How to Get Things Done When You Have a Baby: The Practical Parent's Guide

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This guide tells how to get things done once you have a baby (or babies) in the house.  It is written for both men and women, new parents and seasoned parents alike.  The links and photos throughout this guide will let you look at the mentioned items at Amazon (they’re our affiliate links, which means we get a small referral fee if you decide to purchase the item, but it doesn’t cost you any extra), so you can see exactly what the guide is referring to. You’re never too far into parenting to take back control of your time and your life, so start today!
Years ago, before I had children, I often wondered how people get things done once they have a baby.  With shelves and shelves of pregnancy, baby, parenting, and family books at libraries and book stores, the necessary information is surprisingly scarce.  It is difficult for new parents to figure out how the new family member will fit into their everyday routines.  Where is the practical information that people need to know but isn’t written about in handbooks?  What is okay?  What is safe?  What is practical?
Common questions asked about getting things done with an infant:

• Where do I put my baby while I take a shower?
• What do I do with my baby while I exercise?
• Is it okay for me to take a nap while the baby is awake?
• How do I go to my own doctor appointments with an infant?
• How do I find a babysitter?
• How do I make time for myself?
• How do I get things done if I have several kids?
• What if I have twins, triplets, or higher order multiples?
• What do I do with my baby so I can get things done around the house?

I went from having zero children to having two stepchildren overnight (one was an infant), and had to figure out quickly what I was supposed to do with my kids while getting daily activities accomplished.  Now that I have 4 children (and twins on the way) and many more years under my belt, I’ve reached a comfort zone in my parenting.  But you don’t have to go through the trial-and-error I went through!

How to Get Things Done When You Have a Baby: The Practical Parent’s Guide

Your eyes can’t be on your baby 24 hours a day, and accepting this early on will save any new parent worry and guilt!  Being responsible for a baby’s safety doesn’t mean physically being in their presence every minute.  Taking time for yourself or time to care for your home doesn’t make you a selfish parent, it makes you a smart parent!  Britain’s bestselling childcare expert, Gina Ford, reassures in her book, The Contented Toddler Years, that quiet time is a necessity for both parents and babies.  Her advice extends to not only children, but parents as well, “It is important for all the family that there is at least one time during the normal day when both you and your children can be quiet.”  Being rested, organized and able to get things done allows you to be a better parent because you’ll feel less stress.
To carve out time to accomplish your everyday tasks, you must first create ways to keep your child safe when you aren’t giving them your undivided attention.  Creating safe spaces is an incredibly important activity, which can be done even before your child is born.

Unsupervised Safe Spaces:

Listed below are some examples of safe spaces for babies when they are not visually supervised.  It’s generally okay to be in a different room while your baby is in one of these safe spaces (using common sense!)
1.  Cribs.  Your child’s crib should be the safest space in your house besides your arms!  To accomplish this, make sure your crib has no more than a waterproof mattress pad and a secure fitted crib sheet.  Remove all toys, blankets, crib bumpers and dust ruffles. Remove mobiles or hanging toys if child can reach far enough to grab onto them.  Make sure the crib is at least 12 inches away from any object in every direction (so that little arms can’t grab anything nearby or use objects as leverage to get out of the crib).  Note: once a baby/toddler can climb out of a crib, it is no longer a safe space.

2.  Playpens. Follow the directions for cribs above to make a playpen (like a pack n play) a safe space.  No mattress pad or sheet should be used in a playpen.  Follow the directions printed inside your playpen for model-specific instructions.  Toys approved for infants are okay in a playpen for older babies while they are being supervised, but avoid large plush toys or stuffed animals which can still pose a suffocation hazard.

Supervised Safe Spaces:

These safe spaces will leave your arms free to do other things, like housework, paperwork or computer work, while still having the baby safely near you.  Always follow the listed weight and age requirements listed on equipment, and use safety belts if provided.  Listed below are some examples of safe spaces for babies while they are supervised.

1.  Exersaucers / Activity centers with NO Wheels.  These activity centers can be used as soon as your child is old enough to use them properly (can sit upright and hold up head unassisted).  Make sure the saucer is at least 12 inches away from any object in every direction.

2.  Bouncy Chairs.  Portable and soothing, bouncy chairs and seats are great safe spaces.  Make sure the chair is at least 12 inches away from any object in every direction.  Stop using a bouncy chair once a baby is strong enough to lean forward and possibly tip the seat over.

