https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:13:09 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2526780 Sat, 16 Apr 2016 15:10:32 +0000 caterw 2526780@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If your baby doesn't want to go to sleep early or nap after daycare, could you babywear while you make dinner? There are some awesome, inexpensive wraps and carriers you could use so your baby is getting attention but you can get your stuff done. Bonus: babies often fall asleep in the carrier :)</p> <p>To cut down on dinner prep time, I chop all of my fruits and veggies the day I buy them so I just have to throw everything in a pan when I'm ready to cook it. I also preportion my meat into freezer baggies so I just defrost what I need in the morning. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2526524 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 21:26:57 +0000 peaches1038 2526524@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS is 5 months old and started daycare 2 months ago. Our routine has been about the same since starting.<br /> 4:35 -pick up - he falls asleep in the car about 90% of the time<br /> 5:15: arrive home, prep and wash bottles and pump parts, get daycare bag ready for the next day- I let him sleep until 5:30 if he doesn't wake up when the car stops. If he wakes up then I either put him in his swing or he plays on the floor in the kitchen. If those options are unsatisfactory for him, then I put him in the ring sling and do my chores. DH makes dinner during this time<br /> 6:30- eat dinner and play a little more<br /> 7:15- get him into his pjs and nurse. DH does dishes and gets our lunches ready for the next day while I'm in the nursery<br /> 7:30ish - he's asleep and we relax until 9 or 10 and we go to bed! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2526465 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 19:44:28 +0000 gingerbebe 2526465@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JLC53: Well you can still have dinner roasting away in the oven and pick up the baby later. You guys can always reheat it if you eat later. The point is to let her sleep a bit more and then perhaps she will be less fussy in the evening and make it to an early bedtime. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2526415 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 18:28:48 +0000 JLC53 2526415@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: your plan would be ideal if DH got home from work early, but he typically doesn't get home until 8pm or sometimes later... I am solo all mornings and nights. Not a bad idea to go home first. Maybe I'll try that and ask the daycare to give bottle at 5pm and I pick up at 5:30. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2526239 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 15:08:55 +0000 gingerbebe 2526239@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JLC53: if daycare is 2 minutes from your house and you are waking the baby up most days, can you just pick up later? Like go home first, let the dog out, change, put a sheet pan dinner of chicken and veggies in the oven to roast and pick up at 5 or 515? That way the baby will have a chance to sleep longer, you can feed the baby the 5pm-ish bottle while DH gets dinner on the table, and then just eat while the baby hangs out or sits in a carrier. One person then bathes baby, one person cleans up from dinner, and then you put baby down by 7-730pm. If you have the veggies and meat all cut up and prepped and just dump on a cookie sheet when you get home, it shouldn't be hard at all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2526139 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 14:02:04 +0000 Mrs D 2526139@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When DD1 was 12 weeks (when I first put her in DC) her schedule was something like this:</p> <p>5:15pm - pick up<br /> 5:30pm - home<br /> playtime...whatnot (daycare always gave a bottle between 4-5pm so I did not have to give one at home...when I was still nursing I would try to nurse her at this time...but usually failed)<br /> 6pm - dinner<br /> 7/7:30pm - Bottle then DD put down in the swing (main floor)...this was really the start of her nightime<br /> 9pm - dream feed and put in crib</p> <p>DD had a similar routine to this (i.e. put in swing for 2-3 hours before "bedtime" until she was like 7/8 mos and I was comfortable she could go from 7pm til 6am without getting hungry.</p> <p>With regard to the blackout curtains - we never used them until we moved DD to the front of our house (faces West gets very bright afternoon/evening sun)...I always wanted her to be able to sleep in daylight...which she can. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2526129 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 13:55:58 +0000 Anagram 2526129@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My baby has consistently had a cat nap around 5 pm for a while (and she just turned 8 months old!).</p> <p>I think a catnap around 6:30 is fine if bed time is not till 8:30. Soon your baby will be on a consistent 3-naps-a-day schedule, so the bedtime will move up a bit and you will have the catnap around 5ish. