How do you moms of babies get anything done?

**New-mom-to-be** · 06-05-2009, 01:52 PM

This is my first week home with a mobile, active baby. (School is now out and he was in daycare at my school since 6 weeks after he was born)

B-man has a double ear infection, so he is fussy. And he crawls everywhere and gets into everything! I have to put him in the exersaucer to go to the bathroom!

I managed to get enough time yesterday (35 minutes of a nap) to sweep and mop the hardwood.

But how do you people get things done with an active baby????

He is currently eating cheese crackers, a banana, and peas right now. So I have a few minutes to check the internet.

**Bellaboo** · 06-05-2009, 02:21 PM

What worked for me was cleaning while they were busy playing. If I was in the kitchen/dinning room and I had a lot to get done. I'd put them in a high chair with a snack or give them toys or a book to play with. When they were older I'd give them wooden spoons and plastic dishes to play with.

I loved the exersaucer because I could move it from room to room as I cleaned. Don't feel like you have to get a whole room done in one shot. Break up what has to be done in 5, 10, or 15 min chunks. You'd be surprised what you can get done in that amount of time.

Take full advantage of their nap times. Sometimes I napped when they did or took a break or sometimes I cleaned.

Having a routine helped a lot. It kept the house from getting too out of hand. Keep in mind your house won't look perfect while they're that young which can help take some of the pressure off of trying to keep up with an active baby and a clean house at the same time. Just keep in mind that before you know it they'll be older and have an easier time keeping themselves occupied.

**elphie** · 06-05-2009, 03:42 PM

If you have a quality carrier you can wear the baby while your doing chores. At times this isn't possible or he just doesn't want it you can try keeping him busy or just let some things go. The best advice my grandma gave me when I had my firstborn was that when they are grown they won't remember if the house was always spotless but they will remember if their mom was always worried about a clean house.

**Radish4ever** · 06-05-2009, 07:49 PM

Those "Johnny Jumper" things are great or Jumperoos....
Letting the baby play with tupperware or whatever lids, bowls, etc while you're working in the kitchen is always fun

When all else failed, we would put on some Baby Einstein for a few minutes while I made important phone calls or got other things done

**frugalwarrior** · 06-05-2009, 08:30 PM

Porta-a-crib. Was my favorite tool. I took it outside when I mowed, clipped coupons. My daughter napped in it while I folded clothes,made groc. lists,washed dishes. We took it to motels,beaches,parks. She felt it was her little house. She read books in it,played toys,sang songs,talked to herself in there.
Caution-all kids are diff. My son would hoist himself up and throw himself on the floor just to get out. For him i used multiple locking gate systems Better than the Soiux locks. He could go up and down the hallway,back and forth. He had toys,blankets, and huge knob covers so he couldn't open doors. When he could yank and yank the gates down. I just took to carrying him around like a football until night time or nap.
Some kids can beat any system. At two he got the neighbors mail across the street. We bought a deadbolt.
Let some things go, implore friends, buy a mothers helper (young teen to come over for two hours once in a while)
Call in favors,trade kids w/ other mothers

**joyofsix** · 06-05-2009, 08:48 PM

I gated off a safe area and let them play there while I did what needed done. When they were younger I wore them in a sling or on my back alot. I wouldn't let them scream themselves silly, but a little low grade fussing (when they are not sick!) never hurt them.

**Gibs** · 06-06-2009, 01:43 PM

I did pretty good at the age, everyone has great suggestions,, I used a pack and play for the baby a lot and an exersauser, and snack time was time to do something and nap time.

My question is how do we get time for anything now....

Now that he is almost 22 months old I am finding it increasingly difficult to get things done. He is in to everything imaginable. This morning he took of his diaper when I left him in the crib for a minute so I could do something and pooped in the crib....once I got that cleaned up and his bath done and over he somehow managed to get his tooth brush when I turned my back for a second and dipped it in the toilet procceeding to brush his teeth with it....EWWWW, so after telling him DIRTY, and throwing his toothbrush out cleaning his hands, face and mouth again we decide to get lunch...while I get something out of the fridge, he climbs up on the kitchen table....he has no fear of heights, at all and can climb ANYTHING... . He can get all doors open sometimes even if they are locked, safety latches on the cupboards he can even get open some of the time......

now hes sleeping, I cleaned up from lunch, did two loads of laundry, got on here for a bit, and am now about to sweep my floors....thank God for naps, and bedtime for him is 7 pm....i would say its a good job that he goes to bed early.

