Home Management for Busy Moms
Real-talk time. Being a mom can be busy and exhausting. How many times have you felt like there wasn’t enough time to get everything done? What wouldn’t you give not to be tired, or just to have two extra hours in the day?
When my twins were born, I found myself with five children under the age of six, and absolutely no idea how I was going to manage just the basics. Somehow, we survived, and I discovered a few priceless time-saving tips that helped me then, and a few years later when I had my sixth child. It was never easy, but these things made it more manageable:
Nix Pajamas
You’re going to laugh, but this was a huge help. Every night after my husband and I gave the kids a bath, we’d dress the little ones in the clean clothes they’d wear the next day.
Let’s be honest–the difference between clothes and pajamas for babies and toddlers is a matter of semantics and zippers. This saved me the extra step of getting the kids dressed in the morning, extra time doing laundry, and the money we might have spent on footie pajamas.
Delegate Laundry
This one came in handy once my kids were school-aged. Each of their rooms had its own dirty clothes hamper. Once it was full, the whole thing went into the washer, then the dryer, then back to the room.
The kids knew that when they came home and found their clean clothes in a pile, it was their job to put them away. Now the only laundry sorting I had to do was my own. I might not have had the whitest whites in town, but I definitely had more free time.
Get To Know Your Crock Pot
If you’re not a crock-pot cooker, do yourself a favor and give it a try. This is my absolute favorite way to cook. Everything goes in, I turn it on, and it’s magically ready when we are.
It’s perfect for those nights when you’re busy (when aren’t you?) and you’ll have more time to spend with the kids when they get home from school.
New Mom? Consider a Postpartum Doula
When I had my twins, I had no idea there was such a thing as a postpartum doula. Oh, how I wish I had known. It would have made such a difference in my life.
Basically, a postpartum doula is “A Mom for the Mom.” Here are some of the specific things a postpartum doula can do for you in that challenging first few weeks and months:
Provide hands-on education on infant and mother care.
Create a nurturing, restful atmosphere in which parents may eat, shower and nap.
Shop for groceries and prepare meals.
Play with older children and offer suggestions for how to integrate the new baby into the family.
Spend time with the baby, allowing parents to cuddle and have quality time with older children or just be alone together.
Screen for hurdles such as breastfeeding challenges or postpartum mood disorders.
Make referrals to any local or informational resources that the parents might need.
Offer a listening, non-judgmental ear.
Assess and help with breastfeeding.
Prepare pump supplies or bottles for the next feeding or the next day.
I hope some of these time saving tips will help make motherhood more joyous for you! Good luck, Mama.
Baby Bonds is a Boise-based company that serves mothers with lactation support. If you’re interested in learning more, you can find our contact information here.