3.  Baby Swings. Make sure the swing is at least 12 inches away from any object to the right or left and allow enough space for front-to-back motion.
4.  Bassinets for young infants.  Only a fitted sheet that fits the bassinet pad should be used; remove all toys and blankets from inside the bassinet.
5.  Play yards.  Do not use a play yard once your baby is old enough to attempt climbing out.  Safe toys can be used in a play yard.

6. Infant Carseat or Baby Carrier. Use the 5 point harness seat belt even when using the carseat / carrier indoors.  Make sure the chair is at least 12 inches away from any object in every direction.  Dangling infant-approved safe toys can be hung from the overhead bar to keep the little one entertained.

After you’ve set up one or more safe spaces, you’re ready to start helping your baby to get used to them!  Remember that just like new foods, babies may have to be introduced to something 12-15 times before they accept it.  So if a bouncy seat gets screams the first time, don’t give up.  Just keep introducing the safe space for a few minutes at a time while you are there with the baby.  Gradually make that time longer, and watch your productive time skyrocket.
Baby Monitor: In addition to creating safe spaces, a way to monitor baby’s activities while you are doing other things is a good idea.  A baby monitor is a great tool for this purpose, and there are many different versions available. Some will let you listen to the baby, others have a digital camera built-in so that you can also see the baby while in a different room.  Prices range from $14 – $300, depending on features.

Use The Right Tools for Each Situation

Every new or expecting parent has wondered at one point, “What do I do with the baby when I have to go to the bathroom?” or some similar question.  Below are many common situations new parents wonder about and suggestions for each one.  (Notice the word common, meaning it happens a lot, so don’t feel embarrassed if you wondered too!)

1.  Where do I put my baby while I take a shower or bath?

There are several options:

• Take the baby in the shower with you and give him/her his bath at the same time.
• Put the baby in his/her crib in the nursery.  Turn on the monitor and take it into the bathroom with you so you can hear if the baby is excessively fussy.
• Use a Supervised Safe Space in the bathroom.  Take a bouncy chair, Exersaucer, or other Supervised Safe Space with you into the bathroom.  Baby will be entertained, you’ll have visual confirmation that he/she is okay, and you can have some shower time.

2.  What do I do with my baby while I exercise?

• If you exercise at a gym, check with their child care facility to learn about their age restrictions, times and prices.  Check your baby into the daycare, and use the time to concentrate on a relaxing workout.
• Some gyms will allow you to bring a baby (in its carseat carrier) into a family workout room and set the baby next to your workout machine.  This is frequently acceptable with a newborn or baby that doesn’t yet meet the minimum age requirement for the gym’s child care service.  Check with your local fitness center for its policies.
• If you use workout machines at home or exercise with fitness DVDs, use a Supervised Safe Space near you.  The baby will usually find watching you on the treadmill from a bouncy chair entertaining, or will be captivated watching your pilates from her baby swing.
• Put your baby in a stroller or jogger and go for a walk or jog through your neighborhood.  You’ll both get fresh air and you’ll burn calories pushing the extra weight in front of you.  Follow age and weight recommendation for joggers, since most are designed for older babies that have moderate head control.

3.  Is it okay for me to take a nap?

Yes!  The new parent advice to sleep when the baby sleeps is good advice indeed.  However, perhaps you’ve been up all night and just can’t wait until the baby’s next nap.  You can still get a few winks without feeling guilty or fearing for your little one’s well-being.  Here’s how:

• Put the baby in his/her crib in the nursery and dim the lights (don’t make it completely dark, since it’s not bedtime).  Put on some lullabies or soothing music on a very low volume in baby’s room.
• Turn on the baby monitor in baby’s room.  Take remote monitor with you to your room.
• Set a kitchen timer or your alarm clock for 20 minutes.
• Baby may fall asleep or may just lie quietly in his/her room.  If baby takes well to this “unwind time”, it will make it easier for you to take short quiet times more often.

Napping while baby is awake can also be accomplished by napping on the couch while the baby is in the playpen right next to you.

4.  Do I need to get a babysitter to watch the baby when I have a doctor appointment of my own?

You may or may not need a babysitter to watch your child, depending on what kind of appointment it is and how quietly your baby will sit in a stroller or carseat carrier.

