Are you looking for help with your stay at home moms schedule? If you have a brand-new baby, you might be feeling like you can’t get anything done!
Maybe it’s your first time staying home. You used to work outside of the home and had a career that you loved.
And now?
Now your day consists of poopy diapers and bottles! And that’s about it. 😂🤣
You WANT to manage the house, care for your baby….and maybe even start a side gig….
But you don’t even get to shower, momma!
I know. I hear ya.
Staying home with two infants and a toddler was by far more poopy than magical! 😆
I struggled with keeping the house clean, cooking, and, yes, even with keeping myself clean. 😆
[Read: How to Sneak in a Shower as a SAHM]
I’ll share what eventually worked for me: what I did with my baby every day, what a good stay-at-home moms schedule for a newborn consists of, and how to make your own stay-at-home mom daily schedule.
I’ll even cover how to manage your home with a newborn – I had six boys, and the youngest two were twins! Managing the home was HARD. But I got it done! And so can you, momma. 😉
And finally, I’ll share some sample schedules for stay-at-home moms with infants, and even have a free printable stay-at-home mom daily schedule for you!
So, let’s get started, momma!
What should I do with my baby every day?
The days can be long when you are home alone all day with your new baby. While you might be excited about this opportunity, it can also seem overwhelming.
What do you do all day?
Surely the baby won’t take up the entire day….. will it? 🤔
Uh, yeah. Most likely. 😂🤣
They seem like such tiny little packages that sleep all day….but don’t be deceived! Your brand-new baby needs around-the-clock care, and you may find that you have little time for anything else.
If you are wondering what you should do with your little bundle of joy every day, here are the basics:
1. Bottle feed or nurse your baby
Obviously, right? 😆 But you have no idea how long nursing actually takes!! 🤣😂
It’s most likely a half-hour process, and most babies nurse every two hours. So, you feel like that baby is glued to your boob, and you never get anything else done.
And in between nursing sessions, you should be pumping, as well, to build up a milk supply for the times you are away from your baby.
Feeding your baby will take up a lot of your day.
2. Rock your baby
Babies need a lot of cuddle time and skin-to-skin contact. Rocking your baby is good for soothing an unhappy infant, but it is also good for establishing a bond with your child.
A solid mom-child bond will be the key to all future parenting, so it’s important to start off on the right foot now, while your child is little.
[Read: 7 Steps to Bonding with Your Baby]
3. Walk around with your baby
Walking around is just another way to get in some cuddle time, momma. Cuddle time is oh, so important!
Plus, a lot of babies like to be held standing up. I don’t really know why. 🤣 But you’ve seen the crazy videos of babies that start crying the minute you sit down, and then are happy when you stand back up.
You can walk around the house or go for a walk outside. Sometimes even standing in front of a window is nice for your baby.
If you add a little bounce to your step, your baby may find that soothing as well. It’s kinda like a little momma duck waddle. 😉
4. Sing, talk, and read to your baby
Your baby needs to hear your voice. It’s good for building that relationship, and for language development.
So just talk. Nonstop. 😆 It doesn’t matter what about. They can’t understand anyway. They are just listening for your tone.
So, use a calm, fun, or sing-songy tone when you talk to your baby.
You can also read and sing when you get tired of the endless chatter. 😆
5. Bathe your baby
It’s good not to bathe your baby every day, because it’ll dry out your little one’s skin. But a regular bath routine is something you should add to your daily sahm schedule.
Plus, bath time is a great time for establishing that relationship, momma!
6. Change your baby’s diapers
This is kinda like feeding your baby – it goes without saying. 😉 But you have no idea how much of your day is spent changing diapers!
I’d say, at the very least, check your baby before and/or after every feeding, and before and/or after waking up and going down for a nap.
It’s also a good idea to check the diaper before leaving the house and upon returning.
7. Make silly faces at your baby
When you get bored with all of that, momma, then you can just lay baby down on the floor or prop baby up in a bouncy chair and make silly faces! 🤣😂
Babies love it!!
Seeing mom’s face – or any human face, for that matter – is important for healthy growth and development, but it also builds that mother-child bond.
