What's your day with a newborn like?

[MrsDinoRawr]

I made a video diary for my husband to show him it's not all sitting on the sofa! bit.ly/1DY6ZMN

For me that was a productive day... Small jobs done are big achievements with a newborn.

What is your daily routine like? How do you manage to fit in household chores? Do you fit in baby groups? I would like to start going to some but I'm not so good at getting out of the house at a specific time!

bit.ly/1DY6ZMN

Hi Dino DS is seven weeks so a little older than newborn. There is rarely a 'typical' day, often our day depends on the night we had! But vaguely...I wake around 9am after feeding at least every two hours throughout the night. I run downstairs to grab coffee and cereal, if I'm lucky I have time to shove some washing in the machine and feed the cat (she does always get fed, eventuallyl!). By the time I get back upstairs DS will be awake, I feed him and eat my breakfast with one hand. I then change him and get him dressed. He will want feeding again after this. We might have a few cuddles together then, if he's awake I chat to him, if not, I manage to get dressed myself. Head downstairs, it's probably lunchtime by now. DS goes in bouncer and must be bounced continually so I drag it round the house wherever I go. I eat some lunch one handed again. Then it's feed baby again, change bum, cuddle again. If he's fallen asleep for any length of time by this point then I have run around thee house hangif up the washing, doing some hoovering, thought about tonight's dinner and tidied up a bit. Then we might go out for a bit, for a walk or to see DMIL. Home by 6 ish. Feed, change. Cook dinner one handed. Dh home at about half seven. Eat dinner one handed. Shower/bath for me depending if DS is awake or not and how quick I need to be. Bath for DS around half8/9 ish, cluster feed for two hours, he'll be asleep by 11. Feed every two hours through the night. REPEAT.

We've been to one baby group so far, don't worry about being on time. Everyone understands. We have occasional days where we are out all day and although this is nice, it's tiring and I worry the housework is just backing up.

Mostly days are just eat/sleep/poop routine over and over. If DS does have a long sleep I might be lucky to get a sleep in myself, but this doesn't happen too often. Usually he's asleep on me and as soon as I put him down he wakes!

I've given up on 'typical' and 'routine' lol!!

Loved your video! Am newly pregnant with no2, DS is 3.5 so it was good to revisit and realise it wasn't just me being ruled by a tyrant baby but quite normal! It's the unpredictability, esp of a fed on demand baby, that makes it all so difficult, I think. Plus DS never slept that much, go Sophie!

I don't have any DC yet so this is really enlightening, thank you!

I have a naive question though. Why can't you have a quick shower if DD is awake/crying? Is the emotional pull just too much/is it harmful to DD to leave her alone when she's awake?

Our baby is 7 weeks. We get up at 7, husband feeds while I shower. He plays in his baby gym then has a nap at 9 ish for half an hour. I get him ready when he wakes up and we usually go out to a baby group or go for a walk. He feeds at 7, 10.30, 2 ish, 6ish, husband gets him up at 11pm to let me sleep, then I get up at 4 am with him. He goes straight back down after feeding at 11pm and 4am. I take him out before bed time for some fresh air. Bath at 6.30 ish depending on last bottle. Bed usually for 7. We have him in the living room asleep until the last feed, then my husband brings him upstairs to me. I can get to baby groups but struggle with the housework, he always wants to play when I start anything! We've had him in a routine from five weeks. Our evenings were insane and we couldn't even cook a meal and eat. He was going to bed with us. He's now having 12 hours sleep a night with two bottles during that time. I was recommended Gina fords contented little baby book and have taken elements from it to make our own loose routine at the start and end of the day. It's been a godsend, we've got our evenings back and a degree of sanity in the newborn chaos!

Im so jealous. DS is 5 weeks and will not stay asleep if put down during the day!

Polka - the only decent nap is the morning one, he micro naps in the afternoon unless in the buggy or car!

Aww, lovely, mine are 3 and 4 now, it made me really nostalgic for the newborn cuddly days Although like polkadot, mine didn't sleep on their own, only on me! Which was fine, I got loads of TV watched although the house looked like shit
To the poster who asked about the shower and leaving them crying, it must be emotional pull, I just couldn't bring myself to leave them crying, or even potentially leave them crying, I can't really explain it

I sat on my arse and watched telly pretty much all day. Or had visitors. Was great fun. That's why I'm not having another until first is in school. Would hate to miss out on my arse sitting time!

Yes with the shower question...when DS is awake it seems mean to leave him crying, so I try to shower while he's asleep or when DH is around to occupy him. Occasionally he's happy to just sit and stare but often gets upset without someone near by. Listening to the crying from the shower is heartbreaking, and distracting, I feel like I don't shower properly because I'm in such a hurry!