[Mrs.aLifeofReilly]

My son is 2 weeks old and I work from home. I don't have a lot of work to do all the time, but when I do have a project to complete, it really has to be done on time. In the last few days DS won't let me put him down when he falls asleep. I carry him around when he's awake, and I'm BFing, but once he falls asleep I'd like to be able to get my work done.

The moment I lay him down (doesnt' matter where) he wakes up and starts crying. I ordered a sling, but it hasn't arrived yet. Any ideas for the meantime?

 

[User101]

Holy crow, he's just two weeks old? And you're back to work already? Is there any chance at all you can take a little time off, mama? Not just for your baby's sake, but for your own as well?

 

[sarbear]

Well, not to scare you, but if he wakes up now...

Be prepared that it may be difficult to get a lot of time apart from baby to get things done in the coming weeks and months. Wearing baby could help a lot though, assuming your ds likes being in the sling. If not, you could always try a wrap as he gets older... my ds didn't like the sling much but loves being in the wrap since he is more upright.
Be patient, you will find your groove I'm sure, but don't expect it to happen right away.

 

[pinksprklybarefoot]

Man, at 2 weeks I still had my butt parked on the sofa nursing and watching Law & Order reruns 24/7.

It took about a month before I was ready to attempt getting anything done. And even then it was slow going until he was at least 2 months.

It's hard to give you advice without knowing exactly what type of work you are doing. If it is computer work, I can tell you the DS has spent quite a few naps on the boppy, boob within reach while I lurked around MDC.

I also second the the babywearing. It is really the only way I can get tasks where I have to move around done.

 

[Herausgeber]

Quote:

Originally Posted by annettemarie Holy crow, he's just two weeks old? And you're back to work already? Is there any chance at all you can take a little time off, mama? Not just for your baby's sake, but for your own as well?

:

When DD was that age, I was sleeping right along with her.

 

[Carley]

Neighbors? Kids on summer break = Mothers Helpers? Family? Nanny?

 

[sugarlumpkin]

I agree with the PP who said maybe you should take some time off for yourself. You can make yourself very ill if you push yourself too soon, you know. I am still recovering from pneumonia because I pushed myself too hard: did not sleep enough.

I also agree that baby wearing is great! I have a sling (which I never did like) and 2 mei tais I made myself (check out www.thebabywearer.com for more info on any of these things). My baby loved to sleep in the mei tai (he still does). I started using a mei tai when he was about 8-9 weeks.

 

[Mrs.aLifeofReilly]

I guess I'll have to hope and pray that the sling gets here soon and that he likes it.

I would have liked to take some time off, but that wouldn't have worked out well. I fill jewelry orders for a bridal store, so I work whenever a customer orders something. Not working for a few months would have left them in the lurch as they wouldn't have any jewelry to sell. I have cut back (not taking any special orders) but this is the busy season.

So part of the time I'm working on the computer ordering supplies, and the other part I'm working at my bench creating the jewelry. I can do the ordering with him no problem, it is the actual creating that I need both hands for

My mother is here today to help out and she's holding him while he sleeps and I am working, but I certainly need to learn to do this on my own!

 

[VOBetz]

I'm not sure what you are trying when you do try to put him down... but Emma seems to have the same problem. I wait a little longer to put her down, keep her wrapped in her blanket and put her in the swing. (I know some mom's don't approve of such equipment, but its working for us) She won't consent to being laid flat... perhaps a tummy issue, I don't know. She does fine at night laying down.

And wearing her will probably help a lot... except if you need both hands, I might recommend something like a wrap or mei tai. I try to wear Emma on my back when I am getting work done. For me its housework, though. You could wear him on the front when working with your hands, but I find that I'm more comfortable with her on my back.

 

[User101]

Once you get the sling, this might help--I know if I wear Daniel to sleep and then lift the sling over my head and lay him down in the basinette, he'll stay asleep. If he falls asleep in arms and I lay him down, he wakes up.

Does your mom live near you? Could you enlist her help for the next few weeks?

