As a busy mom of two, finding time for myself is hard. And now that I stay home with my children, it seems like every second of my day is accounted for. I’m the main chef, maid, stick figure artist, playtime coach, ouchie kisser, snuggler, grocery shopper, story teller, song singer, chauffeur, diaper changer, and snotty nose wiper.
And it’s exhausting. And overwhelming. And wonderful.
When I just had Hudson, I worked full time outside of the home and sent him to daycare three days a week. And of course I suffered from mom guilt about it. But it did allow me to have a little time to myself here and there…even if it was while I was working.
But now that I’m home those alone times are fewer and far between. I’m naturally introverted, so in order to function I NEED some down time alone. Without it I’m not happy…and you know what they say…when mama ain’t happy ain’t nobody happy. Ha! So I’m making an extra effort to carve out some “me time” in the following ways:
1. Wake up before the kids. I know I’ve mentioned this before, but the early morning hours are the perfect time for me to organize my day, do my devotions, sip my tea, and just have a little time to myself before the busy day starts. Getting up early is hard, but it’s been so worth it.
2. Get enough sleep. Sometimes I go to bed a 9pm. Sometimes I hit the snooze and don’t wake up until Hudson pulls me out of bed. I’m learning to let things go, and sometimes I sacrifice alone time for sleep time. Ha.
3. Ask for help. This one is a big one for me. Unless you are my mom or my husband, I’m not good at asking other people for help. But it’s necessary. In-laws, friends, and baby sitters were created for a reason…..mothers can’t do it alone.
4. Set aside “me time”. Get out your planner and find a time where someone can watch your kids while you go for a walk, get your hair done, grocery shop alone, or ANYTHING that gives you a little break. Having a break from time to time is necessary for your sanity. And your kids and spouse will all be happier if you are happier. They may miss you while you are gone but I’m telling you….they will be just FINE. And they will probably have fun!
5. Be prepared. Part of getting some alone time is having the right supplies to help whoever is taking care of my kids provide them with the very best care while I am gone. So I cut up fruit and cheese for snacks, make sure diapers and wipes are fully stocked, and have bottles ready to go for Sadie. As a breastfeeding mom, this is SO important. When you are breastfeeding you often feel like you are the only one who can feed the baby. Your schedule revolves around nursing that sweet babe every few hours. And, if you are like me, you enjoy breastfeeding. I love having that quiet time with my baby. But….it makes having some “me time” more difficult.
6. This brings me to my next point….have someone teach your baby to drink from a bottle. If your baby is anything like both of mine, they are mama obsessed and want nothing to do with a bottle when mommy is around. So, have your mom or your husband offer them a bottle when you are not home. Don’t sit right next to them because I guarantee they won’t be interested! Leave the house! Your baby will be fine!
I absolutely love breastfeeding. I loved it when I had Hudson and I love it all over again with Sadie. It has helped me create a bond with both of my children that I will never forget.
But I’m thankful for some alone time too.
We recently discovered the Munchkin LATCH line of bottles and we love them! The Munchkin bottles are designed to allow moms to easily and comfortably transition between breast and bottle. And Sadie actually will drink from one. Yay!
The LATCH line from Munchkin lets me feel confident in leaving my baby with someone else. I know she’ll drink her milk and be well cared for while I’m gone. And knowing that she’s happy makes leaving her a little easier. And it helps get my sanity back! I always set out Sadie’s bottles plus the sterilizing bag and bottle brush whenever I’m going to be gone.
Time to myself makes me a better mother. What about you? How do you carve out a little “me time”?
This post is brought to you by Munchkin LATCH but my love for their products is all my own. Munchkin LATCH is available at Walmart.
Me time is so important! I struggled so much with that while breastfeeding, especially with Emmy,m because she wouldn't take a bottle nomatter how hard we tried. Ugh!
These are the best tips – especially the bottle to give you a well deserved break x
This was such a great post! If I don't get "me time" I'm seriously not a nice person. I've just recently found a sitter for my 6m old while my 2 year old is at school and feel comfortable leaving him with. It's been such a life saver. Up until then I rarely had a moment alone. Getting up early is something I have started trying to do too! It's not always working though when my
Babes get up at the same time haha. Great post!!
I'll have to remember these bottles when we have another baby. Stella absolutely refused a bottle from anyone and it was definitely hard at times.
You are a hard working mama for sure! Love the photos of you and the kids.
Getting up before the babies is something I try to do each morning too. Most days I'm successful. But it is so hard for me to find any time away from them. Since I'm a work from home/stay-at-home mama, it's nearly impossible for me to do anything by myself! Nap time is one of my favorite times of days just because it's quiet and I have time to refresh. Time outside of the house by myself is nearly unheard of. haha. We're nearing the end of our breastfeeding journey, otherwise I might have checked those bottles out. Thankfully Oliver takes a bottle fairly well most of the time it offered – even if I'm the one offering! It's always so hard to know which bottle the baby will like/take. Who would have thought there was so much to be picky about when it comes to bottles? But there is 😉