I Never Realized...

bridie926

fully just how physically taxing it is to be a mom. You never realize until that first babe (FTM here) all the actual manual labor that goes into mothering. Holding a growing infant most minutes of the day. Playing, cleaning, working, trying to be physically and intimately available to the spouse. There's really no way to prepare.

How do you deal with the aches and pains and maintain your sanity when you have little to no help most days?

Go moms. I have only posted a few things on here in the past, but I'm an avid follower of the group. You all are my heroes.

RedMar

How do you deal with the aches and pains and maintain your sanity when you have little to no help most days?

Chocolate covered pretzels and Pinot Noir.

JmeJoLee83

Chocolate. Lots of it.

bridie926

@KrystaJ‌ I feel the same way. Hopefully time will make it better.

tbmadeamistake

What @saltypearl‌ said. I parent my toddler for a while, including picking her up because heaven forbid she should walk, and suddenly the baby is super light and relatively easy. I also just joined a gym.

CrysW08

Beer.

lest12

Wine, beer, desserts, date nights.

Exercise actually helps me but it's hard to find the time/energy.

augustusgoose

daycare and a nap

TunieBee

Physical therapy and massage.

bridie926

Out of curiosity...Is there a thread for Work At Home Moms out there?

lest12

I haven't seen one @bridie926‌, but it can't hUrt to throw it out there.

I'm temporarily working from home. Its great because it's extending my maternity leave, but it's really hard. I feel like nothing is ever getting my full attention.

FAWKES81

I currently tend to take a nap on my lunch break and sometimes during my 15 minute breaks at work too.

BMaidPlanner

I'm about to start napping in the lactation room.

izzetoot

Toys! I have so many toys for this child to keep him occupied so I can get things done (also work from home mom) Mirrors, bouncy chair, scrunchy books, and anything I can hang off the activity mat. My living room looks like Target threw up.

And wine. LOTS of wine.

RedMar

Hey @izzetoot‌! We've missed u here!!

frenchchocolate611

ktcmama said:

I'm about to start napping in the lactation room.

I've been so tired lately that I've considered this too!

Me too - but afraid of milk spillage

babygabe614

I'm with @KrystaJ. We are just surviving right now. Actually, DH and I just talked about this last night - how we are going through the motions to get through each day because both of us work long hours and by the time we get the baby bathed, fed, and in bed, we are too fried to get anything else done, let alone actually interact with each other. 

Regarding work from home, I don't know how you moms who WFH can juggle having your kiddos around while you do it. My boss and I have been talking about having me WFH maybe twice a week to save me some money on gas (I commute 60 miles every day) but one stipulation is that I still have to have DD in child care so I can focus on work. I know for sure I couldn't get anything really done if she were there with me.

babygabe614

skamber said:

@babygabe614‌ if I remember right, we have the same job? (Freelance writing?) I WFH and my mom takes E otherwise I can't imagine getting any assignments done. It would be amazing if you could WFH because your commute sounds awful!

@skamber Well actually you have my ideal job I used to freelance, but I write web copy for an education company now - not horrible, just not very exciting. Regardless, you are right... there is no way in hell I would be able to make a single coherent sentence if DD were there with me!

izzetoot

RedMar said:

Hey @izzetoot‌! We've missed u here!!

HI! Ive missed bumping too  I started working again so have been trying to figure out juggling baby work & home.  I can only bump when little man is asleep  

Maladroit

When DH and I are home together, we try to tag team DS and switch on and off playing with him/caring for him while the other one keeps their sanity by getting work done around the house, going shopping, meeting friends, etc. It works out for the most part.  It's nice being back at work though, I get a break and feel like DH and I are equal partners in caring for DS.  Physically though, DH and I haven't gotten back into that so much yet...maybe next week lol.