11 life hacks for taking care of yourself when you’ve got a baby

Posted on May 4, 2016 by Andrea Scott RN

May 2 was Maternal Mental Health Day! I like to think of it as a day for us mothers to think about ways we can promote our own mental well-being. And Mother’s Day is coming – a day to support and honour all mothers. We at HaltonParents know all too well just how hard it is for moms (and dads) to take care of themselves when they’ve got a baby, so we worked together and came up with 11 tried and tested life hacks that helped us take care of ourselves when our kids were oh-so-little. We hope it’ll put a smile on your face and boost your mood for today!

Life Hack 1: Get a shower in by putting baby in a bouncy seat or floor mat right in front of your shower. Sing or play music while you are showering and make sure baby can see you! Also works for washroom breaks. Life Hack 2: Fuel up by choosing protein-packed foods that you can eat with one hand. My favourite is a banana peanut butter wrap.


Life hack 3: Get out of the house with your baby once a day, even if it’s just to walk to the mailbox and back. The fresh air will do you both good. Don’t let rain and snow stop you; dress baby for the weather.

 

Life Hack 4: Boost your mood by playing your favourite music and sing and dance along. It doesn’t all have to be twinkle twinkle and the wheels on the bus.

 

Life Hack 5: Craving a good book when baby is sleeping on you? Download books onto your smart phone or e-reader for free from the library! Now you can read with one hand.

 

Life Hack 6: Read or watch the news - at least the highlights - then you’ll have something else to chat about with your partner and friends besides baby’s poop schedule.

 

Life Hack 7: Practise breastfeeding without pillows or a comfy chair. Being able to breastfeed anytime, anywhere is freeing - at the dinner table, at a friend's house or at the mall. Have breasts, will travel (with baby!).

 

Life Hack 8: Have your partner pack your lunch when they’re making theirs. This increases your chances of actually eating during the day!

 

Life Hack 9: If your baby always wants to be held, use a wrap, carrier or sling – you’ll have two free hands!

 

Life Hack 10: Baby wipes are great for quick clean ups around the house and for wiping spit-up off shirts.

 

Life Hack 11: Sneak in sleep any way you can. Nap, switch shifts with your partner between breastfeeds, and sleep in when you can.

Got any more life hacks for taking care of yourself when you’ve got a baby? We would love to hear them!

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For parenting information or to speak with a public health nurse (every Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) simply dial 311 or 905-825-6000.

About Andrea Scott RN

I’m a public health nurse with the HaltonParents team – you'll find me on Facebook, Twitter and on this blog, writing about all things parenting. I’ve been working for the Halton Region Health Department since 2006 and my focus has been on supporting parents with babies and little kids. I have two little ones myself, “Pumpkin” and “Monkey” who give me plenty to write about! :)
This entry was posted in Babies, Babies with Special Needs, Breastfeeding Your Baby, Depression & Anxiety After Birth, Parenting, Parenting Your Baby, Play, Growth & Development for Babies, Pregnancy and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

2 Responses to 11 life hacks for taking care of yourself when you’ve got a baby

  1. Pingback: Mastitis: what you need to know | HaltonParents

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