I've found that one of the biggest time sucks after having a baby is preparing and cooking meals, so I set out to find some ways to get meals cooked and lined up BEFORE my next baby was born. This piece solves many problems a new mom faces with trying to cook meals, including suggestions such as (1) make a bunch of meals while you're still pregnant and freeze them, (2) set up a meal calendar so friends and family can bring meals after the baby is born, and (3) ways to NOT have to see the pizza delivery guy every night (which also packs on the pounds!).
Here's the first part of the article:
"Let’s get real here. Once your baby arrives, you won’t have time for basic hygiene, let alone cooking. Babies are on their own time schedule, which means when you’re ready to prepare a fabulous 5-course meal, your crying bundle of joy is ready to be held nonstop. And who wants to spend Baby’s future college fund on take-out? Besides, the goal is to lose the baby weight, not to pack on more pounds eating pizza day and night just because it’s a quick fix.
One solution is to stock up on meals before your new baby’s arrival; another is to keep meals coming after your baby comes home. Whether you’re a first-timer or already have a few kids under your belt, here’s how to secure all the food you’ll need to be the best new parent you can be:
Make meals in advance at home.
Have you ever been in the middle of cooking dinner, only to realize you were missing one crucial item? It’s a cinch pre-baby to stop cooking and run to the store for what you need, but with a new baby in the house that seemingly simple task is suddenly downright frightening. So once you hit the second trimester (or whenever you feel a burst of energy), grab a once-a-month cooking cookbook (see Resources) and make and freeze some meals. And forget about those bulky foil pans because you can freeze some meals in plastic storage bags or containers to save freezer space."
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