Let me preface this post by saying that this is going to be different for every mama. Maybe you won’t be returning back to work, maybe you work for yourself, or from home. It’s going to depend on your goals, and the needs of your baby and family. But for me and my maternity leave, I needed to get sh*t done!
After Korbin was born I was extremely motivated and had a whole new set of life goals! You may or may not know but in addition to blogging I also run a lifestyle Instagram page, a YouTube and a small business (definitely catch me on insta, I post daily). So although maternity leave is by no means a vacation, there were opportunities to get things done that I knew I wouldn’t have when I started back working. Whether it was around the house, with my business, my personal growth or my mental health.
Let me also say..love on that baby, first and foremost! Honestly for the first 2 weeks I didn’t do much, except sleep (when I could), breastfeed (every two hours) and hold my sweet baby. And now she’s almost 6 months, I’m back at work and I can barely remember that first week home. Even now as I write this blog I am cuddled with my daughter as she naps. Nothing beats baby snuggles!
About 2-3 weeks after giving birth here’s what I did everyday to really take control of my day.
1. Get dressed
Dressed for me was a crop and leggings. I also made sure I took a shower and did my hair. Makeup sometimes, but not much. It was much easier to feel like a new day started when I would get up in the morning and change my clothes.
I also got Korbin dressed and out of her pajamas. This is still something I make sure I do now that I’m back at work as well. After I shower and change, I feed her and get her dressed before her sitter comes to watch her. I also try to squeeze in making the bed on my days off.
2. Go outside
Okay, I’m so bad at doing this now. Outside time consists of walking to the mailbox or a quick walk around the backyard. It’s so it’s cold right now, but I know warmer days are coming and we will be back outside soon.
She was born in September and after about 2 weeks we did at least one walk a day. It was good for both of us to get outside of the house and in the sunshine. She always took a nap in the early days so it was a relaxing time for both of us. The older she gets the more she enjoys walks, and we even workout every now and then.
3. Start a schedule
I’ll be honest, I am not a stickler for routines. But once I became pregnant I knew it would be best for my work life balance. I work nights, that means I’m gone 4 nights out of the week. We try to keep her schedule as consistent as we can whether I’m working or off. I really think it’s best for her and us.
We started a bedtime routine when she was a week old. Bedtime has pretty much been the same but the schedule is always flexible. We’ve made many adjustments due to her changing up nap times. Do not stress yourself out over a schedule you’ve made. Make sure that you’re flexible to your baby’s schedule. Teething, learning a new skills or just wanting more cuddles are just a few reasons your baby sleeps more or less. I know it’s easier said than done, but don’t stress!
4. Set goals, and make a plan to achieve them
My husband and I have always talked about our goals, and we achieved a lot of them before Korbin was born. But with her birth came new goals. I now wanted things that we had never planned for, so we had to come up with new plans to achieve them.
These goals can be small or big. It’s whatever works for you and your family. But just setting goals with no plan of action won’t get you anywhere. Discuss it, write it down and set deadlines. Be flexible with this too, and give yourself grace. Everything won’t always go according to the plan, and that’s okay.
The most important thing is that you and your family are happy and healthy. But if you’re a type A like me having things in order is a close second. While you’re here I want you to check out a recent blog I posted about postpartum. I say this often. But it’s so true, you have to take care of yourself before you can take care of your family.
If you have any helpful suggestions share with us in the comments!
xo