I want to preface this by saying that I am very lucky to have a great job with a great boss who allows me to be VERY VERY flexible with my hours.
However......
I'm always feeling overwhelmed by the end of the week. Every morning I feel like I'm rushing out the door to get to work at a decent time, not finishing all my work in the office, rushing home to spend a measly 1.5 hrs with my LO and then working until 11pm/midnight. I feel like I'm failing at my job/career AND as a mom since I feel like I'm falling behind in work and I still don't get to see my baby!
This is what my schedule looks like on a work day:
7am wake up; feed/dress lo
Pump & play with lo
Get ready (while i let lo watch tv)
Drive lo to daycare and then get to work by 9:30, sometimes 10, and sometimes 10:30!
work work work.
Try to eat lunch (a must to sustain my supply!)
Leave at 3:30 to pick up LO (if DH can't make it) or..
Leave at 4:30 to get home (or else my boobs hurt)
Pump
Feed LO if DH isn't home OR wash bottles
Read LO books
Put LO to bed at 6:30PM
Sit and stare at internet/iphone for 30 minutes
Find something to eat
Work some more
Shower
Pump
Sleep
... even writing this all out is exhausting.
I don't know what to do so that I can manage my time better. I'm thinking I need to wake up earlier than 7AM and do my pumping before LO wakes up, but I like being able to spend time with him in the morning and I'm already not getting enough sleep as is... AHHH what to do? What does your work day look/feel like? Does it get easier or do you just get use to being busy all the time?
You might also enjoy...
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Well, right now I'm only working half days as part of my maternity leave and my DH helps out a lot. Here is what a typical day looks like:
6AM: wake up, feed DS
get ready, do hair and makeup, DH distracts LO and prepares breakfast
6:30 AM: pump & eat, play with LO
7 am: nanny arrives, DH & I get dressed
7:15: leave for work
work
12 pm: leave work
12:40: arrive at home, eat lunch
1-4: hang out with baby until DH gets home
4 PM: usually we'll go out for a walk
5PM: dinner, we try to pick quick meals or do slow cooker dinners
6 PM: DH does LO's bath, I take my shower
7 PM: nurse LO and put to bed
7:30-10ish: Adult timeI don't have a job where I bring work home and I have a nanny, so I feel like that makes things 10x easier for me.
How old is your LO?
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It's so hard! We live a mile from both of our workplaces, my MIL comes to our house to take care of our son during the day, I have a very understanding boss, and I still feel pulled in a million directions every work day. My typical day goes something like this:
6:15 a.m. wake up, let dogs out, change LO if he's awake and play with him a bit, nurse him if it's been a while since his last feeding, shower
7 a.m. make coffee, play with LO, tidy up, feed dogs, wake up my husband
7:30 a.m. nurse LO if I haven't already, finish getting ready for work
8-8:15 a.m. leave for work with my husband
work until noon with a break around 10 to pump
go home at noon: nurse LO, eat lunch, walk back to work with our younger dog
1:30 p.m. back at work; work work work with a break around 3 to pump
5:00 p.m. get packed up and walk home with the dog
5:30 p.m. arrive at home; play with LO, talk to MIL about the day
5:45 p.m. nurse LO and immediately start bedtime routine
6:30-7 p.m. LO is asleep
7-10 p.m. eat dinner with my husband and talk about our days, do laundry, tidy up, feed dogs, and then usually work for another couple of hours
10 p.m. I would love to be in bed by now, but usually it's closer to 11LO is 7 months old and still wakes up at least once a night to nurse. Usually he goes right back to sleep, but I don't always!
I feel like things are more or less under control (although we have been terrible about introducing solids, mostly due to lack of time during the week) but I don't have time for much of anything other than work and family - and this without daycare concerns or a real commute.
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Thanks for posting this...as someone debating whether to "just" continue grad school or do both or just work, this is helpful. I think having someone who comes to your home (and not bringing home work) help immensely.
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I too have a very flexible/understanding boss, very lucky. I'm still going in a hundred directions, and I'm so thankful I don't bring work home!
6:30 wake up, shower, dressed, makeup (most days lo is in the shower with me!)
6:50 wake up ds
7 make breakfast for the kids, coffee, pack lunches, backpack, diaper bag.
