I just wondered if I'm going to be this knackered for the rest of my life? I'm seriously considering back tracking on the idea of having more children, I can't stay awake to look after one!!

I'm not in any way implying that SAHMs have it easy, far from it, but at least there's the occasional option of a quick snooze at nap time

Life is currently a bit of a slog. Is there some light at the end of the..... ....... *yaaaaawwwnnn* .... ......tunnel?

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...........………

Are you tired because Imogen doesn't sleep or because its just all too much? If its Imogen is there anyone who could take her overnight occasionally.

I have to say (in my three weeks back) that it hasn't been too bad. The one night I was really exhausted Mum took Jamie. I have found the days long as we get up at 6 and we're not back again until 12 hours later. I also tend to have work to do in the evenings and don't want to go down before 10 as then I can feed Jamie again and he might go for three hours.

Hope you're feeling better soon

I work full time too but it seems to be a bit easier now (famous last words!) it took us a while to get in a really good routine i think.

I now do things like get the food shop delivered each week as it saves a few hours, i spent some money on a better super dooper iron that halves the time it takes for ironing, i try to make a casserole/cottage pie at weekends so that i have some stuff in the freezer for easy dinners in the week, I try and do one small job every day as soon as i get in from work, today i vacuumed and mopped the downstairs, tomorrow i'll clean the bathroom etc and this way by the weekend there are hardly any jobs to do so we have lots of time to do things together. We also make sure that we keep one weekend day free just for the 3 of us and do something like take Lily swimming, that has really helped us to feel like we have some nice relaxing time together.

You may already do all of these things and therefore i am no help!

Although not back at work, I've always been either working or uni as mom to rich and it does get easier as they older and more independent, but the worry about childcare never disappears and the battle in your head when they I'll never eases

But the smile when you pick them up from childcare is worth it and time off with them is so precious it kind of takes away a little guilt.

Sorry Hun not much help, but just so you know your not alone x

Not quite the same...but I have Izzy pretty much all the time and I work part time on top of that....and yeh I'm knackered!

As Kate does I now get the shopping delivered as the thought of going shopping is just scary at the moment. Cleaning....well I've been too bloody busy and last weekend it really annoyed me so I blizted the house, and since then I've just made sure I tidy up before bed like I used to, even if I am absolutely knackered - cos it just tends to build up so quickly otherwise.

At the moment until I get Izzy in at nursery I have her 12 hours a day at least, then I work nap times and at least 3 nights of the week and all day on one day of the weekend...so not geting much down time at the moment.

I usually do mon-wed but I did full-time for a couple of weeks at startvof September and it was do hard. The house was minging and we were all running out of clean knickers. I'd leave the house at 8am and didn't get home til 6ish and then it was all about Ellie, giving her her tea and bathing her etc by the time we got our tea it was 8.30pm and then it was load the dishwasher, sort the cats out and packing ellies bag for the next day. Not to mention taxi-ing Paul back and to from footy and rugby practice!!!!

I had to spend the whole weekend washing and cleaning!!

i work between 24-36 hours a week nights and have kids bar 2 hours after a nightshift permanently.... and yes so far, im always knackered....

x

Niccsy wrote:

i work between 24-36 hours a week nights and have kids bar 2 hours after a nightshift permanently.... and yes so far, im always knackered....

x

Oooh nics that must be so hard, I take my hat off to you!!

Thanks for your speedy replies ladies.

We have had some unsettled nights recently which isn't helping, maybe that's why I'm feeling a bit down. We seem to have illnesses then just get back into a routine in time for the next one!

We've just decided to have a bit of a reshuffle to try to free up the weekends, so I pop to the Market Thursday morning before work now and dom does asda one evening in the week. I think we do need to go back to doing that bit on line, but I would keep the Market shop because the savings are great!

In theory we cook every night but in reality we can't be bothered and have take-away far too often! I like the idea of using the slow cooker more though, I only one good recipe, ought to improve on that.

We do keep threatening to send Imogen away for a sleepover, but haven't actually done it so far. She's got quite clingy and I'm too much of a softy!

Obviously there is no miracle cure but I Blimey I wish there was! Thanks for your support anyhow... I'm off to crawl into my pig now! x

Em, try getting a 'one pot' recipe book.... I have one in the kitchen, cant remember which http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=one+pot+recipe+book&x=12&y=20

Ooh more replies while I was writing!

Niccsy you do night shift at work then day shift with kids.... How???!!!

You mummies are all just amazing and I am clearly inferior to you all xxxx

Blimey crawling into your pig, you must be knackered

it's all about getting yourself in a good routine that works for you, everything is ready for the morning the night before to make it easier, we have half an hour after Chloe goes to bed where we both run round and clean up so it never gets too bad. I tend to cook as I'm in first and Matt washes up, I don't do ironing in bulk, I just donut as it's needed. We try and keep up with housework during the week so we don't have to spend the weekend doing it and can relax and we take it in turns to have a lie in so that helps with exhaustion. You'll get there in the end xx

I do 22 hours a week then have college for 3 hours twice a week and i am also an Avon representative.

Like the ladies have said it routine and getting things prepped for the days ahead. I just love the thought of having a stable income every month and to get what i want for me or Noah.
Regards to the cleaning of the house once a week we both would just blast the whole house. I do all the clothes washing and OH takes the dog out the majority of the time.
We manage to do the kitchen and living room everyday. We tend to go shopping in the week when we are both off saves a bit of time. Even though everyday seems to be manic.
Char

Blimey crawling into your pig, you must be knackered

I work alternate shifts to Rob so we organise childcare around both our hours, we only need childminder twice a week. It does mean being up at half five to be at work for 7, but then i have the rest of the afternoon, unless im on a split shift, in which case i have to be back later to work a dinner shift. It can get tiring if you don't get a good nights sleep, and to be honest I don't know how mums who work 9-5 do it, as I'm sure thats more tiring than shift work :/ x

I am like a lunatic everyday. I get up at 6am to get myself ready then at 6.45 I start shouting the kids to get ready. We leave about 7.40am. Take Eoin to the childminder, Siobhan to nursery and the other 2 and me to school. Teach all day and then try and get some school stuff out of the way before we leave school. Pick up Siobhan and Eoin and home to start tea at 5pm. I am starting to fall behind in the paperwork from school and it getting to me. Also, Eoin still wakes every night. I feel like a robot at the moment.

OMG Shell, I feel exhausted just reading that!! You're like superwoman xx

Yes I promise it does get easier.

I still have some days when I think "I cannot work 40 hours a week and everything else on top of it" but most of the time its ok.

Im a super organised person though and have changed the rotas in work to kinda suit me better - we used to work a different shift everyday now I have it set shifts so if I start late all week then I make plans to sort things I need to - doctors apps etc in the morning.

me and oh make it work between us. we both share the nursery runs depending on my shifts. he makes dinner, I do shopping. we spend sunday as our family days either lazy day in the house or out somewhere nice. He does all hannahs baths while I do bedtime as Im better at it.

and also set aside at least 3 nights a week when Im in bed early. even if I read until 12 Im still resting

xx