Everyone knows that being a new parent is hard. But what does that actually mean for a full-time working mom who is also breastfeeding her newborn?

Let's take a look at a typical day:

10:30 p.m. - 5:30 a.m

Sleep? Maybe. You should be able to at least get some sleep, but since newborns typically only sleep two to four hours at a time, that means you will only be sleeping a few hours at a time between nursing sessions and diaper changes. Breastfeeding should be based on when your baby is hungry, which is generally every one and a half to three hours. As they get older, they might start nursing on a more predictable schedule, but will still need to eat at least every four hours. Let's just say it's not necessarily the most restful sleep.

5:30 a.m

Wake up (if the baby didn't already wake you up an hour ago). Since it now takes three times longer to get out the door in the morning, you have to wake up an hour earlier to get yourself and your baby ready for work/daycare. Try to fit in five to ten minutes of some kind of exercise, take a shower, make a caffeinated beverage so you can keep your eyes open, hopefully eat something (probably a granola bar or maybe a banana) and remember to put nursing pads in your bra so you won't leak breast milk on your shirt.

6:30 a.m

Get your baby changed and dressed. Pack milk and bottles for the baby with cold packs, and remember to pack cold packs for yourself in your pumping bag. Remember your lunch and water bottle in the fridge and any bags you packed the night before. Try to squeeze in a nursing session right before leaving.

7:30 a.m

Leave for work. Drop off baby at daycare when they open at 7:30 a.m. (but let's be real, you probably don't actually get there until 7:45 a.m. or later since it's almost guaranteed that something extra will come up before you leave like baby spit up all over your shirt, an exploded diaper, a forgotten work badge, lost keys, etc.). When you finally make it to daycare, try not to cry when you leave your baby in someone else's arms for the day.

8:30 a.m

Hopefully make it to work on time. Try to get some work done before you have to take a pumping break to relieve your aching milk-filled breasts. Schedule around other women's pumping schedules and work meetings to try and keep a consistent pumping schedule so you can keep up your milk supply.

10:30 a.m

Pumping break. This typically involves a pumping bra, an electric double breast pump and a myriad of tubes, flanges, bottles and caps, labels, a pen and other accessories. Remember to drink water and eat a healthy snack to meet a minimum of 1500 calories per day.

12:30 p.m

Lunch and pumping session. Yes, these are usually combined to make the most efficient use of time. And yes, pumping can get lonely. It's loud, awkward and can be stressful. To help yourself relax, you look at pictures, watch a video or try and do a quick webcam session with your baby (if you have set up a nanny cam system with your daycare provider).

2:30 p.m

Pumping break. Remember to label the milk bottles with the date and put them in the fridge or cooler with cold packs so it doesn't spoil.

4:30 p.m

Leave work to go pick up baby before daycare closes. Remember to bring home everything you brought to work: your pump, all the pumping parts you washed, the milk you pumped from the fridge, your lunch bag, water bottle, work bag, etc. (Running on minimal sleep, this can actually be harder than you might think).

5:30 p.m

Nurse the baby right when you get home, then try to make something healthy for dinner (unless daycare gave your baby a bottle right before you got there - then you need to pump again). Nursing is always preferred because 1) you get to bond with your baby, 2) your baby is much more efficient at emptying the milk from your breasts than a pump is and 3) it's easier - you don't have to deal with cleaning and sanitizing all the parts.

6:30 p.m

Put the baby to bed (bath, diapers, jammies, swaddle, nursing, looking at a book, more nursing/bouncing/rocking).

7:30 p.m

Wash and sanitize all the pumping parts and bottles so they will be ready for the next day. You should probably wash the dishes too and will likely need to throw a load of laundry in.

8:30 p.m

Pack the daycare bag with extra clothes, diapers, binkies, etc. and your work bag for the next day. Pack your pumping bag with sanitized bottles, pumping equipment, extra nursing pads, a pumping bra and anything else you might need. Pack your lunch with healthy snacks for yourself. Remember to put the laundry in the dryer.