On top of that, your baby will try to imitate your expressions, which is the very beginning of language development.
It may feel like you have nothing to do, momma, or like you are spending your day doing nothing… but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
You should be nurturing and caring for your baby every day. Your top priorities are establishing a relationship and teaching your baby to trust you to take care of it. 💕
[Read: The Secret to Understanding Your Baby’s Cry]
What is a good stay-at-home moms schedule for a newborn?
Ah, now that is the golden question, isn’t it?
Your daily sahm schedule should not be the exact same as every other Tom, Dick, and Harry out there, momma.
Or should I say, Jane, Nellie, and Jenny? 😂🤣
It should be custom-made specifically for you!
[Read: Rockin’ the Sahm Life: Why You Need a Great Stay-at-Home Mom Schedule]
It’s hard to say what a good stay-at-home mom schedule for a newborn is because every newborn is different, every mom is different, and every family is different.
Still, there are some key ingredients that make up a great stay-at-home mom daily schedule.
1. Regular bathing, feedings, and diapers changes
I think we covered this enough up above, but I felt I’d better add it again, just in case. 😉
2. Regular cuddle time
Again, another key ingredient to a great sahm schedule for a newborn. You need to snuggle that baby momma!!
3. Regular nap times
If you are lucky, you will have a baby that sleeps a lot. If you are even luckier, you will have a baby that sleeps in the crib. 😁
I had some good sleepers and I had some that never let me put them down.
One of your main goals as a sahm is to establish a regular sleep schedule for your baby. It’ll be tricky at first because babies like to sleep whenever they want to. But you don’t want your baby up all night and asleep all day, momma! Trust me!
So, after that first month or so, make this your number one goal.
[Read: My Struggles with Sleep Training, and Why I Should Have Used the Ferber Method]
4. Regular outings
It’s important for you to occasionally get out of the house, too, momma.
Yes, I know it’s hard. 😂🤣 But it’s good for your mental health.
You need to make sure you don’t lose those social skills, after all, momma! (Something that happened to me…. 🤦🏻♀️)
Besides, it’s good practice, because someday you really will need to leave the house. 😆
[Read: 5 Ways to Make Traveling with Kids Easier – the title is misleading; it’s really about running errands. (I was a new blogger at the time 😆) ]
5. Daily housecleaning
You won’t have a lot of time for housecleaning, momma unless you have a really good baby.
But still, it’s important to pick up a little bit.
Plus, it’ll make you feel better about “getting something done” during the day.
So, try to tackle a few things around the house. But save the big projects for when hubby is home, or your baby is a bit older.
6. Regular date nights
A great daily sahm schedule makes room for your relationship with your spouse, momma. That’s how your little one came along, to begin with, after all. 😉
I believe a solid family unit is EXTREMELY important to raising children. So, your husband should be your number one priority, outside of your baby, that is.
Make sure you don’t forget about him!
Regular weekly date nights, even if it’s just watching a movie or reading a book together, will keep you two together as a couple.
But you can also find little ways to connect during the day.
[Read: 5 Easy Ways to Connect with Your Husband Every Day]
7. Work time
If it will be hard for you to financially stay home, you may be contemplating a side gig. Some moms who have the financial means to stay home still start their own businesses, because it can be extremely fulfilling.
If starting a side gig is on your radar, you may be itching to get going, even though your baby is a newborn.
And there’s no reason why you can’t! Just realize that your work hours will be few and far between at this stage, and in order to squeeze them in, you may have to let something else go…like sleep. 😱
I remember forcing myself to sit down at my desk while the twins napped…even though my kitchen floor was grimy and gross. 😆 It was hard for me to do that.
But it’s all in your priorities momma. It’ll be hard, but doable.
8. A little bit of mom time
If there’s anything left, momma, try to spend it on you! 😂🤣
A lot of SAHMs lose their identity once they start staying home. Don’t let that happen to you.
Try to find some time to do the things you love. It will calm your frustrations and feed your soul. ☺️
[Read: DIY Spa Kits, How to Sneak in Some Exercise When You Are a Sahm, or 31 Best Side Hustles for Stay-at-Home Moms.]
