Desperate Housewife and New Mum

Katgoddess

Hello, I really hope you can all help me.

I have a very demanding 11 week old baby (colic, reflux, 6 hours sleep at night and no naps in day, possessed by devil etc) and as such have completely fallen by the wayside with being old style. My poor OH eats in the canteen at work, my house looks like a chinese laundry and I live on sandwiches. Not a particularly good diet for a BF mother.

So what I need are recipes that are one handed or very quick. One step up from ready meals and takeaways. For example, this evening DS was in a "happy" mood and able to sit in his rocker chair as long as I pulled faces at him every two minutes. :rolleyes::rotfl: I made a fruit crumble with tinned fruit and a packet of crumble mix which I will eat cold tomorrow with a tin of custard. Using the microwave is a luxury.

Sadly I can't live on crumble so I need more ideas for main meals. Just to make this a bigger challenge I don't have a freezer either otherwise I could live on turkey twizzlers and chips.

OH works long hours but will occasionally cook a meal if he feels like it and MIL often cooks us a cracking roast on a Sunday so things aren't too bad. I had a CS so was out of action for a long while which has made things worse I think.

Help and TIA. :beer:

whatatwit

Kat, what about doing a bolognaise style base in a slow cooker, do you have one?
This could do a few meals with additions, chilli powder and kidney beans or a load of chopped up veggies.

narabanekeater

Hi Kat
Just to let you know that I think our sons know each other only mines 29 weeks, colic, allergic to dairy products, reflux, eye probs to name but a few
Also my son doesnt nap either
But I promise you learn your own way of doing things all be they a little odd
Have you tried using a baby sling or carrier?
I litrally carry my son around and open a tin of soup then feed him and myself
My mates think im nutty but having the carriers really helped
I can also reccomend chocolate LOL
PM me if you ever want to chat xxx

maypole

When you sit him in his rocker, put a dvd of music on the tv. My grandson, is just mesmerised by the orchestra playing classical music. Babies are never too young to love music. Ours likes Andre Reiu, he is an Austrian conductor and violinist, he brings a touch of humour to opera etc. Our baby, much older than yours, but has been watching this since he was very young. Handy if you need a few minutes;). Sorry, a bit off subject.

niftythrifty33

hi, your post brings back lots of memories, i used to put baby in a baby carrier/front sling thing and he always slept, then i could get on with stuff, not easy for cooking but good for preparing stuff. a slow cooker is fantastic for economy and ease. buy cheap cuts of meat cut off any fat, bung in veg and tin of tomatoes and herbs and chilli etc or veg stock then its done for a couple of days meals. theres loads of recipes online.
good luck and i promise you will soon be in a routine and it will get easier.
x

Desperate_Housewife_2-2

Hi Kat,

Firstly a big well done for breast feeding under such difficult circumstances, you are amazing! My 2nd DD had colic and I know what its like so sympathies there, I promise it does get better and its a matter of surviving each day. It doesn't matter that your house is a mess, it will be tidy again when things calm down, mess never really goes away.

Now, food, have you got a slow cooker? it would be useful for chucking stuff in when you get a min and then at least you have a warm meal when things get hairy ate teatime (I always found that the worst time)

How about a meal of just a nice cheese and some bread and salad? (I know a salad can be time consuming...all that washing) If you have a min go for the artisan bread recipe on this thread which should save you some time too. You could do a pizza out of it even.

If I think of anything else I'll post, and don't worry about the house, clean houses are only temporary anyway! My 2 are off on school hols and I had to get out of the house yesterday because all I seem to do is go from one room to another cleaning and then go round again and again and again...

MrsE_2

Do you shop in Sainsburys.

Or just go to Sainsbury online.

Those feed your family for £5 Jamie Oliver recieps are really good & very simple.

joannasmum

You have my sympathy dd had colic. I would also recommend a sling. Have a look on a parenting forum for recommendations as the sling community tend not to think much of the commercial baby carriers. I had a ring sling and it was an absolute god send. Also from a putting down point of view have you tried putting bubs in front of the washing machine while its spinning? Sounds strange but it worked a treat with dd. One of the few pieces of useful advice from my health visitor.

From a food point of view veg soup is good especially if you use frozen veg. I know you havent got a freezer but theres nothing to stop you going to the supermarket and then cooking it when you get home. Bung it all in a pan or slow cooker with water a stock cube and possible a tin of toms and cook until soft and blitz if you can or eat chunky. Instant porridge in the mornings will give you energy and oats are supposed to be good for your milk supply. Ask your MIL to plate up afew left overs for you, beleive me shes been there I sure that she wouldnt mind.


To sort the washing situation out take it to the local laundrette and get it dry you'll instantly feel better once its up to date.

Olliebeak

As regards amusing baby, have you tried putting him in his pram in the garden to watch the washing blowing on the line - with a radio for company! My No.1 son was utterly convinced that the man on the radio was talking to HIM and that the washing was waving to him!!!!

kal25

Just wanted to say congrats on having your baby and that I think u r very brave trying to keep up os so early opn. If only I'd tried a bit harder:rolleyes: .
What about really simple reciepes like shepherds pie-u could brown the mince, cook potatoes all while seeing to LO. Then mash potatoes -should take a few mins. Bung mince in a dish with veg and add potaoe on top, then bung in oven and can be reheated if need be when u & oh r ready.
Spagghetti bol is same thing if u boil kettle and use that for ur pasta it doesn't take long at all. Again, mince and sauce won't take too long either.
It will get better-LO will eventually sleep. Try putting him in front of washing machine my 2 lads always loved watching it go round and Ds1 even used to fall asleep.:rotfl: .

Meant to say in respective of your laundry have a look at this thread
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1009353
ther r loads more like it so u r not alone. Just remember that nobody is expecting u to b perfect.As I learnt from the thread above it's about deciding what REALLY needs ironing.ie. baby gros and cot sheets u can get away with. HTh kal25

sammy_kaye18

lol

Kat - congrats on little one and no one would expect you to be totalyl up to date jsut yet especially witha newborn who is having colic/reflux etc.

Mines 4 and i dont think i have ever not had a pile of washing to do since he was born.

I think your life would be much easier if you had a freezer though as you could batch cook and freeze things which would make meals alot less hassle for you.

I agree that using a slow cooker could make thigns easier if you have one too.

With regards to little one maybe you could try some of the suggestions on here - i use to sit ben infornt of the dvd and he would stay mesmerised for hours - jsut make sure it isnt too loud for him though.

also ment to add maybe you could look at this thread (will post link when i find it) and see that you are not alone when it comes to doing housework etc and some of us dont have poorly newborns!

Post you should find funny adn have a giggle to
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=814289