Tips For Being a Stay at Home Mom.

Once my son was born my mom stayed with us for a couple weeks to help with the transition. My husband was working crazy hours at a new job and having my mom there was a huge blessing! Once my mom was gone though… that’s when reality hit. I was left alone with this tiny human all day by my self. How was I supposed to get anything done?

As a first time, mom EVERYTHING is new. You don’t know if you are doing anything right and finding a balance is hard. It can be difficult to find that happy medium between baby, husband, house, and You. and that’s not even the whole list there’s also friends and family and if there are other kids in the mix then you’re looking at maybe sports, and dance on top of that. So I put together a little list of some of the lessons/tips I learned being a stay at home mom.

1. You Can’t Do Everything.

Trying to do everything in one day isn’t realistic. You can’t keep the house spottles all day every day. you can’t mop and vacuum and wash the baseboards every day! Youll get burnt out!

And come on that’s not fun either. Coming up with a realistic schedule is KEY! What worked for me was breaking down what needs to be done and planning out what I can do while the baby is awake and what needs to be done while he’s napping. And don’t forget to fit time in for yourself!

 

2. Get Out!

It’s so so so important to get out of the house! Depending on when the little one was born this can be a bit more difficult for the snow babies. When our little one was born it was April so we were able to go out and enjoy the fresh air and sun, however, once the snow fell it was very easy to get stuck in the routine of staying in!

I found there would be two or three days in a row that we wouldn’t leave the house. I realized that I would be itching for my husband to come home to get a taste of the outside world and if he was late getting home, I would get upset like I was left out. So my point is GET OUT OF THE HOUSE! It’ll save your sanity I promise! Just because you are a stay home mom doesn’t mean you have to be a Stay in mom! 😛

 

3. Finding Time For You!

This one took me a while to figure out. It’s so important to fit time in for yourself, you need to be looked after first before you can look after anyone else! This is Important, not just so you don’t feel left out but for your overall health!

I realized this when my husband started up hockey again when our son was about 5 months old. I felt jealous that I didn’t have something just for my self like that.

I didn’t have time just for me. I know some people might think “what about when your baby is asleep” well ill answer that with this

1. my son didn’t start sleeping through the night till he was 11 months old, so I was still up with him twice a night for feedings.

2. during nap times was when I would clean the house or prep dinner or anything else that would need full attention.

3. When my son was down for the night that would be my time to focus on my marriage and spend time with my husband as a couple (Check out my post  Date Night After Baby for how I managed that.)

So when do you find time for yourself? I figured this out when my son was around 9 months old. I met a friend who was going to the gym 5 days a week and they even had a daycare there. I was already working out at home when I could and I knew that I wasn’t happy with the way my body was at that time.

So I decided to get a membership and start hitting the gym! I didn’t realize I needed that mental break to just zone out and push hard at the gym! I was feeling amazing! I felt more clear and relaxed! I felt less on edge! I was doing something for ME! It was a Win-Win. My son was getting socialized with other kids and I was getting time for me.

 

4. Go With The Flow.

Once there’s a baby you have a whole different perspective on time management. We always joke we are on Noah time. We realized that nothing is going to go as planned anymore. Not once you have a baby. So we adapted and we just go with the flow now. We get there when we get there. We will get it done when we can… and so on. You have to or you’ll just go nuts! This is coming from one of the most punctual people you will ever meet! If I’m not 10 minutes early I consider my self late… well not anymore I guess that comes with being a stay home mom.

 

5. Mom Guilt.

Mom guilt is a terribly real. I never understood it. But now I do. It’s everywhere… from your Baby Well visits, to your friends … social media… or another mom judging you for not having shoes on your infant who can’t even stand little lown walk. But the worst case of mom guilt is from yourself.

It’s hard to not feel guilty about even the smallest things! I recently felt horrible for not having a blanket with me at the mall when it was 30+ outside and every other mom did. But why did I feel guilty? My son was okay, he wasn’t cold and we didn’t end up needing one… but I felt judged and guilt for not thinking of bringing one just in case.

You are doing an amazing job! People don’t tell mom’s this enough! You cant feel guilty or regret because, at that moment, you thought that was the best decision. Don’t feel guilty for watching a little T.V while your baby sleeps. Don’t feel guilty about buying that shirt that makes you feel beautiful! Don’t feel guilty for doing the best that you can!

 

These are just some of the tips I have learned from being a Stay home mom. I hope some of these can help you and make the transition into motherhood just a little easier! Leave a comment below on what tips you have come up with! 🙂