7:30 start truck
7:45 drive ds to school
8:15 back home, tidy up, finish getting dd ready as well as myself!
8:45 out the door to baby-sitter
9:15 leave for work
9:30-5:30 work
5:45 pick up lo
6 pick up ds from my parents
6:15 home, start dinner
7:30 eat
8:20 dd's bedtime, ds's shower time. -
It will be crazy when I start my new job too... especially the first three weeks because I'll have training four days a week from 8:30-3 at a different location than my job which is an hour away.
Once I finish training I'll work a predictable Mon. and Weds. schedule from 8:30-6:30. It will work out okay because DH starts work later than me, so he'll be able to get LO up and dressed, and we'll have my brother as a nanny so anything we don't get to, he'll be there to care for DS. On Monday I'll have to bring my brother home once I get home which will be a pain seeing as I won't be home until after 7pm and LO goes to bed at 8...
But Wednesday I won't have to because DH will be home 2.5 hours before me..
confusing I know... but we will make it work and I'm thankful that I'll only have to work PT. I have the option to pick up extra shifts if need be but the 2 day a week transition will be nice.
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When I worked regular hours: My LO was 2 - 9 months old at this time:
4:30 am wake up and nurse
5:00 am get ready
6:00 am leave for work
8:20 am pump
11:00 am lunch go and nurse him
2:00 pm pump
4:00 pm pick up baby and nurse at child care
6:30 pm eat
8:00 pm baby bedtime
9:00 pm mommy bedtimeFrom 9 months on, daddy and I switched activities and I got mornings and he got evenings.
7:00 am wakeup and nurse
8:00 am daycare drop off
8:30 am get showered and dressed
11:00 am lunch and nurse
12:00 pm go to work
5:30 pm nurse baby at daycare and I go back to work
6:00 pm daddy pickup at daycare
6:30 pm daddy feeds baby
8:00 pm baby bedtime
9:00 pm mommy home
10:00 pm mommy bedtime -
@mrskc he's 7 months old and wakes up once a night still.
Wow, it sounds like everyone's day is pretty packed! I guess outside looking in, I'm always amazed on how other wohm's do it. The only thing that's getting me through this now is knowing that this is just a short phase so I am trying to enjoy him being so little as well as the fact that when he get's older it'll actually be even busier with school and sports/activities! AHH!
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5:15: Wakeup and get ready. Eat breakfast, if I have time.
6:00: Wakeup the baby if she's not already up and feed her.
6:20: Get the daycare bag, my lunch bag and pump bag ready to go and put them in the car.
6:40: We're out the door.
7:00: Drop off at daycare.
7:30: I'm at work.
9:00: Pump
12:00: Pump
3:00: Pump
4:00: Leave work.
4:24: Arrive at daycare.
4:50: Arrive home.
5:15: Breastfeed
5:30: Dinner
6:00: Bedtime routine starts
7:00: Baby is asleep.Somewhere between 10pm and 3am, she wakes up to eat again. She's going to be 9 months old next week.
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It's packed, but I don't have the added pressure of pumping since LO is formula fed. Also, he's 9.5 months not sure if that matters!
I do morning routine myself because DH leaves for work at 5:30
5:00 - DH alarm goes off and I do my best to stay asleep until DS wakes up.
5:30/6 - LO wakes up. Feed him and put him back down if he'll allow it.
5:30-7 - shower, get ready for work, play a little with LO, slurp down some coffee (it goes a lot faster if LO goes back down)
7:15 - out the door
7:30 - drop off daycare
8:00 - arrive at work
(I generally will not take an out of office lunch, but if I do it is usually for an errand)
5:00 - leave work
5:45 - arrive at daycare
6:00 - arrive home
6-6:30 - play with LO
6:30 - LO's dinner (if we can get our crap together, we'll eat dinner with LO....but this usually only happens 1-2x a week)
7:00 - bath, then bottle
7:30 - LO in bed
7:30 - cook our dinner/eat/catch up with husband
8:30 - 9:30 - clean bottles, clean dishes, pack bottles and lunches for the next day, set coffee for next day
10 - bedFortunately, when healthy, my son sleeps pretty much 7:30-5:30 (and on occasion a little later, til 6....and on an even more rare occasion he will go back down after his 5:30 bottle until 7).