 

[Jude Rose]

I sell jewelry too and this is my busy season as well. I took a pseudo-sabbatical off of work. There will be more work when we're ready and babies don't wait. I for sure wasn't doing any work until 6-8 weeks. Then I started to take tiny little orders. It's really worked to my advantage, having people realize how rare my pieces are (perfect supply/demand example).

I understand that the brides will get married and need stuff now, but honestly, my advice is to take nothing for now and very very little for awhile. There's always more brides.
We're 4 1/2 months now and I'm still very careful about what I choose to do. And yes, I would LOVE to have the money, but mama needs sleep to be good at her new fulltime job.

 

[carnalcindd]

I did the same thing as you. I didn't take any time off work when my ds was born (7 weeks now), and I work from home. He won't let me put him down either. I can usually type with him on my lap on the boppy. The sling will help A LOT; my son loves it and sleeps for hours in it, so I can get most things done.

 

[nhplantlady]

My DS did not like lying flat. If I put him in his carseat after falling asleep he usually stayed asleep. Best of luck!

 

[maliceinwonderland]

Someone may have already said this, but there was a couple weeks, somewhere around week 2-4 that I could swaddle ds and put him down and he'd stay asleep for awhile. I also put him in his stroller because it's slightly inclined and he seemed to sleep better if he was in a slight upright position. Oh, and put him down so his head is the last thing that touches the surface. That alone has done wonders for me putting ds down. (And whoever posted that a couple weeks ago in another thread, THANK YOU! I LOVE YOU!)

 

[midwestmeg]

Hey now! It is difficult to work with kids but I've done it- twice! With my first I went back to my swim team, with my second we went back to the office after a week. Did I love it? No. But did I feel like I needed to? Yes. And it worked out just fine.

Here's what I do with a new baby at work- the sling!!

I have a good ole Maya ring sling that I love. It can kind of swallow a newborn, though. Baby #1 liked to be lying down, baby #2 likes the newborn front carry (facing you). Teach them the sling when you aren't working, so you aren't trying to do it WHILE you try to work.

I also rocked a cradle by my computer with my foot, for doing my swim club paperwork while I was at home. Worked!

Use your partner- I would have dh take the baby for an hour after dinner and squeeze in a little more paperwork.

With this baby, I returned to an office where they were happy to have me; even with the boy! He was a fussy baby, so I wore him a lot and just planned on taking a lot of breaks. It takes twice as long to get the work done, but it gets done!

I also use a pack n play for baby to have a safe place to sleep. But at a few weeks, mine didn't like to be set down! So the sling or try a baby bjorn. Walk/pat/jiggle baby to sleep and go back to work.

Good luck! Meg

PS: My kids like a pacifier and I will say that it helps a lot when you are working. I know that if my attention was just on them 24/7 I wouldn't use a paci as much- maybe at all. But when you need your kids to be patient (and they'll take it) a paci is nice. Although no paci for the first month- 6 weeks though; you want breastfeeding to be well established.

 

[lolar2]

All of you who say to use the sling-- are you saying that your DC let you sit down and work when they are in the sling? DS doesn't allow that; he only sleeps while I am walking around in it or at least standing, and when I sit down he wakes up and starts crying (though he does let me put him down when he's awake a fair amount). Or do you use voice recognition software so you can pace and do work at the same time?

 

[orangekoolaid]

i did this. had a deadline for work that I couldn't not do....

i would stand or at my desk with DD in a sling and rock back and forth. it was a lifesaver.

 

[cjanelles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinksprklybarefoot Man, at 2 weeks I still had my butt parked on the sofa nursing and watching Law & Order reruns 24/7.

Hey!!

Are you spying on me?? Or is this just routine for most new moms?

Thank heavens for Law & Order reruns!!!

 

[StacyL]

With newborns, weeks 3 through 12 will be the hardest. I also recommend a sling. http://www.hotslings.com/

Get a Miracle Blanket and swaddle your babe - all the time! This is a lifesaver. Read the book, "Happiest Baby On The Block" by Dr. Harvey Karp, which explains the history of swaddling and why it comforts them and helps them sleep.

 

[midwestmeg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lolar2 All of you who say to use the sling-- are you saying that your DC let you sit down and work when they are in the sling? Or do you use voice recognition software so you can pace and do work at the same time?

I sway and type and hum!