If you have just had a baby or have one that is a couple of months old, chances are, you may be wondering how to manage household chores with a baby?
Well, the answer is not that simple yet not that difficult either. This is a worry that most women have, especially if they do not have family members to help. Either way, it is very challenging to manage both the baby, work, and household chores, especially if you are a working woman. Here is an in-depth article that guides you on how it needs to be done.
If you have just had a baby or have one that is a couple of months old, chances are, you may be wondering how to manage household chores with a baby?
Well, the answer is not that simple yet not that difficult either. This is a worry that most women have, especially if they do not have family members to help. Either way, it is very challenging to manage both the baby, work, and household chores, especially if you are a working woman. Here is an in-depth article that guides you on how it needs to be done.
Tips: How To Manage Household Chores With A Baby
Here are some useful tips to make a note of:
1. Do Not Overwork Yourself
The first thing that any new mother needs to do is rest. This is also a phase when you need to enjoy motherhood and spend as much time as possible with the baby. It’s critical that you take care of your health. You have to make sure that you are getting the right amount of rest! Otherwise, you will suffer from health problems and will not be able to take care of the child.
2. Ask For Help
Most mothers have this ‘I can do it all’ attitude. This needs to change. It is practically impossible to single-handedly manage the home, take care of a toddler, and keep up with your own health. You should have some sort of support system. This is why it is important to have the other family members come over.
You should not shy away from asking your partner to contribute. As a parent, the father is equally responsible to take care of the child as the mother. Most mothers tend to take up all the responsibility and never ask for any help at any point in time. YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE IF YOU ASK FOR HELP!
3. Get A Baby Carrier
You will not believe how handy this is. A baby carrier a cloth or plastic-based hanging product that lets you carry your baby on your chest, hands-free. Once you put this on, you will be very mobile- all while having your baby right with you.
There are numerous benefits of baby-wearing. It improves a baby’s cognitive and speech skills, as they also experience your walking and talking movements. The constant touch of your baby stimulates mothering hormones, promotes a strong mother-child bond, and lets you recognize their cues…all leading to a happier baby and a happier you. Toddlers can also benefit from baby-carrying, being more involved in your life. We suggest you take a look at this innovative idea.
4. Set Your Priorities Straight
Remember that caring for a newborn is no easy task. Not only do you have to monitor the child on a 24/7 basis, but you also need to make sure that you are feeding and bathing the baby on a regular basis. If you are breastfeeding the baby, you will be required to be with the baby more often. So, the first thing that you need to do is to set your priorities straight, and then decide your next steps.
5. Sync With Your Baby’s Cycle
A good way to find time for chores is by using bedtime to carry them out. Make sure you use that time wisely! This will not be possible during the first few months after birth. However, if you have a slightly older baby who’s sleeping routine is pretty much fixed, this can be done without any hassle.
6. Prepare In Advance
If you put a little bit of thought into it, a lot can be done. For example, if you do meal planning, you can pre-prepare meals in advance for a week and then freeze it. On the other hand, you can do one huge laundry chunk in a week. You should keep extra clothes in hand for the baby.
7. Do Chores In One Go
This may sound like a hard thing to do, but you will eventually get used to it. Instead of doing one task at a time, do multiple chores at once; you can finish the work faster and also have a lot of time in hand. For example, do the whole day’s cooking in one go, instead of three times a day. Also, keep your cooking very basic but healthy. You can also wash dishes once a day or once in two days in bulk.
8. Be Smart
Have in place a set of boxes where you can keep the things that are needed for the baby. This way, you do not have to run around and search. Also, instead of sweeping the floor or moping it, use a vacuum cleaner, preferably a lightweight one. Being organized has its advantages at all points in life.
9. Ask The Older Kids To Assist
If you have an older kid, you should involve him/her. Ask your older child to babysit for a while or do some other small chores around the house. Make sure you do not leave another child unsupervised with the baby. Getting siblings to help is an excellent way to help them develop a lifelong bond with each other from a very young age.
10. If Nothing Works, Hire Help
If you have the budget for it, the best thing to do as a new mother is to hire some additional help. This is a good way to manage chores during the initial stages. If you take more than you can handle, you will end up having a breakdown. Hence, hiring professional help makes sense. If this is too expensive, ask your family members to pitch in. This could include your partner, your in-laws, your parents, and even your friends.
The Final Word…
Last but not least, take time off for yourself amidst the chores and the baby. Do not forget that me-time is vital to keep you sane in the middle of all that confusion that is going on in your life. Also, make it a point to spend some time with your partner as the birth of a child can sometimes come in the way of some quality time spent with your better-half.
S’moresUp is a family-friendly app designed to get your kids interested in doing chores. It is a simple yet powerful Smart Family Organizer for modern-day parents like you.