Juggling a Work at Home Business with a Newborn
Working at home mom with a newborn baby can be difficult, especially those first couple of weeks home from the hospital.
The first thing to do is plan ahead. Before the baby is born, get ahead in your business as much as possible. For example, if you have a business blog, write as many posts as you can and set them to publish after the baby is born. I’m sure you’ve probably told your customers that you’re expecting, so they understand you’re going to be busy for a few weeks. This is perfectly alright.
You may also want to consider hiring a virtual assistant to take care of customer service and email for you. Planning ahead will save you lots of stress when the baby comes and you will feel more relaxed and be able to focus 100% on your new little one.
However, if you didn’t plan ahead and are wondering how in the world you’re going to keep your business going with a newborn, aside from not working your business at all, here are some suggestions to help you juggle a new born and your work at home business.
Take the opportunity to blog about the birth and show off the new addition to your family. People love newborns and your customers will certainly appreciate reading the birth story (not ALL the details silly) and seeing pics of your new addition.
Work when the baby is sleeping. Of course you need to give yourself time to heal properly, so be sure to get plenty of rest whenever you can. But as the baby get a little older and as soon as you feel rested (does that ever really happen?!) then you can begin incorporating a couple of hours a week into your business.
Ask a friend or relative over to help out. One of the main advantages of working from home as opposed to out in corporate America, is that you can set your own schedule. If you have a best friend or relative who lives nearby, ask them to come over and help you with the baby while you work. I’m sure they’ll jump at the chance to give you a hand and come over to snuggle your little one so you can get some work done.
Wear your baby while you work. Baby wearing is very good for both the baby and you. Wearing your baby can free up your hands so you can work while giving your baby the security she needs by staying close to you.
Use a bouncy seat to keep your baby near you while you work. There are so many options in bouncy seats these days, you’ll be able to find one that suits your taste and needs. Bouncy seats that vibrate and/or play soft music are soothing and will keep your baby content allowing you to work with him right by your side.
The key to juggling your work at home business with a newborn is doing what works for your and your family. That’s the beauty of working from home; you can work your business the way you want and when you want. If you’re not ready to get back to work right away, don’t. Even if you’re just building your business or starting out, take those few precious first moments with your baby and don’t feel like you need to rush right back to work. Your business will still be there, but you’ll never get back those first precious moments with your baby.
April 28th, 2009 9:53 pm
What a fabulous article. I know that many women go “against the flow” when it comes to working with a newborn around and your last paragraph in this post just nailed it! ‘The key to juggling your work at home business with a newborn is doing what works for your and your family’. So very true!
May 28th, 2009 11:55 am
Great Advice Because I Am A Work At Home Mom And I Do Have A 4 Month Old. Some Of This Stuff I Knew Long Ago, But Still Learned A Thing Or Two. Thanks