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Calling all moms.....I'll be having our 1st child, a boy, in November. And I was just wondering will I ever be able to stamp again?!??!?! After hearing all my friends with new babies talk, it seems as if I'll never shower again. Do those of you that find time to stamp with a new baby do so in the middle of the night when you should be sleeping?
Hey Melissa! And congratulations! I had to laugh-your post was cute!
I have two boys, TJ just turned 3 and Ryan will be 2 next week.....I think with the first baby you feel like the whole world is passing you by while your taking care of this beautiful and helpless baby!To top it off, when my firstborn was 4 months old, I found out I was pg again! So I'll say the following:
*you never know how motherhood will hit you-be prepared for anything!
*try to sleep when they do-it's a cliche, but it's so true
*this will turn out to the best time in your life with your child though you may not realize it at the time!
*sleep deprivation can take a terrible toll on you!
*depending on you/baby, you might get into a nice routine in 3 or 4 months (sooner if it's your second)
*if someone offers help TAKE IT!!!
*just keep taking pictures so you have things to scrapbook later on....read stamping/scrapbooking mags, or watch craft shows on tv when you're feeding the baby (tape them better yet so if it's 4 am, you can put something creative on to keep the brain working!)
*get as much rest as you can initially and slowly work back into your creative gear-start small with one card at a time!
I didn't even know about SU until last November-I got hooked very quickly and like you, thinking of becoming a demo (actually I just have to fill the paperwork out)...having babies and young kids is not a huge obstacle...you just keep your goals small and tend to your priorities first....now that TJ is 3, he likes to set up stamping next to me-I give him my numbers stamp set and washable ink and he goes to town! Having kids forced me to let go of things too-like when he first got smudged ink on MY stamps-how dare he-lol! Now I'm totally cool about it-it doesn't affect the stamp and he's having fun and learning-it's all good...
Hopefully for the first three months or so, your baby will be sleeping a LOT. If not, use a swing, a bouncy seat, whatever! you'll need a relaxing hobby like stamping to keep your sanity. As your child grows older, you'll both grow into a routine and make sure that stamping is part of that routine!
And btw, I have managed to shower nearly every day since my son was born three years ago!
I became a demo when my son was 10 months old because I began feeling like I needed a "non-mommy" outlet. I really try to limit the classes I have so I don't feel pressured and stressed out. I am not in it for the money, so it isn't a big deal.
Once your baby starts sleeping through the night (or at least sleep for 6 uninterrupted hours), you will find that you have time to do some stamping. My son started sleeping through the night at 6 mos. and I noticed he slept longer after starting solids. When he turned 12 mos., he was sleeping for 9 hours straight. As soon as my son goes to bed, I drag out my stamping stuff and play with it for a few hours. So, there IS light at the end of the tunnel.
Congratulations on your upcoming baby. Your life will be so enhanced by your new little one. I never thought I could love someone like I love my baby. It is utterly undescribable.
I agree with Tina, if anyone offers help (coming over to watch baby while you nap, bringing dinners, cleaning your house, doing yardwork, etc.) TAKE IT!!!
W/my 3 y/o DD was a newborn, I felt like I had it together if I was up, dressed and ate breakfast by 9 am. lol
Now that I have two, a 9 mo DS and 3 y/o DD, I find myself stamping and doing projects when they sleep.
I was really in to quilting but I was still able to do projects, though it took time to get a motherhood routine down.
I think it really depends on the baby as to how much stamping you will be able to do. My son was a very needy baby or perhaps I was just a very doting parent. I also nursed him for 13 months and I think that can also necessitate a certain need for a mother to be around. I wasn't pursuing a hobby back then, but at around 7-8 months old I was introduced to scrapbooking. I remember putting my son to sleep at night and bringing out my supplies and just as I was about to get into it, he would wake up. I was angry to have my scrapbooking time interrupted. I soon realized though that I needed to give up scrapbooking for a while until my son was a little older. There was no point in being angry at the subject of your scrapbook everytime he woke up (which was quite often). I'm not telling you this to scare you. I just want you to know that it's okay to let your hobby take a backseat for a little while, until you are ready to get really addicted again. Once your child is older, you will have so many great occassions to stamp and scrabook for. It just opens up so many more doors.