PS - can you set the coffee pot the night before? I swear it makes a big difference!!
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My LO is 9 months old...
6 a.m. - Wakeup, get ready (this is sometimes complicated based on when LO wakes up)
7 a.m. - If LO is not awake, wake him up, feed him, get him ready for school
7:15 - 7:30- Pack lunches, give LO mum mum and put dogs in the study
7:40 - Leave house
8 a.m. - Drop off LO at daycare
8:20 a.m. - Arrive at work
5 pm- Leave work
5:30 p.m.- Pick up LO
6 p.m. - Arrive at home
6 - 7 p.m.- Play w/ LO
7 - 7:30 p.m. - Bedtime routine
7:30 - 8:15 p.m. - Work out
8:15 - 8:40 p.m.- Make & Eat dinner
9 p.m. - Work until 11
11 p.m. - Bedtime -
My goal is to leave the house by 7:30 a.m.. It has happened once!
Every day is interesting, it depends on when LO wakes up and his temperment. If he's clingy, the schedule gets off.
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I don't even have enough time in my day to write out my schedule right now!
I was just in shambles last night (it's always Thursday!) about how busy I am and how mentally exhausted I am from doing "stuff".
Unfortunately, I don't really have a solution. Just solidarity. Eventually things will get easier (pumping will be over with, solids will replace bottles, etc) so that's what I look to as my comfort when I'm FtFO (Freaking the F Out). -
LO is 3.5 months
5:30 AM - Wake up, shower, get ready (or nurse LO is she's up already)
6:30 AM - Get up LO and nurse if she isn't awake already
7 AM- Get LO ready, DH gets ready and packs up all of our goodies for the day (bottles for LO, breastpump and accessories for me)
7:45 AM - Leave for daycare, drop baby off, drive to work
9-5 - Work (pump at 930, 1230, and 330)
5-6 PM - Sit in traffic
6:15 - Pick up baby
6:30 - Home, nurse, baby gets a bath, DH cleans bottles, does dishes, prepares dinner
7:30 PM - Quiet playtime with baby, read a story, swaddle, put baby to sleep
8:30 PM - Adult time, usually watch a show
9 PM - I pump usually
9:30 PM - I go to bed, DH stays up a little later -
commenting so I can follow...
Also...this thread just convinced me to go out and invest in a Keurig this weekend!
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After reading everyone else's, I appreciate even more how easy I have it as a WOHM! The at-home care and formula are clutch.
5:45am: get up, shower, get ready, changed and feed DS if he wakes up
7am: leave for work (DH is home and feeds & cares for DS until my mom gets there at 8:30; 2 days/week DH takes DS to MIL's house)
7:30am - 4pm: work
4:30pm: arrive home or at MIL's house to pick DS up
4:45pm: DS arrives home if he's been with my mom that day** OR we arrive home together if it was a MIL day
4:45pm - 5:30: play
5:30pm: dinner for DS, let him play in high chair or jolly jumper while I start dinner (note: he's not always willing to do this!)
6:30pm/7pm: DH gets home
7-7:30pm: dinner or exercise or just play with DS (depending on lots of things including DS's mood!)
7:30-8pm: bath, bottle, bed
8-10pm: exercise, adult time
10pm: bed**my mom comes to our house in the morning then takes DS over to my sister's house to get her kids off the bus. She then drops DS back off to me on her way home since my parents live about 2 miles from us. She totally spoils me and this is SOOO helpful as I get to change my clothes before DS is home
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Thank you for making me do this (I think)...Let me try to figure this out (prior to wake up there are a lot of feedings but I am half asleep so I can't keep track):
5:30 am - Nurse babies as they wake up
6:00 am - My alarm goes off and I snooze
6:30 am - I get up, pack my pump bag and take a shower
7:00 am - Nanny arrives, babies start to wake up. She changes one as I nurse the other and then we switch
7:20 - I leave for work
7:45 - I arrive at work...
