Stir Crazy SAHM ! What to do during the day?

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks SO MUCH for not just flaming me for my laziness. I really appreciate the advice and the sympathizing, as well as the gentle kick in the butt to get up more in the morning. I agree.

Funny how my biggest personal flaw (getting going early, discipline about bedtimes and schedules) just carried over into being a mom. Better face this one now and suck it up! How can I expect my daughter to go to bed on time as she grows up if mom is erratic, too? Time for me to CIO with myself tonight and get to bed on time.

I will definitely look into the mom's group. I'm in Falls Church, if anyone knows of one off-hand.

[Anonymous]

Try Stroller Strides, seriously. Amazing and it will good for you to meet some more moms...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try Stroller Strides, seriously. Amazing and it will good for you to meet some more moms...

xp


What ages are the kids? Expensive?

[Anonymous]

You're doing fine and are perfectly normal.

If $$ weren't an issue, I'd sign up for a baby and mommy class -- Kindermusik is GREAT but costly. There are lots of others. the classes get a lot more interesting when the babies are about 18 months, though. Try to have one thing each day to do to hel pyou have some focus:

Monday : grocery shop
Tues: music "class"
Wednesday: moms group (like a PACE or other group -- at this point it is more for the moms tan the babies, at some point it turns into a play group)
Thursday: errands, doctor's visits
Friday: trip day.

Take your baby on the metro and go see a museum downtown -- those are free so you don't have to worry about getting your money's worth if yo uhave to leave early.

Also some theaters have infant-welcome movies during the day.

Try to enjoy this time, and feel free to be a bit lazy, because it (ahem) does get a little bit harder pretty soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Holy smokes, give a new mom a break! It took me about 3 mo. before I got out of my PJs before supper time.

I don't think anyone was giving her a hard time at all! Most people gave very good suggestions. I am not a SAHM and went back to work at 9wks, but in those first few weeks I felt like I needed more motivation to get up. I went to the Alexandria Hospital new moms group (I think they meet 1x/week). It really helped me to talk to other new moms. Once I started doing that and the dr's appts slowed down, I got motivated and got a ton of stuff done every day. I may have been motivated knowing I was returning to work soon, but there is so much to do around here for SAHMs. I got very frustrated because as a WM I couldn't find many group activities for mom/babies that were in the evenings or weekends so take advantage of all that is offered to SAHMs in this area.

[Anonymous]

Here is the Stroller Strides website. Lots of newborns in the class and fun, but HARD, workout!

http://classes.strollerstrides.net/search.aspx?__utma=1.2237462387175579600.1215438890.1221536049.1224799765.4&__utmb=1.1.10.1224799765&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1224799765.4.3.utmcsr=google|utmccn=(organic)|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=stroller%20stride&__utmv=-&__utmk=178586148

[Anonymous]

I would have lost my mind without my SAH mommy friends! I honestly don't know any happy SAHM's who don't have a good network.

That being said, I don't think you are "behind" or anything - your baby is only nine weeks! Mine is almost 7 months and I just told my husband yesterday that I missed the days where all I did was nurse, nap, and watch tv. But you do get stir crazy! LEAVE the house at least once per day, even if its just the grocery store.

Look into moms groups in your area. Also, the Loudoun public libraries have great mommy/baby programs callled Lapsit and Babygarten. Don't know where you are but I'm guessing yours has something similar and best of all its free!

I met my mommy friends through the hospital where we delivered (support group) but have heard good things about PACE, Meetup, and MOMS Club as well!

Good luck and give it time! Maybe you're cut out for it and maybe you are not, but there is no way you could possible know yet!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Maybe you're cut out for it and maybe you are not, but there is no way you could possible know yet!

I don't know if this is necessarily true for everyone. I had always planned to go back to work and was back fully functioning at 9wks. I LOVED being home with my DD, but I also loved getting back to work. I'm not a work-a-holic by any means, but I really like my job and the people I work with so I couldn't wait to get back into a routine. I was up dressed and at my desk by 630am at 9wks so I could leave earlier than I normally did while still getting my hours in. DH spread his paternity leave out and went back to work p/t so he watched baby most of the day and I came home a little early. That helped me emotionally that she was still in our care before returning to work. By the time she started daycare at 3.5 months I was already back into the swing of things at work so it wasn't a huge transition.

I also crave routine and knowing I was going back to work was an incentive to get baby and I on a routine very early. I admit to having an "easy' baby (we'll see what comes of baby #2 on the way), but I was back on a routine (around baby's needs of course) very, very early on. She also was a good sleeper - 7hrs thru the night by 7 wks - which helped tremendously.

I guess it all depends on your personality - I lean towards type A, but only because I have 2 modes - list-making, motivated, mover-and-a-shaker or lay on the couch, no shower-taking, bum. I'm never somewhere in the middle. You may need to just make plans to get out of the house for certain events each day that will get you motivated.