Actually getting out the house? How?!

[loeylo]

Argh I am going stir crazy!

Its quarter past 4, Wednesday afternoon. I haven't been out since Monday, and even then it was just out for shopping.

My OH leaves for work at 8am which is fine, I walk the dog when he is getting ready then come back and have a cuppa and tidy up before the wee one gets up. I literally have no idea what happens the rest of the day! Aside from the washing machine being on, washings hung up and nobody being dead, I haven't achieved much.
I have eyebrows like hedgerows, I haven't showered or even brushed my teeth yet. I'm still in my jammies!
I have been pottering online while the wee one has been napping, but other than that I haven't really had any me time. She's teething and she is waking up every time I lay her down, so for now naps will be on me.
How do you manage to get out the house!?! The fact I'm hoovering the whole house three times a day isn't helping, but the wee one is toddling and the dog is casting (he is quite longhaired and large - a collie/german shepherd cross) plus weaning the wee one means the floors are minging unless hoovered and washed several times. I'm honestly not OCD about cleanliness, the hoover needs emptied twice per day so there really is that much hair lol!

 

[lau86]

It gets easier! I remember with my first it was such a battle to get out of the house, things like packing a nappy bag seemed to take ages! it depends how much you want to go out... If I am desperate and LO isn't settled I just lay her on the floor while I have a shower and she has to just watch me!! Also I find that if I don't get washed and dressed in the morning the whole day is a right off and I rarely bother then. So I think if you're planning to go out (and remember it's totally good to have pj days too!!) then getting dressed in the morning might be the thing

 

[Button#]

If she's napping on you anyway can you pop her in a sling to nap and go out while she's napping. We have to go out to pick up and drop off my DS at pre school and it's a great kick up the bum to get going in the morning.

 

[loeylo]

My issue is I don't like leaving her with the dog (obviously) but I also don't like leaving her behind a closed door unless she is sleeping. The only decent floor space we have is her bedroom or the living room, but then I have nowhere to lock the dog (and he gets upset when trapped due to his history before we got him)

I think you are right - it looks like my shower time will need to replace my morning cuppa!

It better get easier, I'm back at work on Friday and I'm dreading mornings when I need to be out the house by 6:30am,the wee one doesn't settle to sleep until 11pm so I'm looking at a maximum of 6 hours sleep per night (with no baby free time in the evening either!)

 

[loeylo]

If she's napping on you anyway can you pop her in a sling to nap and go out while she's napping. We have to go out to pick up and drop off my DS at pre school and it's a great kick up the bum to get going in the morning.

She actually naps fine in her pram once she is in, its her cot she doesn't like (but she sleeps fine in it every night, go figure lol!) she doesn't like her sling for some reason - she is okay in it for short times. I also feel dodgy in it as I am a total klutz and I have fallen over with her in it before. So the buggy is fine - its the bit before leaving the house that's my issue - cleaning my teeth, washing my hair etc!

 

[lau86]

My issue is I don't like leaving her with the dog (obviously) but I also don't like leaving her behind a closed door unless she is sleeping. The only decent floor space we have is her bedroom or the living room, but then I have nowhere to lock the dog (and he gets upset when trapped due to his history before we got him)

I think you are right - it looks like my shower time will need to replace my morning cuppa!

It better get easier, I'm back at work on Friday and I'm dreading mornings when I need to be out the house by 6:30am,the wee one doesn't settle to sleep until 11pm so I'm looking at a maximum of 6 hours sleep per night (with no baby free time in the evening either!)

Oh that's difficult, would your LO be happy in a play pen with some toys for a bit? Having a dog sounds more difficult than a baby!

 

[loeylo]

Honestly the dog is more work, lol! Before she was born people laughed when I said a baby would be easy in comparison but I still stand by the dog being harder!

I can put her in her cot with toys, but I still don't like leaving the dog there as if he really really wanted to he could easily jump in. Nothing aside from a solid door can separate him, he cleared a 6ft fence once 😵 that being said he is perfectly gentle, he has never shown any ill feeling towards anyone - I'm making him sound like a monster, he is the biggest softy ever and just sleeps most of the time.

