https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 08 Apr 2026 07:50:33 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1202316 Thu, 07 Nov 2013 14:29:17 +0000 sunshineandsushi 1202316@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SleepyMonkey: Awww, thanks!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1200471 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 20:32:03 +0000 SleepyMonkey 1200471@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sunshineandsushi: ooh i give you a gigantic round of applause. solo parenting is tough enough with one baby, but twins? you are amazing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1200469 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 20:30:30 +0000 SleepyMonkey 1200469@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH traveled a lot when LO was 2-8 months. 2-3 days per week. it was hard in the beginning because i was on mat leave, so it was 72 hours of just me and the babe. mentally that was really difficult for me, but you do start to fall into a little routine. now DH is traveling again, 2-3x a week but i'm back at work while our nanny watches LO. i get home at around 5:45, play for 15 mins, then start getting dinner ready. LO is a slow eater and takes her sweet time eating...so we spend 45 mins - 1 hour eating dinner together. it really helps if you make a big pot of whatever on sunday that you (and your baby) don't mind eating for the next couple of days. only have to microwave it and its ready. then i give her a bath, do the bedtime routine and she is down in her crib 7:45-8pm. then i collapse on the couch and veg out in front of the tv before cleaning anything up. i'm strict about my bedtime too, its usually around 10pm! mama needs her sleep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1200454 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 20:17:46 +0000 swedishfish 1200454@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@grizz: It is NOT easy so we should all give ourselves an extra pat on the back. I've had multiple breakdowns about solo parenting. Dinner is usually something easy like frozen tilapia and sweet potato fries (tonight's dinner) or grubbing off of my parents. This is my routine W-F (DH works W-Sun 2:30-11 or 2-10:30):</p> <p>2:50 school's out<br /> 3:20-3:25 pick up R<br /> 3:50-4 get home, run around trying to freeze milk and clean pump parts before taking R out of car seat, grab a snack, read to R, play with her<br /> Starting anywhere between 5-5:45 feed R (lasts about 30 minutes)<br /> After feeding R somehow feed myself with a baby who doesn't want me out of her sight<br /> Exactly 2 hours after last feeding began feed R again (30 minutes long)<br /> 8-8:30 bedtime for R<br /> 9:30 bedtime for me </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1200429 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 20:03:32 +0000 MsMamaBear 1200429@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It gets better the more routine you establish. It's just me, so I have a pretty strict schedule until the weekend when I'm off and we can relax and get a break!</p> <p>I teach state funded pre-k at her daycare, so thankfully,no daycare drop off, she just comes with me! lol After work is hard. I give her a snack on the way home. We get home at 4 and I either go to the gym or go home and go for a quick run b/c once I get in the house, I'm DONE for the day. After exercising, we usually eat dinner and watch some tv or read before bed.</p> <p> I set her clothes out for the week on the weekends and I cook for like 2 days at a time so I'm not coming home and trying to make dinner with her crying because she missed me all day.</p> <p>It doesn't always work out that perfect, but most times it does. I have to keep a routine b/c dealing with those kids at work all day drains me and I cannot come home to chaos. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1200035 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 15:38:11 +0000 Smurfette 1200035@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@grizz: That is great news!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1200030 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 15:36:16 +0000 Boheme 1200030@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@shinymama: Chipotle and wine? YES. I like it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1200024 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 15:34:31 +0000 Boheme 1200024@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: She said she thought she would have time to get ready for her daughter's extracurricular stuff, and that they didn't last night. BUT - silver lining here - I called the Montessori school he was going to start at 1 year, and they have a rare infant opening :) </p> <p>Thank you to all of you who gave me a play by play of your schedule! I think this will be manageable when I get the hang of it. It was really nice to have overnight help last night, so maybe this tradeoff will be worth it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1199873 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 14:40:57 +0000 JoJoGirl 1199873@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I fly solo almost every night during the week because DH works late (and I go to work early, so he flies solo every morning). </p> <p>4:30pm: Leave work</p> <p>5pm: Home from daycare with DD</p> <p>5:15pm: If her last nap of the day was early, I sometimes put her down for an evening naps around now....