As I’ve admitted before, I sorely underestimated just how much time caring for an infant would take. Even though those close to me told me that a baby is a 24/7 job in and of itself, I admittedly stuck up my nose to that and thought…how hard can it really be? Well my friends, I am eating my words because caring for a baby IS the toughest job I’ve ever taken on. My time now is almost all completely taken up by my sweet little bundle. Of course, I’ve gained so much in the way of heart exploding love, but there is still a to do list looming that I need to get accomplished. In the past 3 months I’ve had to really adjust how and when I work. While I haven’t figured everything out juuust yet, I have found ways to be more efficient from really paying attention to my babies’ cues to setting us up a HelloFresh meal delivery subscription. Here are the 5 ways I’m saving and finding time while juggling a new baby.
Get baby on a schedule (as much as you can): I still remember the first night Jamie and I brought Edwin home like it was yesterday. We had NO CLUE what to do with this tiny human who looked so fragile and was so helpless. It was quite comical actually and I’m sure most parents can relate to that feeling. We’ve come such a long way in just 3 months and I feel so much more confident in our abilities to care for Edwin now. Edwin was an extremely fussy newborn from around 3 weeks to a little over 2 months old. He cried sooo much which we believe was due to tummy issues and it was HARD to deal with. Both Jamie and I were juggling so much during that time and we had to work together to figure out what worked to calm our little guy. During that time, we discovered that the most important thing is to pay attention to your baby’s cues. Every baby is different and cues will vary, but there are signs your baby shows you to tell you when they’re hungry, tired, need time alone, want to play, etc. It took us a little while to figure out exactly what it was that Edwin wanted, but once we started to pick up on his cues, things started getting so much easier! After I knew Edwin’s cues, I was able to set up a feed, change, play, nap schedule and I started to see the foggy newborn haze I was in lift! The schedule we are on is still Edwin’s, as his timings for the things he needs change from day to day. BUT I am now able to get things done when he’s content to be alone in his swing or napping. Also, to calm our fussy little guy quickly (especially if the problem is a sore tummy), we hold him while bouncing on an exercise ball and it has been the biggest lifesaver to stop his crying.
Set up a HelloFresh subscription: Cooking is one of my favourite things to do, so it was really hard for me to not be able to cook like I used to when Edwin was born. Even when I wanted to cook a meal, Edwin would always seem to need me to nurse or want me to calm him around dinner time, especially when he was a newborn. Jamie took over the cooking for us and while I was SO appreciative of having him home to cook (and his cooking is delicious), I truly missed being in the kitchen and creating new recipes for us to enjoy. Enter HelloFresh. HelloFresh is truly a lifesaver for a new parent who wants to still be able to cook and eat delicious, healthy meals! We recently set up our first HelloFresh order and from start to finish it was the BEST experience…my only regret is that we didn’t set it up sooner! With HelloFresh, we simply chose the meals we wanted for the week, the number of servings, and when we’d like the order to be delivered. Our HelloFresh Box was dropped off at our door and from the moment it arrived I knew that our life had legitimately been changed for the better. From our first meal I was thrilled with so many elements of HelloFresh. Firstly, the ingredients were all prepackaged and pre-portioned in a convenient paper bag so I didn’t have to go fridge diving for ingredients. Secondly, the recipe card with instructions was SO simple to follow that even the most novice of cooks would be able to cook these meals. Third, all of the recipes take no longer than 30 minutes, so even I was able to squeeze that time in! So far, we’ve tried 3 recipes, Herby Asparagus and Tomato Bake (pictured above), Garlicy Prawns with Roast Potatoes and Walnut-Parsley Pesto, and Caesar Spiced Salmon. I kid you not, each recipe was better than the last. I felt like every time I cooked a HelloFresh meal that I had just whipped up a restaurant quality dinner and that I was basically a supermom for doing so…but really it was thanks to HelloFresh! If you’re a new or expecting parent I say don’t think twice about setting up a HelloFresh Subscription box, especially for the first few months of your baby’s life. Heck, I’d even suggest putting a HelloFresh subscription on your baby registry it is that much of a must-have!
PS: For 50% off of your first HelloFresh box use code BLONDIELOCKS at checkout.
Prep everything you can ahead of time: Luckily, Edwin has been pretty reliable when it comes to his bedtime. Once he settles for sleep around 9:30-10, I give myself an hour or so before I go to bed to prep anything I need for the next day. If I know I’m leaving the house the following day, I make sure to shower and style my hair, prep Edwin’s diaper bag, and lay out our clothing. Prepping these small things has helped save me time and stress as now I’m not running around in the morning trying to get us ready. If I’m not leaving the house the next day, I can skip the outfit, hair and diaper bag prep and instead I do a quick clean-up of our house, catch up on e-mails and prep any other work I need done for the next day (like writing this blog post for example!).
Hire a cleaner: This is one that we haven’t done as of yet but something I’m leaning towards. Though things like dishes and laundry need to be done on a daily basis, I think that hiring a cleaner for weekly tasks like a full bathroom clean, floor cleaning, dusting, etc. would really free up time for us.
Don’t be too hard on yourself: Finally, I know it is difficult, but please try not to be too hard on yourself when you’re a new parent. I’ve learned this the hard way because I am such a tough critic on myself. However, I know that when I am stressed out it impedes me from being productive and looking at the bigger picture. I’ve tried so hard to let go of expectations that I must get everything done because I don’t. I’ve also learned to let go of the mom guilt when I do NEED to get things done and can’t necessarily be spending time with Edwin. I’ve learned it is okay for him to play by himself for 20 minutes so I can answer some emails or fold the laundry. I’m trusting my gut and I know I am doing the best I can to care for my baby and myself and I hope that if you’re a new parent, you’re doing that too!
This post was proudly brought to you by HelloFresh
