Mom my watches my baby quite often, but I still cant seem to get anything done! Advice please??

Question

My baby is 4 months old. His grandmother is sooo great... she watches him for me all the time... because I'd like to get some things done like straighten up the house... pay bills... shave my legs... or whatever I need to do... Yet when she watches him, I still get nothing done... Either I am too tired, or too lazy/just dont feel like it, or I feel guilty that I am not doing things with my baby, or I just miss him and keep going to check on him and see if he's ok or see what he's doing... So nothing gets done... The house is a catastrophe... Bills are due... My hair hasn't been cut in 5 months (right before he was born)... my legs need shaved and there's a million and 1 things I need to do to get this house straightened up and safe before he starts crawling.

Please anyone have suggestions? or has anyone ever felt this way?

Answer 1

going around in circles eh? me too, big time. ive got 2 teens who are unhelpful untidy and argumentative and 5 month old twins. my house is in chaos, my bills are unpaid and i look like c**p. my mum is available for 2 hours a day to help but when shes here i act like u.

heres what im trying to motivate myself to do ;

make a list of chores in order of priorities, something like this:

1. get that haircut

2. take a bath and pamper

3. sort the bills

4. catch up on laundry

5 a quick tidy up room by room

and give urself a week to do these. if u dont get it all done, who cares! try again the next week. when ur on top of these, then think of the bigger things like making the house toddler friendly.

Answer 2

I have NO help and if I had some I'd try to make good use of that time (mostly anyways). Tackle even a couple things when she watches your son. I feel like that too most days. I have a 10 month old and I'm expecting another baby in October. I know all about having no energy!! Just try and get a few things done. You'll feel better about yourself and your world will be a happier place.  

Answer 3

Even with the baby there you can do stuff.. just create a schedule and make your self stick to it.

you can do the cleaning and shaving when you have him, just keep him in your sight to make sure he's ok.

When he's with your mom use that time to go out and get your shopping done, bills paid  and your hair cut.

and relax.. the more you worry the more stress it gives you.

Answer 4

OMG!! Yes!! I am the mother of a nearly 5 month old boy and a 5yr. old girl. I struggle to get even the most simple tasks such as loading the dishwasher or a load of laundry complete. And as far as shaving goes......I'm LUCKY if I get a daily shower.

I recently quit my job to stay home with the kids I thought that i would not only get a ton of projects done around the house but I would get to spend real quality time with my kids. Boy was I wrong!! I just can't seem to get the two kids to sync their schedules.

The only advice I can give you is try to prioritize. First be sure to pay your bills as if you don't, you won't have a house left to clean. Second Take the time to go shower and get your hair cut. Feeling good about yourself can sometimes give you energy(I need to take my own advise on this one too as it has been over 5 months since i've had a haircut:) . Next try to tackle one room at a time starting with the ones you spend the most time in. That way you see that you've made some progress and that too may motivate you to do more.

For our baby proofing we did only one room and baby gated it off so that knew that at least one room was safe.  

Last but not least spend as much time as you can with your baby now cause they grow up too fast. Your baby loves you just the way you are and couldn't care less if the house is clean or if your legs are hairy. ;)

HOpe this helps. It will get easier with time!

Answer 5

Time management:  Set up a schedule (not all in the same day, maybe complete everything in a weeks time) of things that need to be done (include time to take a nap) set up an allotted time frame to complete each task. When you are done with a task check it off seeing your progress will help keep you motivated. As for checking on your baby its hard but maybe use your cell phone instead of going to check on him.  I am a mom also and i know the guilt feelings well, but you have to be confident that he is fine he is being spoiled at grandmas he isn't thinking that moms  been gone for 3hours.  Its ok the more you do this the easier it will be to let him be with gram.  So the next time your baby is in bed sit down and make out your schedule.

You need to take time out for yourself so that when your stuff is all done, your baby has ALL of your attention.

Answer 6

yes i did i know what your going threw it just took me a while to get back in the groove of things and get used to doing stuff with my baby around s take ur time do a little at a time you set a goal for your self each day and eventually u will get used to doing things while being a mommy at the same time it takes getting used to so dont stress

Answer 7

Prioritize. Only do things in their allotted time and then leave it alone. Make sure your bed is made every day. The toilet is cleaned every day/week. Your mother sounds wonderful but take her out of your responsibility. Let her babysit for say two hours at a time but then no more. Put the ownus back on you. Shave legs when in shower, dishes at the end of meals, clean up when baby is asleep only, pay bills on computer banking at night (once a week). Stop over doing things, let them slide a little, your a mum now not a miracle machine.

Answer 8

What works for me is to get ONE thing done every day. I can do more, certainly, but all I "have" to do is just one thing. And I make sure my to-do list includes little things, so sometimes the one thing is just a brief telephone call or something else trivial.

Once I do that one thing, I find I can relax because I feel like I've gotten something done -- and then, having relaxed, it's much easier to do more things.

That said, there are plenty of days where I make a phone call and that's it. You should only attempt to do so much when you have a baby who needs you -- for baby, and for yourself, too; in twenty years you can shave all you like, but you won't be able to go back and spend time with your child as a baby...

It takes a while from when babies get mobile to when they really get into stuff, so you can do a lot of babyproofing 'on the fly,' so to speak, getting to it two days before baby will.