i need help getting out of the house in the morning

[booyhoo]

ds2 was born 7 weeks ago and i am still struggling to get out of the house before lunchtime most days.

i took them to funky monkeys last monday. we got there about quarter past 11. thats with us getting up at 7 and i got no washing out, cleaning done or even dishes washed. i just had to get out of the house. so basically all i had achieved by 11 am was getting us all dressed and fed. thats four hours.

how do i get organised so that we can go to m&t groups at half 9 and 10 oclock? i find it takes me so long to actually be ready to leave the house that i end up staying in and its really getting to me now. i need to get out and talk to people and not just do the weekly shop at 4pm.

help please!!

[booyhoo]

with ds1 i worked and had to leave the house at 8.20, how can i have lost the ability to do this?

[HecatesTwopenceworth]

Well, what are you doing for all that time?

Talk me through your morning.

[Meglet]

Same here, ds is 2.7 and dd is 10mo. It usually takes 3 hours from me waking up at 7 to get us out the house at 10. I am baffled by how other people get out earlier, maybe they are all up at 5am?

But 7 weeks is very young. I realise you are itching to get back to normal but having 2 changes everything massively. Things will settle down.

[amidaiwish]

don't think that all you're doing is trying to get out of the house. i bet the baby needs feeding a couple of times, a few nappy changes/sudden poos etc.

you need to have your bag of things packed the night before, identify a slot, grab the bag and leg it out of the house. say, the minute you have finished feeding/nappy change. If you hang about to pack the bag, or do anything else, then the baby or your other child will need something, and you will never get out.

it does get easier. be easy on yourself.

[mrsruffallo]

I agree with getting as much done as poss. the night before. Lay out clothes for all three of you, shoes and socks, have a bag prepared, have a shower and wash your hair the night before.
Also, it's important to keep a steady flow once you are awake.
Feed the children first, then get yourself dressed, then older child dressed, then clean nappy etc for baby.
You can do it

[whyme2]

It can be done, when dc4 was 6 weeks old I had to be out the house by 8:30 ( inwinter too so coats and scarfs).
I think you need to prepare the night before really, have your bag packed, coats lined up, clean clothes etc.
Then my plan for the morning was -
up at 6:30, shower and dress
wake baby at 7 ish and feed, change and dress then put in pram ready to go,.
7:45, other children up, dressed, breakfasted etc.
Whether were ready or not, started getting toddler in pushchair at 8:20, coats on others and self.
Brush hair in morror by front door and leave.
However by Friday I was totally knackered. Why don't you find an afternoon group to go to instead ?

[booyhoo]

up at 7 and feed ds2, this usually takes about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes

downstairs for breakfast. ds1 takes quite a while to eat so usually dressing him around half 8 sometimes later as ds2 doesnt settle well and so have to spend quite sometime getting him over to sleep or just walk round with him. i usually try and get a wash out and do the dishes while ds1 is eating.

usually im in the shower by about 9ish but again i have to get in and out to settle ds2.

im usually not fully dressed or hair dried or make up on by the time ds2 needs to feed again around half 9 or 10, again for about half an hour to 45 mins.

so finish gettin dressed/hair dried/ make up on.

at earliest i can be ready sometime after 11.
and thats with no housework done

most of the m&t groups are over by this stage so i know i wont get talking to anyone if i do go out. so end up not going out unless to the park or to do the shopping.

then i shower

[booyhoo]

i dont know why it says then i shower at the end cause i really dont get my hair and make up all done jsut to get in the shower again!!!

[Dysgu]

I find that it is DD1 who holds things up.

We tend to get up about 7am (although DD2 (6mo) has already had bottle with DP by then)and have breakfast.

Then I find it works best if I leave DD1 (2.10 yo) to do her own thing whilst I get myself and DD2 dressed.

Then I dress (or help dress) DD1 after the explanation "You will be getting dressed next and then we are leaving."

As she then has no time for doing anything before leaving the house it proves easier to get them both out quicker.

back to work tomorrow - have to leave by 7.15am so things will be slightly different!
[fingers crossed emoticon]

[whyme2]

I would suggest you get yourself up and showered/dressed first. I always feel more together if I'm ready. Also try not to get distracted by hosuework - just stack the dishes, milk in fridge etc and ignore til later.

[booyhoo]

i always keep my change bag ready to go and clothes are always at hand in wardrobes so not a case of looking for clean/ dry clothes. i know i can do it cause i did it with ds1 no problem. i just dont know why its not happening this time. ds2 is alot harder to settle and i do feel as though i spend most of my time doing this.

[whyme2]

I met a lady today who has 7 dcs - youngest 10 weeks and she had make up on and done hair. Even I can't accomplish make up.

[mrsruffallo]

Yes, ignore housework in the morning. Give DS1 his breakfast then feed the baby.
Go out with your hair wet and forget the make up or as I said, shower at night

[luckylady74]

Online shop when they're asleep/breastfeeding.
With my twins and a then 2yrold ds1 I'm trying to remember what I did.
Dh emptied the dishwasher and had breakfast with ds1 whilst I fed twins.He left for work
I got ds1 and myself dressed whilst ignoring non urgent crying from babies.
Put wash on and generally used tumble dryer in those days because going to the end of the garden to hang out with all 3 was impossible.
Twins wore babygros for everything so went out in what they'd slept in quite frequently.
I used to do housework when we got back - ds1 would eat lunch and watch video and babies had fallen asleep on way home.
We ate ready meals like quiche and salad, fish pieces and veg for months.
Arrange to meet people - a deadline gets you out- ds1 had to be at preschool at 9am - if your eldest had to be at school you wouldn't be late and if you are getting down about this then you need to prioritise it.
I found having a timetable helps so I know we need to be dressed by 8, fed by 815 aand shoes on at 830.
This time will pass eventually and getting out every day isn't mandatory.

