GFY parents, people working from home with babies

[cherrylula]

I made this thread, and it has prompted me to create another.

First of all, I am used to working 12 hours a day at my computer. I got pregnant beginning of 09, and really didn't work much during my pregnancy.

Now baby is 5 months old today and coming up on that 6 month mark. 6 months is a good length of time for your brain to get used to something, and baby is growing up and becoming more independant. Mom needs to get back on the computer as much as possible now.

I realized today that I really do not know ANYONE who works from home with a baby - in real life that is - so of course I turn to GFY parents. I welcome any advice!

I am enjoying the challenge of working from home with a kid. We just need to get our rhythm down.

[Nodtveidt]

I have two kids at home, and a third on the way in a couple of months. I'm not a mother (just a father, hehe) but it can be difficult at times. Fortunately, my wife's younger sister also lives with us and often times helps out with the kids, which makes it a lot easier. That allows me to work more than if I was here alone with the kids.

[PR_Glen]

can always turn images off if they are around.. i do that when on the train or when i was in class would work for checking message boards and such anyway..

[PlugRush Sascha]

So what's the problem? If you need to work 12 hours a day, you should probably get a nanny or something to help out. Or at the very least a maid. You should be able to get in like 6 hours of work while still giving your baby adequate care. Still, having some extra help around would be a good idea if you can afford it by working more. That way your baby gets enough interaction and you can get work done.

[PlugRush Sascha]

can always turn images off if they are around.. i do that when on the train or when i was in class would work for checking message boards and such anyway..

Good point. My office is off limits when I'm in here working and I password lock my work computer at all times when I'm out of the office.

[kristin]

Our kids are 13 months apart. After we had the first, we had him home with us most of the time but had a nanny come in. She'd take him out and such.

After we had our second, having two at home was a little much. It was hard to get any work done, so we shipped them off to daycare.

Oh and both my husband and I are in the industry and worked from home. Now with the kids older, I'm back in the office while he is still a home worker.

[Sly]

I think ktj4l has a great idea. A lot of mothers are afraid of asking for help... don't be. There is nothing wrong with having somebody coming to clean or watch the baby for a few hours so you can focus on work. Your time is probably more valuable than a maid or a nanny, don't be afraid to take advantage of that.

[cherrylula]

can always turn images off if they are around.. i do that when on the train or when i was in class would work for checking message boards and such anyway..

nice tip! I'll probably do that for sure in the future.

[cherrylula]

Thanks for the replies. Yeah I have been thinking about scheduling some time in with Grandma, which might be the solution I need. I don't need to work 12 hours a day, just at least a couple hours at a time would be nice. She sleeps really light and her naps are short right now, so it has been a bit difficult.

I don't know how people do it with more than one. I don't want anymore!

[LeRoy]

I was stay at home day for the first year. I didnt know about turning off your images. Wish i would have.

It was tough and I mainly worked while my daughter slept or played with a toy.

[Wizzo]

Its been quite a few years since mine were small, but back then I had to send them to a babysitter because I wasn't able to work and give them the attention they needed.

[FrozenJag]

I don't have kids but if your serious about your work I would emagine you need to treat it like any other real job and make arrangements.

[candyflip]

My partner works from home three days a week and I am with them most of the time.

As I write this, I hear her telling our 10 month old that he needs to get out of her lap and let her work.

That's just how it is. We manage so far, and I feel they are still better off than if they were at a Daycare center.

[brassmonkey]

lets see some milf tits!

[IllTestYourGirls]

Sounds like you need a nanny or something.

Good point. My office is off limits when I'm in here working and I password lock my work computer at all times when I'm out of the office.

I also have a lock on my home office.

[lazycash]

At that age they still should be sleeping a lot, work while they sleep. I had one of those nice swings and that was great to put them in while I worked. In just a few months they'll be crawling and then walking everywhere and will demand a lot more of your attention, so get your work in now.

[aimeesweet]

It's definitely a challenge(esp as they get older)... I just try to allow flexibilty into my schedule... I also send her to preschool a few days a week and make time to take her to the park or play in the backyard... If you have Grandma nearby, take advantage of it!

[LoveSandra]

can always turn images off if they are around.. i do that when on the train or when i was in class would work for checking message boards and such anyway..

[LiveDose]

6 months is a piece of cake, just wait till they are 2 or 4... ugh

[kristin]

Its been quite a few years since mine were small, but back then I had to send them to a babysitter because I wasn't able to work and give them the attention they needed.

