My days off during the week I find it very hard to get myself ready in the morning w/o my husband to watch my 5 month old son. I end up waiting around all morning for him to nap so I can get ready which I hate. He needs constant attention when he's up and wants to be held if he see's me. I would to start getting out earlier now that summers here but I'm also the type of person who likes to blow dry my hair and put on make up before I leave the house. Any suggestions??
Thanks for the very helpful replies! I know he does not need to be held but the tantrums make me so frazzled after a while and I would love for him to just be happy on his own so I can have a min. to myself. My husband watches him for a half hour in the mornings when I have to work and I would rather not ask him to watch him on the days that I don't work this way he can sleep later. The baby and I are up way before him.
Try to give him some toys or a baby swing- I used mine when I showered. He will get used to it. My oldest was tough too but I had to shower. He will get better! Good luck
M.
http://www.WorkingGreenMoms.com
I am sorry but you are going to have to cut that out. He need to learn how to entertain himself sometimes. You can't let his universe revolve around you. You are the adult and you are letting the child have all the control. He doesn't notice it too much now maybe but he certainly will later on and use it to his advantage. Children need to learn how to play by themselves also and not look to you for everything. You want your son to have some independence right. I play with my daughters but they can also go in their room and play with their baby dolls. They will watch cartoons or play a game with each other. That is certainly a relief to me after working all day that I can take a moment and relax. Good luck.
I know he's still young but he needs to also learn that he can't be held all the time. Try putting him in an exersaucer right outside the shower and play peekaboo with him behind the curtain. Some babies actually like the sound of the hair dryer. Talk/sing to him while you are drying your hair and putting on makeup.
If that doesn't work could you get ready while your husband is still there in the morning?
Hope this helps. Good luck!
I didn't have the option of hubby watching my daughter while I got ready because my hubby was on the road a lot and it was just daughter and me.
Your baby is still young and learning habits....some good, some bad.... he really does not "NEED" to be held all the time...he WANTS it...who wouldn't?
When I was in that situation, I had a bouncy seat or big quilt, closed the door to the bathroom (we have a large bathroom) and she played either in the bouncy seat or had tummy time. She could see me in the shower and I could watch her.
Get some toys and let him enjoy tummy/play time while you get ready.
Also, kudos to you for caring evough to get up and get yourself ready every morning. I see a lot of moms who seem to not care about that after baby and our husbands want to see us as the hot wife they married as well as mom of their child. I can't function well until I am cleaned up, dressed for the day and ready to go... it just helps my overall attitude. Congratulations on your baby.
- get up before he does and get ready
- leave him in his crib until you're finished
- bring his bouncy seat or saucer into the bathroom with you while you get ready
I am a single mother of a now 4 year old little boy, so I had to figure how to do all those things without anyone's help. To that end, I remember telling people that one of the biggest things I learned having become a parent is:
1) How to do everything with one hand! (holding my son in the other)
2) How to do everything at warp speed! (if I wasn't holding him and he was not happy about it - lol)
3) And in some cases, how to do things with one hand AND at warp speed!
I remember those days fondly. :)
I will just reiterate what most of the other mom's said - use an exersaucer/bouncy seat/bumbo seat/etc. right by the door, talk to your son, play games with him, play kid friendly music, basically just try to entertain him the best you can while you apply your make up and fix your hair at lightning speed!
Getting up before my son to get ready was never an option for me. I relished every second of sleep I got, as my son was a non-sleeper, but that would be worth considering if you are getting adequate sleep otherwise.
Best of luck. These days pass all too quickly.
I am not getting why you cannot shower and get ready. You put him in
his crib with a toy or put him in a bouncy seat outside the shower. If he
wants to be held every time he sees you, you need to break that or you
will b e a slav e to your baby.If you cannot get ready now, what will you
do when he starts to walk?
I cant stand getting up earlier than I have to, so I shower at night.
My son is almost 8 now but the when he was younger and I needed to get ready for work. I would bring in the porta crib and put him in that or his bouncy seat - depending on how mobile your child is. Our master bath was in our bedroom and I would set him up with a video or DVD on and then jump in the shower with the door open so he could hear me...then get ready that way. You will need to give him some time to soothe or occupy himself so you don't have to constantly entertain or hold him. Good luck.
You have some good suggestions feed him in the morning change his clothes get him ready for an outing then focus on you put him in a safe place his crib swing play pin get your shower done then you can let him out for tummy time while you blow dry your hair put on makeup or not get him out and finish what you need to do to go out all of this can be done i'm a sahm of 3 it is hard at times.Interact with him sing rhyme talk ask questions it doesn't matter baby is listening to your voice and it is soothing at the same time knowing the world around him other than mommies arms.Don't wait that makes things worse I know i'm still there at times then your in a rush and forget why you left the house or something that you needed from the store.Maybe your hesitating to go out on days off and want to be home to get some time for yourself unwind and relax.What happens on the days you have to work how do you shower, hair blow dried, makeup on?
Easy solution--get up and get ready before he wakes up. That always worked best for us. Good luck!
Think ahead of exactly what routine you will need to get ready with your son and try to execute it exactly everyday.
I put my daughter in the exersaucer outside the bathroom door pulled over to where she could see me (our bathroom was small). I also put the tv on in our bedroom on some pbs cartoons. It was the only tv she watched and most of the time with it being across the room, she didn't watch it, but liked listening to the kid voices and music.
If you do the same routine every morning, he will learn what is coming next and what to expect. He will more than likely learn that Mom will be done soon and he will get to read books with her after she is done (or something he really likes).
Good luck! It is do-able. Just sing aloud to him or play peek-a-boo with the curtain to get him through the showering part of it (even if he is crying).
Just lie him on the floor with a few toys around him or put a Baby Einstein video on. My 5 month old looooves those videos. I know what you mean, it's so hard to look decent with kids. I don't know how some moms walk around looking perfect, they must have nannies!
Sometimes I shower at night and blowdry my hair, that way all I need in the a.m. is a quick do with the hair straightener. Invest in a good shower cap (they sell GOOD ones online) so that you don't have to wash your hair every day.
Lynsey
