I’ve been a Mommy for about six months now. I am incredibly blessed to have a lot of help and support, but today in one of my rare days of “solitude” I’ve been thinking about the ways I make sure I can get things done. I figured I’d share and see if you have your own coping techniques or if you share some of mine. So here goes:
1) Prepare: Baby’s sleeping time is precious, and I don’t want to spend all of it doing chores (then when would I blog?). But I find if I take a few minutes to “prepare” things so I can do them more quickly later. For instance- sorting laundry and bringing it downstairs with a baby on my hip is hard…but if I sort into piles and put them near the washer, I can change loads with Bubby on my arm. (I like having the containers of soap, etc. already open. That way I don’t have to try and do it with one hand. However, as my kiddo gets mobile I’ll probably have to rethink this strategy if he can get to them.)
2) Lists: I can’t count how many times I’ve settled in to feed Camper or rock him to sleep and had a list of things run through my head. It’d be great to do this…I need to remember to do that….but then when I get up POOF. Gone. I started putting some paper and a pen by the chair I usually sit in. That way I can write down things I want to put in Bubby’s book, things to blog about, or just a shopping list.
3) FOOD. I think a good 80% of my meltdowns happen on days when I don’t eat/eat crap because I’m too “busy” (read:lazy) to prepare a meal. When I was in Utah I always made a sandwich or something for myself 10 minutes before Camper needed to eat and set it next to where I nursed. That way Bubby ate, I ate. It’s a little trickier with bottle feeding, but I find that around noon Camper wants some solid food, and he is usually patient enough that I can eat something with him. I get a bite, he gets a bite, we chat. He smiles. It’s nice.
4) Plan 15 minute “nice” things for you. If Bubby is occupied with a toy (or his toes) I find that I can usually do things in about 10/15 minute cycles before I’m needed again. Planning small things to do here and there helps me not run out of “mommy juice.” For example, paint your toenails, read a book (again, place it where you rock the baby, and after he drifts off to sleep read for a bit while cuddling some more), or exercise.
5) Reasonable expectations: This idea is straight from my favorite sleep book, but it applies to everything. I have always been a stickler for cleaning and cleaning schedules, and although I try to get the same things done that I used to, pre-baby…it’s just not possible. I have come to realize that I can’t get everything clean at the same time. I used to love cleaning my entire house one night a week and waking up to a totally clean home. But now I just try to do something. If it’s the bathroom, it’s the bathroom. Some days it’s just the shower or the sink. Some days it’s one load of laundry, some days I get out of the house. It’s hard, but I think I’m adjusting.
6) Another idea I heard lately (and I can’t remember where!) is to take time outs to play with your baby BEFORE he fusses. Today I was going through my files and music for piano lessons. I laid it all out on the floor next to where Bubby was playing, and every few minutes I rolled him over, kissed his cheeks, played tug of war with a chew toy (yes, he is a baby and not a dog) or picked him up and gave him a squeeze. I worked on my piano stuff and returned emails for about 2 hours that way with a happy baby. Yes, it took me longer than it needed to, but I included him and got it done. Days when I have the patience to play this way I definitely see a difference in his ability/willingness to nap alone and his general happiness. Good stuff.
