Life of a Working (&Nursing) Mother

(in contrast to Working Dad)

Working Dad: Alarm goes off at 7am. Slowly get up and wander to the closet. Pick out whatever is clean. Start coffee. Check email. Get coffee and find keys. Kiss mom and sleeping babies. Go.

Working Mom: Alarm goes off at 6am (not that it's even needed because already up feeding baby at 5:30am). Contemplate if there is any possible way to delay getting up. Realize there's not. Head for the bathroom and clean up the zillion toys in the tub, trying to be as quiet as possible. Shower. Contemplate if there is enough time to shave today (often decide there isn't). Dry off and apply lotion. Head to the dreaded closet. Stare at everything and realize you're sick of it all and half of it doesn't fit. Run through day in head to decide best attire (how much walking, who is being seen, kids or not, etc.). Decide on something, but throw on your crusty pj's for now, in hopes of avoiding getting it dirty before leaving the house. Remember to choose clothing with easy boob access (yes, boobs become a deciding factor after baby). Feel stomach growling (nursing babies take a lot of nourishment). Decide to pump first. Hook up to the milk machine and pass time checking email and Facebook (morning pumping is only on one side, so there is a free hand for browsing). Try to relax and think about baby (if the milk lets down, pumping goes much faster). Finish pumping, place milk in storage bag, check bags in fridge to see if any need to go in the freezer, clean pump, and clean pump parts for work (hand pump at home, heavy duty electric at work). Check laundry status and either start dryer, transfer clothes to dryer, and/or add clothes/diapers to washer. Toddler wanders in. What is she doing awake? Contemplate breakfast. Look at the clock and choose fastest option (usually cereal). Tend to toddler while getting bowl, cereal, and milk. Make her a bowl too. Sit with toddler while eating, sharing bites (because mom's is always better). Rinse dishes to avoid dreaded crusty cereal bowl later. Check time. Try to tell toddler that mommy is busy. Succumb to demands and sit with toddler for a few minutes (to read a book or play with a toy) to avoid tantrum. Check time. Convince toddler to help with make-up (to continue original task of getting presentable for the day). Attempt to apply decent make-up while working around toddler and trying to keep her from leaving the bathroom with a black face. Do something with hair in less than 5 minutes. Check clock. See the pathetic faces on the dogs. Grab tennis shoes and attempt to find matching socks. Just grab 2 socks available. Hear baby stirring. Decide dad can manage him. Put on shoes and grab toddler. Find poo bag, place toddler in stroller, and put leash on dogs. Toddler demands something from kitchen. Take her out of the stroller, to kitchen, and try to find what she wants. Settle on chocolate milk. Place toddler back in stroller. Toddler wants a blanket. Walk back to her room to find a blanket, then back to the front door and tuck her in. Check time. Untangle leash and struggle out the door with 2 dogs and the stroller. Walk, controlling dogs, toddler, and stroller, watching for cars, unattended dogs or other animals and children (to anticipate any control problems), and picking up poop. Make it back to the house, throw poop away, and herd toddler, stroller, and dogs inside. Unhook dogs, grab toddler, and head towards closet. Check time. Need to leave in 5 minutes. Realize chosen outfit doesn't work with weather while listening to toddler cry. Also realize baby is awake. Grab baby (gently) to feed him before leaving. Encourage baby to eat fast. :) Try to make room for toddler snuggles while nursing baby. Hand baby off to dad. Frantically choose new outfit (don't forget boob access or boob pads!). Give kisses and close bedroom door (to contain wailing toddler). Grab snacks, lunch (don't forget that nourishment for nursing baby), water bottle, purse, keys and anything else designated for the office. Rush out door, lock, close. Realize phone is inside. Unlock, find phone, rush out again. Speed to work as fast as possible without getting caught. :)

While at work be available by phone to answer any questions from dad, remember to eat and pump regularly, cross arms tightly when you forget to pump (it helps stop the letdown), feel like a milkcow every time you hook up to that machine (realize appreciation for the milk from breakfast), bag and store milk and clean pump supplies, find something on your clothes (milk, food, unidentifiable substance), and tend to any household activity that needs to be done in a 9am-5pm timeframe (such as calling the doctor's office). Attempt to get everything done that needs to be done at work and still leave at a reasonable time. Always leave a few minutes late. Remember stored milk halfway out of the building and return to retrieve it. Speed home (again, without getting caught).

Enter home, exhausted, to be mom again.