</p> <p>5:30-6: Wash pump parts and bottles, throw EASY dinner in to cook (usually just broiled fish or chicken with a side of veggies that I cut up and washed already and can go right under the broiler with the meat), change my clothes, throw diapers in the wash, put away clean dishes that DH washed that morning</p> <p>6-7: feed and play with LO or put her in the Moby while I pack her diapers and pick out her clothes for the next day, pack my gym bag, finish laundry and dinner if need be </p> <p>7pm: Bath - although if DH is home, he does this.. if he's not home, I skip it.. too much.</p> <p>7:30: Nurse, book, bedtime</p> <p>8pm: I eat dinner, with or without DH depending if he's home and ready to eat</p> <p>8:30: TV/downtime/glass of wine.</p> <p>9pm: bedtime for me. I have to be at work at 7:15am (hence getting out so early) so I gotta be up around 5, regardless of if LO is up (she usuallygets up at 5:30am to eat, so I feed her and then go to the gym before work). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1199745 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 13:59:05 +0000 sunshineandsushi 1199745@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You definitely fall into a groove, you just have to! My husband works long, unpredictable hours, so we never know when he'll be finished for the day. He could be home at 5 p.m., or not until 8 p.m. It's always different. I think the uncertainty of it is what annoys me the most, but that comes with his line of work. </p> <p>If DH is working late, this is my routine:<br /> 5:30 p.m. - pick up boys from daycare<br /> 5:45-6 p.m. - unload car and bring them in, warm up their dinner that I made/prepped the night before<br /> 6 p.m.-6:20 p.m. - they eat dinner and I watch them while unloading their bottles and stuff from daycare. (This has become easier since they now feed themselves versus me having to spoon-feed both of them at the same time.)<br /> 6:30-7 p.m. - baths for both of them, one at a time. Some nights I will skip it if we're running behind or whatever.<br /> 7-7:15 p.m. - Warm up bottles for bedtime, play a bit with them.<br /> 7:15-7:30 p.m. - Feed them and put them down for the night.<br /> 7:30-8:45/9 p.m. - I finish unpacking all of their stuff from daycare, start making bottles for the next day and their breakfast, lunch and dinner for the next day. Make a side or two to go with whatever is ready in the crockpot that was thrown in that morning. When DH is working late, he's normally home at some point during this period, so he will wash bottles once he gets home. Then we sit down and eat dinner. If he still isn't home, I'll wash all the bottles since I don't want him to have to do it after working so late. </p> <p>And like PP said, wine helps. I'll often turn on some music and drink while I'm doing all the evening prep for the next day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1199682 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 13:39:01 +0000 looch 1199682@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband and I have weird schedules that aren't the same every week, at least one night a week we end up having to do the nightly routine alone.</p> <p>I do the absoulute bare minimum during the week, no laundry, no heavy cooking, no errands. Some nights, my son doesn't get a bath and I leave dishes in the sink. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1199673 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 13:36:13 +0000 blackbird 1199673@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I fly solo on Mondays and it's like this:<br /> 5-pick up E from daycare<br /> 530-630: play, usually on the floor<br /> 6:30-7:00 dinner (leftovers for me, she plays with food). I've eaten protein shakes before.<br /> 7:00: bath<br /> 7:30 bedtime<br /> 7:30-9: whatever I need to do. Shower, do dishes, clean bottles for the next day, pack lunches </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1199655 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 13:30:58 +0000 shinymama 1199655@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>One of us is usually home alone with LO until about 7:30-8:00 due to work travel or our oldest's football schedule. My only advice is not to set your expectations too high: don't expect to make amazing dinners, get the laundry/cleaning done, or to have time for yourself. With practice and routine you will eventually find your way and see that it's doable {still tiresome, but completely doable}. </p> <p>Helpful hints:<br /> - Embrace the crockpot/breakfast for dinner/Chipotle<br /> - In the am set out what you will need for LO in the pm {bath time items, bottles on the counter, etc.