9:45 - Pump
12:45 - Pump
3:45 - Pump
4:30 - Leave work
5:30 - Nanny leaves and I nurse
6:00 - Start Dinner
7:30 - Bedtime Routine (bath/book/nurse/bed)
8:30 - Kids asleep
9:00 - I go to bed
10:30 - Baby A wakes up and nurses
12:30 am - Baby A wakes up and nurses (anything after this I block out but I know there are 3-4 more wake up's between the 2 babies)The twins will be 8 months next week. I don't mean to scare anyone with all this waking up and not sleeping but I believe this is the reality of some babies. We won't be thinking of sleep training until at least a year if at all. I also think this is completely normal behavior. Sometimes I feel like HB makes it seem like all babies sleep through the night or are only up once for a feeding and I wanted to share that it is not always the case.
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5:00-alarm starts going off
5:30-force DH to get in the shower or get in it myself
5:45-shower if I haven't already then get dressed or lay out my clothes for the day
6:00-wake DS, change him and nurse (DH wakes DD, oversees potty, getting dressed and making bed)
6:15-get dressed, dry hair, makeup
6:30-load pump bag, purse, lunches into the car; oversee DD putting on shoes and coat
6:45-load DD, DS and DD's babydoll into the car
7:00-drop everyone off at sitter's house
8:00-arrive at work; eat breakfast
9:00-pump
12:00-lunch & pump
3:00-pump
4:30-leave for home
5:15-arrive at home or sitter's house (DH does pickup all but Monday night)
5:30-start dinner
6-7:00-eat dinner as a family
7:00-nurse DS and put him in bed
7:30-pack next day's lunches/wash pump parts (may be done at 5:30 if DH is making dinner that night)
7:45-DD's bedtime routine (potty, brush teeth, pajamas, story)
8:00-DD's bedtime
8-10:00-househould chores, relax with DH
10:00-bedDS gets up usually twice each night to nurse, around 11PM and then again around 2AM. DH takes care of the feeding/letting the dog out every morning except Wednesday when he has an early morning Bible study so I do that and the stuff he does with DD in addition to my already busy morning.
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My day starts depending on what time M wakes up...can be 5am, can be 6am.
6am: alarm goes off
mad dash to shower, make breakfast, nurse, pack up pump stuff, M's bottles and food (all prepped the night before)
Daddy usually is the breakfast/coffee pack up M's bottle & food person
7:20 out the door or I'm late to work
8:00 get to work
11am & 3pm: pump
4:30 leave work
5:00 get home
play with M, make her dinner,etc
6:00 bath time, change into jammies, bottle, nurse then in crib between 6:30-7:00pm
7:00pm make dinner with husband, wash bottles (usually daddy except on his long nights)
prep M's bento for the next day
relax, watch some boob tube, spend time with husband, chores
9:30/10:00pm pump
off to bed.Repeat.
daddy drops off and picks up baby.
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Lately, life looks a bit like this:
5:30-6:00 get up and pump while DH feed LO a bottle and leaves for work, LO back to sleep
6:00 do stuff around house, dishes, put something in crockpot
7:00-8:00 LO wakes up, feed her a bottle, play for a bit, put her back down for a short nap
8:00 get ready for work, wake up LO, dress her, pack lunch for me, pack bottles, pump, etc
8:45 out the door
9:00 drop LO at daycare, head to work, pump on the way to work
12:30 pump at work on lunch break
3:00 DH off of work, picks up LO at 3:45 from daycare
4:00 short pump session at work
7:00 off work, pump on drive home
7:45 home, have dinner
8:30 LO's bath-time with me, DH gives her final bottle, swaddles, puts her to bed
10:00 DH goes to bed and I pump
3:00 LO wants bottle in middle of night - DH feeds (if I wake, I pump) -
i feel like my day doesn't end until 8pm. then i have an hour before i make myself go to bed so i am well rested for the day.
6:30am wake up and start getting ready. If LO ate in the middle of the night, i'll pump and do my makeup and hair at the same time
7:30-7:45am leave for work
10:45am pump #1
12pm eat lunch
2:30pm pump #2
5:15 or 5:30pm leave for home
5:45pm-6:15pm nurse
6:45pm LO bathtime
7:00pm nursing. she always falls asleep
7:45pm put LO to bed
8:00pm eat dinner and veg out on the couch watching tv. if my eyes weren't open and moving, someone would think i'm dead because i'm so tired i can barely move.
