Dinner: how do you do it?

Icarriedawatermelon

I'm hoping you ladies can help me. I seriously struggle with how to accomplish prepping, cooking, eating, and cleaning up dinner each night while tending to LO. How do you all do it? It feels like as soon as I start to cook, she wakes up from a nap or needs to be fed or needs attention, etc. etc. I then have to abandon the food. Does anyone have any tips?? I feel like such a FTM with this question but I need help! Thanks in advance!

sweettooth87

My husband tag teams with me, we babywear, and we use the crockpot a lot.

Emilyraymond

I cook one handed and hold her with the other. It's actually an art I have mastered. I can do a lot if things one handed! I empty dishwasher, put clothes away, use the restroom, wipes my sons butt, and even make the beds. You'll get better!

LittleBabyG2013

Tag team also .. Sometimes the Swing.. And good old delivery ( bad I know ). Trying to get away from ordering in.

Arod1087

I make sure all my meals take 30 mins or less to prep and cook. Clean up comes later. I cook while she naps, like the second she goes down I run to the kitchen haha

Herefishy87

I agree with Pharmtechmom, baby wearing is a wonderful thing especially for washing and putting away dishes. I try not to wear DS2 while cooking so he doesn't get burned. I usually just put him in the bouncy seat and have him hang out in the kitchen with me.
I also try and prep stuff before dinner if he is sleeping, even just cutting up veggies or browning the beef in advance. I also LOVE my crock pot and try and use that as often as I can to eliminate the dinner stress.
As far as eating, well I always end up having to nurse him while we eat. I guess he doesn't wanna be left out of family dinner. Lol!

Weljadraak

How do I do it? Slowly. It takes considerably longer to make a meal. The other day it took me over an hour to put ingredients in the crockpot.

Lesley0228

I crockpot when I can and basically cook meals that don't require my close attention. DH and I tag team cooking and kids. Sometimes I just bring the bouncer and DS into the kitchen with me. I usually don't clean the kitchen until after the kids are bed. 

jennlin

Tag team, baby wear, one handed, and bouncy chair.

vargasgurl

I agree w the other peeps .. I wait till she is asleep and or calm in her swing , bumbo whatever ... and this is when I prep my dinners .. Fast ! My husband is easy to please .. In the kitchen so the meals do not need to be complicated. I try to clean as I go so there is less mess . I also make larger portions that can be frozen ... So when I don't have time to make something .. I can grab something from the freezer .. For us it's mostly beans , lentils , rice , quinoa or soups & salads and I also make egg whites in muffin pans .. So we can grab and go. There are days that she needs more attention and this comes in handy when she needs me hang in there !

tashad18

If DH is home he watches LO.   I'm lucky enough to have an 11 year old that can play with LO when I"m doing laundry/cleaning/cooking.  If neither are here or are busy I just put LO in his bouncer or jumperoo and he is usually content while I cook.  I tried the baby wearing but he hated the Moby wrap.

vargasgurl

Ok... I am interested in your Crockpot Recipes ...I usually make stews and I use a pressure cooker . Care to Share ?

BMnatz11

Anything I can do ahead of time, like chopping, I do whenever I get the chance. I love the crockpot. I put DD in the swing where she can see me and that usually gives me a few minutes. I do essential clean up after dinner and the rest can wait until morning or when she's sleeping soundly.

PixiesDust

I don't make dinner until I've put DD to bed. She goes down around 7:30 which means we're usually not eating until 8-8:30 but if it means I get to spend more time with her and be the one who puts her to bed (DH does mornings, I do evenings), I'm happy to eat late.

Venndetta

I agree with PPs. I baby wear if I'm prepping stuff but, not while actually cooking. DD gets too hot. I have recently assembled my awesome highchair. She sits in that in the kitchen all the time. Good luck!

asilwhite

Babywear, DH helps, bouncer or RNP in kitchen.

