This technically is an “ask a baby blogger” blog. I’ve been asked numerous times how I keep my sanity with all of my children. The truth is. . .I really like being a mother. Ask my husband; I have infinite patience for potty accidents, and fussy babies. I even have a pretty high tolerance level for temper tantrums. . .but that’s another story. In fact, now that our little ones are nearer to three than they are to two. . .I kind of miss having an infant.
But I remember the house bound days of having a newborn. Bathing was the last thing on my mind, I almost never got out, and life was well, overwhelming. My house was a mess (who am I kidding–it still is) and dinner was an after thought. We became very good friends with the Stouffer’s. My husband always says that my job is infinitely harder than his and you know what? He’s right–it is. Thankfully, he made it a priority to make sure I kept my sanity. Here are a few things we did to make sure that I was a happy mom:
Daddy Does Breakfast
Since I was nursing, I never asked my husband to get up in the middle of the night. It would’ve been pointless. However, most of our infants slept well in those early morning hours and so my husband would get up and make breakfast for me, or for the other babies. Letting me get that extra one or two hours made a big difference.
A Twenty Minute Walk
It’s hard for a nursing mom to go to the gym. Even though the gym is within walking distance down the block it would still mean giving up almost two hours of time by the time I got there, got changed, worked out, got dressed and came back. I just couldn’t swing it. But I could throw on a pair of sweats and walk around the block a couple of times. Exercise not only does your body good, but it releases endorphins which chemically make you feel better and also combat depression.
Something New
A little retail therapy isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I had a particular habit of buying new pairs of pants every time I would drop a few pounds after pregnancy. Being able to buy a smaller size just made me feel better. But even buying a shirt and having one shirt without spit up on it–did wonders for my outlook on life.
Just remember, they are only newborns for a short period of time. This too shall pass.