[booyhoo]

whyme that is no mean feat!!! how the hell does she manage that. does she have a secret nanny or something? lol

[whyme2]

I think I was lucky with dc4 - she just lies there after a feed and eventually doses off despite the mayhem around.

[whyme2]

She has 2 teenagers age 13 and 14 which are very useful for cuddling babies and her next youngest is 3.5 so fairly independent. I was

[booyhoo]

lucky i would do an online shop except at the minute its the only thing im getting out of the house for and i need that excuse, otherwise i would definitely crack up. i know getting out everyday isnt mandatory and i dont want to be out everyday but a few days would be nice, just to talk to some adults rather than negotiate every little aspect of the day with ds1.

[booyhoo]

yes ds1 is 4 on sat and very independant, he doesnt hold me back at all, its ds2 that soaks up all the time.

[HecatesTwopenceworth]

I would suggest getting up at 630, getting yourself ready then being ready to feed your son at 7am.

I would suggest that after feeding ds2, you get ds1 washed and dressed, instead of waiting until after his breakfast. That wakes him up, gets his day started and delays breakfast a bit to make him a bit more hungry!

Then instead of getting on with chores while your ds1 eats - sit with him. Not nagging him, but focusing on it being breakfast time. This may cut down on the time he takes, tbh. While you are distracted - so is he! Sit down together and make it dedicated breakfast time. The wash & dishes can wait (or do them the night before)

You can hold the baby while you sit with your son having breakfast, if he won't settle. Don't move away from the breakfast table if you can help it.

Then you are all washed, dressed and fed and ready to go!

[littleducks]

ok im not actually doing this atm but this is how its acheived

dress baby in babygros not outfits, prob short rompers then you are dressing baby less, dont need to worry about changing before naps or anything, if you hav to change sicky baby at 5 am that babygro will be fine to leave the house in

get dressed before breakfast, get a apron/tabard for older one (it charlie and lola so my dd will wear hers)
and when younger one is bigger get long sleeved bibs

So all upstairs stuff is done, then downstairs for breakfast quick whip round/bf session then oiut the door (a downstairs loo next to front door does help)

Hopefully if breakfast is after dressing your ds will start eating faster, take a snack with you for 10 ish and maybe feed him slightly less then after toddler group have lunch then naps and do any houseworking stuff while they nap

My washing machine has a timer, if yours doesnt fill it with dry clothes the night before then turn on when you go in kitchen first thing

[booyhoo]

yes, washer has timer to go on and be finished by the time i get up so all i have to do is hang it out.

ds1 is 4 on sat so doesnt nap anymore, but he really isnt clingy or anything. he gets on with his own thing and doesnt require much attention if i need to get something done. it seems ds2 just needs alot of attention.

am bfing right now. we are all dressed and ds1 has had breakfast, so hopefully i'll be able to get the washing out and tidy round the kitchen and then go by about tenish. thank you for all tips

[aGalChangedHerName]

I have to leave for school/nursery at 8.30am (am also a CM) I have 4 dc of my own too.

I have always got up at 6am just after dh to have my shower and get dressed etc.
It is def easier if you are organised befor you get the dc up. I have changing bags ready,packed lunches done for the ds's,coats etc ready. Washing in the machine or hung out.

Knackering but better than struggling to get us all ready at the one time.

Give yourself a break tho,you have a little baby too xx

[oliviasmama]

Gosh it used to take me hours when DD was tiny.

I know your probably shattered but I think the key to getting ahead is by getting up an hour before anyone else. A quick tidy of the house and get yourself showered and dressed, make up on.

Go out and do your M & T groups and do any chores later. I also find that I do better if I keep tidy and washing up to date and then leave a day aside to clean once a week.

Enjoy it though, those tiny baby days are gone far too soon.

[fruitstick]

booyhoo it gets infinitely better when they can go 4 hours between feeds and they start taking less time about it.

I have to take ds1 to nursery at 12:30 and pick him up at 3 so i found i impossible to do very much but here goes anyway.

DS1 always wants breakfat as soon as he's awake so i tend to get min breakfast and sit with him while i feed ds2.
then change and dress ds2, have shower and dress while ds1 watches peppa pig (4 eps in a row). then ds1gets dressed.

DS2 naps around 9 so we aim to all be dressed by then so either we can go out and he can sleep in carseat/pram or i can get some chores done while he's asleep. I try to either play with DS1 then or get him to help in the kitchen (he's a whizz wih my dyson animal .

My 2 tips

• empty dishwasher AS SOON AS YOU GET UP then everything goes straight in.

• it won't hurt your baby to cry for a little bit so no need to get out of the shower to settle them.

bugger the housework until ds gets a little bit bigger. Time is too precious to be hoovering.

However, it took until about 14 weeks until I managed to feel in control so go easy on yourself.