If you’ve had a new baby this year, you know how hectic things can be.  You might just feel like the lady wearing this sad-but-true shirt.  Helping baby learn how to navigate in this big world is a wonderful challenge.  But, it occurred to me that Mom might need a little help, too.  There’s so much to be done and never enough time.  As the close of one year draws near, and our hearts and our thoughts turn to the coming year, hopefully, these New Year’s Resolutions will help you start 2011 organized, refreshed and ready to go!

Resolve to…

Relax Every Day! You should take 15 to 20 minutes to relax every day. This can help relieve the added stress of a new baby.  Those brief moments of solitude can be just the thing to help keep you sane.

Delegate It and Forget It! I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty particular about the things I do and most times want them done exactly as I would have done them even if someone else is doing it.  But with a new baby around, that’s not always practical.  You can’t do it all and you can’t do it all by yourself.  Learn how to delegate.  But in addition to that, we as women must learn how to let go.  We obsess about things that in the big scheme of things really don’t matter much.  So what if the dishes are not stacked in size order or put on the “right” shelf.   At least they’re getting done!

Stay on a Schedule! In theory, putting your new baby on a schedule can make things run more calmly, and you can schedule things for yourself or other members of the family when you know baby is napping.  But be sure to cushion the schedule with extra time for those unforeseen spit ups and illusive lost keys, and prepare things in advance as much as possible.

Eat healthy! Resist the urge (and often necessity) to eat on the go, which typically means grabbing something unhealthy.  After childbirth your body is still recovering physically from labor and delivery, and you’re operating off less sleep.  Eating health foods rich in protein and omega 3 oils will boost your energy level.  Keep a few healthy snacks tucked away in the diaper bag for you–not just baby!

Not Get Overwhelmed! Just take it day by day. Instead of beating yourself up for not conquering the perfect balance of home, life and work, just concentrate on doing the best you can each day.

Capture The Memories! The time between now and when your child is all grown up happens in the twinkling of an eye, or so it seems.  Take the time to document it every step of the way.  It might seem like a chore, and your kids may even hate the fact that you’ve always got a camera in their face.  But, they’ll thank you for it when they get older and have kids of their own.  In addition to posting and sharing photos online, I’m also a fan of the baby scrapbooks and baby albums (maybe because my Mom has a series of them for all four of her children).  There’s just no substitute for it.   You don’t have to plug in or log on…just turn the page for smile after smile.

Keep your sense of style! Get rid of the old baggy sweats and t-shirts.  You can still look cute in velour tracksuits or athletic pants! Make sure they fit your body and have a feminine cut.  And while you’re at it, switch out that diaper bag with blue frogs and pink teddy bears for a stylish, chic new one.  You’ll be amazed at the different choices out there to keep all your supplies organized, and keep you looking modern.