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I should have prepared more. I should have known it was going to be virtually impossible to cook with new babies while supervising my older children. This list of suggestions is what I wish I had known to get dinner on the table after having a baby (or babies).
Also in this post, tips and ideas from multiple bloggers sharing ways to help a new mom, or prepare as a new mom. Let’s talk making meals after baby.
Getting Dinner on the Table After Having a Baby
Double Everything
When you are still pregnant, double as many recipes as you can so you can eat one tonight and
freeze the other for after baby is born. I started doing this around 32 weeks in my
twin pregnancy and managed to store a few things, but I should have started earlier and stored more! Even now with two infants, it is impossible to make dinner from scratch each night. I wish I had cooked more before the babies were born so I could have packed our chest freezer.
On a side note, doubling breakfast recipes is a great idea as well. Since you may be a bit sleep-deprived with a new little one (or in my case, two) in the house having a breakfast you can pop in the oven is so helpful. >>>Here are some simple and yummy ideas for breakfast recipes from other moms.<<<
Cook with a crock pot
I know you know this, because even cooking with children around when they are not babies can be challenging. For some crock-pot recipe inspiration, check out
this post.
Purchase a chest freezer
Life saver. Hands down. This was my Christmas present before the twins were born-my choice. (Yes, I am ok with getting appliances as gifts.) It has been so valuable. Even if you do not have a large family, think of the benefit to stocking up on some extra groceries so you have items on hand if you just can not get out of the house to get groceries when sleep-deprived, shower-deprived, or just plain deprived of the ability to leave the house. I am not the only one with days like that, I know!
If you do have
twins or multiples on the way, a chest freezer has given me the ability to actually be able to warm up a hot meal for my family. Peanut butter counts as dinner all too often in my house, but we do prefer a hot meal at least once a day, and our chest freezer allows that to happen-Halleluiah!
Use a freezer inventory
Sarah of My Joy-Filled Life shared
this free printable freezer inventory and I made sure to use it after the twins were born. (I just love it!)
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| Used with permission from Sarah at My Joy-Filled Life. |
I printed one out and slipped it into a plastic sleeve so it could be used with dry erase markers. At one glance you will know what meals and how many are in your freezer-so handy!
Pumping and Bottles
Buy a breast pump, if you are not formula-feeding, and prepare a bottle so dad can feed the baby while you cook dinner. I had the
Avent manual pump for the first two babies-it worked well. I wish I had purchased the
Medela fancy schmancy pump back then, but we could not afford it. I do highly recommend it. I have it now for the twins. But go with what your budget will allow.
If you are already bottle feeding, let dad take this feeding, and then you can get dinner ready. Or you can feed baby and he can cook. I know some babies are not happy with bottles. My second baby was like this. But, if your baby is willing, it can buy you some time to prepare a meal.
Accept Help
Accept as many meals as friends and family are willing to bring you. It helped so much that we received meals after our second child was born and after the twins’ birth. Multiple nights of free meals are amazing!
See how much you need that freezer? Getting dinner on the table after having a baby can be done. It just takes some pre-planning and patience.
On another side note: Write and send thank you notes to friends and family who bring you a meal. It is such a blessing to receive help and to receive thoughtful thanks for help.
What tips helped you get dinner (or any meal) on the table with a new baby in the house? Comment below-you never know who may be helped by your tip!
Join the other bloggers sharing their tips for helping moms in The Ultimate Guide to Baby’s First Year:
Taking Time For Mom
Gift Ideas For New Parents
Helping Hands
Frugal Tips for Parents
Tips for Parents of Multiples/Preemies
Congratulations! That is wonderful. Enjoy them all! 🙂
I just became a grandmother for the seventh time
love the post and helped me a lot as i will be delivering this september
Sweta, I am so glad to read that! Congratulations and I wish you all the best with your new little one. 🙂
I love the freezer printable! Pinning this post, for sure. We definitely rely on leftovers, and use our chest freezer a lot (mostly for meat and components of meals, though).
Chest freezers are awesome! 🙂 I am so glad you like the printable-it is fun to share if for Sarah from My Joy-Filled Life. I just love her ideas!