 

[Button#]

Ah ok, I get up a bit early if I need to wash my hair so OH can watch the kids. Are you able to have a shower etc while your OH is there then take the dog for a walk when your OH has left for work?

 

[loeylo]

Cant take the dog a walk unless OH is in as there is no way I can manage the dog on a lead and a baby - we live on a main road and it just isn't safe. I don't even like pushing the pram as the pavement is really narrow. Realistically I need to get up earlier in the morning and have my shower before OH goes to bed, or let some housework slide. Its 11pm and I haven't even had dinner!

 

[crownest]

Can you bring lout into bathroom in a bouncer chair it's the only way I get showered. I find I need to do it first thing or I don't get shower and once I'm showered I make more of an effort to get out.

 

[loeylo]

My bathroom is tiny. I literally can touch each side at the same time. There is less Than 1.5 square metres of floor space, and in that space we have the loo and the sink. We used to put her in the hall bjt she has outgrown all her bouncy chairs (she's 6m and can tip out of them) bjt maybe a toddler rocker is the answer. There isn't enough space for the jumperoo either.

 

[Mamoosca]

I have a 4 year old, a 2 year old and an 11 week old and i've become a master at getting ready while baby wearing. 1st nap - shower, wash hair etc, do older LO's breakfasts. When LO wakes I feed her then put her in the sling while i do my makeup and get the older two ready. Feed baby again and then put her back in the sling or the pram so we can leave. I very rarely get out of the house before 10.30am unless DH is off at the moment but it will only get easier. Definitely hang in there and don't feel bad about not being dressed at 4pm. it's part & parcel of having small people. x

 

[loeylo]

Thanks for making me feel more normal!

Today has been better. Half an hour in the jumperoo made her so tired that she didn't care that she was napping in her cot. I just wish she liked her sling!

 

[Button#]

What sling have you got?

 

[loeylo]

Its a stretchy wrap one, not sure of the brand as my friend gave me it. She generally doesn't like the swaddled feeling so I think it is the tightness she dislikes. I might try a harness style one

 

[zorak]

Its a stretchy wrap one, not sure of the brand as my friend gave me it. She generally doesn't like the swaddled feeling so I think it is the tightness she dislikes. I might try a harness style one

Definitely try a different one. I never got on with the stretchy kind but love my sash mei tai and ergo.

 

[jessmke]

Could you load baby and dog in the car and drive to a safer place where you could all walk together? That way you could shower in the morning before your husband leaves for work, then you could all go for a walk later? I walk my two dogs with the baby almost every day that the weather permits (we live on 11 acres so the dogs don't really need a walk, but we all enjoy it anyways!) and it's a great motivator to get out of the house. Also what about signing baby up for some swimming classes or joining a baby group or something to motivate you to get out of the house? My DD has swimming Monday and Wednesday mornings so I have to get up and get out of the house at a reasonable hour, otherwise like you my days seem to just disappear.

 

[jessmke]

Its a stretchy wrap one, not sure of the brand as my friend gave me it. She generally doesn't like the swaddled feeling so I think it is the tightness she dislikes. I might try a harness style one

I would recommend an Ergo or similar structured carrier. My DD now rides on my back in the Ergo because she doesn't like being pressed against my chest where she can't see anything.

 

[loeylo]

I don't drive which is one of the main issues I have. I do go to a baby class on a Friday at 10am, so we leave around 9:30 to get there. This will be my last day as I'm back st work as of next week, but I'm going to ask about other classes as I think there is a Monday class I could do.

I think being back at work Wed-Fri will help with my mental wellbeing. I'll probably be too tired to do anything on my days off! Lol!

I definitely need to look into an egro. If I had the wee one in that then id feel more comfortable walking the dog with her in comparison to her clumpy buggy.

 

[Button#]

I agree to try a different carrier. At 6 months she'll probably be to heavy for it soon and she may prefer something more structured such as a mei tai, ergo or a more supportive woven wrap. I would see if you have a sling library near you to try out options