} You would be amazed how helpful it is not to have to dig for these things when LO is upset.<br /> - Wine. It helps. Truly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1199644 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 13:25:14 +0000 jetsa 1199644@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DH is out of town this week plus 2 more before the end of the year. I'm freaked out, I already told him nothing will get done besides the baby getting taken care of. I don't even know how I'm going to shower. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1199642 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 13:24:21 +0000 Smurfette 1199642@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@grizz: :sad: Why does she want to switch?</p> <p>You find your groove. DH travels Mon-Thurs (sometimes Friday) so I do everything Mon-Thurs. Some days it isn't so bad and so days I am in tears when putting her to bed. I don't know how SAHM do it. Work at least gives me a break. </p> <p>When we get home, I leave everything till she goes to bed. I might put her bibs and outfits in the sink to soak, depending on how bad the spit was that day. But otherwise I put everything off till she goes to bed, so we can spend time together. Since we only get an hour before she gets a bottle and then goes to bed. </p> <p>Then after she is asleep I try and do a workout video, then wash bottles, prep bottles, make sure she has purees for the next day, start laundry, make my lunch for the next day, and then eat dinner. </p> <p>I have found that once she is finished with her purees, I have about 5 mins she will be happy banging the spoon on the high chair tray, so I use that time to get towels ready for bath, set out pjs and sleep sack. </p> <p>Also on Sunday's I pick out her outfits for the week, so I just have to grab a set each morning and don't have to think about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1199636 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 13:22:54 +0000 cmomma17 1199636@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@grizz: It's not every night, but a lot of days my DH works from 11 or 12 until 9, 10, or even 11 pm.<br /> It's tough! I am better at it at 6 months than I was at 3 months! I think I just learned to relax.<br /> I never cook in the evenings on work days though - I'm amazed at moms who pull that off! I eat whatever is easiest! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1199628 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 13:20:13 +0000 littlek 1199628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You just fall into a routine. My DH works long hours and leaves before LO wakes up and comes home after LO is asleep. Here is our schedule:</p> <p>5:30 - 6:30 am.- Wake up and get ready<br /> 6:30 - 6:45 am- Wake up LO and take care of dogs<br /> 6:45 am- Leave house<br /> 7:10 am- Drop LO off at school<br /> 7:30 am- at desk<br /> 5 p.m.- Leave work<br /> 5:30- Pick up LO at daycare<br /> 5:30 - 6 p.m. - Commute home<br /> 6 - 6:30 p.m. - Play time<br /> 6:30 - 7 p.m. - LO eats dinner<br /> 7 - 7:30 p.m.- Bath time and story time<br /> 7:30 p.m. - LO in bed<br /> I eat after LO is asleep.. DH comes home sometime between 9 p.m. and midnight. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1199611 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 13:13:53 +0000 Boheme 1199611@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@rachiecakes: Amen! An extra hour or two would be all I need! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1199608 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 13:13:31 +0000 Boheme 1199608@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Annnnd now our sitter has decided that she wants to switch back to DS being picked up at 5 rather than 5:45, effective immediately. Now I'm in a huge lurch, since I can't change my work hours, and DH can't switch back for several months. </p> <p>So I guess add searching for a new childcare provider is on my list too. I don't think she understands that WE pay HER and she doesn't get to call all the shots. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1198587 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 01:22:10 +0000 rachiecakes 1198587@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The hardest for me is dinner. I don't love cooking anyway and it's hard for me to just cook for me &amp; LO.</p> <p>I get out of work at 5:30, pick up DS from daycare, get home by 6, dinner, bath, play, book, bed. I clean a bit and head to bed myself afterwards.<br /> I need like one or two extra hours in a day! