Please tell me how you structure your day

[Muse84]

I have a fair amount of leave left for dc1. I already know I'm going back part time (3days Max) so know I'm very lucky, but I cannot imagine how I'll organise the days I am working, based on how they were pre-baby.

I basically left the house at 8 and wouldn't be back before 7 due to commute.

If I kept to these hours, how on earth would I get myself and baby ready in the morning, make sure he eats breakfast, and the same at the other end of the day. When would I fit his dinner in plus bedtime by 7....not to mention quality time together!!

Am I being really precious thinking I need shorter hours? I just keep having circular thoughts... Myself and DH were like busy (happy) ships in the night during the week before, not spending much time at home. So I cannot do the same with a baby to look after. But then I think that everyone else manages, sometimes- often- full time!

I'm very lucky that I don't have to return to work but I have a vocation that it took years to train for, and I do generally love it.

Leaving the house by 8 shouldn’t be a problem. When my babies were in childcare many people were dropping their children off well before then.

Can you shorten your day so your pick up is earlier? Tbh that’s the end of the day when it’s nice to have a bit more time and to not be in such a rush

I know how you feel because when I returned to work with dd1 she was 3 months old and still bf (this was back in the day) and I couldn’t imagine how I’d feed her and get myself out of the house by 7.30. Once you form a routine then it’s all doable

Just get everything ready the night before. Eat your dinner when you get in, shower or whatever, then mooch about the house packing the bags and laying out babies clothes and your clothes. Then you just grab and go in the morning!

When my ds was at nursery I ended up working 5 days 10am until 4pm because I knew I wouldn't cope well with an early start and late finish.

Can you share with DH on your working outside the home days, so one of you sees to your baby in the morning and the other in the evening.

We get up about 7.15 most days and have everyone showered, dressed and out by 8 but DS has breakfast at Nursery. If I have an early meeting he can be dropped as early as 7.45. I try to get in between 8.30 and 9 depending on traffic and can then leave between 4.30 and 5. I then get DS from Nursery and we get home between 5.30 and 6.15. We aim to have dinner between 6.30 and 7, then we have bath, stories, milk and bed. He’s usually asleep between 8.30 and 9 so he generally gets 10-11 hours sleep, which along with one long nap at Nursery seems to be just fine. I wouldn’t want to rush him into bed when we get home as I enjoy my limited time with him.