“Not all who wander are lost. Some are just moms. In Target. Hiding from their children.”
@jocieopc
Being both a parent and a student can be a juggling act at times, and many parents often feel as though they have to cut corners in order to fulfill both roles. While compromise is at times unavoidable, this isn’t always the case.
There are some cornerstones of parenting that are important to individuals, and while you may have fought a losing battle when it came to naming your baby (one day it won’t sting as much) you shouldn’t have to compromise when it comes to raising your kid. Parenting is, literally, a job as old as time. For this reason, it’s become somewhat of a streamlined position over the years, aided in part by cool, new technology.
Feeding
Feeding is an aspect of parenting that you don’t really consider before you have a baby, but that becomes your main topic of conversation (second to poop, and sleep or lack thereof) moments after birth.
Breastfeeding/bottle feeding/formula feeding is a beast best tackled in a separate post, but the general consensus (one hopes) is that a baby fed by any means is best.
However, to touch on the topic briefly, as a student who may be attending college, the prospect of bottle feeding to match demand may seem daunting.
In an effort to save you lots of time in the future, try to pump (after consulting with your pediatrician; they typically recommend beginning around 3 weeks before you go back to school) as much as you can during your sabbatical in order to create a stockpile.
When baby begins solids, you suddenly have a whole new set of chores to perform. For this reason, many student/parents negate their instinct to make fresh baby food and choose to purchase pre-made food instead.
Purchasing baby food from the store is a valid and often necessary option, however, you shouldn’t compromise on what you would prefer to do because of a lack of time.
Investing in the right equipment is an excellent way to ensure that time is on your side when it comes to feeding baby. Baby blenders, like this Baby Bullet, come equipped with a recipe book, a blender with two attachments, food storage containers and a freezing tray. You can even purchase comprehensive baby food makers, that steam and blend your food at the same time, in an effort to cut back on prepping steps.
To save even more time, you may consider pureeing you baby’s food in bulk, and freezing a batch alongside your refrigerator set. You could also purchase organic, pre-cut fruits and vegetables to use in the recipes. While more expensive than whole produce, this option is still cheaper than buying baby food jars or pouches.
Cloth Diapering
Cloth diapering is a contentious topic. However, if your concern for the environment or your baby’s skin trumps your aversion to sh*t, then don’t let time dissuade you from following through with your decision.
Cloth diapering doesn’t have to be time consuming, and one hack that will save you insurmountable amounts of time is investing in a poop sprayer or purchasing disposable liners (which take away from the environmentalism somewhat, but only slightly).
In a nutshell, attempting to scrape solid crap off a cloth diaper can be very time consuming when compared to simply trashing a diaper. These options will save you precious minutes, and lots of disgust.
Alternatively, you could also participate in a diaper washing service. While more expensive, this is a luxury that you may feel is justified over time.
Screen Time
When final exams become a priority, or assignments become dangerously close to being overdue, many parents turn to the TV or an iPad as a means to placate their children while they study. If this is the easiest and best option for you and your family, then you should by all means choose it.
However, if you are determined to avoid screen time for your kids, but are struggling to find a few peaceful hours to focus on your schoolwork, then you may consider investing in a playpen.
Toddlers and infants can, for a brief period of time, entertain themselves if they have no option but to do so. Containing them to a small space with plenty of toys will provide ample separation and distraction to occupy your child a few times a day, allowing you a little time to (hopefully) get a lot done.
Bottle Service 