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1198584 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 01:11:44 +0000 Freckles 1198584@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I usually fly solo 2-3x during the week. Dinner is definitely the hardest, so i now try to make sure i have dinner ready the night before so if LO is whining for food i can have it ready as soon as we get home. Now that she is more independent, i can do dishes while she plays and it cuts down on the work i have to do after i put her to bed. I actually feel as though it's more relaxing when it's just the two of us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1198513 Tue, 05 Nov 2013 23:35:06 +0000 matador84 1198513@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Dh lives and works out of town and is only at home on weekends. Rough, but we have fallen into a routine. I'm up between 530-6 am or earlier to get myself ready for work and get ds up 15 mins before leaving at 710. I make his lunch in the morning most mornings but get all my stuff ready the night before. I try and pick him up by 5 each day because I feel so guilty about him being at daycare all day. By the time we get home I'm zapped, so I attempt dinner, we play for a little bit and its bedtime by 7. It's been harder since becoming pregnant I'm just more tired. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1198506 Tue, 05 Nov 2013 23:21:56 +0000 MamaCate 1198506@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree that time and reps help. DH is in medical school rotations so we have days where Lo doesn't see him at all and others where things are calmer. We are prepping for some extended solo mama times the next few months and I WOH FT.</p> <p>Making dinner fast and easy is a goal. Snacks for LO help free me up enough to prep something quick, but she is already a toddler. we do elmo's world as a last resort distraction. </p> <p>If he comes home in time to do something, like dishes or lunches or spray out diapers, that helps, but that is not always the case. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1198504 Tue, 05 Nov 2013 23:19:40 +0000 kiddosc 1198504@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The good thing about this is that your DH can do mornings and you won't have to wake up LO early for the day. This is the schedule we have. I leave for work before E wakes up and DH wakes up with him, does breakfast and gets him off to daycare. I pick him up and do dinner, bath, and bed. It takes a little while but you figure out your own routines. E eats leftovers from the night before and then I cook dinner after he goes to bed and eat when DH gets off work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1198484 Tue, 05 Nov 2013 22:59:53 +0000 DillonLion 1198484@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not solo, but usually do nighttime routine alone while DH does other things. </p> <p>You get into a good rhythm the longer you do it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1198431 Tue, 05 Nov 2013 22:23:11 +0000 bpcmarj 1198431@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Dinner is our biggest struggle.I bought some happytot premade meals for LO and then I put her to bed and cook dinner. But usually, DH comes home and cooks dinner because I am wiped from work, cranky toddler dinner and bedtime, etc.</p> <p>I will say it has gotten easier as we have gotten used to it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1198420 Tue, 05 Nov 2013 22:14:21 +0000 Andrea 1198420@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was your first night so it must've been hectic! It'll get better soon. What helped me was cooking something for dinner the night before so that I could reheat it. Then I could feed DD quickly and get her off to bed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1198412 Tue, 05 Nov 2013 22:07:28 +0000 singingbee 1198412@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm curious about this. DH works shift work 3 hours away, so I'm going to be solo parenting a lot. Next week he is working days all week so we won't be together from Sunday to Sunday unless I come down to our other house. It's not so bad right now since I'm on maternity leave, but I'll go back to work in January and it will require a lot of planning. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1198399 Tue, 05 Nov 2013 21:58:16 +0000 deerylou 1198399@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You're basically my hero. I SAH, and my husband is home around 7, each evening. I start getting antsy around 5. What time is your husband home at night?</p> <p>Hang in there, pretty mama! Hope you get some good advice. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/for-wohms-who-are-solo-during-the-week#post-1198393 Tue, 05 Nov 2013 21:55:26 +0000 Boheme 1198393@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How in the heck do you do it? My husband switched to afternoon shift with his police department, and tonight was my first night of picking DS up after work and handling everything solo. It was awful! How do you deal? Did you eventually fall into a rhythm? </p>