SAHM to one under one ,current and prior

[barnabee]

Just curious for those currently or previously with one very young LO , how do you fill your time?

[Leapinglizards]

I have a 6 month old. I work out with another SAHM every day. I make a list of chores for the week. Library time is every week. When it's warm we go for walks or to the playground. Honestly the hours go by quicker then you think. My LO also doesn't sleep so sometimes I try to nap with her

[namastebiotches]

Honestly, when he was that young I watched a lot of TV & napped when he did. We were on lockdown for a few months during flu/RSV season so we stood home a lot.

[caybeh]

Yeah, I watched a lot of TV and napped. We did go run errands or met other SAHM friends at the mall and walked. Once they get mobile, life gets busier.

[isolemnlyswear]

I have a 6 month old. It's hard to get out because our weather in the Midwest isn't very baby friendly. But I try to keep up on laundry and other household stuff. I go to a mom's play group every Thursday that is a couple hours. DD doesn't nap well, only three 30 minute naps a day. So I really don't have a lot of non baby time....

[penguin129]

I watched tv, did a lot of bumping, and pinterest. I was DD's human bed for most of her first year so I was bound to a chair several times a day. My nook came in handy. I did the housework when she was awake.

[mrsmuq]

A lot of naps. And coffee houses with friends who also had non-mobile LOs.

[thechickencoop]

Uuuuggghhh the first year was AWFUL. I mean, not to be dramatic, but I was so bored. So, so bored. And I slept as much as I could when we were home.

I did try to get out every day (like, for the first half of the day) because otherwise I was going crazy. So there was usually one day that was errands - Target, Walmart, Post Office, and the like, one day was library story time, one for grocery shopping, a day to visit my parents, and like, a day for a playdate (once we made other friends), or another errand day.

The afternoons were usually when I would get crap done around the house and get dinner prepped. But yea, it was really hard for me at first because I struggled with PPD and H has sometimes crazy work hours so it took a while to get in a groove. I wish I would have joined a gym sooner though, that would have been a great option.

[gwapes]

TB, WoW, read, pinterest

[nolemomma14]

DS is 6 months and I just started getting out more. First 6 months was a lot of trying to catch up on sleep, and finding our new normal.

We have a pretty decent routine now so it's easier to get out and do stuff. I joined a moms workout group. Let's me exercise and get out of the house to socialize with other moms and DS gets to interact with other LOs. We do a swim class once a week. I would like to go to the library for story time more often, now that he's getting older. Errands fill a good portion of our day. Then there's all of the housework that needs to get done at some point!

[LizInFL]

DS is 13 months old; days fly by now. When he was born, we were living in the midwest and the weather was terrible, so we stayed indoors a lot, but I still took him out for errands if it was halfway decent out. Our daily routine was something like this (with lots of nursing thrown in).
Wake-up, breakfast, nap (shower for Mom), bath/change clothes, tummy time, lunch, nap, playtime or errands, nap, dinner, bedtime routine

Now that he's older (and we live in a warmer climate), we spend lots of time outside on walks, trips to the playground, or just playing in our own yard. I think DS would live outside if we'd let him. He'll play in the family room while I do housework or putter in the kitchen. Meal times take up big blocks of time, especially once they start feeding themselves. DS is still taking 2 naps a day so I use that time to get my own shower, do housework, etc. We do errands almost daily; we're in a weekly playgroup that meets on Fridays. I'd like to start doing story time at the library. We'll meet up with my mom once or twice a week and do stuff together, even if it's just a few errands. It's nice to have a partner-in-crime sometimes:)

[bakingbetty]

Had many friends in my neighborhood SAH with their first so we met up every day: walks, coffee shops, on errands, and each others houses. And not for the babies. For us!

I also joined a gym with excellent childcare and got my fitness on every afternoon.

Anything to be around other people!

[Deleted]

Jan 19, 2015 21:54:00 GMT -5 thechickencoop said:

Uuuuggghhh the first year was AWFUL. I mean, not to be dramatic, but I was so bored. So, so bored. And I slept as much as I could when we were home.

I did try to get out every day (like, for the first half of the day) because otherwise I was going crazy. So there was usually one day that was errands - Target, Walmart, Post Office, and the like, one day was library story time, one for grocery shopping, a day to visit my parents, and like, a day for a playdate (once we made other friends), or another errand day.

The afternoons were usually when I would get crap done around the house and get dinner prepped. But yea, it was really hard for me at first because I struggled with PPD and H has sometimes crazy work hours so it took a while to get in a groove. I wish I would have joined a gym sooner though, that would have been a great option.

I agree, the first year was pretty boring and lonely for me also. I used to work retail, so I was used to working and getting out of the house almost everyday. After S was born, I was finding reasons to go to the store just to get out of the house (this is coming from someone who absolutely hates to shop). I would take her to Barnes & Noble and the library for story time. I also got a membership to the zoo and would meet up with a friend and her dd, just to have some adult interaction. I also found myself face timing my family a lot since I live about 16 hours away from them. I will also add that my house was also a lot cleaner before S started walking...it's amazing how it takes me an hour to clean a room and about 10 minutes for her to destroy it. 

