Bringing a new baby home is a massive life-changing experience. It is an exciting time, and it comes with a new set of responsibilities that can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming.
Between having sleepless nights, diaper changes, constant feedings and adjusting to the new lifestyle, finding time for yourself can sometimes feel a bit impossible. However, when you make sure you prioritise self-care while you stay organised, it will help you look after your well-being and become the best parent that you can.
Let’s look at some of the ways you can manage your time, stay organized, and create some needed me time as a new parent:
Create A Realistic Schedule
It can be very easy not to realize how much time a new baby requires. This means that you need to be realistic about the time that you can give to yourself for self-care, as this can help when it comes to creating a schedule. Babies don’t really fit in with a schedule; therefore, you need to make sure you are creating a flexible schedule that accommodates the needs of the baby and your own. This doesn’t need to be rigid at all; however, having a loose structure can help you to remain organized and make sure that you are taking time to take care of yourself. Create manageable blocks for the morning, afternoon, and evening, and set specific times for naps, chores, feeding, and self-care. Even having a quick 15 minute tea break can’t help to re-energize you.
Delegate And Ask For Help
Do not think that you need to do everything yourself as a new parent. When you ask others for help, it is a sign of strength, not weakness. Try to lean on your partner, family members, and friends, who will help you share the load. Whether it’s watching the baby while you take a shower, having an hour to relax, or simply cooking a meal, having some support can make a massive difference. If you can’t think about hiring a cleaner for a few hours each week in the first few months, this can help to free up valuable time to help you reorganize and recharge.
Try To make Prioritise Sleep
People tell you to sleep when the baby sleeps. However, this is not practical advice. Yes, it is nice for you to grab a nap when the baby is sleeping, but this isn’t always going to be possible. However, you should be aware that this isn’t something that will last forever; sleep is important for your physical health and emotional well-being. If you do feel as though you are finding it impossible to get a full night’s rest, you may want to think about adding in an app when you can or asking for some support so that you can take it turns to get up with the baby in the evening. If you’re finding it difficult to fall asleep after you have been getting up, think about doing relaxing activities such as reading, meditation, or watching a comforting show. For example, you could think about catching up with your favourite Star Wars series on a Star Wars streaming service. It’s a great way to give your mind a break and hopefully set you off for a good night’s sleep. Think about using a sleep calculator to find the ideal time for you to go to sleep for the time you need to be up the next day.
Make Household Tasks Simple
When you have a newborn, you’ll find that daily chores can become overwhelming and pilot pretty quickly. One of the best things that you can do to counter this is to simplify your household tasks and adjust your expectations for a short. Rather than trying to clean your entire house deeply, focus on a couple of small tasks every day. A good way to save time is to batch cook and prepare meals drawing quieter moments and then freeze them for later. This way, you will make sure that you’ve always got a healthy meal ready without the stress of cooking.
For clothes washing, you might want to think about folding while the baby is sleeping or during feeding times. Completing lots of tasks like this they quickly make your home feel more organized without feeling like you are overworking and doing too much at once.
If you follow these tips, then you should start to feel a like less stressed, more organised, and be able to find some time for yourself as a new parent. Do you have any other tips that have worked for you? Let us know in the comments below.
