It's important to be realistic when it comes to managing childcare as a working mom with a baby. While you may have a strong desire to keep your little one at home, or even with family members, this isn't always feasible. In these cases, other options should be explored including daycare, nannies, and babysitters all of whom can provide reliable and professional care.

Time management for working moms is essential, especially when juggling responsibilities of taking care of a baby and a job. In order to make managing childcare easier, my hope is I can join the ranks for the best blog for working moms with babies. Here are my tips based on personal experience:

Options Available

Most cities have daycare centers, nanny placement services and other childcare options available for working moms. Utilize these to make your life easier while still ensuring your baby is getting the care they need. Do research to find reliable childcare centers or caregivers who have a good reputation for providing quality care.

Research

Take advantage of resources available through your employer such as flexible hours to enable you to coordinate with the accessible hours of a daycare center.

When researching options for childcare, it's essential to thoroughly vet each provider before making a decision. Ask for references and take the time to speak with past employers about their experience. Also, be sure to check local licensing rules in your area as well as any additional requirements needed by the state or locality. The downloadable app KidFriendlyVenues.com has listings of childcare facilities nationwide and has all details of amenities and services provided. 

Stay connected with other moms in similar situations by joining a local mom group or reading top motherhood blogs. One site I am unashamedly going to recommend is momstribute.com where the best blogs for busy moms with babies are written by other experienced moms.

Expectations

Set clear expectations with your caregiver. Discuss the type of care you need, the hours they’ll be needed, and any other requirements like best time management before hiring a caregiver to make sure that everyone is on the same page. If possible, have a written contract or agreement for both parties to sign outlining all of these details.

Establish a reliable routine for your baby. Once you and the caregiver have established what is expected, create a regular daily schedule for your baby that includes all their meals, naps, baths, and other activities. This will help to ensure that your baby is getting the consistent care and attention they need while you’re away. I found this enormously important when I saw my baby being looked after by a nanny who lived with us. Her attention to making every day so routinely filled with all the essentials I wished for my baby meant that when I left him I was happy in the knowledge that he was going to get a variety of experiences that would make his little world understandable and without stress.

Self-Care

It will be clear to you that your time will be dominated in focusing on the activities that are most important for taking care of your baby and job responsibilities first. But, as a working mom, it’s important to create a healthy balance. Make sure to schedule in quality time with your child so you can both bond without the worry of work-related distractions. And when there is a little remaining time for other activities while childcare providers are in control, consider self-care for these precious couple of hours and make it special for yourself.

Taking occasional mental health breaks can be hugely beneficial. Eating right, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly should all knit together to enable you to be a top parent. Whether your absence from your baby is a few hours or an overnight or weekend break, it is important to build in time to stay connected with your baby while you are away. Call or video chat regularly throughout the day and make sure to spend quality time together when you get home. This can help ensure that you maintain a strong bond during this transition as well as establish a trusting relationship with your childcare provider.

Back up Plans

Stay prepared for emergency situations and unexpected events. Make sure you have alternate plans in place, just in case something doesn’t go according to plan like, if your regular sitter calls in sick. This could be a family member or friend that you can call on at short notice, or even enrolling with a backup childcare center just in case of emergencies.

With these tips in mind, you can home in on the solutions to managing childcare as a working mom with a baby. I wish you success. And with that, I wish you good mental health.