to wonder what 'jobs' I'm meant to be doing 'whilst the baby is asleep'?

[MrsChanandlerBong]

People keep saying this to me - get your jobs done whilst the baby is asleep/content. Apart from the fact that she never is (during the day) and seems to need to be held constantly, I don't understand what needs doing so urgently that I should be doing?

There's things I'd quite like to do like laking on mumsnet like eat lunch or make dinner, but even those I don't get chance to most days. I can just about stick a wash in but everything else waits til the evening or weekend.

I'm BFing which takes ages but I don't know how on earth people have time to FF - I'd be using unsterilised bottles and all sorts! I'm generally pretty organised but I' rethinking this position as I'm obviously failing in my SAHM chores...

Maybe I'm a slattern! Or am I being too soft and holding her too much when I could be doing other things? I dunno.

Washing
Ironing
Hoovering
Mopping Floors
Cleaning Bathroom
Cleaning kitchen
etc.,

It's OK pathan he's an ex husband. He left me as I wasn't a proper wife. .

Bet that came as a big relief to you Minus .

Yay! I thought I was a terrible mother for not keeping the house immaculate! I could if I wanted to, but actually I'd rather be tinternetting/talking utter rubbish to my 11w most beautiful boy in the world/watching morning tv/watching all the stuff I've recorded/not getting up until 9.30.

Then I run around for 10 mins before my gullible DP comes home and I tell him I'm exhausted, and no I can't put the bins out just this once as I've been running around all day and I'm knackered.

As far as I can see when he starts crawling I'll have no end of trouble so I'm making the most of the good times. I have to say I wouldn't be able to do this if I didn't have such a calm baby.

He's wimpering so I have to pick him up and talk in an unreasonably high-pitched voice for half an hour.....

use your time in anyway that makes you feel good.

could be a nap

nice bath

read a book.

if you want to do chores fine, but if having a nap makes you feel better thats more important

DS naps on me. While he naps I make sure I keep the internet well monitored. Everything else can wait.

Dropped DD1 off at nursery at 12.10. DD2 fell asleep in the sling on the way home. So I've tidied away DD1's toys from the morning, put the laundry away, washed up breakfast & lunch, made supper for this evening. Now I could empty the compost bin, take the recycling out, call the passport office to chase DD2's application, put away my filing, sweep the kitchen floor, have a look at internet banking, meal plan for inlaw's visit at Christmas, do some Christmas shopping online... but I think I am going to try to put DD2 down still asleep & catch a little nap.

Are there really only a few of us who like a tidy house and actually did a few jobs when the baby was asleep?

Not in a 1950's way but a quick run round with the hoover, clean the bathroom, make something for tea... surely you wanted these things doing?

I'd leave the ironing for the evenings (still do) so there was something decent to watch on tv but never sat around watching telly in the day - too many people to see! And TBH I could never sleep when the baby slept as when they were only a few months old would only sleep in half hour chunks so it would have narked me no end if they'd have woken up as soon as I'd got my head down.

'Are there really only a few of us who like a tidy house and actually did a few jobs when the baby was asleep?'

Of course I like a tidy house, I'm quite fussy actually and living in cramped hard to clean conditions at my mum's is driving me mad. However in my circumstances and possibly many others I was particularly ill after having dd and was for some time. Putting on a washing for example took significantly longer than normal a lifting a load of washing was enough to open my wound and give me more work.

I actually did quite a lot of jobs whilst DD was sleeping I just couldn't do the fast enough or efficiently enough to satisfy. BTW I also avoided going to bed a to bed at night to get things done. If I am perfectly honest it nearly killed me and I think it contributed to how long I was ill physically, certainly didn't help the PND.

Westie, yup, I do those things now, but when ds2 was teeny and barely slept, day or night, I just sat and snuggled or chatted to a friend. Now, we are normally out and about and he naps in the buggy, but I was grateful for the kip at times and still am

oh, and my house is v. tidy and clean. Dh and I do it once the kids are in bed.

johny i love that, not hear that before.

excelklent

The reason I love it so much is because I'm actually reallly obsessive about having everything immaculate and organised at all times. Can't bear the thought of someone dropping in and there being anything out of place.

The problem is I have the cutest chubbiest little 14 week old, we waited 4 years for and almost lost several times during my pregnancy, who just loves to snuggle and looks up at me with such adoration in his huge eyes!

I found that instead of just enjoying this amazing special and so brief time I was thinking about all the things I needed to do.

Never again will I spend a second of our cuddle time thinking about the fact that I haven't been into the garden to do doggy poo patrol!!

Johnnyd1 - that made me quite emotional. Cuddlin and typing one handed as we speak.