hi there,

it can be done

I went back to work when DS was 9 weeks old, and I am not a supermum. DH is a SAHD so I'm not sure what your arrangements will be for childcare ...

But I get up at 5.50am, get ready for work, bf DS around 6.15 and then DH drives me (with DS) to the train. I often nap on the train (it's an hour) or I read or pray or meditate or listen to music... something just for me though, I try not to read stuff for work, or baby books, etc. Just something that feeds me, iykwim.

I get to work around 7.45, get coffee, eat (I keep my breakfast supplies at work) and start work.

I express at work around 11am and 3pm.

I try to leave at 5pm, and am almost always out the door and on a train by 6pm.

I get home between 6 and 7pm, and jump in the bath with DS (which I find much easier than bathing him in the baby bath). DH dries and dresses DS while I finish washing myself, then we have a snuggly feed and a book, and then DH puts DS to bed.

DH or I make dinner, depending on who is less stuffed ... and then we spend time together (or do our own thing) and then I express before bed.

It's pretty full on, and would be much harder if DH wasn't such a gem - but he's a full time dad and is studying full time by correspondence, and is looking for a bit of work he can do from home too. It's busy all round.

But if the floor needs vacuuming, or the lawn needs mowing, sometimes it's just too bad, you know?

Sometimes it's easier for me to do 5 loads of washing on Saturday, than for DH and me to try to do them during the week.

And I'll make some mega meals (slow cooker casserole with rice, roasting tray full of tuna bake, simple things) and freeze them into lunch size plastic tubs so DH and I don't have to spend any time preparing lunches (and can use them as dinners, too) which saves time and stress during the week ...

And we make sure we get out to birthday gigs, parties with friends, etc. Sometimes we take DS, sometimes we leave him with a bottle of EBM with family ... sometimes we just host, so we don't have to organise a babysitter. But getting out with friends reminds us that we're humans and are allowed to do thiongs just because we want to!!

If we could afford it, we'd get a cleaner and a gardener in once a fortnight, just to keep things better so we'd have a bit more time to relax on the weekend, but it's not on the cards at the mo ...

Any specific Qs, I'm more than happy to answer if it would help

But it can be done