“So, what do you do all day?,” my friend asked. At the time, she didn’t have any children yet, and I had two. I had decided to quit working outside the home when my oldest was born. My days were full – of changing diapers, washing and folding laundry, fixing meals, and, more importantly, cuddling and loving my small children.

The realities of being a stay-at-home mom, however, can be challenging for some. As one well-known reality television star put it, “It’s so boring!” There were days when it was raining outside, we had nowhere that we needed to go, and I didn’t have a single ounce of patience or time for crafts and nutritious meals. I was tired of doing the same old puzzles, reading the same old books, watching repeats of DVDs we’d already seen, and naptime couldn’t come soon enough. But those days were rare.

Did I miss being out among adults in the working world? Sometimes. When my husband was working longer hours, I might go the whole day conversing only with a one-year-old and three-year-old. It was hard not to envy at least a little intellectual stimulation that comes from even the simplest small talk with others my own age.

Did I miss the intellectual challenge of work and study? Sometimes. But I was able to do a lot of reading, and the Internet made a huge difference in being connected to resources to further my education and interests. The library became a favorite resource – for me and for my kids.

Here are some ideas to help you stay sane if you’re having trouble adjusting to being a stay-at-home mom:

– Find something creative you like to do, and do it without kids. Whether it’s writing, reading, painting, crocheting, exercising, hiking, shopping – whatever – find some time every week to do it without kids in tow. When my youngest was a baby, I attended a “play group” (which was essentially a way for new moms to get out of the house), and a group of us moms started meeting once a week for tea, coffee and gossip. Mostly we talked about our families, but at least we did it without having to find anything, wipe anything or yell at anyone.

– Get out of the house with your kids often. This doesn’t need to be to attend a structured program or playdate. Simply take a walk around the block, go dig in the garden together, play at the park, or toss a ball around on the porch. Fresh air and sunshine will do everyone a world of good.

– Have a routine. Kids thrive on structure. Having a predictable daily schedule may help you feel a little more in control, and will help you break up your day a little. If you know your baby naps from one to three, you won’t feel so stressed building block houses with her until then. While she sleeps, you can pay bills, fold laundry or clean the cat litter.

– Play. Don’t forget to have fun with your kids. Take time every day to get down on the floor with your kids and do something they enjoy. Set up a huge farm, and let him add his dinosaurs to the cow pen. Build skyscrapers with wooden blocks. Put puzzles together. Play simple board games. Talk, imagine, create, enjoy. It is so cliché to say this, but they’ll only be little once. You’ll never regret the time you spent enjoying your children.

It can be boring with a newborn – babies just don’t do much. They need lots and don’t give much in return. But as my children grew and started to show their own little personalities, it was like meeting someone new, someone who you wanted to get to know better. I was taken on a journey of never-ending discovery watching them learn new skills every day. Being able to stay at home with my children is an immense blessing. I feel amazingly thankful that we’ve chosen to have less stuff in order to have more connection with our children. I wouldn’t trade this abundance for any other life.

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Your days are full of diaper changes, feedings and hours spent comforting a little one. Baby care certainly takes up much of your time. But it’s easy to work some exercise into your routine if you include your baby. Even if it’s just for 5 minutes at a time, you’ll feel energized and ready to keep up with baby tasks all day long.

Any floor exercise you can do while baby lays on a blanket next to you can easily be integrated into tummy time or even earlier with baby on his back just watching what you’re doing. If you’re going to have your baby in arms while performing some moves, just make sure he’s able to hold his head up on his own (which happens around 3 to 4 months old) and that you’ve got a firm grip on baby’s wiggly body.

Ab Curl:
Lie on the floor, knees bent, feet flat, and baby on your abs (with your pelvis supporting baby’s weight). Hold baby in place gently. Using your abdominal muscles, slowly raise your head and shoulders from the floor, moving toward baby with a smile or a kiss, and then slowly lower yourself again.

Reverse Curl:
Lie on the floor and lift your feet, bringing your knees toward your head. Hold baby in place on your shins. Using your abdominal muscles, slowly lower baby toward you while lifting your head and shoulders, come in for a kiss or a snuggle, and then slowly return to your starting position.