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2526106 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 13:41:42 +0000 JLC53 2526106@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@2PeasinaPod: Daycare is literally 2 minutes (if that) away from my house. He typically is sleeping when I arrive at daycare to pick him up, but wakes up as I put him in the car seat and doesn't fall back asleep on the car ride home. Again, he is 9 weeks old and things change on the daily with his schedule. I think I am going to forget about trying to make dinner while he is still awake. Or if I do it is going to be a no prep pop in the oven type meal and really try to get him to cat nap at 6pm by doing a stroller/carrier walk with the dog, which the dog will really appreciate (hasn't gotten his daily walks since LO was born), now that it is getting warmer outside I think this will be possible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2526090 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 13:27:09 +0000 2PeasinaPod 2526090@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JLC53: How far away is day care to home, and does he fall asleep in the car? My 6.5 month old does still take a cat nap on the way home from day care when either my husband or I pick him up. I also don't think you're putting him down too late depending on what time he gets up. We put both our 3.5 year old and 6.5 month old down at the same time around 8:30. It typically looks like this:</p> <p>5:30- pick up<br /> 5:30-6:15 - anytime between here, he takes a 1/2 hour nap. Some days this doesn't happen if he fell asleep late at day care.<br /> 6:15 - eats "dinner" - his solids. His last bottle would have been around 4:30.<br /> 7:30 - Bath<br /> 8:00/8:15 - Bottle<br /> 8:30 - Asleep</p> <p>We try to eat dinner between his dinner and bath, but it's becoming a 9pm dinner lately. We just have too much going on with our 3.5 year old some days and can't seem to get ourselves together to eat dinner when they eat. </p> <p>As an aside, he usually gets up around 7/7:30 for us to take him to day care. He'll also take two longer naps at day care at this age...one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and then we hope for that catnap around 5:30. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2526055 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 12:30:55 +0000 MamaCate 2526055@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JLC53: crockpot meals are great! Chicken tortilla soup, chili, sesame chicken. </p> <p>Now that it is warmer we make salads sometimes. I try to chop and wash the veggies before, then throw some chicken in a pan and sauté it, then put it all together. </p> <p>Burgers are quick and easy and you could do the parties ahead.</p> <p>We make this chicken and it is fast and easy:<br /> <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/sweet-sticky-and-spicy-chicken-507266" rel="nofollow">http://www.food.com/recipe/sweet-sticky-and-spicy-chicken-507266</a><br /> I put the rice on first and everything is usually done at the same time. Once you brown the chicken you can leave it on the stove without much attention.</p> <p>We also make chicken pesto--strips of chicken in a ziploc with pesto, then coat in a mix of bred crumbs and grated Parm, then in a big casserole dish. Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes. I can't remember where I got the recipe.</p> <p>We meal plan every week and I try to do some advance prep--cut the chicken the way I need it for the recipe when I get it home, or chop the onion the night before I need it, and that helps a lot.</p> <p>I also like to make a bigger meal on the weekend that can be leftovers. This weekend we are having this:<br /> <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/speedy-baked-ziti" rel="nofollow">http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/speedy-baked-ziti</a><br /> Or enchiladas are great to throw in and forget too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2526041 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 12:16:08 +0000 Pollywog 2526041@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I also have a 9 week old and we are struggling with this. Here's what works for us (I work from home and DH does pick-up:</p> <p>4 pm: come home and play<br /> 5 pm: nurse. I'm done work<br /> 5:15 more playtime<br /> 6: carrier walk the dog/nap<br /> 7:00 play with DH while I prep dinner and wash bottles<br /> 730 eat and nurse<br /> 8: quiet play while DH packs lunches and clean up<br /> 830: nurse to sleep<br /> 10pm bed<br /> 4am nurse<br /> 6 am nurse and up for the day </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2526031 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 12:02:04 +0000 MamaCate 2526031@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JLC53: also I definitely remember bedtime being later with my first until at least 12-15 weeks but she has never been a good sleeper. So it may be something to work up to. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2526028 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 11:58:05 +0000 JLC53 2526028@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaCate: what sort of quick dinners do you do? I need more quick dinner ideas! Or they don't even have to be quick just very hands off (like through in oven and forget about it until it is done type of dinners). