Hospital and urgent care in one day. This SAHM is struggling.

[charlyrich]

I’ve had a heck of a day and just need some solidarity. I have an 8 week old newborn and 2.5 year old twins. I had to take the newborn to the hospital this morning after a scary incident. I put baby down after feeding him so I could put my finished bowl of cereal in the sink. In those short 5 seconds something happened where my 2.5 year old son hurt the newborn. I saw the toddler running up and down the couch and found a red mark on the babies abdomen. The baby was inconsolable so I brought him to the ER thinking my older son stepped on him. Luckily there was no internal trauma and we were released.

I get back home to release my amazing neighbor that quickly came over to watch the twins while I was at the hospital. I get baby settled then go to make the kids some lunch. To my HORROR I turn and see that both kids have red goopy eyes… pink eye. So they’re down for a nap then to urgent care to get prescription drops.

It’s just a lot to handle for one day. I’m running off of a single cup of coffee and small bowl of cereal. I’m exhausted from baby waking all night to feed. My twins are extremely high energy and are going insane from being cooped up in the house since it’s still too much for me to bring all three kids to the parks. I’m burnt out. My husband is burnt out. I’m barely surviving over here. This transition to three kids has been brutal. I’m almost considering going back to work full time. It’d be a heck of a lot easier than managing these three kids all day.

 

[longbeard]

@charlyrich Is there anything you can do right now to relieve pressure this week? Hire out the cleaning and laundry? Yard care? A friend who can drop off lunch and/or dinner? Place a grocery order with all "heat and eat" meals for the week or even lunchables?

 

[charlyrich]

@longbeard I’m trying everything I can to make it easier on myself! We can’t afford any help. But we have family coming this weekend and my husband said they can watch the kids while I go for a trip to the spa. I’m really looking forward to it! But I’m not sure how I can be away from the baby since he’s exclusively breastfed. I’ll have to find a way. I need this break

 

[longbeard]

@charlyrich If you have a Walmart or Kroger store nearby (in the US), they have free grocery pick up for orders over $35. It's a huge stress saver for me to place an order, and have them find and load it for me.

 

[lesflk]

@charlyrich I feel you. I have a 9 week newborn and 3 year old twins. For what it’s worth, the park has been worth every bit of effort it takes for us to get there. But I do recognize a lot changes skill wise for kids from 2.5-3, and I’m mostly able to supervise now. A baby carrier helps. I strap him on and wander around watching my girls. Now that I can breastfeed in our carrier, I’m unstoppable. ;-)

Hoping it gets better for you quickly.

 

[charlyrich]

@lesflk It’s great to hear from someone in a similar scenario! I was able to go to the park one day last week with all the kids! It went okay. The twins really just like to cling to me instead of playing. I encourage them to run around but they want to stay right by my side with baby. They’ve had such a hard time adjusting to the new baby. I feel horrible for them! I imagine it’s very hard going from my complete attention to just bursts of a few minutes all day.

And what carrier do you use?! I have a solly wrap, happy baby and ergo baby but my baby absolutely hates every one! He pushes off. It’s like he feels claustrophobic

 

[lesflk]

@charlyrich I unfortunately use a Happy Baby OG and onbuhimo, so that’s not super helpful to you. I did legs in up until about 2 weeks ago. Sorry your little one seems to want to be more independent than the twins!

How did the urgent care go?

This has absolutely nothing to do with anything you’ve said, but I have a heating pad on the recliner I feed my newborn in most of the time, and it has done wonders for the back pain of carrying children all day. That’s my unsolicited tip of the day.

 

[katrina2017]

@charlyrich Wow you are truly amazing! Who wouldn’t be burnt out though. Give yourself some grace and if the house is messier than usual let it be. If you have Costco or Sam’s club, buy the premade meals and or rostisserie chicken. Deep breaths and self grace!

 

[progressivepresbyterian]

@katrina2017 Wow. You are incredible!!!

You have every right to feel burned out. What you're doing is so, so hard!!

 

[charlyrich]

@katrina2017 Thank you so much for the supportive words! I feel like the world’s biggest failure of a mom. It’s very encouraging to hear I’m possibly doing a good job! I love Costco! I plan on making a trip next week! I agree it would be very helpful to use premade meals. My poor kids have been living off of chicken nuggets and Mac and cheese for the past few months

 

[usi]

@charlyrich Oh no! That is so exhausting and stress full. I feel for you. We had a hard time transitioning to 2 under 2. Can’t imagine 3 under 2! After a few months we put our oldest in nursery school. Is that an option? Maybe a mother’s helper/high schooler/grandparent that can play with the twins for a couple of hours a week so you can get some rest? Use screen time if you need a break. If the weather is nice enough, water play always keeps my kids busy the longest. Then I throw them in the tub and by the end of it, they are exhausted. Definitely make sure you’re eating enough. Being sleep deprived plus not eating makes me feel terrible.

 

[charlyrich]

@usi We did start the twins in preschool! They go three days a week from 9:30-12:30. It’s very helpful when they can attend. They’ve been out a lot due to illness! And they’ll be out again this week thanks to double ear infections that were just diagnosed today I’m definitely struggling with the double whammy of sleep deprivation and lack of food. I’ve been living off of granola bars all postpartum lol I’m averaging 4-6 granola bars a day

 

[congestus100]

@charlyrich So sorry, this sounds so hard. You’re doing a great job. Have you heard of the Blueberry pediatrics app? It’s telemedicine for kids and has been a lifesaver for us. I can have minor toddler stuff like eye/ear infections examined by a doctor and have prescriptions ordered without leaving the house.

 

[charlyrich]

@congestus100 Wow that sounds amazing!!! I will absolutely look into that! It’s been a nightmare constantly bringing kids to the doctors and hospital. My poor newborn was in the hospital for two weeks last month due to parainfluenza and group b strep. Then the twins are constantly sick from preschool! The medical bills are going to deplete our savings. It’s a scary situation all around

 

[mariomarco]

@charlyrich You're in the thick of it! I remember living off of peanut butter spoonfuls lol! Its gets easier and easier every month

(I have four kids ages 7, 6, 3, and 10 months..and homeschool)

 

[felipaelias]

@charlyrich Even without the hospital/urgent care visits your life sounds so difficult right now. You’re doing great and hopefully things improve soon.

 

[chaseisme]

@charlyrich I know where you're coming from. When I had my newborn my twins were 21 months and it has been the hardest time of my life. My singleton is one now and things are getting easier but it was a rough time and he still doesn't sleep more then a 2 hour stretch at night. I'm beyond burnt out so solidarity. I totally felt when you said you couldn't take them anywhere because that was me all last summer. Just trying to get out as much as possible but it was so hard. It's going to get better for us we just have to push through these rough times of everyone being so little and needing so much from us!