12 SAHMs share what their days *really* look like

We recently asked working moms to share how they juggle the office, childcare and everything that comes along, and now it’s time to hear from stay-at-home-moms. When there’s no “clocking in” or designated times to step away for the day, how does that juggle look like?

We asked #TeamMotherly to share what their schedules look like, from waking up to squeezing in me-time. Here’s what they had to say.

1. The day starts at 4:30am

“Well, let’s see. Wake up anywhere between 4:30 A.M. and noon. Change diaper. Breastfeed baby back to sleep. Drink a cup of coffee, try to microwave a bowl of oatmeal and scarf it down. Baby’s crying. Go back upstairs. Breastfeed baby again. Change diaper again. Change baby’s clothes. Put baby in chair. Finish eating now cold oatmeal and drinking freezing cup of coffee. Baby’s crying. Breastfeed again. Play time. Set baby down to pee. Alone. Ha. Baby’s crying. Get off the toilet and go get baby. Go pee. Play time. Nap time. Just kidding, baby’s crying. Rock baby to sleep. Baby’s crying. Rock baby to asleep again. Breastfeed again. Fall asleep with baby. This is all before 3 P.M. Shall I continue? Can’t. Baby’s crying.”—Keilyn L.

2. It’s very simple

“Routine? Hahaha Wake up, keep kids alive, sleep, repeat.”—Brook M.

3. We get in lots of play time

“There’s no routine. We wake up around 9 A.M., the kids eat, they play, their dad is up for an hour or two before work, more eating, more playing, try to get dinner done by 7 P.M., eat, get ready for bed, kids both asleep by 10 P.M. (on a good day). My 1-year-old has a nap in there someplace. Then I’m awake, alone, usually till 2 A.M. The 1-year-old still wakes up a couple times at night.”—Nicole C.

4. We have a strong routine

“Routine is key in our house for everyone’s happiness!

7 A.M.: Wake up, nurse baby and get toddler out of bed.

7:30-7:45 A.M.: Breakfast for everyone!

8:15-9 A.M.: Playtime for baby and toddler. I try and get myself ready during this time.

9:30-11 A.M.: Nap time for baby and one on one time with toddler. We usually do something that baby can’t do. Play barbies, do a puzzle or craft involving small things!

11 A.M.-noon: We run any errands we need or go to park and get out!

Noon: Lunch time!

1:00-3/4 P.M.: Nap time for everyone! I pick up the house and prep dinner and then kick my feet up.

3:30-4/5 P.M.: Play time again! Hooray!

5:30-6 P.M.: Dinner time!

6:30 P.M.: Bath time and bedtime routine.

7 P.M.: Bed for baby and toddler watches a show to unwind while I nurse and get baby to bed.

7:30 P.M.: Bed for toddler.

Then my husband and I get our time! ❤️😂

We often go to play groups in the morning (at least twice a week), so babe naps in stroller and it’s less ‘structured’ but he still naps exactly the same time!”—Kelsey S.

5. We do what we can to survive

“It’s not a routine… it’s called survival 😂”—Jennifer C.

6. It goes by in a blur

“Our only routine is nap time at 11:30 A.M.-1:30 P.M., and bath/books/snuggles before bed at 6:45 P.M. Everything else is a blur. 😂”—Kara M.

7. Each day is different

“6 A.M.: Get ready and pack kids bags (breastfeed)

6.30 A.M.: Drop baby and toddler to day care

7 A.M.-3.30 P.M.: Work

4 P.M.: Get dinner

5 P.M.-6 P.M.: Pick up hubby from work and kids from day care (breastfeed)

7 P.M.-8 P.M.: Cook and serve dinner

8.30 P.M.: Quick clean

9 P.M.: Bath, shower kids (breastfeed cause it’s a chore on its own 😂)

10-11 P.M.: Gym

12 P.M.: Husband time 🤣 if he’s lucky

2 A.M.: Breastfeed

4-5 A.M.: Breastfeed

6 A.M.: Wake up and repeat 💖😊💪🏽

Wed: Work out, house work spring clean
Thurs: Nails at 7 P.M.
Sat-Sun: Band practice for church stuff

I hope to keep this routine. 😂” —Daniella S.

