Perhaps only a man could call parental leave a vacation. A young mother, who is spinning day and night, is unlikely to have the idea that she is on vacation. And the result is fatigue, a sad appearance. But both the husband and the baby first of all need a happy wife and mother. What can you change in your life in order to make time for rest.
Do not neglect the use of household appliances, do not spare money for new household appliances that will make your life easier. I didn't want to buy a multicooker for a long time. What for? After all, there is a stove. But now I cannot imagine my life without her. The washing machine has long been common in almost all homes. But there are many other devices as well. Find what will be necessary and useful for you.
You must take care of yourself first. This applies to both the use of household appliances, which was discussed above, and your rest in general. The baby needs a healthy and happy mother. Therefore, find an activity for yourself (ideally sports) that will not take much time, but will help you distract from household chores. For half an hour, while you run in the park, dad can sit with the baby. Jogging, pool, fitness, gym … Something to help you relax and switch. It will also help to express, and not accumulate, negative emotions. We all get mad at our children from time to time. If we are also tired at the same time, then we can say too much. Sport is a great way to "drain" negative emotions and come home in a great mood with renewed vigor.
To free yourself more time for rest, the baby can be transferred to sleep at home closer to the year. It is better to walk while awake. Believe me, I rest a lot more when I put my baby in a crib, and not in a stroller outside.
Rest first, then business. This is especially true for the period immediately after the birth of the child. My husband will cook dumplings for himself, if that. And you should have time to sleep. She put the child to bed, first she lay down herself. If then there is time left, get busy.
When it comes to grocery shopping: store food in the refrigerator in large quantities at once. Have your husband bring big bags home once a week. There are enough frozen meat and vegetables in stores now. And semi-finished products can also be found of good quality.
Online stores are a huge help to our information age. Use their services, both for the purchase of food and baby products. Online stores helped me out in the first month after the birth of the baby (I ordered clothes for feeding and an ergo backpack) and during the feeding period (it is better to let the courier bring heavy cans of baby food and packs of diapers than you will carry them yourself). Moreover, it is possible to find online stores where prices are even lower than in shopping centers. Numerous forums where young parents communicate, or neighbors with children in the yard will help you find proven sites.
Use the help of relatives, ask them for help, clearly formulating what you need from them. Friends, in my experience, can rarely really help (especially if they don't have children of their own). But grandmothers can be irreplaceable. Do not trust your grandmother in something - leave her to sit with the child while sleeping, or dress the baby for a walk yourself and send them for a walk. Even if you disagree with your grandmothers about parenting, you can still entrust them with something. After all, remember that these women raised you and your husband.
It can be very helpful if you have a driving license. Traveling by car, rather than transportation, can be a huge time-saver. So get behind the wheel. For a long time I did not dare to get a license. It was after the birth of my child that I went to a driving school. First, it really helps a lot. Secondly, it was my way of relaxing; the time in driving school and driving was my time for myself.
Last but not least, I would like to advise you to have sex. Let it be rare, but apt! This is also a rest. In addition, the husband should not feel outside of family life after the birth of the child. Get yourself at least one set of erotic lingerie. This will please both you and your husband.
Maybe these are commonplaces. But they helped me to organize my day in a different way, to have more rest and feel really happy with my beloved son and husband.
