When I was a new mommy I struggled a bit with keeping the house cleaned. Every moment was spent nursing, dressing, and changing baby diapers. When I wasn’t doing that, I was trying to get my much needed rest when my little girl was sleeping. The house was sometimes quite a mess and I wasn’t always able to keep up with everything.

Here are a couple of tips that I wish I had known before I had my first baby.

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Stress Free House Cleaning With A Newborn

Get Your Rest

Rest is hard to come by after having your baby but it is extremely important for you to be able to function. Don’t let yourself turn into a “mommbie” because lack of sleep. I know this post is supposed to be about how to keep your house clean with a new baby but your needs and your baby’s needs should always come first. If you can’t function right, then you may just be fumbling around the house. I don’t know about other mommies but my pregnancy brain didn’t go away for quite awhile after both my little ones were born. So, trying to get things done without a clear head is hard and it can take longer than it otherwise would have.  Rest as much as you can. Sleep when your little one is sleeping.

Wearing Your Baby

When your are not resting, wearing your baby can really help you get things done around the house while still being close to your little one. A wrap had been a lifesaver for me. With practice, you can even nurse your baby while wearing them. After I started wearing my baby, I noticed a huge difference in how much I was able to get done throughout the day. I didn’t have to wait to do my household chores anymore! It made it easier to sleep when my baby slept.

Baby wearing helps with bonding with your baby and gives you the freedom of two hands. I will usually do the following household chores while wearing my baby:

• laundry
• vacuuming
• sweeping
• dusting
• washing tables and counters
• organizing and decluttering

What type of baby carrier do I get?  I suggest using a sling or a cloth baby wrap for newborns. They are the most comfortable for baby and mommy. Most structured carriers are not suitable for newborns. It does take practice to get them situated just right and I suggest practicing with a doll first.

Swing or Bouncer

For all the chores that are harder to do with your baby like cooking over a hot stove or washing and putting away lots of dishes, a swing or bouncer is a great option. Finding a quality swing or bouncer that can be moved around where you go is an easy way for you to watch your baby and your baby to see you too. Sometimes all they want, is to see what you are doing.

Disposable Dishes

Who wants to do dishes after being up all day and night because your little one is up every two hours? Not me!

Buying a very large stack of paper plates was definitely on my shopping list before my second baby was born. I learned from the first time around that I hated my kitchen getting dirty the most. So, I ended up buying the largest stack they sold at the store.

Stocking up on paper plates, napkins, and plastic utensils is also great for when you have a lot of extra company coming to your house to see your precious little one. (I always feel bad when people are cleaning in my kitchen, so having extra disposable dishes limits them from cleaning more.)

Before or after your baby is born, using a subscription service for your disposable dishes may be an option too. It may help if you run out, don’t feel like going out with your new little one, and it is also less expensive using a subscription.

A Helping Hand

I have to be honest and say that I really have a hard time with people helping me. I appreciate people’s help but always feel bad when someone is helping me do something that I am supposed to be doing myself.

The first few months after having a baby is definitely a time to not feel bad about accepting help though. Whether you have family, friends, or neighbors that want to help out, let them. The first few months are the hardest. Your new precious little one needs your full attention and you need to feel rested.

 Meals And Dishes

Go for basic meals that are fast, easy to make, and that doesn’t require a lot of extra dishes to prepare what your making. I love freezer meals the first month or so. They make it especially easy to at least get dinner made. If you don’t have any meals made and frozen, you can just make double of what your dinner is and then freeze it for next week. I really love using freezer and crockpot cookbooks for my meals.

You can also set up a meal service delivery to send you healthy meals, that are all ready prepared for you. This takes the guess work out of what to make and save you time in the kitchen. Even if it is just one meal out of the day, it may end up giving you more special moments with your new little one, less time preparing food, more rest time for you, and less dirty dishes in the kitchen.

Maid

If you find yourself extremely exhausted or don’t have enough time to get all your household chores done, hiring a  maid might be a perfect option for you until you are ready to handle it all on your own.

Find a local maid near you here.

Write it down

I have a tendency to doddle when I am cleaning sometimes. Make sure you don’t do this and get straight to business of cleaning and getting it done before your little one needs you again. If you find yourself still having baby brain while you are trying to clean,  write out a list of what you are needing to do when your head is clear. Whether it be a print out, on your phone, or on a piece of paper, put everything down that needs to be done.