Mornings can be chaotic at the best of times. Between nappy changes, feeding the squad, getting everyone dressed (including yourself), brushing teeth, letting the pets out, and packing lunches – need we say more? We chat with three mums about their morning routine, where they divulge their best tips for getting ahead for the day and their biggest obstacles.
We hope conversations like these will help connect mothers together, let them know they’re not alone in their struggles and offer tried and tested ideas of how to slay daybreak.
Madison Cairns, first-time Mama to 1 year old Sienna
Gone are the days of planning and sticking to a structured morning routine. I have made my very own alarm clock – I must say, it’s the cutest alarm clock I’ve ever seen.
My morning routine is ever-changing. However, I try to create a mental to-do list for my mornings. Sienna has recently started waking up happy and chatting away in her cot, which is a refreshing change to the early morning cries!
She gets in our bed around 6:30 am and breastfeeds whilst I try to find the energy somewhere to get up for the day. Sienna loves to play in her activity gym while I try to pick up everything from the night before – the activity gym and Ms Rachel have been a godsend to buy me some time!
Usually, on the menu is porridge – her fave! Honestly, after breakfast, I try to entertain her till nap time with toys, books and dancing. It’s draining but also so fulfilling all in one! I try to take each morning as it comes. I feel so blessed to spend our mornings together, and I know one day, she will be too busy to share these slow mornings with me.
Personally, the biggest obstacle for me is trying to balance everything. I love to keep a tidy home, but I’ve had to let go of that as it’s just not a priority. I have had to accept the mess and chaos, but the pay-off is priceless, lots of special memories with my little bestie!
Hannah Hanson, first-time Mum to 10 month old Luca
Honestly, my morning routine is everything but salubrious or exciting. Mornings have recently had a shake-up since we adopted our cocker spaniel pup, Finn.
I wake up around 6:00 – 6:30 – shower and do my skincare routine (SPF – all day, every day). I get Luca out of his cot, change him, and prepare breakfast. Simultaneously, my husband, Donald, takes Finn outside for a run-around. In the morning, Finn is swarming with energy and literally runs laps like a loon. Our nickname for him is The Hurricane, for a good reason.
If we have time, Luca, Donald and I have breakfast together. On Luca’s menu is toast or crumpets with peanut butter, a scrambled egg, and fruit and yoghurt. If Luca’s in a ‘throw everything on the ground’ mood, I fold and give him plain yoghurt with chia seeds and banana.
I have a Pro You Protein Blend smoothie every morning; it’s simple, filling and super quick. I don’t drink enough water when I wake up – so this helps make up for it. My hormones are pretty sensitive, so it’s crucial I eat something with protein as soon as I wake up.
Then I clean up Luca (admittedly, Finn helps by cleaning up the droppings). I take Finn for a walk around the property to let his steam out and give him breakfast.
Meanwhile, Luca plays in his playpen until I come back. At this point, I sit at my desk, write a to-do list, and check my emails.
My main obstacle is staying on top of my workload, house chores and everything in between. It takes organisation, but truthfully, I feel like a frantic hamster on the wheel most of the time.
My top tips for surviving the morning rush are:
- Wake up early to get myself ready and spend quality time with Donald.
- Tag-team – Donald and I are a team; communication is key. Donald has his jobs, and I have mine.
- Writing a to-do list each day can help ease the anxiety of a busy day ahead. It’s too easy to feel overwhelmed, but there’s something about seeing it down on paper that helps.
- Prioritise having a nutritious, high-protein breakfast. My hormones are wild at the best of times but having a high-protein breakfast each morning has helped repair them. Pre-child, I would make myself porridge – now I don’t have the time, so a protein smoothie has taken its place. I also like knowing I’m getting plenty of vitamins and minerals to start my day with Pro You Protein Blends.
- Acknowledge there will be crap days out of your control. No matter how much I plan and organise, there will still be mornings when nothing goes right. That’s okay; tomorrow’s a new day!
Rhea Skinner Numan, Mother to two (soon to be three) boys
Being a mum of two busy boys (almost 3!), I have maintained a morning routine to make sure I look and feel my best.
With both boys needing to be at school by 7.50 am, if I get up 30 mins before anyone else (on a normal day, this is 5.30 am), it gives me time to prioritise myself first. I always start my day with hot water and lemon. I love to meditate for 10 mins if I can- nothing fancy; I sit in a quiet spot on the sofa, sipping on my hot water and focusing on my breathing. Just 10 mins to myself honestly makes a world of difference in how I start my day.
If I need to be somewhere straight after the boys go to school, this will be when I do my make-up. I’ve managed to master a 15 min look by simply cleansing, adding my serums, moisturisers, eye cream and SPF in 5 mins, then applying a quick mix of my two favourite products; tinted moisturiser and illuminator. I blend this in with my concealer, do a quick powder, mascara and lippy, and I’m done.
This gives me 5 mins to put on my outfit (I always have this laid out the night before so as not to wake anyone if I can’t decide). I also shower before I go to bed; this saves me from doing it in the morning.
Another hack I have absolutely sworn by for the last 15 years is getting a blow wave twice a week. It takes 50 mins in a salon, and I can do other things at the same time – admin/emails or get “me time”. I never have to worry about my hair all week, a quick comb-through and a spritz of dry shampoo, and I’m ready. (I did this even when the babies were newborns and had my mum/husband be with them while I took this time for myself).
By 6-6.15 am, I start making the boys’ lunches (I prefer to make them fresh). By 6.20, the boys are up, and I organise breakfast (typically toast or cereal, something quick and easy). Prepping the night before is extremely essential to make my mornings run smoothly. Uniforms are laid out, bags are packed and ready. This always helps the boys to independently get themselves dressed too.
I don’t typically eat breakfast, but if I need to be out the door at the same time as the boys, I will sit and have a piece of toast or a smoothie with them when they eat. It’s a nice way for us to start our morning too.
TV is never on until both boys dress, eat breakfast, and brush their teeth. If they have spare time, they can watch for 10 mins or nothing gets done. My hubby and I always hide the remote the night before, just in case!
*** Alternatively, when the boys were babies and toddlers, and sometimes I couldn’t wake up earlier because of disrupted sleep, I would set up a makeshift play area for them in my room. I would close the bedroom door if they could crawl at this stage and do this same routine, but so I could keep an eye on them. I also found a rocker helped if I needed a shower, and I would leave my door open so they could see me – best way to keep mum and bub at ease.
Rhea’s Top Tips:
- Get up earlier than your baby/kids. It doesn’t have to be extreme. You’ll be surprised how much you can get done even in 20 mins when the house is quiet.
- Prep the night before if you have a busy day or are a working mum.
- Have a set routine and stick to it so you can have a stress-free morning
