How To Make Date Night Happen After Baby

Thank you to Ashland Health and Caitlin McNeily, Pump Specialist, for contributing and sponsoring this wonderful post.

So you have a new baby and your heart is beaming for your new little bundle of joy, and you’re ready to rekindle the flame with your spouse over a long awaited meal and potentially a cocktail (or 2).  It’s all too easy to get into a routine that is solely baby centric, so I highly recommend planning for this exciting event before the baby arrives.  

Here’s how to make it happen:

Step One

You will need an insurance covered breast pump, so you can have your babysitter feed your baby or at least be prepared to feed your baby in the event you are enjoying yourself and want to stay out longer than planned.

Ashland Health is here for you – we take care of the entire process of getting your insurance covered breast pump; think of us as a concierge service. The process at Ashland Health is simple, fast, and streamlined. Here’s how it works:

1. Visit our website at www.ashlandhealthrx.com and fill out our brief contact form.
2. We’ll call your insurance and verify your coverage.
3. We’ll contact you directly, walk you through your breast pump choices, and ship your pump right to your door, free of charge.

Simple as that! Our team is made up of real working moms; we know motherhood and pregnancy can be wild and overwhelming at times, so we want to make sure you have the best quality pump and a supportive ear.

Step Two

Make a Reservation while you’re pregnant.

For some reason, this type of simple task can seem insurmountable when you are lactating and are seriously questioning whether or not you brushed your teeth that morning.  Select a restaurant close to home so you feel comfortable being able to rush out in an emergency or a serious case of FOMOOB (fear of missing out on baby-time).

A restaurant with big portions will take care of lunch the next day. You can never have enough easily accessible lunches when you have a new baby; especially if your spouse is working and you’re solo.  People may offer to bring you dinner, and that’s nice, but in my experience thrice over, lunch is much more needed when you are home alone with a newborn.  Friends of pregos, take note – your new mom friend will be grateful!  And when you deliver lunch, tell her you can hold the baby while she showers and eats. That’ll win you friend of the year and you may just take over as honorary aunt or godmother.

Step Three

Book a sitter.

If you are fortunate like I am to live close to yours, family is a great option here.  They’ll be so excited for uninterrupted snuggles without the new mom hovering over their shoulder, and next to you and your spouse, who loves your baby more than Grandma and Grandpa!  If your family isn’t available, ask around for recommendations – borrowing a friend’s coveted and experienced nanny for a weekend night is a solid option.

Whoever you end up using, make sure you give a longer time frame to the babysitter than you think you’ll need. I think an hour on the front end and an hour on the back end is the way to go. So, if the res is at 7, have them come at 6, and if you think 9pm is your pumpkin hour, tell them you’ll be home by 10pm. This way, you can take your time getting ready – hell, you could even sneak in a 30 minute power nap – and if you’re having a great time, you’ve left extra space at the end of your date to stay for dessert or that second (or third or fourth) glass of red that’s been calling your name for almost a year!

Give the sitter instructions to update you every 30 minutes or every hour depending on how often you want reassurance that everything is running smoothly (photos of your sweet little one work wonders to help put your mind at ease). It’s important to mitigate any anxiety so you can focus your attention on yourself and your first love.

That’s it moms – you are on your way to successfully starting a life of Date Nights, formerly known as Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

In parting, please know that even if leaving your baby feels awkward or downright sad, you’ll feel like a million bucks as soon as you hit the restaurant! It’s important to nurture your relationship with your partner because life just got crazy real for both of you. Parenthood is the best journey, and it’s even better when you feel connected to the one by your side.

Caitlin McNeily, Pump Specialist

Ashland Health

Save

Save