Tips for a New Mom to Improve Productivity

Life is tough for a new mom, more so if she is working. She must somehow juggle work and the infant. She must look after the baby, feed her, give the newborn a bath, and do so many other things. Many babies won’t sleep at night, so she must stay awake as well. Then there will be times when she must wake up for feeding, even when she manages to get some sleep. A new arrival in the family is awesome news. But a working mom must return to work and still somehow do everything for the infant and her young family. That’s why life can be terrifying and awesome at the same time. So how does she manage everything? Here are a few useful tips – Get Sound Sleep Count yourself lucky if your infant sleeps well at night. So many babies will stay awake at night and sleep during the daytime. But even if your newborn is a sound night-sleeper, she is going to wake up at least once for feeding. That’s because most newborns must feed every three hours. It’s a problem if you are sleeping soundly but have to wake up for feeding and then the burping. This can take more than an hour, so that three-hour gap suddenly doesn’t seem too long. Try to optimize your sleep time. There are many ways of doing this, like using a sleep timer, sleep cycle tracking, and supplements like melatonin, which is a hormone that lets us sleep better. Also, make sure that you limit your exposure to blue light. There are blue lights all around us – smartphones, iPads, and televisions. Research has indicated that blue lights reduce the ability of our body to produce melatonin by as much as 30 percent. You will fall asleep faster if you can avoid blue lights. You will also sleep better. If you cannot turn off the appliances, then at least keep them away from you when you go to bed. Or you can wear a blue-light-blocking sunglass. You will wake up fresh. Baby Routine Establish a sleep schedule for your infant. This will give you time slots that you can use to get work done. Don’t go by the clock always. Make it work as an overall planner. Often, if you have a gentle routine when she is young, then it may even help her sleep during the night, especially in the initial few months. Productivity will improve when the mama and her baby are both getting adequate rest. Opt for Formula Milk Doctors say breastmilk is always best for infants up to the age of one year, and rightly so. It is recommended to some babies even up to the age of two years. Modern-day formula milk products like what you will find at TheBestFromJapan.com are also very good. Formula milk is very useful when the mom must take medicines, when there is poor milk flow, or when the infant has special dietary requirements. Modern-day formula milk come packed with nutrients. They have vitamins, iron, calcium, copper, chloride, sodium, phosphorus, potassium, protein, iodine, magnesium, manganese, and many other key ingredients that are healthy and good for the baby’s growth. The best products don’t have any chemicals, added colors, and preservatives. If you formula feed, you can finally get that rest. You won’t have to wake up in the middle of the night. Even a dad or family member can prepare and feed it during the day, while you are at your workplace. This is why more and more working moms are now opting for formula milk. Keep Your Baby Somewhere Safe You can get a lot of work done if you place the newborn in a safe place for short spurts of time. Your infant can play and watch you as you clean, cook, read a book, drink some coffee, and even work on your laptop. A baby swing, bouncer, crib, and play gym are all safe places. Remember to check her from time to time so you can be sure she is safe and doing well. Delegate How much can one person do on her own? You are bound to feel stressed even if you are a Super Mom. So get all the help you can. Ask your partner to share the responsibilities. Most partners will do this. Find ways he can be of help. Perhaps he can do the dishes. Perhaps he can put the baby to sleep and watch her as you sleep. And of course, if you are using formula milk, then he can prepare the food and feed her as well. Your mom or mother-in-law can also come and stay with you for a while. They have both raised kids, so they will understand what you are going through. They will also have the experience. Look After Yourself You will be a lot more productive if you take good care of your physical and emotional needs. Eat healthy food. You can drink a cup of wine, go to the gym, read a magazine or book, watch a movie, go out with your friends, and pick up that hobby once again. Do whatever help you relax and unwind. Meditation and yoga are both good. A mom carries the baby within her for months and must sacrifice so many things. It’s time you got back your life. Take Your Baby With You Small infants less than 3 months old are extremely portable. You can take the newborn when you visit a friend’s place, to dinner, grocery shop, and even to work if you can manage it. This is going to make you much more productive. She is going to sleep most of the time anyway. Babies get more wakeful around the age of three months. They also get fussy and demand more attention. So it will be difficult to carry everywhere after this. Finally, try the Pomodoro Technique, where you work in short spurts. Work for 25 minutes and then take a five-minute break. This way, you are looking after the newborn and still getting crucial work done.