[kendy20]

I have an 8 month old. DH and I are sharing a car now that I'm not working. Bad idea selling our other car. We get out generally once during the week for story time at the library and then on the weekends we go shopping. Other than that I clean when DD is napping or I'll do some quick chores while she's awake. I try to take a nap with her everyday since she still wakes up 2-3 times a night.

[BostonKisses]

I spent a lot of time on TB and an off board, especially when we were under lockdown for RSV season.

[mrss87]

I'm lucky my parent and siblings all live a few minutes from us. Several times a week we go to my parents or sister's house just to hang out. I also have a girlfriend who has a baby a week younger than DS. We've met up for lunch a few times and are going to start story time at the library this week and swim lessons in a couple months. Otherwise it's naps and cleaning/laundry until H gets home!

[samsi]

SAHM of one 7 month old. I'm also taking college classes, my current one is accelerated (a regular 15 week course with only 20 days to complete it so that fills a bit of time while Zach is playing alone. Nap time #1 is straightening up, more school, phone calls I need to make etc. Nap 2 is my time to do with what I want.

I try to get out a few times a week, I have a moms group that is primarily for people with younger kids (5 and under) that meets twice a month that has childcare so Zach can play with kids, and I can have hot coffee. We also do grocery shopping and other errands between naps. We went out a lot more when it was warmer, and int he spring I plan on taking him with me for daily walks.

Some days I feel like I've played every game, changed a ton of diapers, and exhausted myself only to see it is only 9am. Other days it is smooth sailing and 6pm before I know it.

[masonjar]

My LO is a terrible sleeper. I nap when he naps and attempt to keep my head above the water with chores. We watch too much TV, but it happens.

[isolemnlyswear]

Jan 20, 2015 9:30:54 GMT -5 @daisyblinks said:

DH stayed home with DS when he was a baby and spent his time learning a dead language. He is a huge nerd that way. I probably would have just lazed around all day every day.

This would have been my DH if he stayed home. He has been working on Latin for the last year haha.

[babygsmommy]

lots of naps when he napped. It was awesome! Once they ae mobile, its a completely different ball game. Enjoy getting all the errands, chores and cooking done now. Once they are on the move, its a lot harder to get things done

[beckyrosen]

I'm new to the SAHM thing. I wasn't able to SAH when I has DS (he's now 11) because I was a single mom and had to work. I'm married now and we decided prior to the pregnancy that I will stop working when we have a baby. Well my baby is now 6 weeks and it's weird to me to be home so much. I love it and I'm finally getting some things done around the house that I wasn't able to before (I was working full time and pursuing my Masters).

Like some PP's I have been home a lot (took our first walk with the stroller yesterday). I'm checking out this thread to get ideas from the rest of you.

[strawberrytree]

Lots of naps here too...man I miss that. Lots of bumping and fb posting when my bmb moved there. We joined a baby group at our local library and I started taking him there once a week. Once I discovered our pool's parent tot swims we did that sometimes too. I tried joining some local mom groups but didn't really find a group I clicked with until he was older.

[masonjar]

I'm jealous of all the community resources you all have. I live in a rural area and we have next to nothing. I found story time at the library, but it's only for toddler age kiddos.

[maroongolf]

I loved staying home with a baby. I had plenty of time to nap, read, etc. Shopping was easy. It was awesome and it really spoiled me. It is not like that now.

[gibrown]

I'm glad to see it gets more fun as they get older. My LO is 3.5 months and I feel like all I do is sit on the couch. I find it hard to get things done around the house...she is never content for long.

[bobcat]

When I first got pregnant and knee I would be staying home with baby, I told myself I'd try to do the following each day:

1) exercise my body
2) exercise my mind
3) do something enjoyable for myself
4) do something enriching/fun with baby
5) clean something

Haha! So naïve! Now I try to pick two! But to be fair, some activities can double count. I'm 4 months in, so maybe I'll get more productive.

[LizInFL]

beckyrosen congrats on the new baby! She is beautiful!

[kat5040]

DD is 5-and-a-half months old and now that she's settled into a routine (somewhat) it's a lot easier to get out of the house. We go to Strong Start (which is like a playgroup/preschool. It's run by the ministry of education and it's awesome), swimming once a week with some other moms and babies that we know, and story-time at the library. Sometime we run errands to, but I try to get the grocery shopping done on Sundays when FI is home so I don't have to drag DD with me.

At home I occupy myself with the housework and cooking dinner mostly. I've been trying to get us to eat healthier so I've been trying out a bunch of new recipes. I'm also taking a medical transcription course so that eats up some time.

[NandaB]

When I had one baby I would hold him for hours and gaze lovingly at him. Wed go to target or the mall and walk around. I'd lay on the floor with him and "play"....

[mrslka]

I already SAH when DAs1 was born so I had a bit of a routine to start with. But the first few months with him was mostly adjusting to having a baby. I watched a lot of TV, when he was napped I would sometime nap, excerise, clean the house, prep food, or do some sewing. He was a spring baby so I was able to go for walks everyday.