Day in the Life of a Mother With a Baby

A few years ago, I wrote a day in the life of post to show what elite runners do in a typical day. I recently shared this day in the life of a runner post on my social media, and received a comment about what a day in the life of looked like now.

My life might be drastically different right now compared to what my day looked like then, but I would say I am even more focused than I was back then…just focused on one thing and one thing only, rather than 100!

Overall, life as a new mum is wonderful. It really is a magical time where you get to live a pretty chilled out, relaxed life overall….obviously apart from the intensity of a baby. I just mean that there is very little pressure on you from anyone or anything other than being a mother. You can get away with almost anything as people tend to completely understand everything you do wrong during this time. It has been kind of nice having a free pass to be a bit of a selfish human being…selfish except for the fact you are dedicating 100% (or close to it) of that energy, that focus into looking after and growing this child.

And that makes it kind of special. It is just you and them. Bailey looks at me with such wonder, such love and pure happiness, that it feels like I have so much more going for me than I ever have before. I have enjoyed this time in my happy little bubble with her.

I may have had success, celebrations, compliments, awards, but at the end of the day, they don’t really mean as much to me as the smile she gives me when we are fully engaged.

So what does a day in the life of look like?

Well, how about this:

4:30am 

Bailey begins moving around a little. My finely tuned mum ears notice that she is getting a little restless. She might start to make whimpering noises in her sleep, or turn her head quite frantically (hence the bald spot on the back of her head where she has rubbed the hair away!). If needed, I will lean into her (travel) crib next to me, put my hand on her chest and quietly shhhh her. Often this sends her back into a calm sleep.

5am

Bailey moves again, and I look over, see the time and try to motivate myself to get up and do some work and/or errands done before she wakes up. This is in complete contrast to the former me where my insomnia would make it that I “couldn’t take it anymore” at 5am, and would give up trying to sleep and get up. Now I am more like a normal human being who does actually enjoy being in bed.

Honestly, I prefer it this way. I love that I can actually sleep now!

I roll over, give Steve a kiss, let him know I am going downstairs (so he can move closer to Bailey), and go downstairs.

5:10am

After a superhero muffin from Run Fast Eat Slow, the frantic work hustle begins.

I swear I get more done in those two hours than I did in the past in four (and I was always efficient). I power my way through as much as I can, from tidying up a little to getting my emails caught up and updating strength training plans.

6:45am

The best time of the day is here!

Steve brings Bailey downstairs, usually a little drowsy, but awake. He places her on the couch, lying upwards, and I go over to her to say good morning. As soon as I say that (or look at her and smile), she ERUPTS into the most giant smile. Gunky eyes, crusty nose, dried milk all around her lip, but the most adorable look I have ever seen. We spend 5 minutes just smiling at her.

6:50am

Change her diaper, do her mouth exercises for her tongue tie revision (which she haaaatttessss), and begin breastfeeding. Bailey is an efficient feeder (like her mama!), so is usually done in about 10 minutes, I pass her to Steve for burping and go get changed.

7:10am

Head over to the gym to do my workout with Drew.

7:25am

Begin my workout with soft tissue and mobility work (Full disclosure: the only time in the week I do it) followed by my (3 sets of) 9 exercise workout with Drew modifying my posture and form as needed.

8:25am

Finish my workout, talk to friends at the gym for a few minutes and/or discuss with Drew about where we are at for clients over the next few days. Head home.

8:45am

Arrive home, give Bailey a big hug and kiss. She is usually fast asleep on daddy after an hour of play. Take my Perfect Amino (coupon code TINAMUIR10 for 10% off), and go for a shower.

9am

Eat homemade museli while I watch Steve play with Bailey. Get things set up for the day, check my Running for Real Superstars community.

9:30am

Diaper change and then feed Bailey again. Partly for her, partly because my boob she did not drink from at 7am is bursting.

9:45am

Hang her clean diapers out on the washing line and run errands/do work.

11am 

Record a podcast, Steve and Bailey go upstairs.

11:30am 

Still recording, but can hear faint crying through my headphones, hope she is okay, feel bad for Steve.

12pm 

Finish recording, hungry again, have some lunch. Steve leaves for work after I have eaten.

12:10pm

Play a little. Either on the floor looking up at the ceiling fan, in her bouncer chair looking at me, in her bouncer chair looking at the toy bar, or on her playmat.

We are starting to teach her sign language, the sign for ceiling fan is one of our favorites!

