New Mom Strategies: A Few Things That Make Life Easier
If you’re a young mother, you’ll know only too well how difficult and stressful life can be. It’s up to you to make sure that you find ways, even very small ways, to make life easier. We’ve got some tips for how to do that and you should see if they might apply to your day to day life and what you want to get out of it. Why make life more stressful than it needs to be? Instead, you should make use of the ideas we’re about to discuss below.
A Good Sleep Routine
Yes, this will look very different in various stages of your motherhood. From sleeping when the baby sleeps (good luck with that) to shifting your bedtime up to fighting your way through sleep training in the effort to regain a few hours, maintaining some semblance of a good sleep routine is crucial. Even if it’s only 3 hours at a time. But with the right routine in place, you’ll feel more refreshed and better able to deal with the challenges of motherhood each and every day.
Ensure Everything Has a Place
We tried to get this done before the baby actually arrived, but hey, no one’s perfect. But it is true that when your home is messy and disjointed when you have a child to look after, it quickly becomes way too much to handle. That’s why we strongly argue for minimalism - and fewer toys to boot. If an object doesn’t have an obvious place and you can’t find one, then out it goes. The amount of time and mental energy you will save is far more valuable than a few extra trinkets.
Create a Meal Plan
This is the newest strategy for us here at Thoughtful Misfit. We’ve always been the type to throw things together last second and all it a meal - however with the wee one in tow (and a newfound obsession with early nutrition), creating meal plans for the week ahead is a vital way to save time and stress. By planning ahead and knowing what everyone is going to eat for dinner and when, your life will be made a whole lot easier, and meals will get made a whole lot faster. And who knows you might even get to relax a little at meal time… hey we can dream, right?
A Great Preschool
When you have a kids preschool that you can send your child to before they’re old enough to attend regular school, it’s kind of a godsend. Plus, you can convince yourself that the educational aspect makes this a more beneficial use of your kiddo’s time and your money than the typical daycare center. Ask around for good recommendations and make sure to meet with the staff and take a tour before applying.
Support from the Family
If you have support from your family and you’re able to share parenting duties in a fair and reasonable way, there’ll be less pressure on you and less work for you to do. Plus, the time you spend with your little one will be more valuable just by way of your being less scattered and more present. Having parents who are happy to offer help with babysitting and other child-related duties can be a lifesaver for you as well. If you don’t have parents or family in the area, trading off childcare with a friend with kids in a similar age range can be a great free alternative.
Life as a new mother is never easy and there are new, daily challenges you will need to overcome regularly (for basically the rest of your life). But with a few easy strategies at your fingertips, it should be a lot easier for you to get through the craziest years in one piece.
