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May 2016 Moms
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What do you do for "me" time?

Pomegranate1983Pomegranate1983 member
in May 2016 Moms
Having a newborn means taking care of this new human being who is totally dependent on you. You may provide most of the care for LO or maybe you split it with DH/SO, either way, your life takes a major turn and you don't have the free time you had before. Your "me" time can easily become "we" time. What do you do for your "me" time, whether it is 15 min. to yourself or a few hours when someone is there to help out with LO? 
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Re: What do you do for "me" time?

  • Pomegranate1983Pomegranate1983 member
    I asked this because this is one area I have not paid attention to since DD was born (really, how can you think about it in the first few weeks) and it's starting to affect me. Between breastfeeding, pumping, bottle feeding, my own personal hygiene, eating, cleaning, and caring for DD (playing during alert time and holding her when she's clingy), I have had zero me time. And that is something I have always needed, even if it was for 30 minutes. I'm curious about what other people do and if they aren't able to entirely just have me time due to caring for LO, what do you do? I find myself either going for a walk or watching TV, which is getting old. I might go to a store to mix it up but I don't want to spend money unless I need something so shopping just to get out/change it up does not appeal to me. DD is weeks away from her 2 month shots and she's getting bigger so I feel more comfortable taking her places (so far only parks and stores) but she's still pretty tiny still. 
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  • balamamabalamama member
    Sleep! Read a book. Have a glass of wine. 
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  • kbrands7kbrands7 member
    edited June 2016
    camillaandcarson said:
    I sleep. 
    This. Me time is not my strong suit. I'm hoping to also make time to exercise alone.
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  • MsIanMsIan member
    babyfmama said:
    Sleep! Read a book. Have a glass of wine. 
    This. I'm also trying to exercise on a consistent basis with a shower after
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  • balamamabalamama member
    MsIan said:
    babyfmama said:
    Sleep! Read a book. Have a glass of wine. 
    This. I'm also trying to exercise on a consistent basis with a shower after
    Oh yeah, exercise... Haha I should add that to the mix :)
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  • josie12367josie12367 member
    Showering and actually getting to have the time to shave my legs
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  • camillaandcarsoncamillaandcarson member
    edited June 2016

    When DH will take both kids, or toddler naps and baby naps at the same time (lol - this has only happened one time ever but it was so magical!) or baby actually goes down at night somewhere not on my person I pretty much want one of two things: a shower or sleep. Or wait - forgot one, to eat something my toddler won't take that I can actually eat with two hands before it gets cold. ;) 

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  • dsmith211dsmith211 member
    Sleep. And after my last appointment next weeks I plan on exercising/swimming if I get the ok. :)
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  • clbnessclbness member
    I haven't gotten any of that elusive me time yet, but I would like to go for a walk/jog...or take my dogs for a walk. I'm too afraid to walk 2 St. Bernard's with the stroller, so it would have to be a solo task. :)
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  • JoMunsonJoMunson member
    I try to do something not baby related at all, like watching a show or comedy special or reading a book NOT about parenting. I usually save exercise for our walk outside (although my weight loss has plateaued and I have another 30-40 to lose so I'm gunna have to kick it up a bit!) and I now know I can't do chores during that time. It has to be 100% time that makes me feel good.
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  • cortney626cortney626 member
    My biggest me time since having LO was when I went to get a mani/pedi. I've also gone to the store solo or with just my 8 year old. We took our time strolling through home Depot looking for things for her room. LO is a great sleeper and very easy going so I'm able to take her anywhere I need to go. My hubby likes to take over when he gets home from work or he'll cook and clean. So I don't feel so overwhelmed. Once I return to work in mid July I will be going back to the gym and hubby will watch the girls so I can go. Right now I'm able to work out at home a bit. The gym is my favorite "me" time. 
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  • bkjadebkjade member
    My favorite me time is reading, taking a long bath or shower, walking without LO, and eating at the table like a real person. 

