New moms often say they’re lucky if they get a shower when baby is an infant. Between changing diapers and breastfeeding, the day is a blur and it seems like there’s no time to accomplish anything but taking care of baby’s immediate needs. So how do you continue to take care of yourself and your new bundle of joy? Stacey Crew, organizing expert and author of The Organized Mom, says it’s all about time management and being flexible and open to the unexpected, and gives several helpful suggestions.
For a few days, keep a log of what transpires throughout the day. There are many free apps you can download for this, the Similac Baby Journal is one example. Keeping a log will show you that you are actually getting things done. Being the mom of an infant is new territory and demands a different set of tasks. After keeping a log for a few days, you’ll begin to see patterns as to what baby’s needs are. Then, if you haven’t already started to incorporate your needs, you can begin to do so. For example, while baby is napping, take a shower. When baby is content after a feeding, load the dishwasher or write a few thank you notes.
Paper management is another task that can fall to the wayside. Simply getting to the end of the driveway to retrieve the mail becomes a monumental task, if it’s done at all. Designate an area just for mail-not the kitchen counter-and collect it in a basket so it’s in one place if you don’t have time to go through it daily. Make sure to pull out any bills and put them in one place to be sure they get paid on time.
An accordion file works well to organize all of baby’s paperwork, but a better option is AboutOne.com. It’s fast and easy to use; you can email from your phone or scan documents directly into the system in seconds. It gives you one safe place to store those documents, and you’ll have access to them no matter where you are. So, if you’re at your pediatrician’s office, and you need your baby’s immunization records, you can go online to your AboutOne account for the information you need. AboutOne will also keep track of all your appointments, and send you reminders about them.
Although you may have been a superstar at the office, remember that running your household with a newborn involves your emotions too, which is a game changer. Mom guilt is part of the job description, but you can reduce and possibly eliminate it by knowing and understanding that being a mom, especially of an infant, is the hardest job you will ever have. When it comes to sharing photos and stories with families, take the easy route – you’ll be glad you did. Ambitious plans of scrapbooking every moment of your baby’s life will not only raise your stress and guilt levels, it will also set you up for possible failure. AboutOne allows you to email your photos to your digital scrapbook, then log in to journal about those moments later when you have time. Once you’ve journaled, you can create a newsletter or a bound baby book with the touch of a button and let your family and friends know exactly how your bundle of joy is progressing.
As a new mom, one of the most important things to remember is to be patient with yourself, especially because it’s a major transition in your life. Congratulations!
For complete “what you need and where to put it” lists on a room-by-room basis, check out Stacey Crew’s book, The Organized Mom: Simplify Life for You and Baby, One Step at a Time.
Click here to give AboutOne’s smart family management system a try with their Free Trial Passport – absolutely no credit card required! Doing this will register you to win 1 of 3 free Yearly Plan subscription upgrades. All others who sign up with the Free Trial Passport will be emailed a 50% off Yearly Plan subscription upgrade code. Giveaway ends midnight Pacific Time, March 15, 2011.
This article is sponsored by AboutOne.
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