9:30 p.m

Relax with your spouse and talk about your day (or, more realistically, fall asleep on the couch watching Netflix).

10:30 p.m

Wake up to baby crying. Nurse baby and change diaper. Nurse or rock baby back to sleep.

11:30 p.m

Go back to bed and pray that the baby will stay asleep til three so you can get a solid four-hour chunk of sleep (you have no control over this).

Repeat.

While many mothers value breastfeeding and all of its short-term and long-term benefits to both themselves and their babies, it does take a lot of work, which is oftentimes unnoticed or invisible to most people. Next time you see a mom breastfeeding or rushing to try and fit a pumping session in before her next work meeting, give her a reassuring smile, a hug or a note of encouragement. The acknowledgement will go a long way.

The post A day in the life of a working mom with a newborn appeared first on FamilyToday.

There is no getting around it - kids are messy. I don't think I truly understood what "messy" meant until we brought a baby into our home. From newborn diapers and baby spit-up to mud-filled toddler shoes, parenting is a dirty job.

But do you know how many germs your little ones are exposed to every day? A study revealed a surprising analysis of the germiest objects kids aged newborn to four years old come in contact with every day.

And the winners for the germiest kid's items are..

1. Stroller

You push your stroller across city streets, into public bathrooms and through amusement parks. When the filthy trek is complete, you store it in a car trunk or garage - hot, enclosed spaces that provide perfect conditions for germs to multiply.

Worst germ found

Streptococcus, which can cause illnesses like strep throat, pink eye and meningitis.

How to clean

Turn the stroller on its side and give it a good shake to dump the crumbs. Then, use soap and hot water to clean the fabric seating area, canopy and storage basket. Use a mild sanitizing spray and damp cloth to wipe down the stroller's handles, cup holder and food tray. You can also wipe it down with antibacterial wipes once or twice a month for optimal sanitation.

2. Pacifier

Pacifiers are a parent's best friend and their worst nightmare. Though the sucking is a huge relief for babies and a comfort to some toddlers, pacifiers quickly attract germs from being dropped on the floor, shoved in diaper bags and passed between hands several times a day.

Worst germ found

E. coli, which can cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections and respiratory illness.

How to clean

Rinse off the pacifier or wash it with soap and water after it touches an unclean surface. Every few days, run it through a dishwasher cycle on the top rack or place it in a pot of boiling water for five minutes.

3. Plush toy

Toys get dragged across grocery store floors, left in the bathroom and covered in boogers and spit-up often. The fur of a soft toy absorbs any liquid and germs it comes in contact with, making stuffed animals some of the most difficult toys to properly clean.

Worst germ found

Moraxella, which can cause sinusitis, ear infections and pneumonia. It is also part of a group of bacteria that can become resistant to antibiotics.

How to clean

Throw the stuffed animal in a laundry machine on a hot water cycle. Put the stuffed animal in a white pillowcase before washing to prevent matting or losing the fur. Be conservative with the soap and don't use fabric softeners. Afterwards, air dry in the sun or fluff dry in the dryer to prevent the animal from losing its shape.

So, which age group is the germiest?

Kids aged three to four came into contact with the most germs out of the three age groups who participated in this study. Ages one to three came in second and babies ages newborn to one were the least germy bunch.

What now?

Before you freak out and start disinfecting everything, keep in mind that chemical household disinfectants are hazardous to human health and the environment, and the overuse of antibacterial products is leading to the spread of "superbugs," which are resistant to antibiotics.

This doesn't mean you should throw out antibacterial wipes, either. Instead, use them sparingly and strategically and avoid using them on items your child puts in their mouth. Look for eco-friendly disinfectants approved by the Environmental Protection Agency that include less harmful bleach alternatives for sanitizing your child's items.

Health experts recommend cleaning toys once a month as a general rule, then more often in these situations:

• If your child or their playmates have been sick

• If other children are putting your child's toys in their mouths

• If a child has gotten food, milk, vomit or mucus on a toy

As a parent of a preschooler, this study was a good reminder to make a regular cleaning schedule for my son's toys and commonly used items, and wipe down items that I hadn't thought about washing before.

