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Since I've gone back to work full time two weeks ago, I am losing it. I have a hard time remembering everything that needs to get done for the next day. For example, monday morning I was getting the diaper bag ready for the babysitter's and for the life of me I couldn't remember what I needed to put in it (hint: it's called a diaper bag). I got 3/4 way to work and thought "I didn't put any diapers in the bag!".
I feel like all I do when I get home from work is get ready for the next day! I cook dinner, wash and sterilize bottles, wash and sterlize breast pump accessories, boil water, cool water, make formula, fill bottles. By then it's 8 or 9 and time to get baby bathed and nursed to sleep. Sheesh! How did my mom do it all with 3 and my grandma with 7?
Does anyone have any suggestions on simplifying the routine? Can I boil all the water for the week's bottles on Sunday night and store in the frig covered until I need to mix it with the formula?
Answer:
I don't have any "great" answers. I've done the one where I am in the car and can't remember if I took her bottles out of the diaper bag and put them in the frig at daycare.
When I returned to work, I bought enough of the pumping pieces to get me through two days. She also has enough bottles for that. I pop everything in the dishwasher and run it every couple of days and this reduces the cleanup time every night - however, if you don't have a dishwasher, then this doesn't really help. Since my dishwasher gets so hot it can sanitize and my baby has always been healthy, I don't sterilize everything - maybe thats bad - who knows, but baby doesn't care! Then I always load up the diaper bag with enough extra outfits and diapers for two days, so if I forget or am running low on time, it's no big deal! Also, my DH has gotten into the habit of making dinner or loading the dirty bottles and stuff up at night.
I don't have any answers in regards to boiling water as she isn't eating formula.
Good luck with returning to work. It is a challange and I still haven't quite mastered it but it get easier everyday!
Answer:
I never sterlized my bottles or nipples. I just washed them with hot soap and water, which only took a few minutes.
The first thing I do when I get home is take 15 minutes and lay out everything for the next day. Then I don't have to worry about it the rest of the night and can "relax" if that's possible.
Don't worry about forgetting something. It happens. I forgot the bottles at home a couple of months ago and my dd was 11 months. I had to drive all the way back home to get them and was late for work.
Good luck with returning to work. It does take some adjusting!
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Thanks for the advice! I will see if I can put these ideas into my routine to make it easier.
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I also never have sterilized my bottles or nipples. I have enough bottles to get me through a couple of days and run the dishwasher every couples days. On weekends when I do laundry for the girls I put together their outfits for 1-2 weeks, so all I have to do is grab them from the closet and not have to dig through the drawers. I have the orgainzer that hangs in the closet and its labeled with the day of the week, so I set out the clothes, socks, hair accessories and whatever else they would need. Hope this helps.
Answer:
It takes some time to get adjusted being back to work.
Here are some things I did - hopefully they will help you.
In regards daycare I bought a package of diapers and left them at daycare. I also left extra clothes. THat way all I had to take every morning was a small bag with the bottles. That helped me a lot!
I always bought enough bottles and accesories for 2 days. Like someone else posted, I washed things in warm soapy water, I didn't sterilize bottles or nipples.
As far as cooking meals, my crock pot became my best friend! It will save a lot of evening time if supper is already made when you walk in the door. The cooking forum has lots of great crock pot recipes!
I don't see any harm is boiling water, cooling it and storing in the fridge!
It will get easier!
Answer:
Ask your dr if you need to boil water. We have city water and were told it was fine to mix it with formula the way it was. or else buy jugs of water so you don't have to mess with that. I never sterilized any nipples or bottles. I just washed them in hot soapy water. If you have a dishwasher, put them in there in one of the baskets. Ask your daycare if you can bring a big pack of diapers and wipes and leave extra clothes there. That way you do not have to bring them everyday. She can let you know when more supplies are needed. Plan quick and easy meals. There is nothing wrong with eating grilled cheese sandwiches and such for supper. Also, don't worry so much about your house. Spend an hour on Sat and an hour on Sunday to do all the big tasks.
Answer:
I follow Flylady, well, kinda, with a new baby and 2 other kids in the house I am barely surviving right now! Anyway, I have a list I keep in my notebook with my routines, and it is a diaper bag checklist. Aside from when they were brand new, I have never sterilized the bottles. I buy the gallons of infant water and use that. If I take him to my mom's I have a quart sized Rubbermaid container I put some water into to take for her to use.
If you can take some time once a week to assemble outfits, etc. I also will use a small diaper bag while running short errands, have a regular sized one, and a bigger one for a day or overnight at Grandma's. There is always diaper stuff and burp cloths in each. Then I add the formula/bottles/water and outfit. HTH!