moms with toddlers...

kateronium · October 2014

How do you manage to survive the evenings? DH works and lo always wants to cluster feed at night time. My toddler drives me nuts and I still have to juggle baths and bedtime plus dinner. Pretty sure I'm going kind of nuts... Anyone else figure out a routine?

megs2011 · October 2014

I'm always so happy when DH gets home from work bc like you, LO likes to cluster feed and by then my patience is all but gone from dealing with my toddlers all day. I don't know how I would deal on my own at night.

SingleMom31 · October 2014

Bless your heart for doing that alone. DH and I usually each take one of the girls... Tonight, he took the toddler for bath and bed while I have the baby for feeding. Last night was the opposite so that our toddler has time with both of us. Tomorrow night, I have something I need to go to, so DH will be on his own. I think our plan is that I'm going to have dinner ready in the slow cooker for them, he's going to skip bath (we generally only do every other day), and then hopefully DD1 will go down easily. I'm saying a little prayer for him.

kateronium · October 2014

I really think he should try to swap to days. Weekends are so much easier because we have a good night time routine.. By myself it's nuts though..

kateronium · October 2014

These forums and you ladies have really helped me keep sane throughout the insanity that is newborn .

Jenner37 · October 2014

My DH works a couple nights a week so I'm also on my own and it's pretty much chaos. I try to nurse baby and put her in the swing or something while I prep dinner and I usually end up nursing her again while we are eating. I shower with my toddler while the LO hangs out or we skip bathing them LOs until a night that DH is home. I know it will get better so I do whatever I can to survive those nights, oh I also drink beer while getting dinner ready.

kateronium · October 2014

Jenner37 said:
My DH works a couple nights a week so I'm also on my own and it's pretty much chaos. I try to nurse baby and put her in the swing or something while I prep dinner and I usually end up nursing her again while we are eating. I shower with my toddler while the LO hangs out or we skip bathing them LOs until a night that DH is home. I know it will get better so I do whatever I can to survive those nights, oh I also drink beer while getting dinner ready.

Oh my god why didn't I think of the beer... Does a glass of plum wine count?

aliciak316 · October 2014

When my husbands gone overnight it's basically who needs me most situation. Oh and I order delivery for dinner and make sure there's beer in the fridge.

Irisheyes1247 · October 2014

Lo likes the bouncy seat so on bath night, I bathe her first, get her dressed and while she is relaxed, I put her in the bouncy seat and bathe the big girls. Our actual bedtime (teeth, potty, story and song, bed) is kind of a cluster of what I can managed and like pp said, sometimes that means someone is crying. Sometimes that someone ends up being me.

jg1011 · October 2014

Oh my goodness I feel your pain. DH travels for work and is gone at least 2 nights a week but most often 3. While MIL lives with us she is often out in the evenings (at 77 she has a busier social life than a 25 year old!).

Last night I was on my own. Despite being very well planned it was a disaster of an evening. LO cried during big guys bath, big guy cried during little guys bath. I cried bc they were crying. Big guy sensed how overwhelmed I was making him more temperamental. Bed time started out as a disaster but then ended well!

I put LO in RnP and dragged it into big guys room. Read stories (to both!) and got big guy down. Dragged Rnp back to my room and little guy stayed sleeping in it till 2am!

Just have to figure out how to get past bath and dinner.......

Hugs to you....you are not alone !

biokitty42 · October 2014

Big hugs to everyone doing the bedtime routine alone. I can't even imagine. Just being alone for naptime about does me in.

Marchie1214 · October 2014

SO works until midnight many nights. I normally have to let the squish cry while I prepare dinner. Normally something easy and I can nurse while it's in the oven. Then we go to the living room and play until bed. We don't really have a bed time routine, and DD1 usually falls asleep on the couch while I cluster feed.

MrsLaLaBug · October 2014

kateronium said:
These forums and you ladies have really helped me keep sane throughout the insanity that is newborn .

Me too! This!

Bella2425 · October 2014

Dinner time about does me in. My DH doesnt get home till after so it's all on me. I have yet to eat dinner myself since the baby was born. I feel so bad making my toddler eat sandwiches and other "quick" foods but it's all I can manage right now. It will get better, that's what I keep telling myself anyway....

peanutbuttervibes · October 2014

I agree with @sparklegrump‌, sometimes one of them has to cry. Also, I eat, put toddler down, or do other things when baby is sleeping. Sometimes that means our normal schedule is messed up but I try to give myself some slack and not worry about it too much.

teenybean · October 2014

My hubby is gone in the evening as well. It's tough, someone is usually crying a little or needs something and waiting, my middle guy who is usually so easy going has been acting up like crazy, today he tossed all my clean laundry all over, and smashed a cupcake in his hair. And truly he's the one I can usually count on to listen, not make mischief or have tantrums. It made me kinda sad.