Again, it’s really hard to say exactly what your stay-at-home mom daily schedule should look like, momma, because we are all different.
But after six kids, I can share the basics with you. So, hopefully, a few of those ideas above will get you started!
How to make your stay-at-home mom daily schedule
Alright, momma, now that we know (kind of!) what should go into your daily sahm schedule, let’s talk about how to make one!
It’s actually a lot easier than you think. 😉
1. Prioritize sleep
Start by giving sleep center stage. 😂🤣
DO NOT fall into that trap of believing that you must get up before the baby and stay up late at night.
Sleep when the baby sleeps.
Repeat after me: SLEEP WHEN THE BABY SLEEPS.
TRUST ME on this, momma!
Babies need around-the-clock care, including nighttime care. You WILL be lacking sleep. That WILL mess with your hormones.
It can make it harder to ward off post-partum depression, and it can make you much, much crabbier.
A tired momma has a hard time managing the house, caring for the baby, and giving daddy the love he deserves.
So, throw everything you know about sleep out the window, and simply sleep when the baby sleeps.
There will be time for all those other projects – and that perfect morning schedule – later in life. Promise. 😁
2. Work around baby’s needs
After you’ve made sleep a priority, you need to make your baby’s needs a priority. This means feedings, bathing, changings, cuddling, etc.
It’s hard to put a schedule down on paper at this point in your life, momma because you are literally at your child’s beck and call.
My son and his wife just had their first baby. And they often send me snaps starting with “The tiny dictator wanted…” or “the tiny dictator needed…” or “the tiny dictator decided…”. 😂🤣
And I laugh every time because it is so true!
You can have the best plans, but I promise you, your baby will mess them up. 😆 So, sure, create your schedule. But always tend to your baby’s needs first.
Even if means setting aside your daily sahm schedule to cuddle all day. ☺️
3. Add in appointments and schedules
There will be things you need to do, momma. Like doctor’s appointments and other errands.
You can’t get away from it.
So, when thinking about your daily sahm schedule, schedule these things in around your baby’s typical daily routine.
For example, if you know your baby sleeps from ten to eleven in the morning, on a regular basis, it might be a good time to run a few errands. Baby will sleep in the car seat (carried with you, of course!) while you get groceries, stop at the post office, or whatever.
But if you know baby is super crabby at this time, it might be best to stay home and schedule your appointments for later.
Work around your baby’s natural rhythms and daily routines when making your appointments.
4. Fill in the downtime with a little household management
Next, after you have your appointments scheduled in, all your baby’s care needs figured out, and of course, your sleep schedule, fill in whatever downtime you have left with a few household chores.
Tackle these chores when your baby is content.
This might be when baby is sleeping, or laying on the floor, or sitting in the bouncy chair.
You’ll most likely only have a few minutes before baby needs you again, so move fast!! 😆 And keep the chores pretty easy. Tackle the big jobs when daddy is home to help.
5. Make time for you
And finally, don’t forget to make time for yourself. It’s not always easy. In fact, sometimes it’s dang near impossible.
If you are finding it hard to squeeze in a little me time, then wait until daddy comes home, and hand that babe off.
Because you need to refuel, momma, or you’ll run out of gas and get stuck. 😉
[Read: What Having Twins Has Taught Me]
Creating a daily stay-at-home mom schedule is important, momma, but it’s just as important to recognize that it’s a fluid document.
You can’t be rigid in your routine. Babies don’t work like that. 😆
Realize that you’ll have to be flexible. You’ll have to stray from your planned schedule from time to time, and that’s okay.
You can always try again tomorrow. 😉
How to manage your home with a newborn
So, we know that most of our day is going to be taking care of baby. And it’ll feel like we aren’t getting anything done.
And that was the hardest part, for me, when I first stayed home. I liked to keep a clean, well-run household, momma! I liked to feel productive.
As a sahm of three little guys all two and under, managing my household was TOUGH, to say the least.
It took me a while, but I finally mastered a daily routine that made me feel both, productive and like I was being a good mom.
