Tips for doing housework with baby

Riley used to do a couple of 2 hour plus naps a day including one that was from 4-6pmish a great time for getting dinner ready (and it didn't used to interfere with his bedtime as discussed in another thread). With those naps I used to be able to keep on top of the dishes and laundry, cook dinner and shower every other day.

Now he is getting more mobile and napping for shorter times and I need to try and work out how to do things. Also, I have been relying on commercial baby food but need to start doing more homemade to save money - have no idea how to fit that in.

I put him in an ergo on my back today and he tolerated that for 30-40 minutes while I managed to clean up the kitchen but the laundry is still languishing. I have a separate kitchen and I have tried putting him down on the floor to play there but he doesn't like it.

What are your tips for getting housework done while wrangling the bubs?

Any tips for how you get things done

If I have a load of washing to do it gets put on after we are showered.

During Alex's first nap I zip around and tidy bedrooms which is only fixing up beds and grabbing any clothes on the floor etc. Same with the bathroom. Then tidy up the living area. I've learnt to do this all quickly. Then shove the washing out on the line or clothes horse. Plus any other random bits and pieces. That takes about 45mins.

For dinner I prep that in the afternoon so that I just have to throw it in the oven etc. We all eat between 5-5:30 because thats when Daniel is hungry as. And DH reheats it when he gets home from work.

And our bath routine starts at 6, in bed at 7. Both boys out to it by 730 at the latest

Most of our housework is done in the evenings and weekends, I do the necessities (keep bench tidy, meal prep, vacuuming, washing etc) when Jae is asleep around lunchtime as she gets into anything when my back is turned

A lot of it is putting things in their place as I go around the house... so for e.g if I'm going through the lounge to the kitchen, I'll pick up anything I go past and chuck it in/on whatever it should be on, that way the house LOOKS tidy, so noone would know I hadnt done much in the way of housework

I do heaps of housework at night too, once the kids were in bed tonight, and our dinner was cooking I zipped round with the vacuum cleaner and did some cleaning.
And this morning, I did somewhile they were having breakfast, as I had left it all last night cos I was too tired lol

I used to put Jack in the Jolly Jumper while I cooked dinner, I would try and prep as much as I could during his afternoon nap. I tried the same when Ben was little.

We use clothes horses (no clothesline ) so I hang the washing out inside and then take it outside to dry. The boys play with some of the pegs while I hang out the washing.

Is your son eating finger foods? Pop him in the highchair with some food while you do some chores in the kitchen.

I would highly recommend BLW, I did it with Ben and didn't have to make any baby food which was great.
I would just add an extra potato or 2 to the pot when you make dinner and use that for baby food. Same with other foods, just make a little extra for dinner and freeze it.

We cook and eat dinner once DS is in bed (so quick meals usually) and most other things I try to do either while he naps, in the evenings or weekends. I can't vacuum while he sleeps though and up until this week he'd cry when I turned it on so I either had to hold him or have him in the sling or do it really quickly while DH gave him a bath. But this week he's decided he doesn't mind it so I zipped around the main living area while he played.   I used to put him in the JJ sometimes to give the kitchen a quick tidy up too and he sits outside and plays with the pegs in the peg basket while I hang out washing.

No, I'm totally liking the cleaner idea.

I think I was having a particularly hard day today as he didn't nap for very long and would hardly play by himself. Lots of grumps and lots of cuddles required.

I did give him some steamed broccolli florets and bits of toast while he was in his high chair and while he got a bit grumpy after a while I managed to get the prep for dinner done. Yay.

I often wonder the same thing Isaacsmum, but I think some babies do just sleep heaps and those Mum's have the time to do heaps - or maybe they're more efficient or it bothers them more

My DD2 only naps for 40 mins a time during the day so I appreciate your problem.

I prep for dinner after breakfast (chop veges, work out the details etc) and try and do the breakfast dishes and clean up during the first little sleep. I'll chuck on the laundry at this time too (sometimes I'll do loads of laundry late at night so they are ready to hang out in the morning).

I would put DD1 in the highchair if I was doing something in the kitchen so she could watch me.

Get DP/DH to do a 'five min tidy up' just before dinner. You can get a fair amount cleaned away in five mins and makes you feel a bit more relaxed for dinner.

If your DP?DH is home during the weekend do one big cook up a week. I would make a huge roast on Sunday nights. The meat would be used for sandwiches during the day and I would freeze slices for soap. The bone from the meat got made into stock. I cooked extra veges so tended to either have roast veges again the next night, or do something like put them into a salad with couscous. I make up big servings of lasanga then freeze them in single serves.

And if you didn't quite get around to making dinner that day...then your DH can either make it or buy it himself. Sometimes it is really hard, and you just do not have enough time.

I tend to have the same plan each day - some times it works, other times it doesnt.

7am get up, make bed, open all curtains, put load of washing on
730-830 DD wakes up, breakfast for both of us then usually go and help DH do some things on the farm
930 DD in bed - run around house like mad woman - hang washing, put another load on, clean kitchen, dishwasher on, tidy dining area, tidy lounge, shower, get something out for dinner then its a whatever is the priority (vacumn & mop, bathroom & toilets, sweep garage etc). 5 minutes to myself (usually on OB haha)
1200 DD wakes up, food, play. May hang another load of washing out when DH comes in for lunch
230pm DD back to bed - clean kitchen AGAIN, more washing (get in, hang out, more on), tidy up toys etc, fold washing if any, dinner prep (peel potatos etc) then I get time for ME!!!
430pm DD wakes - play, feed, bath routine with sorting our dinner in between. Sometimes wander down the farm if time or if DD wakes early.
7pm DD in bed, dinner finished and eat, tidy lounge etc, ANOTHER load of washing on, kitchen clean, finish folding washing if any.

Usually, if ive kept on top of it I can sit down and do nothing with DH by about 8pm.

Like I say though, doesnt always go to plan and even then, the house still looks like a bomb has hit it most days and I can never seem to catch up with the washing