How do you manage WLS with young children?

I am a single mother of a 2 year old boy.  My son's father is still with us but we don't live together yet so the home stuff is left up to me.  Cooking dinner, washing clothes, cleaning house, giving baths, reading books...all of that falls on me alone.  It is already difficult for me to pay any attention to myself.  I've honestly gone days without showering  because I don't have time (I do wash though :-)). 

I am in the early stages of pre-op.  I have my first consult with my surgeon tomorrow morning. I would like to hear from some other single parents or parents with multiple children...or hell, any parent that has given up all of the their time for their children.  How do you manage the workouts, the vitamin regimens, the support group meetings, the WLS success program with the responsibilities of your daily life?

C. Melissa

Okay here I go...I don't respond often. mostly lurk but...
 I am a married mother of 2 great kids (14 and 7) but my husband is a truck driver ( gone for days and some times weeks at a time)... so all the reading, bathing, dance class,  boxing, school functions and all other parenting activities fall on me... in addition to that I am about a year and a couple of months post bypass. So I hope I can help with your question. As far as meals, vitamins and personal health care I look at it this way... If I am not well taken care of how can I take care of my children (let alone do what I need to do for my husband). I have learned, as you will, that in order to take care of the most important things in my life, I have to take care of me first.... I also know that it took me a minute to come to this relevation. Sounds like a duh statement, and I have given this advice to many many girlfriends... but it took me longer than I wold like to admit to apply this to mylife, personally. Realize how important you are to your child, and just like we will get second jobs, or move to different school districts, or whatever number of sacrifices we make to ensure our kids have what they need... if we are not taking care of #1 we are not doing all we can do as parents to ensure their success... ***okay back to lurking---Dropping the microphone screaming sexual choclate lol Dueces!!!! :o)!

Thank you for coming out of the cave to answer my question...lol.  You make a very good point.  That's why I'm having the surgery to take care of myself so I can have a long healthy life for my son.  I will make it work...I just don't have the how worked out yet.

Sexual choclate and dueces!!  lmao

It wasn't my wls, but like you and wls I had the juggling act to do when my baby was a pre schooler.  Its not as hard as you think if you plan and you are determined to make it happen. 

Vitamins are a non event.  Get yourself a pill dispenser and fill it once a week.  Put the day's vits in your pocket and take them on schedule.  Its a no brainer and a non event.

Support groups can be harder if you need a sitter.  However, there are on line support groups as part of many surgical practices.  If yours does not have an in person option you can make, try local hospitals.  They often have groups open to the public.  Also check out the links in my siggy line to Overeaters Anonymous.  They have an email support loop for wls patients as well as 24 hr meetings to deal with the head issues surgery can't fix. 

Exercise is another non event if you are committed.  Start now, start  simple.  A beginner level in door walking dvd (Leslie Sansone is popular with folks new to exercise) is a start.  Twenty minutes a day.  Get up half hour earlier.  Do it as soon as you put the litttle one to bed.  You may not feel like it but if you are committed you will see that you can do it if you really want to. 

What will take a little more time is learning to plan and track your meals.  If your surgeon has a detailed plan it will be much easier.  If your plan is vague it will take more effort.  Go to the board for your wls procedure and start reading the "what are you eating today" threads.  Note the longer term succsses and use them for guidance.  Ask questions.  If you don't get good answers ask again.  Different people will respond differently. 

Your normal home responsibiilties will be the same so just keep plugging along with them.  Your lifestyle changes will be incorporated into your routine and eventually it will b seamless to you.  With determination you will do this. 

Keep comming back with quetions.  Whine complain ***** moan vent when you need to because you will need to at times.  Don't worry about less than sympathetic replies.  Take the good info and discard the rest.  Just keep comming back for support where ever you may find it.  There is more than OH out there.  Find the places online and in real life that work for you. 

You WILL be able to do this.  Just as so many others before you.  Just as so many others after you.  Commitment is what it takes. 

Thank you so much for the advice and encouragement!  I know that I can and will be committed to WLS success. I'm a planner and I will make the sacrifice to make it happen.

Thanks again!!

My surgery recovery was a LOT more difficult than I anticipated!  I'm a married mom of an 11 year old, so it's different than having a toddler for sure.  I would recommend:

1)  Making sure that your home is thoroughly clean and organized the way you want it before you go into surgery (I didn't do that--regretted it! Couldn't really clean like I wanted to for 3 months)

2)  Shopping for as many non-perishables as possible before surgery (vitamins, shakes, paper products, etc.)--shopping is a pain, literally, when you're hurting

3)  Scheduling friends and family members who can help you watch your son, either at your place or theirs; OR

4)  Signing your son up for day care shorter-term and asking friends and family members to drop him off and pick him up for you for the first couple of weeks (kids' needs don't change, even when ours do!  All that bathing, reading, etc. will need to keep going, and having help is great)

5)  Having lots of games and activities he can do on his own while you rest (he'll feel like a big boy!).

You should also schedule a time when your son's dad can help to support you, and can take your son out for some father-son bonding while your rest.

Workouts and support group meetings will fall into place.  Vitamins are daily, so you can prepare those in a pill container before you even go into surgery.  You probably won't want to start working out until after you heal a bit, maybe 3 months.  Walking is always in order, and you can do that anytime.

Recovery can be rough!  The majority of people sail through it, but a few of us need more time and help.  It's impossible to know which group you fall in until after surgery.  It's best to be prepared.

Hello Mellisa ... It seems for me after WLS my life has become more hectic or active because I had to add me in the mix you just have to make the time . I'm up every morning at 5am on the treadmill. When I drop the boy off for sports I do the gym.  You really have to fit it all in I have vitamins on my desk  at home, in the trunk , in my purse, if I forget I have back ups. I keep protein powder in the car, singles in the purse  just throw it in a bottle of water and keep it moving. Support meeting are only twice a month at my clinic so planning ahead is simple ( my kids are 11 and 16  so i don't really need a sitter) . Hubby got me a treadmill and elliptical because I was spending to much time at the gym... But  you have to create a routine if you do anything for 30 days it becomes habit. But girl I ain't been to busy to take a bathe yet..Lol Remember why you did this and follow through it 's about mommy first . The motto  in my house "If I'm Not Happy NO BODY IN HERE will be. Good Luck and Much Success!