- baby comes first (a given!)
- get your health back because having a baby beats you up
- don't set goals until after the baby is born (intentions yes but no "do by" dates)
- enjoy your wee one even if they never let you eat your dinner hot
- if you are nursing (breast is best!) it is intense
- and nursing is around the clock
- as a maker you already don't sleep much right? well, here's a new level of tired!
- my baby does sleep but due to the nursing it takes me 12 hours of nursing then sleeping to feel rested, so i have to go to bed at 8pm to be up and rested by 8am (that's with about 4 feedings if I'm lucky!)
- get some fresh air
- go for a walk and chit-chat with neighbors, people love to see new mama's making their way outside with the new baby and their smiles will mean more than you can imagine
- strap that baby onto you to help loose that baby belly quicker (that will work right?!)
- set a small goal each day to feel like yourself, today my goal is to draw!!!
- new mama's can and do shower
- try to clean your studio before the baby comes, you'll be so glad you did! ( i didn't, ugh!!!)
- make a clean spot for baby to nap or hang out while you work, infants want to be with you 24/7 and you'll want your mini me with you too
- it's ok to take time off
- although the craft world changes daily, you can jump back in when you are ready
- and people will be there to welcome you back (right?)
- anyhow, it's ok to take time off - to the mama makers out there, mostly remember that! Maybe even try to take a family vacation!
'tis all for now!
9 comments:
great list!! I used to throw pots with my son on my back in the carrier--was I nuts or what?
My wholesale accounts were still there to welcome me back, so yes, that is true! I still sell to them and my son is now 12!
enjoy your little bub--they grow so fast!
These are things you can tell someone but you don't really KNOW them till you experience it. :) Your babe will nap or hang out while you work? Huzzah! That is huge. Mine will tolerate not being held for about five minutes max -- long enough for me to make a latte, but not drink it. :) I'm glad to hear you all are doing well.
Christine that is great! Mazzy is 7 weeks old and I can't quite see how I'll make it work just yet but will be cleaning up the studio and buying a heavy duty air cleaner in the hopes that she can hang out with me until she can make things too! Right now she likes to look at things and can lay on her activity mat and busy herself, then she falls asleep, if that was in the studio I'd have 2 hours at least to work and still be chatting with her.
Amy, I need to catch up on your blog : ) you have 3 now?! wow!!!! Mazzy has her days when she nurses allllll day and like to held but I'm hoping I can work during her independent times!!! She seems pretty content for longer stretches doing baby wiggles and looking at things, batting is coming! I know about the latte or anything hot, it's like they knowBut really how?!
I know they say that babies don't need television but I wouldn't have survived without Baby Einstein and Baby See N Sign. My daughter has a huge vocabulary and is in the top 1% for language. Don't feel guilty if you have to use the tv to get some work done. As long as you spend plenty of quality time with them and only put on healthy tv, it's not that bad. I am convinced that those DVD's stimulated and educated her.
It's so hard to juggle it all- even when your kids are older. I remember having a baby at the studio with me and every time he made a wimper or a cry I would have to go check on him to see what was up. It's hard to concentrate on your work when your in mama-mode. Hopefully you can find some time in the evenings (if you aren't too tired!) when your husband is at home and can hold and put your little one to bed. That way you can focus on your work in the studio and focus on your child during the day. Hang in there, you still have a newborn and they are pretty needy!
Karissa, I'm not against to tv, we're going to try to keep it educational, I'll look into the dvd's, thanks! I'm a little lost on what to do with her, but we're working on looking at things and batting a bit. She just found her ears and keeps tugging on them. She's also started to be content just laying down awake - she wiggles and makes squeaky noises. She also likes the bouncey seat but not the toy bar. She's a one thing at a time girl! Any other tips on what to do with her, especially while working would be great ; )
Heather, Thanks for the encouragement, I know it won't be easy, I'm hoping that when she's older she'll want to hang out with me in the studio and make things, I'm planning to have an activity table for her. I'm also thinking I'll hire a mother's helper to play with her and do some light housework to help me balance everything. When she starts on solids I'll make a bigger try at being in the studio but for now, I'm just designing and organizing while she sleeps, she's sleeping on me right now!
please keep the tips coming, i'm open to all ideas on making this work.
xo, Linda
What is with all this "mamma" stuff?! Are there no stay at home potter fathers? I bring it up because my wife is with child and I offered to stay home with the little feller instead of sending him to daycare. She is not convinced this would work (that I would be able to watch the kid and still get work done). Anyone with tips as to how I might accomplish this?
Rob, Congrats on your wee one to be! my situation is different than yours since I'm nursing and that's a whole different world! Mama's need to recover from the pregnancy and birth so consider yourself a step ahead or really a giant leap, I'm so nit in top clay shape. But follow along, I'll be sure to blog about how I make it work for me and please let me know how you make it work - I'm sure you are not the only work at home papa!
Linda this is an awesome post. Thanks!
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