What's your routine when you get home from work? Not just your routine with the baby, but dinner, housework, time with DH, etc. I'm just curious how other working moms manage their time when they get home for the night. Sometimes I feel like the end of the day is a total blur, but I guess that's probably the norm for most working moms.
Re: Working moms...come here please
When I worked, it was:
home 3:45, play then nap around 5. Me: relax and make dinner.
6: DH home, eat, me shower &prep lunches and bottles.
Housework on Sat only.
When I get home I throw dinner in the oven, then feed DS. He gets solids and a bottle for dinner.
I eat dinner then I put DS in PJs (and if its a bath day... a bath first). Then we hang out for a little while and have mommy time.
When he starts rubbing his eyes we go read a book and I give him a "top off" bottle.
By 7:45 he is a sleep.
After he is down I make his bottles for the next day and have them packed.
Then its TV/veg time until 10:30 or so.
Before bed I lay out DS's and my clothes for the next day.
Then bed. Yes... the day is a blur. DH travels for work so 2-3x a week, I am doing this on my own.
It's pretty blurry, but here it is:
5-6pm - get home from work: DH takes pump bag and puts milk in fridge and ice pack in freezer, Will is often napping (he falls asleep in the car when DH picks him up from daycare), but I feed him as soon as he wakes, DH makes dinner while I do this
6pm - eat, often while nursing DS, otherwise he plays in his papasan
6:30pm - DH cleans up kitchen while I hang with DS and pack his bag for the next day, then we all chill for a few minutes until DS start to look tired
7pm or so - start DS's bedtime routine
7:30-7:45pm - DS is asleep, I take 15 minutes for myself to check e-mail, have a glass of wine, relax, whatever I feel like
7:45 - make DS's bottles for the next day, unpack my work bag, pack my lunch, laundry, any other cleaning and organizing that has to get done, also snuggle with DH on the couch, catch up on our days, etc...
9pm - pump
9:30pm - light off to go to sleep
I get home about 4:30 and usually DD is asleep for about half an hour (finishing up her nap). I use that time to get things out for dinner, throw in a load of laundry, or just relax, depending on the day.
When she wakes up, I change her diaper, nurse her and then play with her until about 7, when she goes down for her last nap. I usually make and eat dinner while she is asleep. When she wakes up, usually between 7:30 and 8, I give her a bath, put her in jammies and an overnight diaper, and read her a book. Then I do her vitamins and nurse her, and we just snuggle until she falls asleep for the night- usually between 9-10.
After that, I watch the news and pump, and then get everything ready for the next day, ie make lunch, put pump stuff together, make sure there is enough milk in the fridge for the next day, etc.
get home start dinner right away, play with DS for a lil while
while it cooks change and set out clothes for next day
feed DS or DH feeds while I cook
eat and then play with DS for a lil while
bathe him, feed him, pack his bag for next day
once he's asleep spend some time with DH
Shower and off to bed
We get home at 5:45. Here is our schedule:
5:45-6:00: Feed DS his cereal
6:00-6:45: Play with DS
6:45-7:30: Bath, change into jammies, breast feeding, and down for the night
7:30-7:45: Clean bottles, pump parts, and make new bottles for daycare
7:45-8:15: I cook dinner while DH goes for a run
8:15-9:30: Eat dinner and relax, then I'm off to bed
I get home around 5:30, spend about a half an hour with DD, then I start dinner. We usually eat around 6:30, I'll nurse DD somewhere between 5:30 and 6:30. DH plays with DD while I cook. After dinner I'll play with DD and try to get some housework done intermittently. I usually try to empty the dishwasher while I'm making dinner.
Around 8/8:30 I'll load the dishwasher, wash bottles, make bottles for the next day. Then more playing with DD. Then she goes to bed anywhere between 9 and 10:30. I go to bed at 10:30.
It's easier for us to spend time all together because our condo has one common living room and kitchen. I'm not stuck in another room while doing chores. I can talk to DD and DH while I'm making dinner or prepping bottles.