Vent - I feel like I should be more *together* by now

[Electric Boogaloo]

Ugh, just having a tough mummy-week . Bubs has gone from sleeping through the night to waking up multiple times at night. He's teething and he's had a cold. He's particularly whiney and wanting lots of time and attention at the moment. He only catnaps during the day.

Baby is nearly 6 months old but I still feel like I haven't got it together. I'm still in my PJ's some days until the afternoons, the house is so messy and I just can't seem to keep up. I'm BFing and I've lost a lot of weight because I'm ravenous all the time but I just can't seem to keep up with the amount of food I need. I eat three meals a day but I feel like I'm wasting away. I know I should get me and baby out of the house for walks etc but most days I have no energy to do that.

Hubby does a lot around the house (we share the cooking and cleaning, and he does the grocery shopping and a lot of babycare when he's home) but he works shift work so sometimes he is only home briefly in the morning and doesn't get home until after baby is in bed.

I know people say "just don't worry about the housework" but things have to get done at some point!

blargh just needed to get it off my chest I think

[Faithy]

Huge hugs hun!

Have you thought about something like Sustagn (sorry about the spelling!) My health care nurse recommended it as a great way to keep nutrition up. Make up a lite with skinny milk and have a few glasses during the day.

She also said a 20 min walk is the same benefit as an anti depressant tablet. Now I'm not too sure that is an actual fact but you get her point right?

Be kind to yourself. The house is VERY hard to keep on top of and your partner should be helping.

Xoxo

[TheUndomesticGoddess]

I'm in the same boat hun, so I sorta get how you're feeling atm! It's really great you get such a good amount of help from your DP

I agree with PP, get out and go for a walk, it does help!

[Nicky2006]

excuse me are you complaining you are too skinny??? Hahaha, just kidding! I wish. I bf and cause I never have or take the time to make myself proper meals all I eat is crap, so I am a little chubbier than I could be... And I always felt the very beginning was easier. From 4 months on is getting tougher again cause they need much more attention. You are not alone!

[Gypsybum]

Yep! It's hard work! I'm usually still in my pjs when my bf gets home from work!! Then I finally get a chance to shower and clean up a bit coz he takes bubs. By dinner time the last thing I feel like doing is standing in the kitchen cooking! Luckily my bf is awesome and he usually cooks dinner

Dont worry I say get to it when u can. it's not the end of the world! Just relax and enjoy ur bub you got the rest of your life to have a clean house!

[lambjam]

I actually find the period between 4-8 months a really tough time; I'm likely to have gotten on top of the housework, dug out my makeup, and reclaimed the shopping centre only to regress back into my pyjamas at this point. I find it really tough, after the patterns of a newborn, to suddenly have a baby who needs so much attention and doesn't sleep nearly as much as I'd like him to! I also suspect that a lot of the lovely hormones support you through those early months, and when they go it's just you, an increasingly demanding baby and your sleep deprivation.

Of course things need to get done around the house; I just roll my eyes when people suggest it's possible to sleep when the baby sleeps. Maybe during those first couple of weeks, but it's just not realistic beyond then. It helps me to figure out what has to get done (basically laundry and cooking, and in my case tending to my other children's needs) and make sure those things are done every day. All the other things can be reduced for the time being, and remember it is just for the time being, it won't be like this forever.

The Sustagen sounds like a good idea, as does getting out of the house and going for a walk. I know it can be hard to drag yourself out, but you really might find yourself revitalised (and out of your jammies!).

Things do get easier; caring for a baby is something you need to learn, and then relearn as they develop through each stage. I promise things get easier around 8-9 months; that age will bring its own challenges, but IMO they're a breeze compared to this incredibly intensive stage.

[tinynosetinytoes]

I actually find the period between 4-8 months a really tough time; I'm likely to have gotten on top of the housework, dug out my makeup, and reclaimed the shopping centre only to regress back into my pyjamas at this point. I find it really tough, after the patterns of a newborn, to suddenly have a baby who needs so much attention and doesn't sleep nearly as much as I'd like him to! I also suspect that a lot of the lovely hormones support you through those early months, and when they go it's just you, an increasingly demanding baby and your sleep deprivation.

Of course things need to get done around the house; I just roll my eyes when people suggest it's possible to sleep when the baby sleeps. Maybe during those first couple of weeks, but it's just not realistic beyond then. It helps me to figure out what has to get done (basically laundry and cooking, and in my case tending to my other children's needs) and make sure those things are done every day. All the other things can be reduced for the time being, and remember it is just for the time being, it won't be like this forever.

The Sustagen sounds like a good idea, as does getting out of the house and going for a walk. I know it can be hard to drag yourself out, but you really might find yourself revitalised (and out of your jammes!).

Things do get easier; caring for a baby is something you need to learn, and then relearn as they develop through each stage. I promise things get easier around 8-9 months; that age will bring its own challenges, but IMO they're a breeze compared to this incredibly intensive stage.

Well said lambjam

[minties]

i could write that post some days too. Here are a few things that have helped me.

1 get involved in some kind of activity with bub if you can. Playgroup, swimming lessons, baby sessions at the library perhaps or even your local aba group. It gives you a reason to get out of the house, breaks up the day and you will get some adult interaction.

2 i hear you on the weight loss, i have lost a lot with bf too. I know how it can affect your self esteem and it really doesnt help when others joke about it like it's not a real problem. Here's what is working for me, go to the chemist and buy the sustagen hospital formula (try find it at a discount chemist to save money) have that once or twice a day. Also, have easy snacks (perhaps pre cut some cheese to have with crackers) around try not to go more than 2-3 hours without eating. I've started doing this and have finally started gaining some weight. It's a lot of effort but i feel great!

3 split your housework up so that you do a little each day, it's so much less daunting than trying to do everything in one go. So do mopping one day, vacuuming another, bathrooms another. You wont have the whole house clean at once but everything will get done at leat once a week . Tbh though, i have great intentions but my house usually looks like a bomb hit it. My motto is crap housewife, good mum lol

Hope that helps

[River Song]

hi, my name is smileygirl and i am not coping with my 5 month old and the housework. i think i am superhuman if i get stuff done at all during the day

we've gone backwards big time this week



\lets all hang out and love our bubbas and not be perfect :-)

[MicE]

Ladies you are not alone. When I got into that funk I finally decided that if nothing else I was going to have a shower. I would do that before dh went to work. From there I felt like I had achieved something and then small things would come together.
Don't be to hard on yourself.