Yeppers.

You'll make more money sending them to daycare because it will allow you to solely focus on work.

[aimeesweet]

6 months is a piece of cake, just wait till they are 2 or 4... ugh

LOL sooooo true!

[brassmonkey]

lets see some milf tits!

[cherrylula]

lets see some milf tits!

hah, if I was doing pics of my tits right now you'd better believe it would be for money. I'm a parent now but still a webmaster!

but sorry the lactating content is private.

[JA$ON]

I don't know how people do it with more than one. I don't want anymore!

We have 3 (7,4 and 8 months). My wife worked from home with our first son, but it starts to get REALLY hard between 9 months and 1 yr when they become mobile...just a heads up. She quit work when we had our second. And hired a fulltime housekeeper / nanny when we had our third to do the cleaning, shopping, laundry etc. She found her whole day was taken up with that stuff and she felt she was missing out on time with the kids.

The first one is overwhelming, but it gets easier And IMHO....it didnt feel like a family until we had our second. I didnt have brothers and sister growing up when most of my friends did. There is something so cool about the interaction between siblings. So if you want more, but are scared away by the workload, Id say go for it. The second one (while it is more work) is not as overwhelming. Your first is such a fundamental life change it can be hard, but the second was not as tough. You will already be in kid mode so its really about the logistics.

[cherrylula]

Yeppers.

You'll make more money sending them to daycare because it will allow you to solely focus on work.

I am super duper lucky there is a wonderful preschool right across the street, as long as they are potty trained.

We'll be having potty training parties as early as possible!

[venus]

I have 2 kids, a 19 month old boy and a 3 yr old girl, I hired a nanny so I could get my work done.

[Fortress]

6 months is a piece of cake, just wait till they are 2 or 4... ugh

ain't the truth...wanting to "help" with everything, every gadget, we ship him off to daycare now, since he turned 4 and it helps. He said this morning, "i will miss you daddy"...was one of those moments.

[Fletch XXX]

"i will miss you daddy"...was one of those moments.

man I just imagined my little girl saying that to me and it stopped me in my tracks for a couple seconds, Ill prbably cry like a little girl that morning comes.

[Fletch XXX]

For the record those who do not know, Cherry and I are married, so this affects us both.

[The Porn Nerd]

I don't have kids so this advice will be great for you:

Try doing the more 'adult stuff' (images and/or videos) after kiddies go to bed; do networking, accounting, webmastering (HTML/PHP), etc etc during the day-time hours.

I know, I know.

[PersianKitty]

It's definitely a challenge(esp as they get older)... I just try to allow flexibilty into my schedule... I also send her to preschool a few days a week and make time to take her to the park or play in the backyard... If you have Grandma nearby, take advantage of it!

grandmas are good for that, aren't they ;)

I watch my 2 yr old grand daughter occasionally and can't spend any time in my office if it's just her and I around. Office isn't within watching distance of where she plays in my home. I end up playing with or sitting near her while she plays, etc. If I need to check on something, etc I have my laptop, but then she's wanting on it also, so that's not easy to do.

Naptime is a great thing.

[brassmonkey]

hah, if I was doing pics of my tits right now you'd better believe it would be for money. I'm a parent now but still a webmaster!

but sorry the lactating content is private.

dang i tried

[selena]

I don't need to work 12 hours a day, just at least a couple hours at a time would be nice.

Mine are far past the baby stage, but from one mom to another, I would urge you to keep your schedule as light as possible during this time. It's amazing how they are that age one second, and graduating from college the next.

That said, there are a lot of benefits to working, and if you have a Grandma who will help out, that's a fantastic situation. Maybe you can work out a schedule where the baby is with her 3 hours twice a week, or something like that. If so, you could schedule your projects that need your full attention during those blocks of time, and work the other stuff in as you can throughout the day.

Or if you all are around lots of family, maybe you have a pre-teen or teenage niece that would come be with the baby for a couple of afternoons a week after school. You'd have the peace of mind of knowing that they were right there, but the additional presence to deal with the non emergency stuff would give you a chunk of work time.

As a parent, when you work from home, it just becomes another thread in the fabric that you weave together daily, often with no determined begin and end times.

Best of luck!

[lazycash]

For the record those who do not know, Cherry and I are married, so this affects us both.

Why do you refer to her as your partner and not your wife?