12:30pm

Bailey begins to cry, which is our warning sign she is hungry. She doesn’t really do many of the other traditional cues to let us know she is hungry, but she becomes irritable (kinda like I do when I am hungry), so I know it is time.

Diaper change and then feed her, and she falls asleep feeding as she is so tired from that exciting few hours of playing (and maybe a little crying).

After 10 mins of keeping her upright lying on me, try to put her down in her dockatot in her crib. If she is this tired, successfully. If she is not tired enough, she will wake, so I will let her sleep on me downstairs.

If I did put her down, put myself on turbo and do some work, watching her on the monitor.

If she is on me, watch a tv show depending on my mood and energy levels. I have just finished Broadchurch and Dr Foster, and have recently started Luther. If I am feeling blah, I will watch friends as I don’t have to concentrate. If I am tired, I will take a nap with Bailey, her lying with me face to face on the couch, one of my favorite things to do with her.

1:30pm

Bailey is awake and babbling to herself again. Call my mum/sister/someone who hasn’t yet met her as she is at her best, smiling with the biggest, most beautiful smile (although not quite as big as first thing in the morning). Bring her downstairs, put her in her bouncer and put facetime on so she can see the persons face.

2pm

Lie her on the floor next to me, as we look up at toys or on put her on her playmat. Try to get some tummy time in. She usually does really well, keeping her head very high, and refusing to rest (stubborn, much), but when she gets so tired she can’t hold her head up anymore (but she will keep trying, it’s so sad!), she starts to get upset and its time to roll back over.

3pm

Nap time again.

If she slept on me earlier, I will try to put her down again in her dockatot. If that doesn’t work, in her bouncer. Do some work.

If she did not sleep on me, then I let her sleep on me while I watch Ellen.

3:45pm

She’s awake and getting cranky again, diaper change and feed.

4:10pm

Take Bailey outside, talk to her about what we see outside. It is actually surprisingly hard to explain things at the most basic level when you imagine that they don’t know what the most basic words mean, but I try, just explaining things as simply as I can.

4:25pm

Put her on her chair outside. Either play with her in the wind, or just talk to her and interact with her. This is usually when she is on top form, talking to me a lot, smiling and laughing, such beautiful memories.

5pm

Another short nap, usually in her bouncer chair.

5:30pm 

Put her on her playmat while I start to make dinner, usually turning the grill on, and prepping the food. Sometimes she doesnt want to be on her mat, so I might be holding her or have her in the carrier, multitasking at it’s best. Explaining what I am doing to her (as if she is listening).

Play with her on the playmat or lying on the ground looking up.

6:30pm

Diaper change and feed, leaving dinner to finish up…sometimes this means things get a little overdone if I haven’t timed it right.

6:45pm 

Steve arrives home, gives us both a kiss and we have dinner. Bailey sits in her bouncer chair and watches us eat or plays with the toy bar.

7pm

We have both wolfed down our dinner. Steve will play with Bailey while I tidy up. If I have any work stuff to quickly finish up, will do that.

7:15pm

Bathtime!

We put on this youtube video and sing along to her while she is in the bath, she seems to mostly like her baths now.

7:35pm

Depending on her mood, play with her on the floor or she sits on daddy as we attempt to watch TV. If we try to watch Suits, she is absolutely guaranteed to kick up a fuss (I swear she hates Suits), but if we put Switched at Birth on (you can see where we learn a lot of our sign language), she will usually sit quietly or babble (which is worth switching it off for).

8:30pm

Bailey is OUT like a light on daddy. We watch one more episode of whatever we were watching, or put friends on if we want something easy.

9pm

I pump and get the bedroom ready.

9:15pm

Steve changes her diaper, gets her in her PJs (if she is wearing them, lately it has been too hot), and does her mouth exercises.

Steve takes her upstairs and gives her the bottle (usually about 5oz). Our bedtime routine involves playing Spanish lullabies on this app while she drinks and then transitioning to rain and heartbeat overnight. The room is already dark, and her Halo Sleep Sack (not the pattern we have, but product is the same) is already laid out on the bed.

I floss, brush my teeth, and mouthwash while he is doing so.

9:30pm

Talk to Steve near Baileys head so she can stay awake enough to keep drinking (she wakes up a little when she hears my voice). Otherwise she will just fall asleep and not take enough.

9:40pm 

She is finished with her bottle, and OUT. Walk her around the room for 10 minutes.

9:50pm

Put her in her sleep sack, and into her Dockatot.

10pm

Climb into bed ourselves, once she stops moving, I am out like a light and she sleeps through till the next morning.

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And that is our day 🙂