7. My 3-month-old hates naps

“Well we had a routine sort of started, until my 3-month-old decided he didn’t want to take any naps or go to bed at night either 😂Now it’s survival mode between crying fits, snuggles, feeding, diaper changes and attempted nap times.”—Lisa M.

8. It’s a juggle between the big kids and the baby

“Wake up with baby, breakfast, drop 4th grader off to school, drop husband off to work, survive until kindergartener goes to school, feed baby, play with baby, pick up older kids from school, survive until it’s time to pick husband up from work, dinner, pray for bedtime to come quick, put older kids to bed, put baby to bed, spend time with husband, and sleep.”—Tami H.

9. Trying to remember if I ate

“Up at 8:30 A.M.

If I didn’t pump at 530 then try and pump before husband leaves

Look frantically for coffee

Kiss and play with baby

Wash bottles and pumping supplies

Put baby to sleep after a bottle and change

Clean house and do laundry take out trash

Did I eat ? 🤷🏽♀️

I haven’t even had time to pee yet so try and make time for that

Babies up so time for a walk then story time

Bottle time

Nap

Pump and wash

Make dinner

Finish laundry

Bathe kiddos

Put kiddos to bed after playing with them and trying to enjoy evening with them

Time for my shower

I get to eat my usually cold dinner

Pump and wash

Sleep at around 1130 pm on to wake up and feed at 1 tops

Pump some more

Maybe wash stuff I used to pump

Go into older sons room to sleep from around 3-5:30 P.M. pump again the sleep till hopefully 8:30 A.M and then it starts all over again 🤭😴😭😍😳🤪”—Hanadi L.

10. I’ve got two under 2

“I can’t seem to get a routine 🤣 my babies don’t really follow. But in general: We wake up, I change two diapers and make two bottles, breakfast for myself and my 16-month-old and sit on the couch while feeding my 10-week-old on one arm and using my other arm to feed the oldest and myself, while TV is on. Oldest eats, plays, runs around climbing dancing and singing, then we eat some fruit and sandwich and oldest off to bed for a nap. I give youngest a bottle while having lunch myself. Hopefully youngest sleeps a bit after her bottle so I can run to the barn to do laundry, clean the kitchen, or something like that. Oldest wakes up, I make her something to eat and drink, and she plays around while I try to maybe do something like ironing or cleaning or I’m busy with the baby. And figuring out dinner. Around 5 P.M. daddy comes home, and I can start cooking. Dinner, bath time and when oldest sleeps and youngest had her bottle and sleeps also I can finally do stuff. Like right now.. on FB while youngest is just asleep on my chest after her bottle… it’s almost 10 P.M. in the evening 🙈😴 now hope they both sleep well till tomorrow morning.”—Annabell B.

11. There are good days and bad days

“There are good days and bad days. Today has been an uphill battle for sure! Started out with an extremely restless night due to two little restless, scared boys that just had to come in our bed. My sleep-deprived self peels out of bed to get my child ready for school and then I rush driving her to school so she’s there on time! Spilled my liquid gold coffee all on the floor of the van! Then come home to the bathroom tub, toilet and sink covered in my son’s poop (gotta love potty training and daddy’s who don’t do poop well). Thinking that after bleach cleaning I might be able to get a work out in since my stomach was growling. So I start the work out but the boys start to fight and drop one of my weights which shakes a picture off the wall and shatters glass everywhere! So my 30-minute work out turned into an hour. All happened before 11 A.M.! I can only hope that the second part of the day has a brighter side.”—Miranda S.

12. What we do with twins

“I have twins so a schedule/routine was key from day one. They’re 13 months now so it’s a little less rigid than it used to be but we wake up around 7 A.M., breakfast, play, snack, play, lunch, nap, snack, play, dinner, play, bath, bed.”—Bethany J.

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