What do you need in 2024?
After weeks of holiday hustle, where the focus is on everything but self-care, we asked parents: What do YOU need in 2024? Here’s what they said — along with some helpful tips on how to accomplish their goals in both Maine and Massachusetts!
1. Finding Bodily Autonomy:
“I just want to feel like myself again.”
“Touched out” is a real thing. We often give so much physically not only to carry/grow a baby, but the physical demands after (whether we were pregnant or not)- feeding, nursing, rocking etc. This constant need for your baby to touch you can be exhausting. Feeling like your body is not your own after baby is also a very real thing. This could be because it looks different, or you feel different physically, maybe you feel like you are not yourself. You need to take care of your body.
drawing by Frances Cannon
While our classes encourage participants to listen to and reconnect with their bodies, we know nothing quite compares with the therapeutic experience of a massage or facial. Being able to relax while getting pampered — even if only for a couple of hours — can help the stress magically evaporate.
Some spas and practitioners we love:
Maine:
Mass:
2. Reconnecting With My Partner:
“My husband feels more like my roommate than my spouse.”
Whether you have one kid or multiple, it can be easy to lose touch with your partner. Diaper blowouts and lost sleep definitely dull the spark, especially when free time is at a premium and tension runs high. Luckily, finding time to connect even once a month can do wonders. You just need someone to watch the littles.
Creative places to find childcare:
Post for a babysitter in our FB community groups!
Not in our groups yet, but you’ve been to a class?! Feel free to join: (link to both)
Ask a fellow parent friend to swap an evening. (Chances are they could use a regular night out as well!)
See if your child-free sibling or coworker is interested in a regular play date. (A daytime date counts, too!)
Check local listings for “kids nights” that include childcare at community centers, libraries, even schools.
3. Trusting Others to Watch My Baby:
“They cry if anyone else holds them—I know I need help, but I can’t let go.”
You desperately need that date night (or even just some time to yourself), but you feel like you can’t trust anyone to watch your child. Believe it or not, this is a common stress point for many of our Baby Booty parents—especially first-time parents, or ones of “deeply feeling” kids. Normalize your nervousness and seek out support you can trust.
Some places to find support:
Look for caretakers that have experience with kids the same age as your own
Come prepared with all the questions you need answered to feel secure
If your baby goes to daycare/preschool, often the teachers offer to babysit—ask the director for more info
Trust that while your little might have a tough time at first with the adjustment, they will be safe and loved—and ultimately benefit from you having some time to yourself.
4. Balancing Home, Family, and Self Care:
“Between cold and flu season and school break the house is a MESS — and my judgmental mother-in-law is visiting next week.”
It makes sense: The kids are bouncing off the walls. The baby’s runny nose will never go away (neither will your mother-in-law). You deserve some (judgement-free) help to organize your space.
Solutions for both your home — and your family
If you can afford it, there’s no shame in hiring a cleaner.
Apps like Thumbtack are great resources, but so are the community boards and Facebook groups mentioned above.
If a cleaner feels out of the budget (or you just prefer to do it yourself), take the kids somewhere else to play, so you don’t have stress about mess!
-Check out Raise, PlayLot, Growing Littles, and Little Playspace in Maine
-Check out Jamtime and Launch Family Trampoline Park in Mass
We also love food delivery to simplify meal time!
We are loving Feast + Fettle in both MA & Maine
The Hungry Gains in Maine
Wok Theology in MA
6. Getting More Sleep:
“She’s almost 8 months old and still isn’t sleeping through the night — and now her naps are becoming a struggle.”
When it comes to sleep challenges, seeking guidance from sleep consultants can be a game-changer. Not only can they provide insights into your baby's sleep patterns, but they can also offer practical strategies tailored to your family's needs.
Maine: REMedy, Calm and Sleepy, Kim Chapman
Mass: REMedy, Sleep Shore
We know this just touches on the thousands of ways you and your fellow parents deserve support this year, but we hope it helps kickstart accomplishing all your goals in 2024.
Did you know Baby Booty members get discounts to the places listed above?! Join us as a member in both Maine and Mass and you’ll get exclusive discount codes emailed to you!