How to Realistically Work From Home With a New Baby

When you’re pregnant and planning to work from home when the baby is born, you might have an idea in your mind of how great the arrangement will be. Once the baby comes, and you’re actually in the thick of it, you might view the situation a little differently.

We tend to think working from home is easier than at an office or outside of the home, but that’s not always the case, especially when you also have a newborn.

Working at home with a new baby requires some planning, learning a few tricks and tips, and some patience as you get into the new routine. The following are a few things to help you get started.

Get the Right Gear

When you’re setting up your home office or work area in preparation for your baby’s arrival, having the right gear is essential.

For example, make sure you use a swing for babies in your office. A swing can be a lifesaver. You might want to get two so that you don’t have to move it from room-to-room and you have one that can specifically be your office swing.

You might also want to consider a rocking seat that you can put on the floor by your desk, and you can move with your foot.

Have everything you need for the baby in your office, like bottles, diapers, and wipes. That way, you’re wasting less time getting up and down and searching for things all over the house.

Set a Schedule and Stick with It

When you bring a new baby home, a schedule is important whether you’re working or not. If you are, however, it’s even more important.

If you need to, write your schedule down, and include things like your baby’s nap and feeding times, as well as your work schedule.

Be Clear with Your Boss and Coworkers

Part of working from home with a newborn successfully relies on managing expectations. When everyone knows what to expect as far as your schedule and availability, there will be less confusion and fewer breakdowns in communication.

If you have certain hours while the baby naps, for example, that work best for you to do phone calls and video chats let your coworkers know.

You also need to make sure, for your own sanity, that you have very defined distinctions between your work and home life. Those blurred lines are one of the biggest downsides of working from home. Let everyone know when you sign off for the night, and leave it at that.

If you have the space available, that’s one of the many reasons a dedicated office is so important. It allows you to sign off and then leave your workspace in the evening.

Finally, remember that no one can do it all. The more pressure you put on yourself to get everything perfect, the less happy you’ll be. Do what you can, and adapt to your new life as a working mom.