I'm working on back carries with my woven and ergo and once I get those down I'm good to go!

brooklynnerdymama

I babywear and still do when using the stove - I just stand sorta sideways so I can use my right hand but she's not hanging over the heat. It does take longer to do even simple things cause I'm frequently replacing a pacifier or having to sway cause she doesn't like standing still plus the ergonomics do not make for quick chopping, etc. Gets the job done though on days when I am on my own to cook. Eta words. It's embarrassing that I have to edit basically any time I post. No wonder I am a mostly-lurker haha

BMom99

Crockpot with big meals for lots of leftovers.

lefnc82

I agree with the crockpot, best invention ever! And luckily for me since DH is currently SAHD he is doing a fair share of cooking dinner, which has been awesome!

carawasa

usually we just take turns cooking (my FI loves to cook) or we will eat when LO is in bed.

pmarie33

I either wear him or bring his bouncer over to the island and he watches me cook.  We have an open eat in kitchen and living room, so he can always see me and I can see him.  And I don't make fancy meals, so it usually only takes 30 minutes or less.  We also grill a lot, so I usually make the sides and wait for DH to come home to cook the main part of the meal.  

bkeane619

Crockpot

ballygirl

eating dinner is a memory so remote it seems like it was a dream. Last night I had a bowl of cereal and before I could even get through that, i had to stop because Haley started screaming. By the time I got back it was all mushy and gross and I lost my appetite.

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huntjul

DH is a SAHD, and I'm a working mom, so our roles may be opposite what most of yours are.  But on weekdays he pulls something out of the freezer to thaw in the afternoon.  Then when I get home, I take LO and he gets some free time and is responsible for cooking dinner.

On weekends, I pretty much take care of LO and do dinner.  I use the crock pot or put her in her bouncy seat or high chair and just cook really fast.  I don't like to baby wear while cooking--doesn't feel safe IMO.

mancila60

For us it's easy because LO sleeps way better in the evenings so I get home and H takes LO while I cook. By the time it's ready he's asleep. Also I try to plan easier meals for during the week or crockpot meals.

ksimo6

Tag team. Otherwise we put her in her high chair and she watches us cook.

kelle017

We eat a lot of processed & frozen stuff.
But I do use the crockpot sometimes. Dd will usually sit in the high chair for about 30 minutes so that helps.

tmccord21

When he takes a nap during the day I do my prep (measuring, cutting, etc). During actual cooking time either H tends to him or he sits in his boppy seat (the one that's actually meant to sit in, no hole) and watches me if he's in a good mood.

Welshgirl12

Prior to me returning to work DH and I spent a whole sunday making meals to freeze. Each evening we take one out for the next day, when we get in we microwave it fora few mins and voila dinner is served. DH then cleans up while I feed LO. That one day got us two months worth of dinners with maybe six nights where we ate take out, which I dont think is bad.

Also Saturday night I make double portions of a meal which gives us leftovers for Monday, same Sunday with leftovers for Tuesday.

Icarriedawatermelon

Thanks for your responses everyone! I really appreciate it. Hopefully I'll get into some kind of groove with dinner soon. Plus, there's always takeout, right? Haha

NatesCupcake47

We try the swing first, but lately DD likes to watch me in the kitchen so I usually lay her on a blanket on the dining room floor or sit her in her bumbo where she can see me.  I give her a toy or two she can play with and that helps keep her entertained.  

Inn2

My H and I take turns. He is going through the "never put me down" stage, again. He has started hating his swing, again, has never liked his bouncer, and even the piano annoys him. I'm a klutz, so baby wearing/holding while cooking, will never happen.

spanx21

I just put his bouncy seat on the kitchen table, strap him in and get to cooking.there's been a few times where he just wasn't having it. When that happens I try his playmat or swing and if that fails its up to DH to prepare dinner. If I know I'm going to have to feed him soon I'll just do all the prepwork and let DH cook it. Within the last two weeks I've finally managed to figure this all out...it did seem impossible. I had that same feeling! Hang in there...you'll get it!

SnoopyLuv

DH cooks every night while I herd the 3 year old and feed the baby. I do the dishes afterwards. It's a good trade off. I also do the meal planning and grocery list for him so literally all he has to do is cook.

Heather91011

I cook while hubby feeds LO then we eat and she hangs out in the high chair. I get her changed and ready for bed while hubby washes up the dishes.

Chrisanna0508

DH has been on night shift for a while so he is never home for dinner and therefore there is rarely dinner made. I really need to be better about eating, but DS gets fairly fussy about being in the Boba sometimes and so grocery shopping can be a trying experience. I need to work on this because I should probably be eating more green things. As it is, I eat a lot of almond butter and raw honey sandwiches with some apples or carrots thrown in there.

dlphndoc

I meal plan very carefully. I am able to do a lot of prep work on the weekend while my husband is with the kids. I also make freezer meals on the weekends. Our dinners are either pre-prepped and easily thrown together, pre-prepped for the crockpot, or already made and in the freezer.

I wear the baby a ton for clean up, dishes, setting table, etc. but I don't like to wear her when I'm actually cooking/near the stove or oven. My son is a big help with stuff too since he likes to set the table and help with some cooking tasks.