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2526027 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 11:58:05 +0000 MamaCate 2526027@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JLC53: my kids are early risers (baby has been getting up before 6 lately and both were up by then today) so they need their rest. I also need them in bed so I can take care of everything else! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2526022 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 11:52:40 +0000 JLC53 2526022@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@dagret: I always feel bad putting him to sleep and it is still light out... Guess I am over thinking it and it probably isn't the best idea... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2526019 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 11:51:53 +0000 JLC53 2526019@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaCate: Yes, I am pretty much solo too. Thanks for your schedule. I am seeing a trend that I should push up LO's bedtime... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2526012 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 11:43:46 +0000 MamaCate 2526012@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a 4 yo and a 9 month old but this has been the rough routine since I went back to work at 12 weeks:<br /> 4:30 daycare pick up<br /> 5:00 home, feed baby, big kid watches iPad show<br /> 5:30 cook dinner,baby plays or is held<br /> 5:45/6 eat dinner<br /> 6/15/6:30 play outside or inside<br /> 6:45/7 bath for baby<br /> 7 nurse baby and put to sleep<br /> 7:30 baby asleep, do bedtime for big girl<br /> 8 lights out for big girl<br /> 8-9 I do all the clean up from the day and prep the next day (lunches, bottles, pump stuff, diapers)</p> <p>It has helped me to find quick dinners the kids will eat that don't require prep. I am usually home alone for a lot of this routine--sometimes DH is home by 6 and sometimes later. It takes a while to find your groove so go easy on yourself! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2525978 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 11:17:36 +0000 dagret 2525978@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS is 3 and DD is 14 months, though this schedule has been more or less the same since I went back to work when DS was 12 wks old. DD is in the 1 yr old room and only gets 1 nap. When she was napping 2x/day in the infant room we could push her bedtime back a bit. As she gets older we'll push her bedtime back, and when DS stops napping at school we'll probably move his up. </p> <p>4:30 - leave work<br /> 4:45 - pick up, feed kids small snack in car<br /> 5pm - get home, kids play outside on patio or in the house (and by "play inside," DS will color or something and DD takes a dive into the Tupperware cupboard) so I can start on dinner. I try to change my clothes at this time. If they're crazy screaming i give them another snack (I try to make this healthy-ish - cheese or applesauce for DS, DD is super into frozen peas.) Either DH or I play with the kids while the other cooks. We try to squeeze in a family walk at this point.<br /> 6:30 - family dinner<br /> 7:00 - bath for DD (or as soon as DD starts screaming)<br /> 7:15 - DD nurses, and I put her to bed. She's usually asleep by 7:30<br /> 8:15 - bath (every other day) and/or start bedtime routine for DS<br /> 8:45 - 9pm - DS is asleep and we start prepping for the next day. </p> <p>I've never used blackout shades -- I want my kids to be able to sleep even if it's not dark. So far it's worked for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2525861 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 09:30:27 +0000 JLC53 2525861@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@petitenoisette: everyday it is still different. Typically he is asleep when I get there to pick him up and his last bottle is anywhere from 2pm to 4pm there. I feed him a bottle no matter what time his last bottle is at daycare at 5pm. His bottles in the afternoon at daycare aren't great typically, but that is another issue for another post. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2525854 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 09:27:16 +0000 JLC53 2525854@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@alphagam84: a stroller walk might be a good idea around 6pm. That will probably get him to fall asleep I bet and the dog would love it!!!<br /> DH doesn't normally get home until 8pm - ish... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2525833 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 09:17:12 +0000 alphagam84 2525833@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our schedule is pretty fluid based on when DD (5 months old) has her last bottle or nap at daycare. We are normally home by 4:30-4:45. Some days I run or walk with her in the jog stroller with the dog and we are out there for 45-60 minutes. She normally dozes off for 20 minutes or so while in the stroller. By then DH is normally home and we play with her and 50% off the time we cook dinner while she is up. It all depends. We don't try to have a schedule so we don't get stressed out if something doesn't happen. She normally does need a small nap between getting home and going to bed though. Bedtime is normally between 7-7:30. