January 2016 Moms

Juggling everything?

Hey Ladies,

Now that most of us are back at work, how are you all juggling everything? From work, chores, cooking cleaning?

We have a decent routine going now, but the one thing I can't seem to fit in is working out. And I'm worried the baby weight will just stick or I'll even start gaining.
currently I get up at 4:50 to get ready, feed our son, prep the bottles and leave the house by 5:45am. Due to my long commute,I get home at 6pm, we do bottle washing, diaper washing, I feed our son, we figure out dinner, by this time it's usually 8-9pm and I'm exhausted and need to get to bed to start all over.

I also want to spend all my time with my son when I'm home since he's been at day care all day, I just feel like I can't figure out how to fit in those 20minutes for a quick workout.

What works for you guys??

Re: Juggling everything?

  • I don't know, but now we've added baseball into the mix, so not only is poor LO in the car for two hours for commutes, now she'll be stuck at baseball practice either worn or in the carseat stroller for hours every day. I just want to lay her on her back/tummy and have some real interaction with her. I'm so mad at my husband and his ex that they didn't take LO into consideration when they signed the boys up for baseball (6 nights a week,) swimming (2 nights a week,) and violin lessons. I'm doing all the running, because they both work evenings. Not cool.
    If you find something that works, let me know!
  • I just started back to work this week, but I'm still trying to figure out when to work out as well.  I'm hoping that once he starts sleeping more than two hours at a time again , I'll have the energy to figure it out.
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  • I've never had to get up quite as early as you do, but with DS1 I had an hour commute both ways so my evening situation was similar. Now with two kids, the workload can be overwhelming. I'm so thankful that I don't have that long commute anymore. 

     I found that meal planning helped me a lot with time as well as budget! I have an 8 week menu that we rotate through and the corresponding grocery list for each week. So on Sunday's I just pull the grocery list for that week and add on any additional items we need. Most of our workday meals are crockpot or other quick meals. I food prep on Sunday's, pack all of my breakfast and lunches for the week. Prep lunches for DS1 and do any prep that I can for the workday meals.

    At my old job, I was able to work out on my lunch break. Is that an option for you? If not, you can always just set a goal of 4 workouts per week. That's a good healthy goal and if you work M-Fri that means you only have to squeeze in a workout on two days during the week and then fit in two on the weekends. 

  • KFrobKFrob member
    @stephanienjer Reading that just made me irate for you. Signing the kids up for that much is bad enough and then expecting you to do it all bc they both work evenings!? No. Way. 

