for full time working moms..

DD is 4 months this Friday. I went back to work full time on 1/4. I am adjusting really well (emotionally). I thought I would be a mess but happy to report I am not. I just find it so hard to work full time, take care of DD, and get all the other stuff around the house done. I feel very guilty doing stuff around the house while she is awake at night (work nights) because I don't get to see her long at night. I try to do a few things in the morning before work (straighten up, unpack dishwasher, etc) but it is hard. DH watches DD 2 days during the week b/c he works weekends and he is very helpful but of course it is just not the way "I" like things done, LOL....any advice on how to better manage my time, etc...or do you just let your house and the stuff to do around there go a little and catch up when you can?? TIA!

Message edited 1/20/2010 8:54:42 PM.

Re: for full time working moms..

here's my routine:

5:45 - pick up from daycare
6:00 - come home
6-7 - i cook dinner
7:00 - bath
7:30 - bottle
8:00 - bed

after DS is in bed I make my food for the next day, shower and just try to sit for a minute before i go to bed around 10. then up at 5:30. awesome. i basically live for the weekends.

Re: for full time working moms..

i just got a cleaning lady! well, for twice a month. my house is teeny tiny but i like it NEAT and CLEAN so this "splurge" is the best thing ever. it is so dam* hard having 2 little ones and working! i am also very type A and organized which helps and hurts! the biggest help and blessing for me is that i come home for lunch and do laundry, light cleaning and/or cooking. before i pick up my kids i stop home for 15 minutes to do quick last minute stuff so that my time can be devoted to them from 3pm to 7pm. this helps tremendously. i don't think i could do it without this perk or being able to go home.
i also keep up by:
keeping clorox wipes in the bathroom to clean in between cleanings. takes a few minutes.
use the swiffer while the kids are playing
fold laundry while sitting on the floor with them.
use a little of the weekend for bigger things but not too much as that time is for family.
while i feed them dinner i clean a bit in the kitchen too.

i have learned to let go a lot too....but make sure my house isn't a pigsty.
once you get into a routine/groove it gets a lot easier!

Re: for full time working moms..

I get home around 4:15 so I definitely have time to play with DD, but I also do some things while she is awake. I will unload the dishwasher or go through the mail as she's finishing up her meal. (She eats much earlier than DH and me.)

I do laundry 3 days a week- one day for each of our clothes. I will throw a load in as soon as I get home while she chills in her pack and play. I like doing it this way because then I don't have to do it on the weekends.

I always straighten as I go...everything has a place. We did hire a cleaning person 2x a month which helps with all deep cleaning.

I also get all my clothes ready for the work week on Sunday nights. I used to dread picking out my outfit at night and ironing everyday. Uggh! It is so much better to spend a half hour on Sunday and get it all done at once.

Message edited 1/20/2010 9:10:32 PM.

Re: for full time working moms..

Thanks girls!!! My house is very small too so it is not a huge project but I also like my house very neat and organized. I also keep the Kirkland wipes in my bathroom and do the same thing. I guess I am sooo used to just doing stuff when I felt like it and then I was home w/her for 3.5 months so I had so much time w/ her and she slept alot more b/c she was younger that I did it all...thanks for the info and advice, I have a feeling I am gunna have to let things go also.

Re: for full time working moms..

Noone was more OCD than me about keeping the house clean and I got over that real quick after DS and going back to work. I have realized it's just not that important for it to be super-clean. Of course, I still keep it clean just not as clean as it used to be.

Re: for full time working moms..

We tidy up quickly at night. DD goes to bed late, 9:30pm, because we don't get home from work until 7:30pm or so.

I then do my cleaning on the weekends. DH has stepped up and helped a lot. My apt isn't as spotless as we would both like it, but it's not dirty.

Re: for full time working moms..

I'm a neat nut so believe me... I know how hard it is to juggle. Mornings I get up a little earlier so I have time to get myself ready and I do some cleaning or straitening up... wake Mason and off to daycare.

I'm usually hom by 5PM. If I need to do cleaning I make it a fun thing with Mason... he's only 8 mons, but I'll dance around with the vacuum or play his music and sing holding the swiffer. I put him in the highchair and he has dinner around 5:45PM then I play with him for an hour, bath, bottle, book and bed. He's sleeping by 7:30PM. This is usually when I do whatever cleaning and I start the dishes.
DH is a huge help. After the dishwasher he unloads and makes the bottles for the next day. I go on the treadmill and then we're relaxing and watching TV and have some dinner around 8:30ish. I do my mega clean-up on Sundays and the week is just a oncce over. DH always does the laundry