A new baby in the home changes the entire dynamic of your household and learning to manage remote work with a newborn or baby can be quite the challenge to even experienced parents. Take steps to ensure the experience is a positive one for everyone involved. Use these tips to help succeed with both your baby and your job as you learn to navigate this new world.

​Humans of all ages benefit from a schedule and when you have a newborn, you have a unique opportunity to establish one that can work for you both. Things like feeding times, naps, and diaper changes should be scheduled and you should do your best to arrange your work schedule around your baby’s needs. If possible, arrange for more intensive work times when your baby is napping or after they have nursed when they are most content. Pay attention to when they seem to have the most need of you throughout the day and do your best to schedule the least demanding work responsibilities during those periods.
 
Understand that even with the perfect schedule, parenthood is unpredictable, and there will inevitably be times when you have to rearrange things to care for your baby. Go easy on yourself when this happens. It is a natural part of life and you are doing your best.

​During the times when your baby isn’t feeding and sleeping, plan activities that are engaging but require minimal supervision such as time in their bouncer, their activity mat, or other stationary play stations. Consider wearing your baby while you work when possible in a wrap or baby carrier so that they are still close to you and you can keep an eye on them.

Caring for a baby is deeply rewarding, but even without a job to distract you, it is a lot of hard work. It’s easy to feel like you have to do everything on your own or else you are a bad parent, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Humans are community creatures and historically, new parents have had any number of people to rely on to help them raise their babies.
 
Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it from your support system and trained professionals. According to Mental Health First Aid, not only is it important for your mental health to feel supported, but it is also good for your baby to learn they have a group of people they can depend on for love, care, and attention.
 
Additionally, don’t take on too much at work. Now is not the time to be taking on extra tasks. Learn to say no to extra hours and more responsibilities. You have enough on your plate.

If your job is overwhelming you or you no longer feel it is the right fit now that you have a baby in the home, consider a career change. With degrees available online in almost every industry and many that span multiple sectors, there’s no reason you can’t go back to school from the comfort of your home to make it easier for you to find something that works for both you and your family.
 
You are capable of rising to the challenge before you. Prepare when you can, ask for help as you need it and make changes as you need to. Both you and your baby will be grateful for it.

If you are planning a move while pregnant, you want to ensure that you have coordinated as much as possible in advance. If you have children who can help, it will actually make it better for you and them. Involving them in the process helps everyone be less stressed. Love In Motion Doula Services shares some tips on how to navigate the moving process when you’re expecting:

• When it’s time to move, pack your children’s room last and unpack it first in the new home.

• Stick to the old meal and bedtime routines throughout the move to give your kids a sense of familiarity.
• Hire furniture moving services - you will thank yourself and you’ll have more time to help your children. 
• Include your kids in some decisions, such as decorations, new plates, which new park to visit first.
• Find child and pet care for moving day to alleviate stress. 
• Prepare your kids mentally but be prepared for anxiety - adjusting can take up to 6 months.
• Get them pumped about their new school by taking a tour or even walking or driving by. 
• Help them create a memory book of the old house, school, neighborhood, friends, babysitter.
• Remember to practice self-care so that you’re on top of your game for your children.
• Try the stress management tips from ZenBusiness to help yourself stay grounded during this major transition.
• Whether it’s a comfortable new sports bra or your favorite jogging pants, make sure you wear easy clothes during and after your move.

For most people, moving is a very stressful and time-consuming activity.  For people with small children, the stress is even greater, and for people who are expecting and already have small children, moving can be so stressful that it may seem like an impossible task.  However, a little bit of preparation and a lot of patience can make getting through the experience a lot easier.

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Article written by Daniel Sherwin dsherwin@dadsolo.com DadSolo.com

Going into the pregnancy as healthy as possible can reduce complications and make the pregnancy easier. You don't need expensive prenatal exercise classes to stay healthy. Simply walking or swimming on your own is effective.

Prenatal exercise benefits include less back pain, decreased constipation, better sleep, and shortened labor, according to Mayo Clinic. Check with your prenatal care provider to ensure exercise is safe for your situation.

Check on prenatal vitamins from different sources. You can get prescription or over-the-counter prenatals, so compare the costs to find the cheapest option.

Working remotely has its benefits for parents. Balancing parenting with work while your little ones are around, though, can feel like a tightrope walk. Liz Foster offers these tips for how to better manage remote work with children. 
 
1. Perfect Your Workstation
Having the kids in the home while you try to work is going to be distracting enough, even if your partner or another caregiver is watching them, so you need to have a workstation that is set up to limit distractions as much as possible. If you’re able, establish your office in a separate room or area of the house. Consider putting up a screen or room divider if you need to be in the same area so that you aren’t visually distracted.
 
Invest in a quality pair of noise-canceling headphones. If your cellphone isn’t necessary for work, keep it put away so that notifications won’t steal your attention away from work. Likewise, you should remove any apps from your computer that aren’t work-related to limit distraction.
 
2. Commit to a Schedule
Adults working from home benefit from a schedule, as do kids, according to the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center. Establish one early on and don’t deviate from it unless absolutely necessary. Plan activities that are engaging for your kids that aren’t noisy and can be self-managed. Make “quiet time” part of your schedule so that kids know there are times during the day when they need to be particularly quiet to accommodate any meetings you must attend.
 
Incorporate breaks into your day for the benefit of both you and your kids, and consider eating lunch together when possible to give your children some face time with you. This will help everyone recharge for the remainder of the workday, as well as help lessen distractions. If children know they will have scheduled time with you each day, it can minimize their desire to interrupt your work as they'll know they can talk to you later. 
 
3. Plan for Emergencies
Even the best-made plans fail sometimes, so it’s important to have contingencies for when things go awry. Have emergency childcare in place in case you or your regular childcare provider are unable to watch the kids. When that isn’t available, have an emergency “bag of tricks” with ways to entertain and engage your children safely that can allow you to still work. This might include a movie you know the kids would love to see, a special art project that can be self-directed or a new toy that can entertain them for a few hours while you finish your work.
 
4. Adjust When Necessary
If your current setup isn’t working for you, consider going back to school online to earn a degree that can get you closer to your desired job in business, healthcare, education, and other industries. Many of these can be completed at your own pace so that you won’t have to worry about school getting in the way of your current job or caring for your children. If you want to continue working from home, there are many options in high demand, including website building and design and digital marketing. Do your research to see what profession will give you the opportunity to work and parent in a way you can be proud of.
 
Parenting while working from home can be tough, but the difficult bits can be managed with the right practices implemented and strong backup plans. Do your best, knowing at least your children will see you working hard to give them the life they deserve. 

​Written by Justin Bennett justinbennett@healthyfit.info