Whether planned or not, many mums find themselves with both a baby and a bump. If you’re having a ‘back-to-back’ baby, what’s the best way to take care of yourself so that you and your babies are healthy and happy?

Baby gap

Is there an ideal gap between babies? The answer depends on your own circumstances, but experts say wait two years to allow you to recover from your pregnancy, and have time for your baby, before you have another one to look after.

If you’re in general good health and your previous pregnancy was straightforward, the advice is much the same as for any pregnancy.

Start by keeping the four Ds in mind:

1. Delegate – you need to rest as much as you can, so don’t do anything that someone else can do for you.
2. Diet – ensure you’re eating a well-balanced one to keep you healthy and give you the energy to cope with your pregnancy and your busy baby or toddler.
3. Drink – water, squashes, fruit teas…. Keep yourself hydrated to help beat tiredness and water retention and to help with breastfeeding.
4. Daily activity – keep supple and fit, and give you and your baby a change of scene and some fresh air by taking a walk every day.

Midwife’s tips if you’re pregnant again soon after having a baby

‘If you’ve recently had a baby and are pregnant again, you need to take care of your diet and nutrition, get plenty of rest and stay as active as you can,’ says the Royal College of Midwives’ education adviser, Gail Johnson. ‘[That means] plenty of fruit and vegetables and appropriate exercise – looking after a baby or running around after a toddler will be enough to keep you active, but swimming and walking are also good.’

Most women who are well and had a healthy previous pregnancy should have no problems having babies close together, says Gail. ‘It’s not like in the old days when women may have had a baby every nine months for six or seven babies. Fortunately, women now have better access to good nutrition and healthcare.’

Does your age count when you have babies ‘back to back’?

What about your age? Are you more likely to have problems when you have babies close together in your late thirties rather than early 20s? The Royal College of Midwives’ Gail Johnson thinks not. ‘You can be fitter at 35 than someone who’s in their early 20s. Your individual circumstances are more important’.

Pregnant and breastfeeding?

What if you’re still breastfeeding when you become pregnant again?

When you’re breastfeeding, whether or not you are also pregnant, you need to drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids – water, diluted squash, tea/fruit tea for example – and eat a well-balanced diet (little and often if you don’t have time for full meals). You also need to rest and catch up on sleep as much as you can.

The same applies, and then some, when you are pregnant as you are likely to become exhausted. To help, delegate household jobs to your partner, friends and family and try expressing and freezing your milk so your partner or a relative can use it to feed the baby sometimes while you rest.

’You need to be a little bit selfish!’ says the Royal College of Midwives’ Gail Johnson.

‘Listen to your body and ask for help [with cooking, shopping and so on] when you need it, ‘ adds Gail. ‘Time for yourself is important, and people are more willing to help out if you are breastfeeding and caring for a baby or toddler as well as being pregnant.’