I must fully acknowledge that I can’t imagine keeping these little ones alive without the support of my generous, ever-patient husband, who is a true partner in every sense of the word. But, I know that many moms are raising kids on their own and I think you are amazing—and that at times, every single one of us needs an extra hand. (Or two. Or four.) Remember, the only people who expect you to “do it all” are those masochists who came up with the definition of supermom, and I guarantee that they never changed a diaper.
- Take advantage of every free resource possible. Can your dry cleaner deliver? Can you put your usual grocery staples onto subscription (in which case you’ll likely save time and money)? Can you swap child minding with another mom in the neighborhood?
- Trade with your partner. Have your partner take care of the baby on alternating nights so you can get some rest. Or split responsibilities: one of my coworkers does the cooking, while her husband does dishes and bathes the kiddos.
- Outsource what you can. Can your babysitter prep dinner or at least pick up the toys? Maybe a neighborhood high schooler can lend a hand with errands for a small fee. Ask a close family member to take care of the baby at night or hire a night nurse if you can-even if it's just once a week.
A note about the author:
Dr. Darria is a board-certified Harvard- and Yale-trained Emergency physician, favorite expert on national TV shows including CNN, HLN, The Dr. Oz Show, and The Doctors, mom of two, and author of the Mom Hacks (Hachette Book Group).Mom Hacks hit Amazon's # 1 new release in Motherhood and shares 100+ super-charged hacks covering nutrition exercise, sleep, and resilience/stress management to make good health simpler for the entire family. Get back your “I’ve GOT this”, today.