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2525829 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 09:15:50 +0000 psw27 2525829@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JLC53: You could, but you don't have to black out their room. I was going to and then a friend suggested I don't because its better to "train" them to be able to sleep under lots of conditions. (i.e. it doesn't have to be a perfectly dark, dead quiet room, etc.) We live in the city so I wanted him to be okay with sleeping through fire trucks and people being loud and trucks, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2525822 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 09:12:01 +0000 JLC53 2525822@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@psw27: guess I need to invest in some black our shades for his room too because it looks like I am putting him down too late... Thanks for the suggestion! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2525818 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 09:11:14 +0000 petitenoisette 2525818@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I second that that is a really long time for a 9 week old to be up w/out a nap or earlier bedtime. Have you tried wearing him for his last nap? I found the last nap of the day was always the hardest but also kind of the most necessary because otherwise nighttime turned into a disaster, so it was kind of a by any means necessary thing to get my LO to sleep. </p> <p>When is his last nap at daycare? Does he ever fall asleep in the car on the way home? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2525817 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 09:09:59 +0000 psw27 2525817@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was going to suggest you move bedtime up. My LO has pretty consistently gone to be around 7-7:30 since around that age. It stinks because you spend less time with them, but it is better for them to get the extra sleep! (and for you!) My DH and I still eat after LO (20 months) goes to bed, it is just more relaxing to have a conversation and cook together once he is down. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2525813 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 09:06:49 +0000 Truth Bombs 2525813@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JLC53: My almost 5 month old goes to bed at 7:30ish and STILL takes a cat nap between then and when we get home from daycare at 5. Despite his big sister's attempts to keep him awake :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2525807 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 09:04:10 +0000 JLC53 2525807@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Truth Bombs: yesterday - he was awake almost the entire time. He did get very fussy though starting around 7pm. I tried to get him to take a cat nap at about 6ish to start dinner and he wasn't having it... He would nod off in my arms and the second I tried to put him down would start fussing. I'll see how tonight goes and maybe I can push up bed time another 1/2 hour. (honestly I would love bed time to be earlier). His bedtime before last week was 10pm. He is still getting up once a night right around 2:30am, I didn't want to push up bedtime until he was sleeping closer to 5 or 6am.</p> <p>Thanks so much for your suggestion - FTM here looking for any experience mom advise :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2525796 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 08:55:36 +0000 Truth Bombs 2525796@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JLC53: Is your LO awake that whole time from when you get home until he goes to sleep at 8:30? If so, that's a really long time for a 9 week old to be awake. I would move bed time up closer to 7:30. That will also give you more time to cook your dinner and relax between his bed time and your bed time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2525767 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 08:31:31 +0000 regberadaisy 2525767@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When we had one that young our schedule was very similar to that. DH and I usually ate after she went to bed! It was honestly less stressful to not even attempt to cook while she was still up. Bedtime was esrly so we wanted to take advantage of time with her during the week. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/after-daycare-schedule#post-2525763 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 08:29:27 +0000 JLC53 2525763@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am back at work for 2 weeks now. I have a 9 week old in daycare and I am trying to come up with a schedule or routine for after I pick LO up. For the last 2 weeks it has been different everyday. I understand that LO is still very young and a set in stone routine is not going to happen for awhile, but I was wondering what other people's schedules look like.</p> <p>Right now (or at least the last few days) my schedule looks like this.</p> <p>4:30 - pick up<br /> 4:45 - home (let dog outside)<br /> 5pm - change diaper and feed bottle (even if LO just had one at daycare and doesn't take the entire thing - I just don't want him going any later because I want him to eat a good bottle before bed)<br /> 5:30 - play on floor, tummy time, etc... Try to make dinner, but usually LO won't let me and I have to finish cooking after LO is asleep.<br /> 7:30 - bath<br /> 8pm - bottle<br /> 8:30 - sleep<br /> 9pm - DH and I eat dinner, clean up and head to bed by 9:45 at the latest.</p> <p>What does your schedule look like? </p>