8:45pm shower
9:00-9:30pm make myself go to bed -
Reading everyone else's schedules is so interesting!
Here is how we do it - LO is 4 months old, attends daycare and I am EBF.5:50 (or 6:05 if I am snoozing)- Wake up. If LO is asleep still I creep around the house making coffee, doing my makeup/hair, make lunch for DH and myself, get out breakfast for the both of us, I eat breakfast and drink my coffee, get pump bag together. If LO wakes up at the same time or during this time, I nurse her and change her and either wake up DH a little early to hang out with her while I finish up or I strap her in the carrier and go about my morning.
6:35 - DH wakes up, lets the dog out and hops in the shower
6:45 - if LO hasn't woken up already on her own, I wake her up at this time and nurse/change/get her dressed for the day.
7:00 - pack diaper bag, hang out with LO and cuddle/play, get dressed myself.
7:20 - DH gets LO in the carseat and helps me out to the car
7:25 - Off to daycare
7:40 - Drop off and chat with daycare mama
7:50/8:00 - Off to work
8:20 - Arrive at work
9:30 - Pump
12:30 - Pump
4:00 - Pump
5:00 - Leave work, run any errands on my list.
5:20/5:45 - Arrive at home. Run around cleaning up the house from the night before. Wash pump parts from the day, shower if I need/want to.
6:00/6:15 - DH and LO get home
6:15 - Nurse. DH does dishes from the night before to clear the sink for bathtime.
6:30 - Playtime with LO
7:15 - Bathtime
7:30 - Nurse again, bedtime routine
8:15 - LO is asleep, I make dinner and hang out with DH, we eat and watch TV together.
10:00/10:30 - I go to bed. DH stays up later and does a load of laundry.
12-1 AM - Nurse
3-4 AM - Nurse
Start all over! -
My LO is (I think) older than most listed here...I think it tends to be crazier when they're younger, mainly b/c you're feeding more often and sleeping less. That alone makes life feel crazy.
I did a whole post about this - you can read it here: http://www.hellobee.com/2012/09/28/wohm-mrs-checkers/
I would say as your LO gets older, life as a mom (in general) because easier, not because you're less busy, but I think you just become more used to the new routine/schedule and you're well-adjusted and more confident in everything you're juggling. There are also times when it feels more overwhelming...when work is particularly busy or your LO is sick. But usually, those are just really hard weeks, and then it gets better again.
All to say, you're doing a great job @crunch: =)
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It definitely gets easier as LOs get older, I think. You get a little more used to the craziness, and I don't feel as bad about her being at daycare because I know she has fun & exciting days playing with her friends.
While I don't have much of an issue getting out of the house on-time (assuming there's no unexpected spit-ups or snot bubbles!), it's still go-go-go until I collapse on the couch after dinner.
Lifesaver for me has been figuring out how to make dry shampoo work with my hair. Not having to wash/dry it everyday is a super timesaver.
6am-7am: wake up, shower, do hair & makeup, feed dog & take her out, make to-go coffee & oatmeal while pumping one side, pack clean pump parts, put my bags & coffee in car
7-7:45am: wake LO, nurse & change, get her dressed, get me dressed, put dog in crate, grab LOs milk, and leave the house
8-8:10am: drop off at daycare
8:30am-5pm: work! pump at 10:30 and 2:30. i also eat breakfast (saves morning time) and usually lunch (no working after I get home) at my desk
5:30-630pm: daycare pickup, take dog on short walk with LO in Ergo, LO eats dinner, I wash & prep bottles while she eats in her highchair next to me.
6:45-715pm: bath, book, nurse, bed. DH and I start prepping dinner while the other one is doing bedtime routine.
7:30pm: eat! sometimes doesn't happen until closer to 8....
8-10pm: random lunch/dinner prep for the next day and relaxing.
10pm: bed. Assuming I'm awake even that long.You'll notice there's no time for exercising. I still haven't figured out how to consistently fit that in, but I've been shooting to do it from 5-6am. I just hit snooze everyday instead.
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@kaykay: dry shampoo.....GENIUS! I have to do this! the washing & drying takes so. freaking. long. it took DH & I 7 months to figure out how to fit exercise in. it is NOT easy. we're shooting for one of us to exercise each day while the other one puts LO to bed.
