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Original poster

Is anyone out there a Supermum?

34 replies

bourneville · 27/01/2006 07:58

Obviously not, but just a couple of questions...

As a new mum did anyone else do any ironing?? Babygros no less a la Corrie? 2 days after giving birth to twins? (I read Heat I don?t watch it?) (FYI, I stayed at my parents? for 7 weeks and they did absolutely everything for the first month other than breastfeed dd! (oh and i changed most nappies) I can?t imagine how women cope without that help? btw I?m a single mum.)

And did anyone manage to get all made up and be all bubbly and energetic looking when baby 6 weeks old? (a la my neighbour). Having said that, I was reading back on my diary entries and discovered that when dd was 7-8 weeks old me and my boyf (not her dad) took dd to a house party, I spent a lot of the time breastfeeding in a bedroom upstairs. My memory had been telling me she was 3 or 4 months old, so I was at myself for actually having managed that!

And nothing to do with new mums, but does everyone else dry the dishes? Mine dry on the rack, I take stuff from there if I need it. There was a thread recently by a mum complaining that her H didn?t pull his weight, and one thing she complained about was not drying the dishes. FWIW, I don?t actually think it?s hygienic myself .

PS I know all this doesn't belong in Parenting but didn't know where else.

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Filyjonk · 27/01/2006 08:08

ffs! Ironing? Drying dishes? why?

But-you kept a diary? Respect!

Kittypickle · 27/01/2006 08:13

I don't do ironing now and as for being made up, bubbly & energetic I am far from that now 7 years down the line. DD has just come in to tell me that my cooking is delicious, she's talking about a boiled egg, so I guess I'm not exactly Nigella either !

cathyspam · 27/01/2006 08:22

never wear make up, dont have as many baths as i would like, hair hasnt been cut for months, never iron, never dry dishes but I have fun with my kids which is much more important so no, i am not a super mum, but i am a fun mum.

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WideWebWitch · 27/01/2006 08:47

In answer to your questions:

As a new mum did anyone else do any ironing?? No, I still don't and my ds is 8.

And did anyone manage to get all made up and be all bubbly and energetic looking when baby 6 weeks old? No, looked like shit for about 3 yrs. Still do, dd is 2.

And nothing to do with new mums, but does everyone else dry the dishes? No, have a dishwasher and wouldn't dry even if I didn't.

Also impressed at diary!

Wills · 27/01/2006 08:56

DD1 blew my brain. When dd2 arrived I had no choice about getting up as dd1 still had nursery. Do I wear make up - only my warpaint when at work. Do I dry dishes - not bloody likely. Do I do irong - nope that's my dh's job.

Original poster
bourneville · 27/01/2006 09:14

Keeping a diary, I've kept quite a detailed one since aged 13, it is my lifeline. I don't write as often or as detailed as I used to but I don't know how one keeps one's head clear otherwise! And I am quite obsessive compulsive about keeping written down as much of dd's development as possible, I don't know why, i'm quite panicky about keeping hold of the past or something.

And when dd was very small I sacrificed catching up on sleep during naptime because sending emails & typing diary was more important to me... I remember being hunched half asleep over the computer... if i could do it again i would actually sleep instead!! I had no idea dd would turn into a baby who refused to sleep during the day!
But ironing?? I remember taking a shower 3 days after dd was born and collapsing afterwards with the strain! (I have no idea if i showered before then , other than after giving birth. I remember being taken to the ward for bed and the midwife telling me to shower and i thought eh?? just let me lie down & sleep!! couldn't understand why it was so important right then in the middle of the night! yuk! /... buti'm digressing...

OP posts:
Original poster
bourneville · 27/01/2006 09:14

oh ps i had a birthing pool which might explain the yuk factor better

OP posts:
alexsmum · 27/01/2006 09:32

i travelled to a wedding two hundred miles away when ds1 was eight weeks old and spent the entire service breastfeeding in the foyer of the temple, and then had to leave the reception after about an hour because it was way too noisy for ds.
he's now five- i still don't iron. i only wash dishes when there's no clean ones left never mind drying them! dh's shirts get ironed-as he needs them, but thats about it.
the boys are always clean, fed and dressed in clean warm clothes- if i'm achieving that i think i'm doing ok!
i'm definitiely not a supemum!