Just my personal opinion. Congratulations on your pregnancy!!
Take care, Brenda
Thank you all so much for your replies! I can tell already that I'll have to work on accepting others help. I have 2 long hair cats and even tho I vacc 3x's a week I can't keep up with their hair! And I hate it when people come over unannounced and there is cat hair on the couch or something. UGH
I'm already feeling better that I will be able to keep my hobbies....even if they have to be postponed for a while.
One GREAT thing for stamping (and crafting) after kids is to set up a craft night with some friends, or to plan to go to a stamp camp or crop at LEAST once or twice a month. Get into the habit NOW, while you don't have the baby, and that will help you get back "out there" once you do. I get so inspired by my time away, and it makes so much difference, not just in my stamping, but also in my attitude about everything!
You deserve Mommy time, and it is part of your job to make sure you get it. (It can be VERY hard to do it, but it is so worth it.)
I am a more recent stamper - in the past year. I have a 2 year old and am due in the next month (or week due to prelabor and what the Dr. has to say). My plans are to get a schedule with the baby as soon as I can as well as regaining my energy with as much rest as I can get. I've already spoken with my husband about getting out to work out, but also to have a "mommy night out" each week or every other week.
I can relate to the scrapper who spoke about pulling out the items to work on and then the baby awakening. My husband complains about the area of the dining room I have my stamping and scrapbooking items, but I tell him that it's the only way they will be used. I'll never have a creative outlet if I have to haul things out from different places all the time.
Congrats on being a new mother in November and enjoy your time now. There are many changes to come, but it doesn't mean you have to give up the things you enjoy, like stamping.
Well, I started stamping before I got pregnant with #4... Stamped all through the pregnancy and still am stamping and she is 1 now.. Like someone said, the first little while, the baby sleeps a lot. I wouldn't try to over-do it either. Sleep when you can so you can enjoy the little bundle of joy when he is awake.
You will find yourself in a routine sooner than you might expect. Congratulations and good luck. On the other hand, if you can't stamp, you can always learn to master nursing and typing and hang out here on SCS with us.
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I agree with Qbee...It depends on how your baby is. My firstborn was asleep ALL THE TIME!!! He slept easily 20hrs a day. My Mom was prepared to take all this time off to help me (My DH can't get time off easliy), but I didn't need her. She stayed with me for one day. My second DS was scary alert and wake!!!He Slept maybe 14hrs total from birth. I scrapbooked, but was only introduced to stamping just before he was born. I still managed to stamp...maybe not as often as I would like . I think a lot is priortizing...do I want to happy or sane or do I care about a tidy house...
I used to work with a lady who said "Will your kids remember how clean your house was or how you played with them as a child!!" I love this and need to remind myself sometimes that it is better to stamp when their asleep and be in a great mood when they wake up, then to rush around trying to clean everything when their asleep because it'll only last 5 min after they wake most days before you can't even tell that I've cleaned!! At least if I stamp I have beautiful cards!!!
We have a dog and 2 cat's a trick I use is put recieving blankets on the couch where they lay If someone does drop by is pull them off and still them in a hamper VOILA!! No hair on the couch!!! Besides if people do stop by it'll be to drool over your precious new arival not check out the hair on your couch!!! It's amazing how quickly and easily you'll adjust...just wait and see ;)
__________________ Heather
Mama to 3 boys! 8yo, 6yo and 5yo!! Stop saying "I can't". You can. You just chose not to.
Congrats on the upcoming birth, how exciting, it is a wonderful time, however my babies never slept all that much. When I was on maternity leave sometimes it was all I could do to get a shower in let alone do any crafts. Things were not any better after I went back to work. I think I started to have some "free" time after about 9 months. But everyone's lifestyle/babies are different. Good luck to you and enjoy the moment and as someone else said sleep when the baby sleeps and take LOTS of pictures.
