https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:37:45 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-cleaner-after-baby-2#post-2897896 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 09:48:56 +0000 hellobeeboston 2897896@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have our cleaner come now once a month - it saves on money and is still amazingly helpful as I just maintain in between when they come and do a deep clean. It saves about half the price, and I really think its money very well spent so we make it happen... </p> <p>I would ideally like every other week, but this is a big cost savings, and still very much worth it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-cleaner-after-baby-2#post-2897844 Wed, 25 Sep 2019 19:33:50 +0000 Anagram 2897844@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MLE81: I'd switch to 1x a month for a few months and see how that works. Will your older kiddo be in daycare, or are you still deciding that? Because maybe you can just plan a baby class or something during the time she comes.</p> <p>But don't be afraid to forgo the cleaning person if you feel like the two of you can keep things clean. We've never had a regular cleaning person, and I had a toddler and a newborn with no family around and no sitter, and it was fine. But also, we live in a 1300 sq ft place and my husband always does half of all house chores, so the burden is not falling only on me--I'd feel differently if he wasn't pulling his weight.</p> <p>To this day, every weekend, one of us will take the kids out to do something fun for 2-3 hours while the other one cleans the house. And we switch off every weekend. 1) taking the kids out solo is fun! I call it "girl time" and he calls it "daddy/daughter time". but 2) I really love being home alone and blaring my own music and getting to clean and organize in peace. The regular cleaning (vacuum, bathrooms, dusting, kitchen countertops, etc) only take 1.5-2 hours. So then I get realllllly detailed and do big pantry reorganizations or big purges of my kids' closets or I actually go and clean all my baseboards. When my husband cleans, he's really good at actually moving furniture and lifting rugs to vaccuum (I never do that). So it all works out!</p> <p>So either way, it's kind of fun? It only sucks if I ever have to try to clean with a kid around. So we make sure the spouse that's cleaning gets to do it alone. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-cleaner-after-baby-2#post-2897808 Wed, 25 Sep 2019 15:40:16 +0000 SweetiePie 2897808@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I SAH and have a 5yo and 18mo. But I’ve had a cleaning lady ever since I moved in with my husband 8 years ago. Not the same one, but have had one. </p> <p>It definitely sucks a little to feel inconvenienced for a day (which sounds awful because it’s a total first world problem to be “inconvenienced” when the cleaning lady comes). I should add we also were in an apt up until 3 months ago. So we really had very few places to get away from her while she was cleaning. </p> <p>Like @LCTBQE: said, she either skipped the nursery (a lot) or I would have her do that room first so that when nap-time came around she was done with that part of the apt.<br /> I also had her do the living room first or 2nd so that when the baby was napping I could hang in the living room without being in her way. At this house, I’ve had the trial cleaning do the whole upstairs first so that when he naps she’s done with that floor and won’t be making noise. And then if I’m there while he’s napping and she’s still there, I can lay on my bed. </p> <p>I also try to get out a bit when she first gets there. I don’t totally mess up my day for it (lunch and nap need to happen) but even if I’m gone for 1-2 hours it feels like a good chunk. Then all that’s left is 2 hours and for that he’s eating and napping and I can sit in an area already cleaned. It’s about the only day I feel guilt free doing NOTHING during nap-time.<br /> When we go out I’ll either run errands or make a play date. Or as they both got older it would be the day I’d schedule a music class or other baby class. So we could go out and get coffee/easy breakfast, do class, maybe an errand and just go home. I tried not to do anything that would really disrupt HER too much either. Like I wouldn’t do my grocery shopping because then the kitchen is a mess and she’s trying to clean while I’m putting stuff away or whatever. </p> <p>Anyway, all this to say that it’s not a big deal at all, you just need to figure out the rhythm that works for all of you. Might take a few weeks to tweak but it’ll be fine! Don’t give her up! The help will be especially important after baby 2! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-cleaner-after-baby-2#post-2897516 Sun, 22 Sep 2019 18:51:04 +0000 ALV91711 2897516@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you can afford to then I’d try less hours st the same frequency. Just have her prioritize things like bathrooms, floors etc. Have two is tiring, especially the first few months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-cleaner-after-baby-2#post-2897508 Sun, 22 Sep 2019 12:17:59 +0000 LCTBQE 2897508@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BadgerMom: this exactly. I'd seriously sooner cancel Christmas than give up our cleaner for a whole year while home with a newborn; I also kept ours on the same schedule during my leave with #2--but I was on a 4 month mostly paid leave, so it didn't affect budget. I just tried to stay out of their hair and the baby was often sleeping when they came, they frequently just would skip cleaning the nursery and it was totally not a big deal. I like the idea floated above of having your lady come monthly instead, although my cleaner charges more for monthly (we have 2x/month also). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-cleaner-after-baby-2#post-2897492 Sat, 21 Sep 2019 20:40:53 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2897492@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What if instead of 3-4 hours she came for only 2 and just did the bathrooms or some other spots you dislike cleaning? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-cleaner-after-baby-2#post-2897480 Sat, 21 Sep 2019 17:40:52 +0000 MrsSRS 2897480@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Could you compromise? Have her come once a month instead of twice, and just tell her it's because your budget is tight on mat leave, that you appreciate her, and that when your budget loosens you will ask her if she has time to fit you in more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-cleaner-after-baby-2#post-2897478 Sat, 21 Sep 2019 14:30:08 +0000 bhbee 2897478@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We actually started having a cleaning person when I was pregnant with my second. I stayed home after he was born but we kept the cleaning and like above it is a huge investment in our marriage ... dh works all the time and we don’t have to do it (or bicker about it) during exhausted evenings or weekends. Monthly is an option I would consider if it helps financially as you can spot clean, but honestly I’d try biweekly to start while you have a new baby and might find it hard to get to cleaning and then see how it goes. New babies will at least sleep anywhere! I kind of have a rhythm now for what I do on those days - I usually try to run certain errands and take kids to play somewhere. #3 was born on a Thursday and I took the kids out while cleaners came the next Wednesday :grin: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-cleaner-after-baby-2#post-2897474 Sat, 21 Sep 2019 13:11:21 +0000 Littlebit7 2897474@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Id probably give up wine before I gave up my cleaning lady. Well...wait..um..ok so it would be a really close tie. I stay home mostly; it is annoying to have to be out of the house for 3-4 hours no matter what the weather. It was harder when my second was smaller and taking two naps. But again...my cleaning lady = sanity. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-cleaner-after-baby-2#post-2897471 Sat, 21 Sep 2019 12:43:11 +0000 cake2017 2897471@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have our cleaner come once a month. I spot clean in between- toilets, kitchen etc. </p> <p>I’m on mat leave and it’s about the same or depending on what’s going on spread out alittle more. </p> <p>I’d keep her and see if she can do once a month and do a priority list and clean in between the times she is isn’t there if possible. Therefore it may be cheaper and you get all the benefits... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-cleaner-after-baby-2#post-2897470 Sat, 21 Sep 2019 12:39:58 +0000 MLE81 2897470@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BadgerMom: We definitely don’t want to give her up purely for financial reasons, and my husband has already said we will “make it work” financially if we have to. Totally agree that it would affect our marriage and our/my sanity to not have her visit anymore, even if just for a few months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-cleaner-after-baby-2#post-2897463 Sat, 21 Sep 2019 11:17:14 +0000 Becky 2897463@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had to stop having a cleaner we had been using for a few months when DD1 was a baby and I was just honest with her. I said I was pregnant and my student loans had just increased so we couldn’t afford it anymore, but that we would get in touch with her when our financial situation improved. We didn’t end up using her again because we moved but I’m sure she found someone else to clean for. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-cleaner-after-baby-2#post-2897462 Sat, 21 Sep 2019 11:03:19 +0000 BadgerMom 2897462@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We kept our house cleaner on the same schedule while I was on mat leave with DD last spring. Budget-wise, for me, I would pretty much give up every extra before giving up my house cleaner. My sanity and marriage would suffer without it. It was a bit of a PITA to be homeless every other week for a day but we made it work. We would mostly run errands, schedule lunch dates, visit friends, etc. And it was so nice to come back to a clean house. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-cleaner-after-baby-2#post-2897461 Sat, 21 Sep 2019 10:53:03 +0000 MLE81 2897461@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hi everyone! I’m back seeking more advice, since I always get such great feedback here :)</p> <p>I am expecting my second in November, and will be off on mat leave for at least a year. We also have a 3.5 year old DD. Shortly after I returned to work after having DD (so over 2 years ago), we began having a lovely woman come to clean our home once every other week. We LOVE her, LOVE how clean our home is when she leaves, and she LOVES our DD, too. </p> <p>Here’s the thing....once I go on mat leave, our budget doesn’t really have room to afford her services, at least not bi-weekly. We can probably make it work, but haven’t crunched all the numbers yet. But, budget aside, I’m concerned about it not really being feasible/convenient to have her come to our home for 3-4 hours every other Friday to clean while I’m there with baby and possibly DD. Currently the house is empty when she comes, as DH and I are working and DD is at daycare.</p> <p>We need to talk to her soon, and are leaning towards basically saying that we will have to let our current time slot go, at least for now, and although we would love to have her back one day, we certainly don’t expect her to hold a spot for us. </p> <p>Has anyone had a similar experience? What, if anything, did you change about have a cleaner/cleaning service after the arrival of a new baby? </p>