So, here’s the things I learned, that really helped me to manage my house:
1. Let go of all expectations
The very first thing I learned was that things weren’t going to work out the way I thought they would. 😂🤣 Tiny dictator, remember….? 🙄
So, let go of all your preconceived notions, what you think your day will look like, and how much you think you can get done. Because you won’t get it done. 😆
And then you’ll feel defeated and like a failure.
Instead, lower your expectations. Or have no expectations at all. A good day, momma, was when I could shower before dad got home! 😆 That is literally how low I had to set my expectations.
I also had to let go of trying to be what everyone else thought I should be. It just wasn’t happening. 😆
It’s easy for others to judge you and tell you what you should be doing because they are not in your shoes.
They really have no idea. So just ignore them. And let that crap go.
2. Only choose three things to get done each day
Seriously.
You won’t have time for a lot. So, just chose the three things that are really bugging you today.
Is it the laundry? The bathrooms? That dirty fridge or grimy floor?
Write them down, if it makes you feel good so that you can cross them off as you get them done.
And, always have a few extras in the back of your mind. Maybe baby will sleep a little longer or be content with tummy time for five extra minutes, and you can quick wash the dishes or start a load of laundry as well.
When you have a big list of things you want to get done, and you only get three done, you feel disappointed. Like you failed and were incredibly unproductive today.
But, if you only have three things you want to get done, and you get them done, plus one extra, then… Wow! You rocked it, momma!! 😂🤣
It’s a little mind trick I learned over the years. 😉
3. Ask for help
My mom used to come over every Monday. She’d do a little cleaning, bring my family a home-cooked meal, and take my dirty clothes home with her.
Now, I know not everyone has such a wonderful momma. 🥰
But if you do, and she offers to help, don’t say no! Never turn down help, momma.
And if you have no offers, then don’t be afraid to ask for help.
It can feel weird and slimy, I know. So, start with asking your husband for help when he comes home. And then branch out – ask your mom, your sister, your mother-in-law, and your best friend.
Don’t ask all the time. Just now and then when you are really feeling overwhelmed. And remember to return the favor down the road when you aren’t in such a busy season of your own life. 😉
4. Use baby containment units
😂🤣 That sounds horrid, I know. My husband…he has a crazy sense of humor.
He coined the phrase “baby containment units” and uses it to refer to any product that is meant to contain or entertain your baby. 😆
So, things like high chairs, bouncy chairs, playpens, jumpers, activity centers, etc. Don’t be afraid to use them!
That’s how I got stuff done. I’d put baby in one of them, move baby into the same room as me, and talk or sing while I worked, so baby never felt alone.
I moved fast, momma because I didn’t have a lot of time until baby was ready to be picked back up again.
But it’s good to let them fuss a little too, momma because they must learn how to soothe themselves. It’s a fine line really, between letting them fuss and wanting to respond as quickly as possible to build up trust.
Putting your baby in these containment units is also a great way to start teaching your child independence. If you do this now, someday your child will be able to play by himself.
And if you want to start your own side gig, that’s a powerful skill your kids will have, momma. 😉
[Read: How to Encourage Independent Play]
That’s it, momma!
At the end of the day…
At the end of the day, momma, you really just want to be the best mom you can possibly be.
So, creating a daily stay-at-home mom schedule that works well for the baby, for you, and for the rest of your family, is very important.
It’s going to help your children to grow into healthy, happy, functional adults – great members of our society.
[Read: 12 Benefits of a Great Daily Sahm Schedule]
Daily schedules are THAT important.
But it’s also important to stay flexible, momma. Create your schedule but be willing to bend when needed. Especially when it comes to baby.
You need a schedule for guidance and to establish a regular routine, but you don’t need to be bound to it. It’s okay to occasionally stray. 😉
More on Sahm Schedules
How to Create a Daily Schedule for Stay at Home Moms of Toddlers
3 Quick Ways to the Perfect Stay at Home Mom Routine
How to Create The Best Morning Routine for Your Stay at Home Mom Schedule
Rockin’ the Sahm Life: Why You Need a Great Stay At Home Mom Schedule