A different kind of mom guilt.

jlaOK · October 2013

I've been back at work after DD for about 3 months and thought that I had everything together, but lately I feel so unraveled. It doesn't help that DH has been traveling, we've all been sick, and DS has been in soccer with a lot of evening commitments. I'm getting everything done but the things for myself - working out, focusing on losing baby weight, feeling put together at work, etc. have been slipping. Of course my first priority is taking care of my family, but I just feel guilty that I can't do more for myself. Anyone else feel this way? Any tips for regaining some "me" time?

aglenn · October 2013

Ugh, I have been there. DH traveled a ton the year that DS was born and I felt like I was losing my mind between tons of work pressure, long commute, juggling both kids, DS's constant colds/ear infections/pink eye/etc....it was brutal.

My advice: Small steps, whatever you can do to make life just a teeny bit easier. Plan, plan, plan. I would schedule out everything (meals, when I was going to attempt to exercise, when I was going to take the garbage out...everything). Keep meals super simple and quick. For exercise and me time, it had to be fast and had to be right after the kids went to bed or else I had no chance of it happening, so I got some of the "10-Minute Solution" series videos that have 10-minute segments I could mix and match. It wasn't much, but it was something, and it helped. I also ordered stuff from Amazon to cut down on trips to the store, and would run errands on my lunch break a lot.

It's hard. Very hard. But it does get better. Hang in there!

Virgo17 · October 2013

I feel this way a lot of times too. It's hard enough to worry about everything that needs to get done, and unfortunately, moms come last on the list a lot of times. Can you plan a day for yourself when you know DH will be home? Or hire a sitter for a Saturday and get your hair done, mani/pedi, shop for some new clothes?

DH and I very much work as a team, so I could not imagine doing it alone all the time. It must be super difficult on you when he is traveling. Just keep chugging along and it will get easier. In the meantime, try to carve out some time for yourself.

DTNZ4Ever · October 2013

I have to put it on the calendar just like everything else. So DH and I know that is the plan and we stick to it.

SLGILL1978 · October 2013

I try to take walk everyday with baby for my exercise. She comes with me when I run all my errands. If it's one I can't necessarily take her I do it at lunch or leave work a few mins early while she's still at the babysitters. I did everything myself for the first 5 months. My husband is in the Army. He just returned from depolyment at the end of June. Now he's working long hours (coming home at 8-9 pm) or in the field for weeks at a time.

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