to wonder how you juggle baby, job and housework?

[Christelle2207]

Am going back to work soon! 4dpw.
Other than missing my darling boy (9m) my next biggest worry is how the hell am I ever going to keep on top of the housework given that I can't even now and I'm not working. DH is very good generally and will be sharing night shifts with me and broadly do nearly his share but the truth is he works very long hours.
The baby will be at nursery 2 days so at least baby associated mess will be less on those days but the other two days grandparents will be looking after him in our house and I don't expect them to have time to clean up after his extremely messy mealtimes etc.
I am somewhat houseproud but have already lowered my general standards. DH thinks I need to lower them further but he grew up in a very messy house (with lots of siblings) unlike me.
Yes I will be doing it in the evenings when the baby is in bed but surely I will be too exhausted to do much (will be up at 6 and out 8-6) and I need at least half an hour nightly slumped in front of the tv
I also want to maintain exercising but think I will just have to forget about that for a while
We do have a fortnightly cleaner, who I may upgrade to weekly (yes I'm very lucky), but otherwise how do the rest of you do it?

Check out flylady. It is doable, and if you have good systems, it should be ok. Also gps might be bored stiff whilst the baby naps so may well clean up after meals - I know I wouldn't leave a mess. Failing that a home help or cleaner.

Doh. See you have a cleaner already! Honestly it will be ok. Make life as easy as possible for yourself. I have three boys and two of which are twins. I was single (not now) and worked then started my own business. I had a cleaner and used service washes at the launderette, and got rid of as much junk as possible. I needed tidyness and organisation for good mental health, but had to be realistic too!

Can you exercise in your lunch break so that you are clawing back as much time as possible? I also used to do all household admin tasks at work (in lunch hours, whilst on hold etc) so that cut down on some of the other tasks. If you are going to have a weekly cleaner, then what do you need to do daily apart from loading/unloading the dishwasher, wiping surfaces and cleaning up meal-time mess? That should be manageable in 20 minutes or so if you put your mind to it.

Little and often. That's the way I'm getting by just now.
So I clean the bin on bin men day, clean the fridge (quick) as the shopping comes in, clean the bathroom when I use it. I don't go out in the morning without the washing being on, sometimes it's even done and hanging to dry.
It's easy to feel swamped though.
I keep meaning to look at that fly lady myself.

it will just happen and just be ok. it all just kind of slots in to place x

I went back to work FT 3 months ago (working compressed hrs 9 day fortnight so long days with a 90 min commute each way, DD with me on commute as in on sure nursery).

We also wondered how we would cope with the housework. Turns out we don't! We are barely keeping our heads above water and are living in a mess. I spend all Saturday morni g cleaning and doing laundry while DH takes DD out so i get a clear run at it. I hate missing out on precious family tome so we have just booked a weekly cleaner, then all ill have to do is the laundry.

I have 3 kids and work 5 days (shortish ones). I have lowered my standards on housekeeping and cannot wait to get a cleaner.

We don't cope either. DH and I work 4 days each (ft compressed). DD goes to nursery 3 days a week. I'm 30 weeks pg and have SPD. Housework is bottom of the list! I dream of affording a cleaner.

Exercise-wise, before I got pg I was doing the Shred a few times a week - it's only 20 mins and you do it in the house, so v little extra time. I did it after DD was in bed.

Yes upgrade to weekly cleaner. Also take up running or something that you can do for an hour only three times a week.

Other ideas - slow cooker, make meals in bulk
Tidy as you create the mess.

I have been thinking about selling a kidney and getting a cleaner, but I worry whether it will really make a lot of difference - I'm not sure how much actual cleaning I do, I spend hours tidying up however, moving toys, clothes, books etc back to the place they are meant to be. Cleaners don't do that sort of stuff, do they?

If you have a cleaner once a week you will be absolutely fine! You need to be in a good routine of getting washing on and hung out in the morning (including bedding once a week - probably do that on your day off). I have just found routine to be key; so get the dishwasher on at the same time each day and either you/DH therefore empties it (eg one of you does that while the other one cooks after baby's bedtime).

I now have 3DC and for the first time have not gone back to work - now that DC3 is 1 year old! However I only ever do the house clean one afternoon a week when DD sleeps. The other housework I fit in during the morning and evening routines how I would have done when I was working... So when I was working I just didn't do the house clean (had a cleaner) and easily fitted the rest in, eg quick wipe round of kitchen and popping dishes in dishwasher, emptying kitchen bin while children eating meal, hanging out washing while children having 10 mins TV in the morning, tidy as you go and pack bag for next day as you empty from previous day.

