I get this question lot: How does it feel having five kids? Including a toddler and a newborn baby? Well now, an almost 15 months old baby!
My answer to that question is, I scream my head off.
Viele Männer erleben im Laufe ihres Lebens Herausforderungen im Schlafzimmer. Oft suchen sie nach einer Lösung und stoßen dabei auf die Möglichkeit, sich bei einer zuverlässigen online-apotheke zu informieren. Eine einfache Suche auf osterreichische-apotheke.com kann helfen, die erforderlichen Informationen und Produkte zu finden, um das Problem anzugehen.
Not quite, but I really do sometimes, to be honest.
Let’s just say it’s not an easy job. Especially when the fifth baby was a beautiful surprise and a blessing from god. You can’t argue with that, I guess. Honestly speaking, we are truly thrilled to have her around.
I must confess it was a bit easier when my little princess was in my tummy, as that meant when my toddler had a nap and the other three were at school or busy with an activity, I could have some quiet time or a quick nap to recharge. Nothing better than that. Trust me you need it.
Looking back on when my newborn baby was a few weeks old, it was all about catching up on sleep and letting my body get back to normal. Most importantly, I was focused on nursing and nurturing my baby. On top of that, I had to give my other little princess the attention she needed.
Between receiving help from my mother, and the flexibility of my husband’s job which allowed him to work from home, for the first month I was spoiled.
Then came the first term holiday. All the kids were back at home. Mum left to get back to her own life. My husband went back to work. Sleeping beauty had to face reality.
How do I start? What’s the routine? Can I get a five-minute nap? Please someone help.
For those of you in the same shoes as me, this post is dedicated to you.
My 7 tips to raise 5 kids, including a toddler and newborn baby. How to survive the first few months.
1. Don’t feel guilty.
The guilt won’t help you. Don’t worry too much if the children are not going on as many outings. Or if you can’t bother to do any proper activities at home. It’s also totally fine if the house is not clean. No one will die, I assure you.
I once read in an article “If you have done nothing all day but change nappies and feed your family, you should be proud of yourself.” That’s right. You are an amazing mama, well done.
The period you are in is temporary, until you fully recover and get back on your feet.
2. Ask for help
Don’t hesitate to ask for help when you need it. Remember at this stage of the process, you are not required to be a super mama who can do it all by herself. You are a human being at the end of the day, and you have limits like everybody else. The best person to decide those limits is you.
3. Take a nap
This is a crucial tip. Underline it 100 times. You need energy in order to take care of these little beings. If you don’t, get ready to welcome pulling your hair, anger, and depression. This tip is especially important if you don’t have the best sleeping pattern. You need these 5-20 minutes naps, even if it means just laying down to rest your body.
4: Deep breathing
Get into the habit of doing deep breathing exercises. Especially when you sit down to feed your baby or when things get overwhelming.
That oxygen pumping inside your body will give you the calmness you need. Which in return allows you to take better care of your children and yourself.
5. Get into the habit of Exercising
I can’t stress this point enough. The healthier you feel, the better you will be able to stay on top of your busy lifestyle.
My secret tip though, is to do your exercises first thing in the morning. This will improve your blood circulation and change your mood drastically.
The other bonus is that you will be free from other distractions, which will allow you to have a sharp laser focus.
6. Planning & scheduling
This step is crucial for managing your time and staying on top of your daily tasks. If I don’t plan my day on paper, I know for sure it will get wasted on things that won’t serve me as a mother.
The way I do this is by block scheduling a technique I have learnt from an awesome blogger and a mother of 8 children. You can visit Jordan’s Page.
It became a part of my routine. I was able to do a lot more, and it keeps me stress free throughout my day. The details of block scheduling will be covered in another post. For now, try to just get a pen and paper and write down the tasks that you would like to accomplish on that particular day. Enjoy the feeling of achievement as you tick off one task after another.
It will encourage you heaps, trust me. Don’t worry too much if you couldn’t finish all the tasks. The purpose behind planning is to utilise that day and accomplish your tasks, not to make you feel terrible or guilty. The unfinished tasks can always be moved and listed on the next day. It’s simply that easy.
7. Have some ” Me time ”
Oh, how I love to share this tip. The reason being that we tend to neglect ourselves as mothers to put everyone else’s interests first, which will overburden us in the long run. So as not to fall into that trap, please go and spoil yourself. Even if no one else does it for you. Every Saturday, after I visit the farmers market, on the way back I pick up a bunch of flowers. It’s a way I take care of my inner self and allows me to have some quiet time. I also love to spend some time out with like-minded friends, as it motivates and supercharges me until I see them again.
I hope this post was beneficial to you and helps to keep you going as a busy mother. You are doing an awesome job by searching and learning new ways to manage your little beings. Shout out to all the amazing mamas out there!