    I've gone for a mani/pedi, a massage, and for beers with girlfriends and honestly spent the majority of that time worried about LO, which I'm sure I will get better at, but for now I really just like to have a little bit of time close to home. 
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  • Jenly17Jenly17 member
    Bltbear82 said:
    With two kids it's now a lot harder to have me time, it's usually we time. I make sure to go on a walk regardless of weather at least twice a day, with either one or both of the kids and usually the dog. Before DS2 though my me time was going to the gym and getting a weekly manicure. Sleep would be nice!
    This exactly. When the stars align around 8:30-9pm, I like to take a really hot shower and listen to myself breathe. It's usually the quietest, and most centering part of my day. Who knew a shower could be so wonderful? 
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  • proudparent2bproudparent2b member
    Right now, LO is pretty much attached at the hip. So me time is playing on my phone while pumping or going out to a cafe (both w/LO present, but generally asleep).

    DH watches LO for me to take a shower at nights, but I've been feeling so smelly/gross by the middle of the night that the pre bed showers don't feel like they do anything and I've started to skip doing them in lieu of a mad dash sans DH watching LO in the mornings.
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  • jenl1681jenl1681 member
    3 kids, summer, what the heck is me time? I go back to work part time Monday, that will be my me time lol 
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  • BlueJuiceBlueJuice member
    camillaandcarson said:

    When toddler naps and baby naps at the same time (lol - this has only happened one time ever but it was so magical!) 
    I felt the need to second this statement, because yes - magic!

    Honestly, I carve out little slices of me time here and there, often while not actually detached from the baby - I do a lot of adult reading or television watching while nursing. Probably my favorite thing to do is run an errand without any kids in tow, though - all I have to do is park the car, walk in, walk out. No loading/unloading. All I have to carry with me is my wallet and keys and phone. Totally liberating, even when the errand is completely mundane.
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  • ayeshaoharaayeshaohara member
    I usually take a longer than normal shower and blow dry my hair in a leisurely manner. That's about as good as it's getting lately 
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  • lalala2004lalala2004 member
    edited June 2016
    There is no activity I do that I have done without with my baby that I haven't also done with him. Pooping is usually alone, so yeah. I poop.
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  • tripledaggerWed95976tripledaggerWed95976 member
    Binge watching season 4 of orange is the new black!
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  • businessmamabusinessmama member
    I ran yesterday while watching a show on Netflix. It made me feel like my body was my own because it was the first time I was covered in sweat from a workout like pre pregnancy. I didn't realize how much I missed it... Definitely my me time moving forward.
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  • kbrands7kbrands7 member
    BlueJuice said:
    camillaandcarson said:

    When toddler naps and baby naps at the same time (lol - this has only happened one time ever but it was so magical!) 
    I felt the need to second this statement, because yes - magic!

    Honestly, I carve out little slices of me time here and there, often while not actually detached from the baby - I do a lot of adult reading or television watching while nursing. Probably my favorite thing to do is run an errand without any kids in tow, though - all I have to do is park the car, walk in, walk out. No loading/unloading. All I have to carry with me is my wallet and keys and phone. Totally liberating, even when the errand is completely mundane.
    I agree-- solo errands are completely liberating. Though I'm also that mom who checks the backseat 8 million times before going in because it happens so infrequently. 
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  • bkjadebkjade member
    BlueJuice said:

    Honestly, I carve out little slices of me time here and there, often while not actually detached from the baby - I do a lot of adult reading or television watching while nursing. Probably my favorite thing to do is run an errand without any kids in tow, though - all I have to do is park the car, walk in, walk out. No loading/unloading. All I have to carry with me is my wallet and keys and phone. Totally liberating, even when the errand is completely mundane.
    Yes! When my older daughters were little and I could get them both taken care of I would go to the grocery store and walk up and down every isle just because I could. I'd never enjoyed grocery shopping until I tried it without two kids in tow. Then I was like YAS!
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  • wsgjmw1wsgjmw1 member
    Shower or sleep. I actually went to the grocery store alone this morning, walked the entire store in peace with a latte. It was lovely. 
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  • BellodomaniBellodomani member
    BlueJuice said:
    camillaandcarson said:

    When toddler naps and baby naps at the same time (lol - this has only happened one time ever but it was so magical!) 
    I felt the need to second this statement, because yes - magic!

