Did you think baby would be so much work?

[AquaDementia]

Mia has a great sleeping/feeding routine, but I still get so tired from having to tend to her and do housework all day. Does it get easier???

 

[BurtonBaby]

Luckily DH helps SO much with the housework. Between Erica and our dog, during the day I get exhausted! And we split the nightshift, so I only have a couple hours of sleep. But I think it will def get better as they get older and can entertain themselves for a little while at a time. Its hard to put Erica down when shes not asleep. If she is not in her swing or on her playmat she gets fussy within a few mins. I hope it gets easier for you soon!!

 

[TashaAndBump]

I find that Anna is a lot less work than I had anticipated... I'd even go as far as to say that she isn't hard work at all!

I do find it a bit more difficult to get all the housework done to such a high standard, and I have less me-time, less intimate time with MrBum etc and I suppose I am getting less sleep. But I feel I am coping really well and enjoying every second. None of it feels like a chore and all of it feels completely doable.

Any one else feel this way? Or am I a freak?? Lol!

 

[AquaDementia]

Well to think about it...Mia is a lot less work than all the housework. Seriously, I think all I do is laundry, dishes, laundry, dishes...

 

[BurtonBaby]

I love taking care of Erica too. Its just hard to get things done while its just me and her, since she wants to be held a lot. I even come on BNB and can only read posts, not reply cause I have her in my arms and cant type LOL. Being a mommy isn't as hard as I thought it would be. Things have come naturally on how to care for her.

 

[turbo_mom]

Im the same as all of you LOL
Angelynn is alot les work than I thought she would be even for a preemie and I always say whats all the fuss about?? However... Geting the house to stay clean is a huge deal. Angelynn is awake most of the day now and wants to be held alot and it's sooo hard squeezing in house work and BNB time in between it all.
Jays really great and helping with Angelynn esp during the night. But he is shit for helping with house work!!! But we manage I love being a mom to such a wonderful little miracle I wouldn't trade it for anything!!!

 

[Wobbles]

Yes & no - the reality hits harder Your lucky she isn't every 3 hours still Caitlin was until past 3 months I think the odd 'tease of sleeping through

It does get easier I think its the fact your mind is on overtime ...got to feed baby in an hour got to get this and that done too kindo f mind overtimes and the end of the day not all of it is done when you planned. Thats how it wasfor me I think its a case of relaxing a bit if it gets done it does if it doesn't so what kind of like see to Mia then when you have those few minutes look for something to do don't lookf or it before you can do it! If that makse sense.

 

[cheeky_carrie]

I think this time has been 100% easier for me than I was expecting but I think its down to a mixture of things......

Im older than 1st time round
my new partner is helping me with kids and the housework
and Im happy .... I was happy that I hav my boys of course but I was phsically and menatlly abused by boys dad and now Im treated like a princess so thats deffo made the biggest difference

 

[Tilly]

I think at first I was pretty well prepared as I had done some babysitting etc (this in no way compares to looking after your own little one 24/7 I know, but it helps you with the basics - bottles, nappies etc). I wasn't shocked with the amount of work at first, but my body was! because you're so drained emotionally and physically it does feel hard - I spent the first week or so in what I like to call "zombie mode". I can remember the health visitor coming round and to this day, I couldn't repeat half of what she said, I was sitting there in a daze with my eyes almost closing.

Id say it gets easier, not because of them as much but because you just get used to being so tired and not having a lot of time to yourself, then their sleep routine gets better which is obviously going to have a huge effect on you. I didn't get dressed or stop napping in the day for a good few months though, I felt well and truly drained. I guess it also depends on your circumstances - for example, we live with my boyfriends family and that has also drained me at times, so has a knock on effect for everything else in my life.

You need a balance and things will feel much easier. She is your baby and im sure you completely adore her, but try not to forget about yourself.

 

[ColtonsMom]

I feel the same. My OH doesn't help at all. Actually, he usually tries to stay gone until shower/bedtime. And even when he is here, we just fight about how he's never here.
I got on to him yesterday because the baby doesn't even recognize him! And it's because he never does anything with him.. I even have to push him onto OH to get him to feed him because if I ask, he will just say "no.. you can do it".
Colton has gotten to wear he will smile away at me though, so I do love it. Then OH will say something to him and he just stares at him.. then I can say something else and he will just smile and smile. Even when OH holds him he doesn't care to pay attention to him, he will look at something else or look at me.
But then again, I'm not going to say that I hate doing eveything myself. I love the satisfaction of knowing my son knows who mommy is, and that he enjoys being with me.