If you have a good stroller baby, you can take him/her along to these kinds of appointments:

• Ear, nose and throat doctor
• Eye doctor
• Dermatologist
• Having blood drawn
• Getting shots or vaccinations

You should find a sitter or a relative to watch the baby if you are going to these types of appointments:

• Getting x-rays
• Dentist
• Gynecologist
• Broken bones / cast application or removal / crutches
• Physical therapy
• Internal medicine
• Mental or behavioral health
• Any appointment involving biopsies or removal of anything (tissue, cells or stitches)
• Any appointment where you will be unable to attend to the baby in case he/she needs feeding or gets fussy

5.  How do I find a babysitter?

There are several ways to find a babysitter.  From least expensive to most expensive:

• Ask relatives first.  It’s free, and they’ll love the extra time they get to spend with the little one.
• Ask for recommendations from friends with children.  They usually have favorite babysitters that will already come with a trusted reference.
• Check the local newspaper for listings of available sitters.  Always do reference and background checks before hiring anyone unknown to you.
• Use a service like Nannies4hire, Babysitters4hire, or Care.com.  These are pay services and all offer different features. They offer local, pre-screened sitters, many with viewable background checks so you can feel secure.  Always schedule an interview before hiring a sitter so you can meet each other and make sure he/she is a good fit for your family.

6.  How do I make time for myself?

It can be challenging to find time to yourself after you have children, especially while one of them is still a baby.  Neglecting your own needs is a surefire way to feel down, depressed, or even unimportant.  Don’t despair; there are ways to find alone time without the baby:

• Use the baby’s naps wisely!  Use the time when baby is sleeping to read, shower, exercise, catch up on blogs, take a nap, chat with a friend, etc.  Even 15 minutes can be an enjoyable break if you use it to do something you love.
• Ask your husband or wife to stay with the baby while you get out of the house!  Meet up with friends, catch a movie, go shopping, or any other activity that sounds like fun.  Even doing routine errands without the kids can be a refreshing change.
• Get a babysitter, even for just a few hours.

7.  How do I get things done if I have several kids?

• A secret of the pros is that everybody does the same thing at the same time.  All kids eat at the same time, get dressed at the same time, do homework at the same time, etc.  By keeping the kids’ activities in sync, you’ll have less work and less catching up to do.
• Also, try using several safe spaces at the same time: e.g., a baby can go in a bouncy chair and a toddler can go in a play yard while you fix your hair and get dressed.
• Make the kids your “helpers”.  Need to get laundry done?  Give each child a task and let them “help” with the chore.  Even if they are too young to get the real job done, they’ll be entertained and feel important.  Baby can even play with washcloths on the bed while you and your “helpers” fold the rest!

8.  What if I have twins, triplets, or higher order multiples?

Batching activities will save your sanity if you have more than one child of the same age / stage.  Visit Twinslist.org  for support and resources for parents of multiples.  Also, Twins Magazine might be of interest to twins’ parents.

9.  What do I do with my baby so I can get things done around the house?

Use nap times to complete tasks that require concentration, such as paperwork, bill paying, reading or writing.  While baby is awake, try the following methods to get more done while keeping the baby entertained and your hands free:

• Use a backpack carrier or front carrier: It’s easier to move freely about the house, like for general straightening up, if the baby is in a front carrier and your hands are free.  Mind the weight limits listed on your front carrier, which generally max out at approximately 22 pounds.
• Dishes:  Use a Supervised Safe Space near you in the kitchen.
• Cooking / Kitchen cleaning: Use a Supervised Safe Space or put baby in the highchair with toys or a snack.
• Laundry: Use a Supervised Safe Space near you in the laundry room, or let your baby “help” you (see #7).
• Cleaning bedrooms:  Use a Supervised Safe Space and move it to be near you as you move from room to room.
• Vacuuming: Use an Unsupervised Safe Space for baby away from your vacuuming and take the monitor with you.  The loud sound from the vacuum can be frightening to the little one and pose a risk of damaging his/her hearing.
• Gardening:  Use a Supervised Safe Space near you or try putting baby in a stroller so he can watch you.  Every few minutes, you can take a break from your work and stroll around the yard to keep baby from getting bored and fussy.
• Bathroom cleaning:  Use an Unsupervised Safe Space for baby away from the bathroom and take the baby monitor with you.  You don’t want the baby exposed to the cleaning chemicals in a small, poorly ventilated space.

It is possible to be efficient and productive even after you have children.  Check HomeEverAfter.com frequently for tips and tricks that allow you to accomplish more and stress less.  Getting things done with a baby may take a little planning and forethought, but using the Safe Spaces method described in this guide will free up your hands and your time, and allow you more freedom to accomplish the things you need to do without compromising your children’s safety.