How will working from home change as DS gets older?

[Mouseybrown]

Just hoping to pick the brains of those of you who work from home.

I've started freelancing after my empoyer went bust when I was 34 weeks pregnant, DS is now 7weeks old and I'm managing to do a bit of work most days when he hasn't kept me up all night. So far he sleeps and feeds on a four hour cycle and I can get a fair amount done as long as I ignore the housework!

I'm just wondering if I can expect to get the same amount of time to work as he gets older, I expect the answer is probably 'no', but would like to know other peoples experiences.

Thanks

Hi
My youngest has just turned 3 but as far as I can remember I would get quite a bit of time to myself when he had his daytime naps.

Then as his awareness increased he would enjoy lying under those activity arches but naps went down from say 3 a day to 2.

Then comes the crawling and they get pretty fast pretty quick, a play pen with lots of toys to entertain may help for short periods of time.

I'm afraid to say that from about 1 onwards, talking and walking, the only real time I'd get anything done was during his lunchtime nap or in the evening.( Obviously each child is different.) but I found it more stressful trying to do loads of chores when he was up and about with constant interruptions. I didn't feel like I was giving him or the tasks in hand my full attention.

On an up note it does get easier. From 2 onwards, I guess, I could set up some toys for him and he would play quietly for half an hour. Then drink and a snack, change of activity another half hour of play.

I hope this helps, sorry it's a bit vague,

Emily

I was freelance before my DS was born (I'm a journalist) and went back to work when he was five months old, with a day and a half's childcare a week in place from when he was six months old.

I think it entirely depends on their ability to nap regularly. I found that mine didn't have the kind of naps I could plan to work around and I was very relieved when the childcare kicked in.

My major problem was with planning phone calls. I would arrange to call someone when he should have been asleep - and he wouldn't be. It was very frustrating.

As he got older his naps started to be a bit erratic - some naps he'd sleep for two hours, but sometimes he'd only sleep for 40 minutes, so if there was something I needed to do to meet a deadline it could be difficult.

But if you're already working and he's seven weeks old then you might well be able to keep his naps really regular. Alternatively, timing might not matter to you so much.

DD went to nursery from 1 and DS from 2 as I was struglging to get anything done, DS in particular was a very clingy baby (still is at 2 but loves going to nursery) I have peace of mind because they are having a great time rather than siting in front of the TV as Mummey and Daddy are working.

Yes, during my DD's newborn months I was able to work for long stretches as she napped so well. But as the naps reduced and she became more mobile and communicative, this became very difficult. So she went into daycare at 11 months and has a lovely time. I work from home as a writer and need several hours at a time to write and now I can do that. My DD is a toddler now and capable of playing by herself for long stretches but she is a noisy player and I can always hear her chatting away with the occasional "Mummy, I'm feeding dolly!" narrative - so I wouldn't really be able to write at home even now.