My son is about 8 months. I didn't start stamping until I was 9 months pregnant. Wish I'd discovered it sooner. But, yes, I do find time to stamp. It's hard. Especially with me being such the procrastinator that I am. I stamp during his naps now.
I also recommend trying to find a stamp group or club to join. I have at least one night a month that I go out and jsut stamp. We make 3-4 projects. I love it!
I'll be totally honest with you though. I went the first several months in a daze almost. Motherhood is an amazing thing. I've just been in awe at how awesome it is. I love every moment of it. So there are times that I'll go through just spending time with my son and forgetting everything else that goes on.
Oh, and yes, pictures are a MUST!!! We've got hundreds of my son and he's only 8 months old. One HUGE advice. If they are digital, PLEASE, PLEASE, be sure to back them up on a disk. We went through a huge scare where we almost lost every single picture. Please backup your pictures!!!
Good luck with your new little one when he arrives!!!!
__________________
StampingMonkey
The cutie in my avatar is my 17 month old son, CJ.
Check out my plain Gallery. I hope to be filling it up in the months to come. ;)
Take it from me, it is possible to have a stampin life after kids!!!! I have four children, 15 years, 13 years, 8 years, and 9 months. I think after a couple of months you'll get your feet under you and become a MASTER multitasker. It will be a nice creative outlet and an opportunity to make lots of friends. Good luck to you and CONGRATULATIONS!!!
I have 5 kids ages 2 months, 13 months, 2 1/2, 8 and 9 years and I still stamp and scrapbook! My DH works nights so some nights after I put my kidlets to bed I stamp / scrapbook for a few hours and 2 times a month I crop / stamp with my girlfriends.
It's VERY important that you have your own time to pursue your own interests / hobbies especially after having children. It makes for a happier Mommy and when Mommy is happy so is your little ones.
Congrats on your upcoming pregnancy, take lots of pictures and enjoy being a new Mommy, its wonderful!!
I am so glad you asked this question. We are also expecting our first in November (a girl). I too was worried that I wouldnt get a chance to work on any projects and all my time would be consumed by the baby.
Thanks everyone for the replies makes me feel better about things.
I'm already feeling better that I will be able to keep my hobbies....even if they have to be postponed for a while.
I was never interested in having a hobby until I went to my first Stamp Camp at a friend's house in February - when my 4th child was 7 months old (the other ones were only 6, 5, and 3). You can still have time for anything you want after a baby, yes you may have to get creative with your time, but I don't beleive you *can't* do things *because* of the baby (or the kids).
I find stamping relaxing at the end of the day. I've even learned this summer how to stamp, and still enjoy it, with the kids running around.
You might find you don't *want* to make the time, which was why I never had a hobby till now. Just take it as it comes
You will have time to stamp after the kiddo's born. When I was pregnant with my now 11 mo. old daughter, I got into making beaded jewelry. I got into stamping in April of this year and am HOOKED. I find it easier to stamp with a child that to make jewelry. Good luck with the baby!
Congratulations on your baby boy! No matter what "interruptions" he will make in your lifestyle (and oh boy, will he make some), he will be worth every single one of them. I have a son who is now 14 months old, and in the past few months I've gotten to do pretty much as much stamping as I have wanted.
In the beginning, it was pretty tough. I don't think I did much stamping at all until he was several months old. All I wanted to do when he was real young was sleep when he slept. Being a nursing mom, it was hard to just get away for an afternoon to stamp. Now I stamp when he naps (but there's definitely no setting of eyelets going on-- I've gotten really used to brads!).
Give it a while, and you'll be right back in the swing of things! In the mean time, take lots of pics so you can scrap them when he's older!
