feeding guidelines. I want 2 lunch options I can meal prep, 2 crockpot meals, and 2 sheet pan meals."
You can customize it for whatever you need — whether you're vegan, vegetarian, counting calories, trying to eat on a budget, or just looking for the fastest recipes known to mom-kind.
Bonus: ChatGPT can even generate a full grocery list for you based on the plan.
It’s like having a personal assistant for meal planning.
3. Time Blocking = My Personal Assistant (On Paper)
If it’s not in my calendar it won’t get done - (actually, sometimes if it’s in my calendar it still might not get done because that happens!) but for the most part it WILL get done without the overwhelm
Instead of running through life on panic mode and a never-ending mental to-do list, I started time blocking — carving out intentional time for everything that matters, not just chores.
I block time for:
Housework (like cleaning, laundry, and meal prepping)
Work projects and admin tasks (both career and mom-life related)
Exercise (even if it’s just a quick 20-minute workout)
Family time (park trips, game nights, weekend outings)
Personal time (reading, journaling, or even scrolling guilt-free)
Relationship time (hello, date nights — even if it’s takeout on the couch)
If it’s not blocked, it’s not happening.
Time blocking gave me structure and breathing room — helping me balance the non-stop demands of mom life, work life, and me life.
Because yes, the bathrooms need cleaning — but so does your mind and your relationships.
4. Independent Play = Toddler Goldmine
The guilt about "not entertaining them 24/7"? Gone.
Teaching my toddler to play independently was essential.
How I made it work:
Rotating a few toys each week
Setting up simple invitations to play (blocks, puzzles, little art stations)
Not making eye contact once they start!
Bonus: Independent play helped build her creativity and gave me 20-30 minutes to feed the baby, hop on work calls, or sneak a warm coffee.
@chaoswithcara and @brambila_bits are Instagram accounts I love to follow with resources on how to get your kids playing independently in no time!
5. House Resets = Keeping the Chaos (Mostly) Contained
If you’re anything like me, a disorganized house can cause my anxiety to peak (and I’m not inherently a super clean person!) Instead of waiting for the house to explode into a full-blown disaster, I started doing small resets daily and weekly:
Quick evening pick-ups (10 minutes max)
Weekly full house resets (like fresh sheets, meal planning, trash out)
Midweek "reset light" (clear the car, restock diaper bags, wipe counters)
Little resets kept things livable without needing marathon cleaning sessions.
And it made the whole week feel lighter.
6. Delegating = Buying My Time Back (Guilt-Free)
This was a big one: I stopped trying to do it all myself.
Instacart became my grocery store. (Because dragging two kids through produce aisles? Nope.)
Bottle cleaner and sanitizer became non-negotiable investments — because scrubbing pump parts at midnight was a hard no.
Amazon Subscribe & Save took care of diapers, wipes, and toddler snacks.
Saying YES when family and friends offered help — even just to hold the baby while I showered.
Every little thing I outsourced or simplified gave me back precious time, energy, and a little more peace. I do recognize that a lot of these things are a privilege to be able to afford and I am grateful I am able to - get creative with however you can do this in your budget.
7. Portable Pumps = Freedom While Feeding
One of the smartest investments I made during my transition from one to two kids was getting a portable breast pump. Heck - it was one of the best decisions I made when I had just one kid!
Gone were the days of being tethered to an outlet for 30 minutes at a time (while my toddler used that window to try and redecorate the living room).
With a portable, wearable pump, I could:
Pump while cooking dinner
Pump during preschool drop-off
Pump while folding laundry (or at least pretending to 😅)
Even pump during Zoom meetings if I had to (thank you, loose sweaters)
It gave me my hands — and my freedom — back.
If you're a pumping mom juggling multiple little ones, seriously — do yourself a favor and invest in one. (P.S. Some insurance plans even help cover the cost, so definitely check!)
Here is my favorite pump! It is covered by HSA/FSA if you have that!
The Bottom Line: You Don’t Have to Do It All to Be Doing Amazing
Mom life with two tiny humans isn’t about being everywhere, doing everything, and looking Pinterest-perfect while doing it.
It’s about building systems that save your sanity, letting go of the guilt, and focusing on what matters most: your family, your well-being, your dreams.
You’re not failing because you can’t do it all.
You’re thriving because you’re figuring out what works for you.
And honestly? That’s the real definition of "supermom." 🦸♀️✨
Want more hacks, real talk, and tips on how to build a work-from-home business that fits into this beautiful, messy season of life?
Come hang out with us at @builtaroundbedtime on Instagram
Where we help moms turn nap-time hustle into real income — with sanity-saving systems and lots of cheerleading along the way.