    I feel the same way about working out. Yesterday I did manage to run on my 30 min lunch break and then take the fastest shower ever. (I'm lucky enough to have a small gym at work) I planned it so then I went directly to pump right after where I did my make up and hair. I'm going to try to go three times a week now that I figured out its manageable. Hopefully that will help drop some pounds since I seem to be stuck with 12lbs to lose. 
  • I'm sorry @stephanienjer that is nuts. 
    We have a pretty good routine going as well, been back 5 weeks. I'm up by 4:30, doing a small pumping session, eating breakfast, making her bottles, and shower/get ready. LO usually wakes around 5:30 or 6 so i nurse her and put her down for another hour of sleep. I prioritize my reading time in between during morning stuff so i can have 20-30 minutes with nice quiet material of my choosing. I am responsible for getting LO up and ready and off to daycare as DH's day starts late morning and he's sleeping through the morning chores for LO. Work all day, pick LO up, and home by 6 pm. My evenings are entirely taken up by eating dinner, nursing LO, and spending time with her and DH. I go to bed very shortly after LO in the 7:30-8:30 range to maximize sleep since she'll wake up to nurse usually around 1 or 2 before I have to get up at 4:30. I can manage all this but exercise is on the way back burner because I'm beat on weekdays.
    Honestly, I don't know how you ladies are fitting in moderate exercise like a run! I miss running and circuit training so much. The only deliberate attempt at exercise I have built in my day is that I put all my print jobs to another office suite several halls down from mine. I probably get a mile/mile and a half of walking just for my printing I have to go retrieve each day. I tell myself exercise will return to my life as I adjust. One day at a time.
  • I had to bite the bullet and I bought a spin bike to have in my garage. I'm a runner, but it was too hard to get out for a decent run 4-5 times a week when I had to wait for my husband to get home from work so I could go. I work part time and I've been back for 2 months now. On the days that I'm off and it's just me and the kids, I can get in at least a 30 minutes spin session while they're both napping. If I work during the day then I force myself to work out after the kids go to bed. I count that as time with my husband because he hangs out in the garage with me (we have his computer and basically his whole office set up out there), so he plays DJ and picks songs for me to spin to. It was well worth the $800!!!! 
  • My day starts at 5, unless LO wakes me up earlier. I usually have a hard time falling back asleep after I put him back down. I pump first, then get bottles ready, pack my lunch and get dressed. I've been waking LO up at 6 to feed, change, dress and get out the door by 6:20. I drop him off at school at 7 then start my work day at 7:30 (after another pumping session in the office). We're usually home by 5. Pump again, prepare dinner, play with LO then it's bedtime between 7-8. The days have been flying by! This has been our routine since starting back at work 4 weeks ago.
    Lilypie First Birthday tickers
    Lilypie - FiGB
    Married DH 11/15/08
    Formerly MissMheMhe
  • tfrangultfrangul member
    edited May 2016
    I've been back since the second week of February. My alarm goes off at 5 am Somtimes I am nursing LO already. Sometimes I accidentally fall back asleep and that makes for a rushing morning of course. But I shower get myself ready, my 7 yr old up thank goodness she gets dressed and stuff herself, I get my breakfast and lunch ready, all LO'S milk, my pump, get my husband up and hope to god I didn't forget anyone or anything then I drop my oldest off then the baby then off to work. I can not wait until fall when they will go to the same daycare /before and after school program.
    I get off work and home with the kids around 5:15 then it's homework, dinner house work, taking care of dogs....there is just to much and in beat. 
  • cyanopecyanope member
    I work Monday-Friday (teacher), and I make sure to do pretty much everything the night before: get together pumping stuff, make a lunch for DH and myself, pack LO's diaper bag, pack my work bag, etc. My day starts at 5:30. LO is usually up and nursing at that point. If she's not, I wake her up (which kills me every time). After she eats, I lay her down while I get ready. Then, it's out the door. I drop her off at 6:30 to whoever is watching her that day (depending on the day of the week, it's either my mom, my sister, or my sister in law...which I'm SO grateful for). I'm lucky that I work only 25 minutes from home, and I'm off for the day at 2:00. I pick LO up by 2:30, and then I get to spend a few hours playing with her. I also feel like I've been able to keep on top of everything, except for working out. DH is in the police academy, so he is SWAMPED with studying/working out, and I don't get a minute to myself after work. It is filled up with taking care of LO, dinner, the house, etc. I don't begrudge the lack of help (poor DH is so overwhelmed), but I do wish I had time and energy to get in a nice workout. LO hates her stroller, so walks are out of the question, and I get too hot wearing her while trying to work out. It just sucks because DH works out 6 days a week, and is looking amazing, while I just seem to get more frumpy!
  • I have come to terms with the fact that working out just isn't feasible right now, as my priorities are my twins first and foremost and I am basically just surviving outside of that.  I am frustrated with how I look though, so in an effort to find a happy medium I am cutting out carbs during the week.  Because I have always found weight loss for me is 80% diet, 20% exercise, I am hopeful this will yield results.

    It is cruel that when your most hated body part is your stomach postpartum that you have to lift up your shirt 8 times a day and stare at it.



    Lilypie Pregnancy tickers
  • I second the whole accepting that exercise can't be a part of my routine right now. I do yoga, some 15 minute cardio videos, and take LO walking whenever I get the chance. But it's not a part of my schedule and if it doesn't get fit in that day it just doesn't get fit in. My friend, who is the mother of an 11 month old, swears that weight starts to fall off once your LO is mobile. I hope that's true! My DS has never been on any type of specific nap schedule and is very clingy, so I think I just have to be patient with him growing into some predictability before I'm able to actually make a routine. Right now it's just taking things one day at a time. 
  • nackienackie member
    I suspect that once they become mobile, that will become our exercise routine :)
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