__________________ That which does not kill me only makes me stronger!
"I know God won't give me anything I can't handle,
I just wish he didn't trust me so much." - Mother Teresa
Congratulations! I have a boy and he just turned 1 July 17th. I became a demo in Jan. I have 1-2 workshops a week and getting prepared is a little tough sometimes but my mother in law is wonderful and my husband helps with him when he is not working. I started scrapbooking when he was born and learned about stamping soon after...he slept a lot at first so I had time. Now he is very mobile, should I say... a lot of prayer has got me through. Sometimes the only pages that I do are the ones I do for the workshops, but being a "stamp" at home mom is wonderful. I was a nurse before Kelan was born and making the decision to stay at home was a tough one...being a demonstrator is a little extra for me and it pays for my hobby. Good luck as a new mom.
Congratulations!!! I have a 3 yr old and an 11mo old both DS don't and never did nap well. It was a grand accomplishment to get a shower for the first few months. But a newborn is your whole world anyway! Here here to whomever said that you will be a better Mom if you take some time to please yourself!!! Hope your baby likes to nap and invest in a Silent Setter they are the best!!!! I do most of my stamping when the boys have gone to bed!LOL
Of course you can stamp! I became a master at holding my son while I scrapbooked. The only problem was, when he started grabbing things, I had to come up with another plan...lol. Sanity is awesome, and stamping helps you keep it. :p
I didn't craft right away. I am a sleep hound and NEED my 8hours--which you never get in the first months. Once I was able to get nearly regular sleep my only route to stamping was PIECEMEAL, PIECEMEAL, PIECEMEAL. I would plan most of my project in my head for several days. Every time 10 or 15 minutes presented itself I would choose a small piece to do: pick out stamp sets, pick out possible papers, cut paper, stamp, color, emboss, whatever. Sometimes it took me weeks to complete card sets if that was what I was making for gifts. It sounds a bit tiresome and frustrating to do it that way, but for me that was all I could do (I had a high maintenance baby and toddler when I started stamping) and when I sat down for that 10 minutes--I was in my own vacation world enjoying every second. I did my stamping this way until my youngest went to 1st grade this past year. He is a handful and you need to check on him nearly every 15 minutes;-)
- crock pot, dinner is cooking while baby naps you can stamp for a few min.
also you have to have the dinner in the pot by 2pm at the latest. I find if dinner is started noon, I have more free timel
- a rumba, this is an automatic vaccume cleaner (about 100-120$), you set it up at night before you go to bed or leave the house and it vaccumes. we don't have this yet, but it's on my list. My friends husbands are so into this that they are the ones setting it up every night.
- a mothers helper. We found a friend of a friends daughter. she has now become our babysitter. she came over and holds and plays w/the baby while I stamp. we do this about 4 hrs a week. At first I slept a few times she was here.
- The big fisher price swing. the big one. we used this until the baby was 6 months (then she was too big) this single peice of equipment bought me about 20 min at a time to do something. If you have a dog this isn't the best. they see the swinging child as prey and have been known to attack.
- if you can afford a once or twice a month cleaning person, all is great w/ the world. If not get a friend or mothers helper in to hold the baby and do a big clean so you feel on top of things once in a while.
- a play pen in your craft area, My baby is about 7mo now and sitting up and scooting. when we set up the play pen and fill it w/toys and books she's good for about 20 min.
I had to learn how to break projects into 10 min activities, then when you have the moments I get a bit done. this is all projects from bills to dinner. the main thing I can say is once you get it down it will all change. have fun
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I think the answer to the stamping issue is how much do you want it. Babies sleep a lot and you can always plan projects while they are up drooling and stamp them while they sleep. I taught my daughter to stamp as soon as she could figure out how to reach my stuff. Get washable ink pads and maybe their own stamp sets if you're picky. Now my 6YO DD and my 3YO DS both stamp and love it. They actually show their occasional babysitter how to stamp. I work on their scrapbooks and they make cards for friends and especially grandparents.
Congrats on your new lifestyle. Trust me, a compulsive stamper and mom to soon to be #3, You'll love it!!!
Is there Stamping after Baby?!?!?!
There IS light at the end of the tunnel!!!
