Mornings with a newborn sometimes just feel like an extension of the night before. And while that can be so exhausting, there is also something so sweet and peaceful about those moments you spend in the middle of the night when the world is still and quiet except for you and your baby. It’s in those moments we’re so easily reminded that sweet baby is depending on us for everything and even as a person who didn’t want to have kids, I feel my soul purpose for existing has been to be her mama.
All of that being said, we follow a routine to keep our productivity levels up because if it was up to me, I would just sit around and stare at her all day and never do anything else again. Here’s what we do:
6-8 AM – Non-negotiable wake up for me. If she’s awake already, I feed and change her (giving her a pottytunity – more on this to come!) and then feed her from the other side (she is exclusively breastfed). Then I have breakfast, coffee, and do a light house reset to get ready for the day.
My morning supplements include: Thorne Basic Prenatal and Thorne Methyl-Guard Plus (more on these at the bottom of the post). With breakfast, and sometimes for breakfast, I have a BOOBIE Body Superfood Meal Replacement Protein Shake (my favorite flavor is Coffee Caramel) and then later in the morning, I’ll have a BOOBIE Bar (Blueberry Muffin is my favorite flavor of these!). The thing I love most about this company is the products are made for pregnancy, lactation and beyond! So you can stock up, share with the family, and know that you’re eating a healthy, superfood treat! If you have a sweet tooth, this could very well be your solution! Use this link to save $20 on your purchase of $30+ to try your new favorite treat!
8-9 AM – work on this blog
9-10 AM – work on my BIRTHFIT Coaching plan
10 AM – 12 PM – I put work down for awhile and feed the baby, go for a walk with our dachshund (depending on the weather sometimes it’s just 1 mile, other times it’s 2), have lunch and complete any outstanding household tasks that need to be done (i.e. laundry, dishes, making the bed, etc.)
Having a newborn means that sometimes I don’t have as much time to work on something as I had planned, but I have flexible time built in to the afternoon portion of my schedule. If you’re wondering how I wake up at 6 AM every day, even if I was up all night: spoiler alert. I nap with her later in the day if I need to. I’ve learned that sleep isn’t only productive at night. If you can get a good solid nap in during the day, it will work just the same. While newborn life is pure and total bliss, it is also about a certain amount of survival.
As for the supplements I mentioned at the top, I started taking the Thorne Basic Prenatal as soon as I told my doctor that I had a positive pregnancy test. (Well, I ordered it immediately and started taking it once it was delivered). I am continuing to take it since my baby is exclusively breastfed. The key ingredients in this product are Vitamin B and Iron Bisglycinate and the product was designed to supplement a nutrient rich diet by filling in the gaps that are sometimes hard to meet during pregnancy if morning sickness is an issue, and then when breastfeeding since it takes so much extra work for the mother’s body to provide enough milk to support the baby. When we found out I was pregnant, my doctor recommended dropping my Thorne Methyl-Guard Plus dosage from the manufacturer recommended 3 capsules/day to 1 capsule/day. I am still just taking 1/day because I have not yet regrouped with her to discuss further supplementation during lactation. This supplement is great for your heart and vessels as well as increasing mood which can definitely be important during and after pregnancy! As always, you should discuss taking any new supplement with your doctor prior to doing so. This blog post is not medical advice, it is just informational based on what did work well for me, under the care of my team. (All supplement information came directly from Thorne.com)
Tell me below what your newborn morning routines look like!