When you come home with a baby for the first time, it's hard to know where to start. Here are some tips to think of everything, while thinking of you.
Most new parents will tell you, having time for yourself with a newborn is not easy. A new parent sometimes feels like they spend the day feeding their child and changing diapers. Still, most newborns sleep an average of 16 to 20 hours a day, so you have to wonder where does your time go!
What if what you needed was a little planning? Here are some tips to help you find some time to relax and get on with your daily tasks.
Baby routine
At the very beginning, your baby will not be able to understand your rhythm of life and your 24-hour days, but you can help him get used to it by performing certain actions at fixed times. For example, try giving her bath at the same time every day like after her last drink or before her afternoon nap. Remember that as long as your baby still has his umbilical cord, he should be dried thoroughly immediately after bathing.
When it isawake, you can also walk with him, and sing him lullabies to accentuate his periods of wakefulness and differentiate them from periods of sleep.
Also, your baby sleeps a lot, but his sleep is usually divided into small periods of two or four hours. That's what makes you feel like he's constantly waking up. To better plan your days, take note of your sleep periods. This is the best way to understand its rhythm and set aside time slots for you to sleep, tidy up or have fun.
Also note his drinking hours. At the very beginning, these periods will be very close together, but your baby will drink at more and more spaced out and more and more regular times over time.
Even if you feel like your efforts are wasted and you're still exhausted, don't give up hope! Remember that around the fifth month, your baby's schedule will look like this:
7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.: Wake up and meal
10:00 a.m.: Siesta
12:00 p.m.: Meal
3:00 p.m.: Siesta
4:00 p.m.: Snack
5:00 p.m.: Meal
7:00 p.m.: Bath
7:30 p.m.: Drink8:00 p.m.: Sleep for the night (+ night drinks, if applicable)
Mom and Dad Routine
Once you understand your baby's routine, use their nap times to rest and get a head start on your daily tasks. By taking care of folding your clothes while listening to your favorite shows and taking a good bath without worryingfor your baby, you will have more energy to devote to your family and you will feel more relaxed.
You can also use these first hours of solitude to make an appointment for your baby's first vaccinations, take care of important papersand fix anything that makes you feel like you have too much to do. This is how in a few weeks, you will have nothing else to do but enjoy your moments of calm and the moments of awakening of your little baby who is growing too quickly.
We have two files for you: Preparing for the arrival of baby (to know how to equip yourself) and Caring for a new- born (to learn all about baby care).