**Jeanna** · 06-06-2009, 03:53 PM

It has been a while since I had a little one but I just moved them from room to room with me. I just kept an eye on them and they usually entertained themselves. However, when little ones are sick just remember that this time passes quickly and there will always be housework so take the time to hold, hug, just be there for them. Oh and I have to say that my ds was very hyper acxtive.

**Tai** · 06-06-2009, 04:08 PM

I have a 2yo and an 11mo. I have learned that some things you need to let go of- I dust MAYBE once a month. LOL

I do multitask when the kids are "tied down". I pick up their room at night while they're in their cribs. During breakfast, I'll empty the dishwasher, clean the kitchen, and start a load of laundry. Both kids nap at the same time in the early afternoon, so I'll swap the laundry, then set a timer for 20 minutes to tackle one room. After the timer goes off, I sit down and relax for a bit until they wake up. When DH gets home from work and after we have dinner, he'll play with the kids for a bit while I set up for the next day: change their sheets, steam DH's uniform, pick out clothes for all of us, reload the diaper station, run the dishwasher, and set the coffeemaker.

**spyzvixxen** · 06-06-2009, 04:37 PM

Just what the doctor ordered. Thanks for the tips ladies. My DD is 6 mos and just when I think I have a routine figured out, it will go for a loop once she's mobile. As of now, the exersaucer, bouncy chair and nap-time (if any, ugh!) have been a godsend. I also have about an hour after she falls asleep to pick up and get ready for the next day. Coffee & bottles are made before she wakes up. DF watches her after her first feeding so I can shower (he works 2nd shift). I also take advantage of daddy-daughter time when he's home on Sun/Mon/Tues to do errands, laundry & such. It's def. a juggling act that requires organization. I'm wondering now, how am I going to manage if we go for #2.

**ValleyOfLotus** · 06-06-2009, 07:46 PM

I'm wondering now, how am I going to manage if we go for #2.

It will be difficult but you'll manage. My daughter was born one month before my son turned two...so I had two under two. If I can do it anyone can

**Radish4ever** · 06-06-2009, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by ValleyOfLotus

It will be difficult but you'll manage. My daughter was born one month before my son turned two...so I had two under two. If I can do it anyone can

LOL Totally agreed!

My kids are 20.5 months apart and this one will be born when my youngest is 32months........ We'll see how adding another one goes! LOL!
Going from 0-1 was a challenge, but 1-2 was pretty easy... and now they are the best of friends and entertain each other about 75% of the time!

The other 25% of the time I have to tell my youngest to stop crying or he'll go to his room and my oldest to stop bothering her brother or she'll get a spanking. lol It works out!

**Gibs** · 06-07-2009, 10:45 AM

My first two kids were 22 months apart, so I also had 2 under 2. I actually found that easier then when I had my youngest....he is now 21 months old. My middle child was 3 1/2 and my oldest was about 5 1/2 well almost when he was born, I found that to be a bigger adjustment then the two close together, because i was still in the baby stages, and stuff. But when The baby was born the other two was older and I had to start over the baby things again.

**joyofsix** · 06-08-2009, 05:51 AM

I had a 3yo, 18mo, and newborn. It was hard but the advantage is they have so much in common when they are older. I actually found closer easier than further apart. I wonder what in the world my 1yo and 17yo will have in common.

**Momto2Boyz** · 06-08-2009, 09:29 AM

The first step, is not to stress about the little things!

My house was messy for at least 3 years straight when my kids were little. I never managed to get a routine down that actually allowed me to get it all done. And I learned the key to it all, was just to get done what I could and not stress about the rest.

On the plus side, I'm 8 years into this motherhood thing (my kids are 8 & 5) and I think I finally have a routine down!

It takes some time. And it tough when they are learning to feed themselves and beginning to crawl or walk. You end up with crumbs on the floor and toys everywhere...it's just the way life is with a young one!

You'll fall into a routine that works, and then life will change again, and you start all over! We were just getting into our school routine...then BAM! Summer vacation!

Just roll with the punches!