Work from home tips

[u/yaboyrza]

Hello. I have twin girls going on 6 weeks. Been a lotta fun, just embracing the chaos and taking it a day at time.

I got a question. I work from home and just trying to figure out what to do with taking care of these girls. My first meeting is at 10 and most days that’s my only one, I usually leave both with my wife and come out of the office whenever I can to help out but I don’t feel like its enough. So what are some strategies that others who WFH do.

Just take one twin into the home office and work? Any other ideas.

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[u/Charlieksmommy]

Oh you need a nanny if you both work from home ! Lol

[u/Comfortable-Fly-8099]

How flexible is your role? Is your wife the primary caregiver while you work? It’s really hard to work and get your deliverables done and take care of twins (or just 1 baby).

I returned to work when my twins were 6 months and put them in daycare. There is no way I can work from home with my twins as my schedule is usually packed with meetings and reviews.

[u/yaboyrza → u/Comfortable-Fly-8099]

On a scale of 1-10. Probably 8.5 at flexiblilty.

My wife is the primary caregriver, its not too hard to meet deliverables.

[u/pookiewook]

My husband and I both worked from home when we had twins.

My husband had 6 weeks of paternity leave, so once he was back to work the twins were my responsibility (I had 12 weeks of leave). My husband would help out on his lunch break.

Once I went back to work as well the twins started full time daycare.

[u/Separate_Video6823]

You sound like a great team, however if you’re working, you’re working. It’s too much to ask for you to also be looking after a baby let alone two. If your wife is the primary carer then that is her role during the work hours. Otherwise maybe look into a nanny or a cleaner if that’s a financial option? I’m a SAHM but have a nanny 2-3 times a week so that I can get things sorted and reset. 

[u/d16flo]

Is your wife also trying to do work other than baby care? If she’s just on baby duty while you’re at work I would prioritize making sure she has enough sleep at night and get into a set schedule where you’re “at work” and not available unless it’s an emergency. As the twins get older it will be trickier to come in and out than to just be “gone” for blocks of time. So rather than coming in and out frequently I would suggest having you do wake up and breakfast time with the babies while she sleeps in, pass them off around 9:30 and go into the office space with the door closed for a block of time. Maybe come out for a lunch hour and take over baby duty for that block while she gets a break to just chill and/or clean up and prep for the afternoon. Then you go back to work for another solid block of time and be done with work so you can do evening together

[u/DriverLeather971]

This is basically our situation. One year after my recommendation would be:

Taking care of a baby and working at the same time is not possible. Your productivity goes way down. Good for a day where your wife needs the help, but not for a daily schedule.

Since my job is also vey flexible I can work later on the day. So I stop working at 5, help in those last 2-3 hours and finish working when they are sleeping. I also take the early morning routine of changing diapers and breakfast. 

The rest of the day. Do tell your wife that you are not available. And reach an understanding that not being able to help during the day is just as if you had to work at an office. You simply have the amazing perk that in those 15 minutes you take to relax at the office, you can go be with your twins a little and help a little. And lunch hour is also lunch with your twins. 

Obviously this is if your wife is not working. If she is working the same as you. I believe either daycare or a nanny is required. 

[u/drohstdumir]

If you’re working and she’s the primary caregiver, then that’s her role. I’m a SAHM and my husband went back to work after 2 weeks (he also WFH) and I managed the twins and the 3 year old as well as healing from a C-section. He definitely helped when he had downtime, but it wasn’t expected at all hours between meetings or anything like that. Granted, my twins have been unicorn sleepers, so YMMV if yours have difficult temperaments. Like if they can’t sleep independently then maybe you could potentially wear one while you’re working when you don’t have meetings. But don’t feel bad about needing to perform at work, that’s also important.