After I've sat down to dinner at 8pm latest I absolutely won't do any more housework as I need my evening (especially when I am going to bed early in anticipation of a broken night!!) so what's not done by then won't be done - except quick clear up of dinner plates etc. I do deal with household admin in the evenings though and this increases massively as the children get older!! But I can do that sat on the sofa in front of TV....

It IS possible. Do little and often. and buy a playpen. they are a godsend. DD (15mo) plays in hers quite happily while I get on with stuff. And I wouldn't say I had low standards by any means.

I work 5 days a week, so does DH. He does Mon-Fri and is out 7-6. I work Weds-Sun and for at least three of those days am up on the go from 7am until 11pm as I work evening shifts, which look like this:
7am DD wakes up
7.30am DH leaves house. Breakfast/get dressed/do stuff with DD. Shower. Make packed lunches for her and me. Shove a wash in the machine. Etc.
12.30pm drop DD off at nursery. Go to work even though am not due to start until 2pm, as no point going home just to turn round and come back again.
10pm/11pm finish work. go home. go to bed.
Then on my "weekends" (hollow laugh) I look after DD all day both days because DH is at work. It's rubbish but we have bills to pay.

The only reason I am still sane is that DD sleeps through all night. But when she is awake in the day there is no let-up. It's tiring. You will find a way.

I managed it with twins as a single parent. It is doable. Second the play pen suggestion. I would do a thorough clean at the weekend and make do in the week.

I lowered my standards!! I have a quick wip round when babies in bed, and try not to stress about it

I work full time as does DH. DS 6 and a big hairy dog! Housework was a constant battle so just got a cleaner. She's been doing it for 3 weeks and I can't imagine jot having her.

'How do I juggle job, baby and housework?... I have a cleaner'
For fucks sake

My DS is eight months I work full time. I am really struggling.

Early pregnancy too. I do pasta and pesto type dinners more than I should and catch up on Saturdays. Last weekend I got really upset and now dh has upped his side of things.

It can be done, your situation is mine exactly except I don't have the cleaner. I've found it hard but a year later and things are looking easier. The key isn't how much cleaning you do, it's how you organise everything from belongings to time. Everything must have a 'place', get rid of any clutter (including ornaments if you have loads - dust traps and look scruffy) and never leave a room empty handed. Clean the shower when you're in it and if your house is large then limit the rooms you use during week nights to prevent any mess just being left. Do washing regularly, don't iron anything use the tumble dryer when possible.

I have lowered my standards somewhat: my kitchen is currently upside down and there are clothes in the living room which need sorting out. However, we've been out all day in the sun and plan on doing the same tomorrow so I'm trying and failing not to let that irritate me. My car is also a state, but since I know it will all be packed up again tomorrow and a mess by the evening I'm not even going to think about it.

I manage to get to an exercise class once a week and I know I could go more regularly that that if I wanted to. My DH is brilliant though he does more than his share of the chores, never makes a mess and thoroughly enjoys my exercise night when he has to give DS his tea, bath, supper and put him to bed. Support is the key.

There are weeks when things don't go to plan, the house doesn't get tidied and I get very stressed out. We cannot stretch to affording a cleaner and I think if there was one thing that would make life easier it's a cleaner, so you might find things work fine. Good luck, it's not an easy time but it can be done.

Thanks for the tip about flylady trashcanjunkie I'm going to have a look now!

I struggle a lot with balancing kids, school, working two jobs and housework, esp as DP self employed and works long hours.The house is regularly a tip! Hoping it'll all fall into place when I've been back at work longer and got into the new routine (yeah right...) exercise doesn't get a look in!

I just found it depressingly impossible when my two were tiny. My interests pared down to nothing except full time work and kiddie care. As for standards, my house is pretty bad! The lesser your expectations the better you will feel. But each passing six month or so period I began to get back more and more time for me, the house and my DH.

And as for exercise, I now know why exercise DVDs are so popular!

Is your DH wondering how he's going to fit in the housework when you go back to work? If not, he should be.

This is not all your responsibility. Speak to him. Ask him how he is going to pick up some of the slack now you are going back to work.

I dropped the housework. It's much easier then. :o

When you say 'I' you mean 'we', obviously?

Do what you can when you can.
It will all get a lot worse when they are teenagers