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@KayKay: I was just telling my husband I need to carve out some time to exercise. I was thinking since it is getting lighter at night that I will take the kids for a late walk when I get home from work (the nanny already takes them out) so I can get my exercise in.
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@Ms.SK: We have an elliptical at our house. It makes it so much easier to work out when I don't have to leave our house. The gym is right up the street but still...
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@buffalove Check out aintnomomjeans.com for advice on dry shampoo/styling. She had a whole post dedicated to it last month. SO helpful!
@ms.sk I'm hoping to make more use of our jogging stroller now that it's staying lighter and LO is going to bed a little later. She always seems to fall asleep in it, though, and that's definitely NOT what i need her to do right before bedtime! I am starting a new job at the end of the month that has a free gym, so I'm hoping to carve out some time at lunch to get in a 30 minute workout? We'll see...
@littlek an elliptical at home sounds awesome! i did a lot of elliptical when preg, since i could use it as an excuse to read trashy magazines at the gym.
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My schedule is this:
6 am- wake up, shower (wash hair every other day), eat breakfast
6:45-7 ish- baby wakes up- diaper change
7-7:30 nursing- he likes to take his time
7:30 I get dressed, hubs watches the baby and gets his bottles ready (for the babysitter or to take him to MIL's house)
7:45-8:30 playtime with baby!
9 am- arrive at work
12:30 and 3:30- pump
1 pm- lunch
5:30pm- leave work
6:15 pm- arrive home
6:15-8pm- nurse baby, eat dinner, playtime until his bedtime at 8 pm
10 pm- my bedtime
**3 am! Pump (I can't pump enough during the day to keep up with LO's demand, so middle of the night it is!)I have really been struggling with the amount of time that I get to see my baby. I am lucky though- my husband does all of the cooking/cleaning for us during the week, so at least I don't have to do that!
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@brownie: @mediagirl: @purrpletulips:
Glad to see other ladies who've made it work with really early leave-times in the morning. I have to leave for work already (pre LO) at 6:45, so I've been a little stressed about incorporating a morning wakeup and feed and waking up even earlier.
Although, I'm hoping that maybe, *just maybe*, I'll have enough of a stash or be pumping enough that DH can do a morning feed from a bottle and do the whole morning routine at some point. He doesn't have to leave for work until 7:45, and it takes him less time to get ready in the morning, so maybe we'll have that worked out by the time I have to go back to work (5 months pp).
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5-6am some nursing and cosleeping
6:00am both wake up; diaper change
6-6:30- breakfast time
6:30-6:45 baby has a bath while I do my hair and makeup
also put diapers into wash
6:45-7:00 we both get dressed
7:00-7:15 we pack our bags and I put dinner in oven on timer
7:15-7:30 pack the car (remove snow, warm up car, etc)
7:30-8:00 drive to babysitting and baby has a cat nap
8:15 I get to work and work all day nonstop, literally
3:45 I leave work
4:00 I get baby
4:20 We get home and I pack our lunches; diapers in dryer
5:00 dinner time
6:00 baby bath time; I fold laundry (diapers)
7:00 nurse baby to sleep
7:30 I have my shower
8:00 I go to sleep (or go on internet for 30 mins b4 sleep)
Baby wakes usually at 11 and 1:30 and 3:30 to nurse and we cosleep after first wakeup.I cook dinners on Sunday. I pre-arrange my outfits and baby's outfits on Sunday. I go to work on Saturday for about a 3-4 hour stretch to tie up loose ends and get ready for the next week.
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Man... After reading everyone's schedule I feel like maybe I should be waking up earlier to have more day time to fit things in! I don't go to bed until 11pm or later though so it's tough...
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@crunch: if there's any way you can go to bed a little earlier and get up earlier in the morning, it might make a big difference. My LO is a terrible napper but a good night sleeper, so he's usually in a great mood when he first wakes up and we have so much fun together. Then, when I get home after work and he's tired and cranky, I don't feel as bad getting started on bedtime right away since we had such a good time in the morning. Even half an hour might help!
Every day is interesting, it depends on when LO wakes up and his temperment. If he's clingy, the schedule gets off.
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