Once your baby enters the world- there will be lots of people who want to come and see your little one. When people start to ask when they can come over, it’s good to have a plan in place. Here are my top tips for arranging your visitor’s schedule:
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Ask that people warn you in advance: Kindly request that people don’t just drop in on you without notice as you might be trying to get your baby to sleep or they may have just gone down. They might catch you just as you are breastfeeding or changing a smelly nappy. If they tell you in good time, you can prepare yourself and your baby for company.
Don’t invite too many people at once: Chances are your home won’t accommodate a lot of people anyway but it’s kinder to you and your baby that you only have one or two people at once. This will stop your baby from becoming overwhelmed if your visitors want to hold your little one.
Have a ‘help yourself’ mentality: You have enough to think about without having to make people cups of coffee and tea and ensure everyone has a biscuit. If people want a refreshment- let them know that they can help themselves. They should understand that you have your hands full right now.
Don’t be afraid to give a specific time frame: If you are trying to get your baby into a routine and are putting them down each night at the same time- tell your visitors that they are welcome to come but only up until a certain time. And make them aware of nap times if they want to see your baby awake.
Don’t feel guilty for cancelling: If you have a bad night with your baby where they’ve barely slept at all and you are feeling emotionally and physically drained- tell anyone who is due to come that another time would be better. They should understand that you aren’t always on top form when you have a new baby.
Don’t worry about your home: Throw some bleach down the toilet and wipe your kitchen surfaces down but don’t think you have to clean the house from top to bottom for every new person that comes through your door. Visitors should be considerate of the fact that your time is too precious right now to worry about a bit of dust. People are coming to see you not your home.
Don’t stress about your appearance: If you haven’t had a chance to get your hair dyed or put on any make up since you baby was born- that’s alright. Your visitors will be more interested in your baby and will know that your priorities have shifted temporarily from you to your baby.
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