I'm all for preschooler feasts for dinner @Bella2425‌, feeding the kids baby carrots, sliced pears, cut up leftover chicken and hard boiled eggs and similar type meals is routine, since hubby isn't home for dinner. My motto is feeding the kids toddler meals isn't bad, not feeding the kids is bad! LOL.
We often eat a nice big breakfast as our family meal of the day, since it's when we're all home.

It's hectic for sure.

ashaw512 · October 2014

If DD takes her nap then she's happy and I do things in the late afternoon and evening that she can help me with, after she gets up. I'll have her take two shirts to put up if I'm doing laundry, play in the water if I'm doing dishes, have her pick up toys with me anything to make her feel like a big girl. If I have to stop and feed DS I ask her to bring the boppy even tho it's as big as she is she loves that she can help and she will actually be more patient until he's done and I'll give her a small snack. Then I turn one of her movies on put DS in his bouncer or pnp that I have in the kitchen and cook dinner, DH usually gets home and can occupy her until dinner is done, she eats and gets a bath then DS eats and I change, swaddle, and put him in his bassinet, and put dd in bed.

It sounds so easy when I reread this but it really makes me want to pull my hair out

kaileemariep · October 2014

My husband has been doing second shift si he is gone at bedtime. We have dinner and I breastfeed at the table. Then we do bath time and I put the baby and my other two which are 6 and 3 in. After we are done I wrap the baby up tight and put her in her crib with music on. I get my 3 year old out and get him ready for bed read a story quick and tuck him in. My 6 year old gets herself ready then I read to her after I get the baby dressed and ready. I nurse while reading to her. It's difficult!

blue+skies · October 2014

My husband travels for work and is gone for around two weeks at a time...I definitely understand doing everything alone! What has saved me is having an easy back up. If making dinner gets sidelined, I have some half times (basically like a lunchable) oh hand for DD. When I can get something cooked I cook extra because leftovers are also always easy. And I don't get hung up on baths or cleaning....sometimes the dishes don't get done, for days. Baby has only had 5 baths in her 4 week existence, but she's not smelly or dirty. Toddler showers with me, usually in the mornings. Just have to find short cuts, and a lot of times lower my standards, lol! And yes, sometimes one of them has to cry for a bit.

Edit: and crockpot meals. Bless my crockpot for being such a faithful friend.

BabyMayinMarch · October 2014

These posts are fantastic! I feel so much better reading them. Life has been tough with both kids, and sometimes I feel like I am failing.

amom2four · October 2014

Things don't always get done whether it is daytime or getting ready for bed. Take my morning for example... Dd woke up before ds and I, oops, when ds woke up he wanted to eat. Sorry little girl, breakfast will be along shortly. Fed the boy and then dd and I had pizza rolls for brunch.

She has been jumping on my bed while I bf ds every 30 minutes all day. My older son also has an appt this afternoon about 30 minutes away and the littles (and myself) all need to be bathed. Yeah. I will turn cartoons on, lock her in the house (because toddlers like to run around the neighborhood), put the bouncy chair in the bathroom and enjoy my 90 second shower. It's looking like kids aren't being bathed this early today.

I don't often get housework done during the day unless it is because someone has dumped something that can ruin floors/walls etc. and I am ok with that. The dishes can wait and I often have to run laundry through twice but these two kids are only little once and we have fun coloring, painting and hanging out on the couch while I bf.

Making dinner I will put either the bouncy chair or high chair in the kitchen so lo can see me and then I let dd sit on a stool and "help" me cook. I also choose fast things with few ingredients and leftovers are life savers. Also pancakes. We had pancakes the other night. I can make like 8 at a time in my electric skillet.

Sorry that turned out longer than I thought.

kateronium · October 2014

Wow I thought it was scary enough with two. Guess I can actually do this. Yesterday I was feeling quite panicky about it

Everyusernameistaken · October 2014

Marchie1214 said:
SO works until midnight many nights. I normally have to let the squish cry while I prepare dinner. Normally something easy and I can nurse while it's in the oven. Then we go to the living room and play until bed. We don't really have a bed time routine, and DD1 usually falls asleep on the couch while I cluster feed.

I put LO in the Ergo while I prep dinner if you're looking for another option...not great for the cooking part but helpful when chopping, getting ingredients together et c. It's been a lifesaver with 2 kids!!

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