r/MomsWorkingFromHome

hi moms! I WFH with my 10 month old daughter and I’m really not doing well. Up to this point I’ve survived with really no help at all, but my baby girl is walking all over the place and my stress level is through the roof. I have to work until the end of the year to tie up some loose ends, but I’m constantly feeling so behind on everything. I feel like I can’t be present with my daughter but I’m also behind at work and right now is our busiest season. last night I stayed up from 2-4am just stressing about work then I stressed more because with a baby any sleep is precious. I’ve started anxiety meds but it’s not enough. I feel like I have nothing left to give and keep having panic I attacks. is anyone else in this situation or have any advice of how I can get work done with her running around? I feel so alone and miserable. I love my daughter with everything but my situation has strained every other part of my life. I barley feel like I can’t make it day by day.

Hello! Would love some advice! I’m a FTM and I go back to work in about a week. My spouse and I are planning on watching our 12 week old ourselves with a goal until January. We both work remote out of the home (him 100% fully). I am out of the house for a few hours a 1-2 days a week but I can set that schedule most of the time unless I have an in person meeting which I know about in advance.

My question is do you think we’ll be able to watch our child ourselves? Our meetings don’t usually overlap, maybe one, and our Mondays and Fridays are not too busy. We’ve also been following moms on call and while the naps are not always perfect we are able to put him down in his crib or contact nap if we need a longer stretch (in carrier if needed).

I just think it’s crazy to go drop off our child at daycare in the beginning of cold and flu season and then come home and we’re both home. I have family also saying it doesn’t make financial sense to get a nanny even part time for one child.

I also have my best friend’s mom who says she’s willing to watch him (she’s retired) but I don’t want to take that for granted and feel like I’m abusing that.

Should we do part time daycare? Full time? Nanny or mother’s helper? Have my best friend’s mom watch some days? Would love any and all suggestions!

To start, YES my work knows I’m WFH 8-1 with my 17 month old and they are ok with it.

Today is the second (successful) day we did WFH together!! It was a little challenging but overall fun and I have ideas and new activities to try next week. I wanted to share a few things that worked for us for anyone else on this adventure:

1. Go outside FIRST THING. We start our morning with outside time! Whether it’s 30 minutes or an hour, we get out. He runs around, watches animals, eventually gets hungry so we go in for breakfast.

2. Hiding small pieces of snack in a cupcake tin and covering every hole with an upside down cupcake holder. It’s a fun hide and seek snack game and kept him occupied for a little bit! He was thrilled every time he found a snack

3. Covered our coffee table in paper and let him color with crayons, no worries on coloring the table because it’s covered.

4. Gave him a roll of painters tape?…he literally played with it for like..20-30 minutes! Rolling it around, pulling off a long piece and feeling it being sticky.

5. Took his crib mattress out and laid it down below the couch with a bunch of pillows surrounding (imagine a ball pit but with pillows and a mattress big enough to be VERY safe, calm down) and let him roll around and “jump” off the couch onto it.

A lot of this stuff I set up early too. So i did the snacks while he ate breakfast and didn’t give him that activity until he was bored and hungry later. I covered the table with paper first thing too. I plan on going out and buying more little things for him to do: pipe cleaners so he can weave them into a colander/strainer, aqua books, play doh etc.

It’s not too hard. Yes I do a little bit of screen time if I have a bigger project come across my desk, but I keep it to once a day and 30 minutes AT THE MOST.

Some low stimulation show recommendations:

1. Twirly Woos
2. Bluey
3. ANYTHING on PBS Kids

Hi all! I’m looking for suggestions on how to optimize my WFH set up.

I’ve had this remote job for over 8 years now. With my first baby, two years ago, I was able to take my full 12 weeks mat leave. When I returned to work, my husband and I split shifts of working and taking care of the baby, until we hired a nanny around 9 months old.

This time around, that arrangement is not feasible. My husband’s job has become a lot more demanding. And I really couldn’t do more than 2 weeks of leave. So I’m back at it, and I’m starting to realize that my current WFH set up is not working for me. I usually work in my home office with my laptop and 2 extra monitors. My toddler has a nanny that comes daily to look after him at my home. I’m not ready to hand over my newborn to the nanny yet, so I’m trying to figure out how best to work with my baby next to me.

What are/ were your essentials for working from home with a newborn? How did you make it work? How did you stay sane? It could be anything, I’m just looking for any advice I can get. Thank you!!

I work from home and I am so sick during my 1st trimester. I have been moving meetings around so I can sleep in. I’m totally exhausted. I’m doing the work required but I’m behind on non critical emails and some projects. I haven’t told my manager yet because it’s still early - 10 weeks. I’m so afraid I’ll get in trouble.

I used to want to get promoted but now I just want to survive this and not get fired. This is a great job and is so accommodating of working parents (i have a 2 year old). I feel so bad for slacking.