 

[Tezzy]

Mia has a great sleeping/feeding routine, but I still get so tired from having to tend to her and do housework all day. Does it get easier???

Rhys is almost 17 months and i am so much more tired now than i was when he was a newborn. You wait until Mia starts to walk,talk and tantrum... then washing the dishes becomes an hour long chore because you have to keep stopping to check to see what they are up to. No matter how much housework you do your house will never look or feel tidy too, it gets me so down!

So, no, sorry, i dont think it gets easier... but its worth every pain-staking second of it

 

[anita665]

I'm the opposite to everyone else it seems.

I knew how hard work it could be but I think maybe I've also just been very unlucky. Pierre doesn't sleep well (at night especially). He wakes every 1-2 hours for a feed which is something I wasn't ready for. I was thinking more like 3-4 so I'd actually have a chance to fall asleep!! During the day it's more like 2-3 hours. When he is awake or drifting off he then hates to be put down so it takes me ages to settle him enough to get him out of my arms and into his moses basket for any decent amount of time.

The HV has told me to start giving him formula feeds as well as breast milk to try to get him sleeping longer. Todays only the 2nd day and we had a very bad night so we will see how that goes. I'm just glad to hear so many people say that not every baby is the same or I don't think I'd be having another what with everything else I've been through too!

It doesn't help that OH doesn't help with Pierre or the housework really at all but he still expects me to get certain things done which I just can't do.

 

[AquaDementia]

Anita, have you tried swaddling Pierre at night? I usually feed Mia, bathe her, swaddle, put her in her crib awake and leave the room. She is asleep in less than a few minutes.

 

[anita665]

I used to but he doesn't seem to like it now. I have a blanket thing which zips up though and is a little looser and he seems to like that so I'm trying to go with that at the moment. I knew he'd be trouble but I still think he's worth it.

 

[AquaDementia]

Mia refused swaddling as well, but she got used to it. You have to be persistent.

 

[coz]

i new it would be hard sometimes and that you have to be patient, some days i find it so easy and other i feel like i cant do it and i cant cope and get emotional but i suppose it just could be my hormones expecially when im so tierd as i allways feel like this when ive had a bad night with him xxx

 

[Helen]

I've found it a lot easier than I thought. There's been a few dreadful days but mostly it's fine.

I think maybe I had really low expectations of how I would cope with twins and everyone was saying "what a nightmare it'll be!" to me beforehand. So as it's not so bad as all that it feels easy IYKWIM.

 

[leeanne]

Eventually as they grow from baby to toddler, it does get easier. The first few months can be the hardest when they are reliant on you for feedings, need their cuddles, etc. As they grow and become mobile, they get amused for awhile longer leaving you more time to get some things done. Mind you, at that time you are running around trying to ensure that they aren't getting into something they shouldn't be. LOL

I think the hardest part for me was having a newborn and a toddler that was 9 months older. Those days were the hardest. Eventually, the newborn become mobile and his sister amused him a lot.

 

[goldlion]

Uggh I thought it would be much easier to balance the home and baby, that's for sure! Aspen's an incredible baby and fairly low-maintenance but I find it very hard to keep the house tidy and have the laundry done during her nap times (which are significantly decreasing). DH works all day so I'm the main house-cleaner and I was idiotic to think my routine would stay the same after DH was born.

We just gotta roll with the punches It'll get easier--- we're just new at this. Make sure you cut yourself some slack and don't get too overwhelmed.

 

[goldlion]

I used to but he doesn't seem to like it now.

Aspen used to love being swaddled but now she's the same way... she really doesn't seem to enjoy it. She just kicks herself right out of the blankets. Have you tried mobiles? I have an awesome playard for her made by the Rainforest collection. As soon as I put the mobile on and the music she falls fast asleep.

I've also found the Baby Einstein music puts her to sleep fairly quickly (the classical music such as Mozart, Bach, etc.). That music is incredible... she loves it and it soothes her. Instead of buying the cds I just downloaded some songs first to make sure she likes them-- maybe give that a try?