    Honestly, I carve out little slices of me time here and there, often while not actually detached from the baby - I do a lot of adult reading or television watching while nursing. Probably my favorite thing to do is run an errand without any kids in tow, though - all I have to do is park the car, walk in, walk out. No loading/unloading. All I have to carry with me is my wallet and keys and phone. Totally liberating, even when the errand is completely mundane.
    Yes! And listen to whatever podcast I want instead of caving to my son's constant requests to listen to either Graceland, Kacey Musgraves, or the Lion King soundtrack, because homie has weird taste. 
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  • BellodomaniBellodomani member
    My husband will be out of town for a month starting next week, so he has been the bomb about making sure I get alone time whenever possible these past few weeks. It helps that our son goes to bed at about 6:30, and the baby has been going down around 8, so if I leave a bottle and go out after dinner, he can do the whole bedtime situation and I can just come back whenever I need to pump. Sometimes I go to a coffee shop and read, sometimes I go for a long walk, sometimes i go out for drinks with a friend- last week I went to the movies by myself and it was awesome. When my son was around 6 or 7 months and my milk boobs didn't hurt when running, I would use this time in the evening to run with a friend in training for a half marathon and that was great too- social time and exercise. 
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  • kami09kami09 member
    Both kids nap at same time, but I get my work hours in during that time. Which is fun so I guess that counts.

    Tonight DH is bringing home framboise, I'm going to make my garlic tofu and he's taking both kids on a walk. This is definitely the first me time I've had since having her...he just has to get his butt home!!!
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  • NinnyJeanNinnyJean member
    I've always hated alone me time, I need to be around other people so having LO around has been great because I always have someone with me. Running errands is much more enjoyable with LO because I have someone to talk to. The only real me time is showering, so I guess that counts!
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  • bkjadebkjade member
    seasalt123 said:
    DH takes 100% charge of the baby from 8pm - 2am but that's dinner time and sleep time so I really just eat and sleep then. He also gets me lots of bath stuff so I can enjoy a relaxing long bath alone during 'his' shift so there's also that. If I'm not totally tired, I read a book in the bedroom. 

    Once a week my mom comes by and I then leave the house to go to Crossfit, get my hair done etc. I also just wander around town checking out shops with the freedom of being able to jaywalk, run to make lights and all the other risky stuff I wouldn't do with a baby in tow. I don't know why I take such pleasure in jaywalking, but my life is about small wins at this point. 

    DH's best friend and wife take the baby for a couple of hours on Saturdays and I usually go to Crossfit then as well. 

    I haven't gotten much more creative than that. Eat, sleep, jaywalk, bathe and Crossfit. 
    Right? I forgot how great it is to walk around and not be terrified that some a**hole is going to run a light or not see us crossing. 
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  • seasalt123seasalt123 member
    @bkjade yep exactly. I could also start an entire thread on inconvenient sh$t I never noticed until I became a parent.  For example: that dip in the curb which allows people in wheelchairs and people with strollers to get up on the sidewalk. Everyone seems to crowd around it when they were walking and won't let you get past when you have a stroller. Even though they can just step up onto the sidewalk and I need that dip in order to get my stroller up onto the sidewalk. Or places without ramps. Or needing to find elevators instead of escalators. All things I don't have to worry about when I'm out alone, jaywalking by myself. 
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  • JoMunsonJoMunson member
    The first time I went out without Ezra I blasted the music! No worrying it was going to hurt his ears. It was awesome!
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  • folamijfolamij member
    Unless I'm pumping, me time is a shower or going to the bathroom. I write this of course with a baby on my chest..

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  • camillaandcarsoncamillaandcarson member
    edited June 2016
    JoMunson said:
    The first time I went out without Ezra I blasted the music! No worrying it was going to hurt his ears. It was awesome!
    That makes me remember dentist appointments :)
    I SAHM so dentist appointments are like some type of break because I drive there (a whole 10 mins) and blast my music ridiculously loud. It is glorious because I don't worry at all about the lyrics, words, messages they are sending to my kid, or volume hurting little ears. So I look forward to my every 6 month dentist appointments because of the drive.
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  • yogahhyogahh member
    Bellodomani said:
    JoMunson said:
    The first time I went out without Ezra I blasted the music! No worrying it was going to hurt his ears. It was awesome!
    Oh yeah, that's my other me time delight- bumping the hip hop in the car without worrying that my son is gonna start spouting lil Wayne lyrics. 
    Dh and I listen to a lot of hard core rap. Guess we have to find something else to listen to if we don't want Harper to have a potty mouth!

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