| If you and your partner are both working and | | | | when you're just starting to get the hang of |
| perhaps at the peak of your respective | | | | taking care of your baby. This will tide you |
| careers, who will take care of your child | | | | over until your partner comes home to get you |
| once he is born? Are you going to opt for a | | | | real food. |
| stay-at-home dad or mom, and simply let the | | | | |
| other partner take over the finances while | | | | Also keep all the baby things you will be |
| one of you takes care of the child full-time? | | | | needing like milk and feeding bottles, |
| | | | diapers, rash cream, and others organized and |
| First of all, can you afford it? Secondly, | | | | within reach, too. The last thing you need |
| how do you ensure that the one who stays at | | | | is to frantically search for things when the |
| home or continues to work will not resent it | | | | baby's already crying his lungs out. |
| eventually? | | | | |
| | | | 2. Sleep when your baby sleeps. At the start |
| DECIDING ABOUT CHILD CARE | | | | of your stay-at-home parenting, sleep once |
| | | | your child falls asleep. Don't use this |
| Before your child is born, you have to settle | | | | opportunity to clean the house a little or do |
| this so you can avoid as much stress as | | | | small chores. You will be needing your |
| possible after he is born. Having a baby is a | | | | energy to get up in the middle of the night |
| joy but the reality of staying up late at | | | | for feeding and nappy changes. Once you've |
| night and having only a couple of hours' | | | | got the hang of it, you can slowly start |
| sleep before you'd have to start your day is | | | | doing other things when your baby sleeps. |
| not going to be a picnic. Therefore, for | | | | |
| your sanity's sake and the happiness of your | | | | 3. Have a little alone time. When your |
| baby, decide who gets to stay at home to take | | | | partner gets home, or when someone comes over |
| care of him. | | | | to take over baby duties for awhile, take |
| | | | this opportunity to be alone for awhile to |
| If one parent decides to quit his/her career | | | | get your bearing and simply be quiet with |
| to be a stay-at-home parent, here are a few | | | | your own thoughts. Take a stroll in the park |
| tips you can follow to ease you through the | | | | or go to the library. |
| first few weeks. | | | | |
| | | | The important thing is to go somewhere quiet |
| 1. Make everything accessible to you. If you | | | | so you can have a little peace and quiet. Do |
| don't have a wireless phone, get one. You do | | | | not use this chance to make a quick trip to |
| not want to go all the way to the next room | | | | the grocery or the mall. This kind of |
| to answer a ringing phone before the noise | | | | activity is very tiring and you might be |
| wakes up your sleeping child. Keep crackers, | | | | depriving yourself of a much-needed respite |
| juice boxes, bread and a few other munchies | | | | before you start on your baby duties again. |
| within reach. You will not feel like cooking | | | | |