PLZ HELP - HOW DO STAY AT HOME MOMS GET ANYTHING DONE?! 9 m/o daughter!!?

[HSDR2017]

Oh My God. I am at my wits end. It is driving me insane. I have SO much I need to do as far as my home and I cannot get ANYTHING done! My baby follows me everywhere when I put her in her walker and I can't put her on the floor because it's hardwood.
My fiance gets home from work anytime AFTER 5pm but usually not until closer to 7pm or 8pm so I am here watching our babygirl for 10-14 hours a day! He gets home and the house is a mess!

Currently I need to sweep and wash the floors, do the wash (switch it over and fold it and put it away and I'm far behind so probably about 5 full baskets! some are clean but that isnt helping me put the clothes away!!) I need to organize our bookshelf, figure out our bills, and our babys room is a MESS - I have so many of her old clothes I need to sell (some were never even worn) and I need to organize her drawers, do her laundry, scrub down her whole room, etc., and I cannot EVER get anything done she either cries, follows me needing attention or she is tired and she usually only will fall asleep on our bed so I have to lay down with her for 10-20 minutes and she only ends up sleeping for 45 minutes to 2 hours max. The issue?? I can only walk out of the room for like 5 minutes because I worry she will wakeup and fall off our bed! :'(

HOW DO YOU GUYS DO IT?!

 

[IchigoMewMew]

I found that finding ways to safely contain her worked best like static seated toys or putting the walker on a surface where she couldn't get it to roll. My Mum has a playpen indoors and a travel cot in her garden, you can always pad the floor in the play pen. My DD always sleeps in her cot but I've heard people putting pool noodles under a fitted bed sheet to stop kids rolling off. I find the best thing is to do a big blitz over a few days when things are out of control and then (try to) do a little of each thing everyday if I can to keep on top of it. Easier said than done I know!

 

[wildflower79]

I barely got anything done when dd1 was that age. She was so hard work and wouldn't let me put her down!

Will she not nap in her pushchair if you take her for a walk first?

When dd1 fell asleep on our bed I used to put pillows under the duvet at either side of her and she never fell off the bed.

I usually fold the laundry while I'm watching TV in the evening. I've also cut way back on the stuff I iron.

I got most jobs done on a weekend when dh was home to take care of her. If you can get the big jobs out the way on a weekend (or whenever your partner is home), maybe your partner could do bath and bedtime once he gets home, while you have a quick blitz.

 

[PG5K]

I try and do a little something every day, even if some days it's just taking the rubbish out to the bin. Some jobs you have to accept just can't get done but I do things like put DS washing away whilst he's in his crib and I surround him with things to entertain him for a few minutes and do as much as I can in that time, even if it all can't be done.

It is bloody hard so don't beat yourself up. If I could get a good trustworthy cleaner I would

 

[CharCharxxx]

I was exactly like you after my 1st baby I used to get so stressed out. Now by child 4 who is 10 days old, if i get time then I'll do it. I figured out that it's more important just surviving and making it through the day sometimes. Where i have constant school/nursery/playschool runs snf after school kids clubs etc the babies just have to slot in with my routine some days! I always used my travel cot as a playpen and they do cry sometimes when I've left the room but i realised that it won't hurt them to be left for 5 or 10 mins while i do the dishwasher and clean the worktops or put dinner on or take washing out. My OH works away for 3 week periods on an oil rig so i dont have him here half the time, i literally don't have a choice but to put mine down! It will get easier once your little one is more mobile i promise, you're doing a great job hang in there! X

 

[jessmke]

Is there a reason you don’t want to put the baby on a hardwood floor? We have hardwood and stone floors and the babies have always been down on the floors almost constantly without any issue.

Do you have a carrier that you could put your daughter in? I often clean with the baby on my back, they are out of the way so you can do stuff, but are happy because they are still being held.

With my kids I have two boxes in their closet, one for each kids clothes when they grow out of them. When I find something that doesn’t fit anymore it gets thrown in the box, when the box is full I either donate it or sell it for cheap as a lot just to get it out of the house. It really helps keeps the kids room tidier.

 

[noon_child]

The job title is Stay at home MOM (not house keeper) - which, to me, means anything that isn't directly related to keeping your daughter fed, clean and happy doesn't need to be done during your "work hours". If you didn't have a child but were out at work all day like your husband, when would the chores get done? However because having a child takes up WAY more time than having a job, there are some chores you just have to accept aren't 100% essential.

 

[misspriss]

You have to lower your expectations. You can't do it all like you did when she was not around.

Why do you not want to put her down on the hard floor? I draw the line at rough concrete for crawlers, but hardwoods are fine.

 

[Babybump87]

The job title is Stay at home MOM (not house keeper) - which, to me, means anything that isn't directly related to keeping your daughter fed, clean and happy doesn't need to be done during your "work hours". If you didn't have a child but were out at work all day like your husband, when would the chores get done? However because having a child takes up WAY more time than having a job, there are some chores you just have to accept aren't 100% essential.

Couldn’t have said it better !

 

[KatBar]

It’s hard! I’ve got 2 - an almost 7 month old, and a 3 year old. I do ‘hour of power’ type things when one or both kids are napping/resting (I basically do everything I can on turbo speed mode). I also utilise the weekends when hubby is there to be organised for the week - ie: doing meal prep, cleaning etc. There are still tonnes of things to do during the week, and it does drive me insane, but I just try to breathe and take a step back when I get too stressed out.
I personally hate mess/clutter, it stresses me out, so I find it very hard to just leave things to pile up. Sometimes I wish I didn’t mind it, so it wasn’t such an issue for me haha.

 

[HSDR2017]

You have to lower your expectations. You can't do it all like you did when she was not around.

Why do you not want to put her down on the hard floor? I draw the line at rough concrete for crawlers, but hardwoods are fine.

We have 3 dogs - my furbabies - and it is old wooden floors, we fixed them up alot but I worry about her getting a splinter and I worry about her getting into stuff. LITERALLY everything she should not want to play with or touch, etc., she GRAVITATES TOWARDS! lol my coping is putting her in her crib with toys but even then it always feel like a constant worry - I yell her name anytime I leave the room for more than a couple minutes and then I run to her if she doesn't make noises to me lol shes 11 months now.

I will say this though; she is content in her crib with all her toys, etc., for a long time sometimes! The issue is I never know when she won't be content or when she will need me so I kinda hold myself back from doing what I need to do cause I constantly either check on her or feel bad if Im not giving her my undivided attention. I don't think working parents or outsidets realize how much attention we do give out babies cause when I take her to my parents or I get a "break" I spend time on my phone or I am so happy to have time to myself that I don't look at my baby and wave nad smile every two seconds like I usually do so my Mom acts like I ignore her when really I spend so much time with her that breaks are appreciated lol!

 

[laura109]

Hahaha I totally feel your pain. I have a three year old thrown into the mix aswel as a baby. I think its a case of doing what matters for now. Pots and hoovering and a bathroom clean once a week. Washing is a problem in this house too. I have two baskets full to put away. Currently one child is eating her dinner and the baby is crawling around the room. When he sleeps soon I will take the washing up then but my three year old will probably trash a room while I do that. Pop the baby in the cot while you put washing away. Give the baby some toys. They will be OK if they whine for five minutes.to be honest I don't have any good advice as I have sat on the sofa many times thinking I need to do so much stuff and I cant leave the kids. It feels like everyone else has tidy homes apart from me. I do put my son in his pushchair alot so he can watch me wash up etc x