MissChief · 27/01/2006 09:36

yes, current achievements:

  1. we've all got nits
  2. we've all had breakfast (and remains of still round ds1's chops when we went for parents morning at his pre-school) 3)washing in work-in-progress piles according to colour all round the house
  3. STILL haven't sent off several christmas cards to closish friends (were to become NY cards, now even too late for Chinese NY) 5)cats just fed themselves on breakfast crusts fallen on floor loads more to tell but can't remember anything more right now due to lack of sleep/hormonal overload from bfing (my excuse & I'm sticking to it)
WharfRat · 27/01/2006 09:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Stilltrue · 27/01/2006 09:48

My youngest is just 2 and it's only now I'm starting to feel the hamster wheel that is my life beginning to spin a little more slowly. That said, I have a huge pile of admin to wade through this morning, one of my older boys has been off school with a toxic throat for 4 days, I keep losing track of notes from school, thus forgetting to sign things, send in money etc etc.
Def not Supermum but I try my best!

CountessDracula · 27/01/2006 10:00

Hmm

Well dh and I went out for lunch about 2 weeks after dd was born to a posh restaurant

And we took her on holiday to Wales at about 6 weeks

Can't remember a lot in the way of make up and bubblieness though

charliegreensmum · 27/01/2006 10:01

Think we are all Supermums, for taking interest in our children's welfare and development by being on here. We should all drop the guilt and give ourselves a good old pat on the back - I think everyone tries their best!

saadia · 27/01/2006 10:13

I remember when ds1 was about a month old and took him to be weighed at the baby clinic. I must have looked a sight - messy hair, unkempt clothes - and the hv gave me a long chat about PND and asked me if I had any help at home.

I remember feeling really satisfied with myself if I managed to ever take him out in the buggy.

Don't iron clothes until they're needed.

Don't dry dishes unless they're big pans that have to be put away.

Never managed make-up etc when ds1 was little. Remeber once having a shower and forgetting to rinse out the conditioner so felt icky. My cousin, who had her ds a month before mine was amazed that I even had time for conditioner.

MissChief · 27/01/2006 10:16

yet I live 2 doors away from her (supermum that is).

Trendy, trim, well-kept (and that's just the baby)leave alone mum/husband/house/garden..
Never a raised voice, always calm, TV never blaring out, all meals taken together in their family room..
I hate them.. (no hint of green-eyed monster at all!)

misdee · 27/01/2006 10:19

hmm, if ironing, putting on make up and doing housework makes people supermums, then what is the world coming to? theres more important things in life than ironing, make up and houseowrk.

MissChief · 27/01/2006 10:21

I agree, but unfortunately we're all guilty of judging on what we see outside the house aren't we? Ie how groomed, presentable, clean, contented-looking others & their kids are - and it's always the mums held responsible.

misdee · 27/01/2006 10:24

then i'm a shite mum

dont iron, dont do make up or drying up. houseowrk is a qick flick of the duster so to speak.

but i am juggling 3 kids, dh in hospital, dd2 going through assessment, had a newborn baby with dh seriously ill, clothes are always clean tho not ironed, make up, hah only if i am being photographed for the sun or local paper, houseowrk gets done when it can.

cod · 27/01/2006 10:25

Message withdrawn

MissChief · 27/01/2006 10:29

misdee - then you are a supermum. Maybe it's where I live but everyone seems to try to slap on the make-up, have the right buggy, wear trendy-ish clothes etc - even to pop to corner shop. Roll-on summer time then at least I can cover up with sun-glasses!

Kathy1972 · 27/01/2006 11:06

Bourneville, you posted that before 8am - you're a Supermum!

Meanoldmummy · 27/01/2006 11:08

no I'm crap

mummyhill · 27/01/2006 11:12

With all you have been through and all the trials and tribulatons you still have to come if anyone deserves to be called super mum it's you misdee. I have loads of admiration for your strength.

Original poster
bourneville · 27/01/2006 11:41

oh dear i think you've all misunderstood me. i was using the word supermum not to say that we should all be that way!! In fact i am more judgmental when i see a bubbly made up new mum cos i wonder what the hell happens to her baby while she's doing that stuff! as well as being

re posting before 8am ,i'm not a supermum but i have a super-dd who lets me do all sorts these days.

OP posts:
doormat · 27/01/2006 12:05

only iron once a year
drying dishes- I never pick up a t towel,
am always dressed up, hair done, nails etc
house is 90% of the time spotless
diary- no too depressing for me

no-one is a supermum, we all do our best for our kids