Can you really have a daily routine with a newborn? I am a woman of habit and routine so creating a postpartum daily routine was all about recovery, self-care, and bonding with the baby while I am adapting to my new life. There are days that I felt like I had a routine and some days were like a whirlwind, so it is important to have a flexible routine that is also realistic.
Morning: Self-Care and Check In
- Morning Pump and Self-Care
Hydrate and Pump: I start with my morning pump while the baby is still sleeping and hydrating with a glass of water to rehydrate after a long night. I usually keep my 40oz Stanely on my bedside table.
Mini Self-Care Rituals: I take a few minutes to wash my face, brush my teeth, shower and get dressed (even if it’s just fresh pajamas!). I do not think I have worn jeans since before pregnancy. haha!
- Baby Check In
I will admit that sometimes this step happens before I am able to pump. The past few days, the baby was waking up before I was even able to brush my teeth.
I will get the baby and change and feed and spend some time cuddling with the baby and the baby will then take a little nap.
- Baby’s Nap
This nap is usually pretty short, a little less than an hour. My baby is currently around 2 months old. I take advantage of naptime and have my breakfast and do a quick journal session. Other activities that you could do might be to take a quick nap or catch up on any housework or any messages.
- Spend Time with Baby
After the nap, I take some time to play: tummy time, music, talking, and some colorful toys. I make sure to have lots of eye contact with the baby as well. If the baby allows me, I try to get some light housework done and if the weather is nice, go on a short walk.
Afternoon: Reset and Catch-Up
- Clean Up
Usually the baby will take another afternoon nap and during that time I try to tackle some small tasks. I try not to cram everything in one day so I keep designated days for designated tasks. For example, I reserve sundays for my laundry, bed sheets and towels and keep wednesdays for the baby’s laundry. I used to clean up all the toys and play mats at each nap to keep my home tidy but quickly realized that is not at all realistic and just clean up at the end of the day.
- Mental Well-Being Exercises
I try to use this time to connect with my siblings and friends because talking to them definitely makes a HUGE difference when it comes to postpartum isolation. I also will try to take a walk if I can or try some exercise techniques because I am often overstimulated after the morning.
Evening: Wind-Down for a Calm Night
- Wind Down and Prepare for Sleep
We try our best to keep evenings after 6pm to be calm, with dim lightning and only gentle sounds. I have recently been playing more baby classical music. We are doing bath time every other night and we keep that as relaxing as possible. Thankfully, my baby loves bath time at least now. Each morning, I do a quick inventory of my nighttime station and make sure I have everything I need for the night to come (i.e water, snacks, diapers, etc)
- Tag Team!!!
Let me tell you, having a partner has been a game changer for my postpartum period. Since I am exclusively pumping, my partner usually takes nights and feeds the baby while I get up and pump at usually the same times. Currently we both are on FMLA so this is possible, but we will definitely have to re-evaluate the plan when we are both back at work. I think it would be super helpful to have “shifts” so each partner can get some hours of uninterrupted sleep.
The hardest part of postpartum for me is how unpredictable this time can be. I try to have a checklist of a few things to get done a day and although I have outlined a schedule above, I realize that I need to be adaptable and find a rhythm that will work for me and baby each day.