Baby Bench Press:
Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat, and hold baby securely under his arms against your chest. Slowly raise baby in the air, then slowly lower him to your body again. You can also do this while sitting cross-legged on the floor.

Airplane:
Lie on your belly with your baby in front of you. With your arms outstretched on either side of your body and your legs straight, slowly lift arms, legs and chest off the floor. Hold briefly, and then return to your starting position.

Push Ups:
With your arms and legs straight, and hands and feet supporting you, slowly lower yourself toward your baby, and then slowly raise yourself again. Alternatively, you can practice planks with baby lying on his back watching you. Support your weight on your feet and your forearms with your elbows bent, and hold. Sing or talk to baby, then rest.

Baby Lunges:
You can do lunges with your baby in a front carrier for some weight training, or you can do them toward your baby if he’s sitting in an infant seat, high chair or stroller. With one foot at the back and the other foot forward, bend both legs until your one thigh is parallel to the floor, keeping your knee in line with your ankle (don’t over-lunge). Then slowly return to start. Do several repetitions with each leg being the one bending (by switching lunging direction or which leg is forward).

Baby Carrier Squats:
With baby in a front carrier (facing you or facing out), place your feet shoulder width apart (maybe a tiny bit wider). Point your toes out a little then slowly begin to lower your body as if your are going to sit. Keep your pelvis tucked and remember that your center of gravity is pulled forward a little since you’re holding baby. Slowly return to standing, rest, repeat.

Walking:
You can walk with a stroller or with your baby in carrier. But go briskly enough that you get your heart rate up. If you enjoy running, consider investing in a jogging stroller so you can take baby along on your daily route. Your baby may even sleep better from the fresh air and movement.

Almost any exercise can be adapted to include baby in the fun. Don’t forget the importance of warm up stretches before any exercise. If you’ve recently given birth, be sure you get your doctor’s OK to start an exercise program. If you’ve never had a regular workout routine before, start slowly. Stay hydrated, and don’t overexert yourself.

Exercise doesn’t need to be just another chore on your to-do list. Have fun with your baby – talk, sing, smile, interact. You’re baby will love being with you, even if you’re multitasking!

What are your favorite postpartum exercises?

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

You know you work hard all day – childcare, housekeeping, and maybe even paid employment on top of it all. It’s not easy, and it’s often thankless. While motherhood does come with its own rewards, what if you were rewarded in terms of a paycheck?

Here’s the median annual salary (in 2014 US dollars) for a number of jobs moms routinely perform (taken from a recent survey by salary.com):

• CEO     $167,900
• Psychologist     $81,000
• Facilities Manager     $65,800
• IT / Computer Tech     $34,200
• Cook     $29,200
• Van Driver     $28,400
• Day Care Teacher     $26,700
• Housekeeper     $21,200
• Janitor     $21,100
• Laundry Operator     $21,000

If you calculate the number of hours at each of these jobs during a regular work week (including overtime pay), stay-at-home moms would earn an average of US$118,000 annually, and working moms would earn an average of US$70,000 annually in addition to their pay from their out-of-home employment. Add to that other family jobs you might do – nurse, accountant, administrative assistant, logistics supervisor – and you would probably make even more!

Studies about how moms work have found that stay-at-home moms work about 90 hours each week, mainly doing the tasks for the jobs listed above. For moms who are employed outside the home, 50 hours per week is still devoted to their “mom jobs” in addition to their paid employment.

In the US, 70% of women with children work outside the home, and many of these women are the main breadwinners for their families. While partners are doing more, a disproportionate share of the housekeeping and childcare still falls on moms.

While the pay scale may be different around the world, the fact that moms put in many hours of skilled labor without a paycheck is true nearly everywhere. Take a moment to appreciate yourself and all the work you do. Remind other moms that they are doing a great job, and call your own mom to thank her for the time she put in at all the odd jobs without pay.

Then, remind yourself of the rewards you do get – watching your children learn and grow is sometimes payment enough.

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.