Nap time is sometimes the only ‘me time’ new moms get – here are some suggestions on how to spend those precious minutes!
Getting your baby on a nap schedule can be hard work. Just when you think you've got the hang of it, their schedule changes or what used to lull them to sleep doesn't do the trick anymore. My eldest was a bit of a cat-napper so I was never quite sure how long I had before she'd be up again. All these things can make it hard to plan your day and even harder to find a few minutes of 'me time' for moms. But, after two kids, I have learned that taking even a few minutes for yourself can be sanity saving. Here are some of our favourite ideas on how to enjoy those precious minutes while baby naps:
1. Call a friend – Keeping in touch with your friends and family is so important. Catching up over email is good but a phone call and some adult conversation is even better!
2. Eat – Make yourself a hot meal and eat it while its still hot! Or, sit down with a cup of tea and indulge in your favourite snack food!
3. Organize/declutter – This may not be on everyone's list of fun things to do but it tops mine! Pick one area of your house and clear out everything that doesn't belong and find a space for the things that do.
4. Beautify – I learned quickly that life with a new baby meant that even taking a hot shower could be a luxury some days. Nap time can also be a great time to shape your eyebrows, give yourself a mini pedicure or anything else that is going to make you feel a little more beautiful (not that we don't think you look beautiful already!)
5. Read – Before kids, I was an avid reader but its one of the things I find hardest to find the time for these days. Take advantage of the quiet house and curl up with a good book.
6. Surf the net – Probably the first thing I always do when I have a free minute – catch up on celebrity gossip, check out what's new on Facebook, watch the latest You Tube sensation.
7. Tackle a bigger project (in small steps) – Work on your baby book, organize some pictures, sort through your clothes closet – tackling these bigger projects in small blocks of time is probably the only way they are going to get done. The next time you will probably have hours of uninterrupted time to work on a project is…(lets just say it will be a while!)
8. Write – Take a few minutes to write down what life is like these days. Baby books are great for marking milestones but keeping a journal is a great way to remember all the little things your baby is doing to make you smile (or make you crazy!)
9. Shop online – I love shopping from the comfort of my living room. I've ordered books, clothes, groceries, even replacement parts for a lawn mower, all online. (And don't forget, Walmart Canada has free shipping on all orders and has over 1800 products for moms and babies!)
10. Housework – Not the most fun thing on the list but probably the most practical. Even doing a little bit each day will keep from making these jobs overwhelming.
11. Sleep! People always tell you to sleep when your baby sleeps. In hindsight, I should have followed this advice more often!
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