While it's impossible to completely avoid germs, especially since there are some beneficial bacteria out there too, being aware of where and what you should regularly clean and sanitize can help keep you and your children safe and healthy.

The post These 3 kids items have more germs than your bathroom floor appeared first on FamilyToday.

People generally agree that 35 is the age where chances of normal pregnancy start to decrease. While there is some scientific research to back this up, there are also myths perpetuated by pop culture that are simply untrue. Would I have been better off if I had kids while I was still in my 20s? At 35, I'm nearly 20 weeks pregnant with my second child and here's what I've experienced so far ...

Age

My experience

I am four years older and 10 pounds heavier than when I was pregnant with my first child. However, I am still considered a healthy weight with an average BMI, I live a fairly active lifestyle and I eat a relatively healthy diet (except baked treats. I love cookies, what can I say?). I do not suffer from any major health problems or age-related health issues. So far, my pregnancy has been completely normal with no red flags.

What pop culture says

You are too old to have a child once you're over 35.

What science says

It's not necessarily your age that concerns doctors the most, but the medical conditions that can appear as women age. According to Dr Cliff Moore, "If you are in good health, you are more than likely to tolerate pregnancy without a problem."

Biological clock

My experience

When I turned 35 earlier this year, I definitely felt the pressure to hurry up and get pregnant. My age was one of the main factors that influenced my decision to try for another baby. However, I am confident that the pressure I felt had nothing to do with biology and everything to do with how I grew up - living in U.S. culture, the expectation in my religion to have children and watching portrayals of pregnancy in movies and TV shows.

What pop culture says

Your "biological clock" is a real, biological phenomenon that causes women to feel a strong urge have children once they enter their 30s.

What science says

While the concept of a biological clock is real in the context of sleep and circadian rhythms, there is no scientific proof of a biologically based urge in women to have children. The concept of a biological clock represents the ideal fertility window before a woman's ability to have children begins to decline.

Infertility issues

My experience

I got pregnant after only three months of trying with my first child at 31. It took the same amount of time with my second pregnancy at 35. I kept track of my cycle, so I knew roughly when I was ovulating and had no problems conceiving.

What pop culture says

: It's more difficult to get pregnant and there is a higher likelihood of miscarriage once you enter your mid-30s.

What science says

Fertility does decline significantly the older you get, but the decline is more drastic once you enter your 40s. According to the ACOG, at age 40, your chances of conceiving within a year is about 40 to 50 percent, compared to in your 30s, when it's closer 75 percent. By age 43, it goes down to one or two percent. In addition, miscarriage rates significantly increase. At 40, the miscarriage rate is 34 percent, and at 45 it increases to 53 percent.

Genetic screenings

My experience

I got a Panorama Genetic Screening Test done at week nine, based on my midwife's recommendation (It's expensive, so check with your insurance before you do it). It required a simple blood draw that was taken at the same time as other prenatal blood tests I needed. It took about two weeks to get the results, and my baby was low risk in all the areas they tested.

What pop culture says

You have an increased chance of genetic disorders in your baby with increased maternal age.

What science says

As a woman, you are born with all the eggs you will have. As you age, so do your eggs. Older eggs have a higher chance of dividing unequally, which can lead to extra chromosomes in the fetus.

Twins

My experience

Being pregnant with one baby is hard - I can't imagine having two. I have a twin brother, and I was terrified that I would have twins when I got pregnant! I asked the ultrasound tech (more than once) to double-check that there was only one baby in there.

What pop culture says

You are much more likely to have twins as you get older because your body releases multiple eggs in a last-ditch attempt to have babies before your eggs aren't viable any more.

What science says

: Your chances of having twins does increase as you get older. This is because hormonal changes make it more likely for your body to release more than one egg at a time, which means that it's more likely that two eggs could get fertilized. In addition, if you're a twin or if there are twins in your family, you're slightly more likely to have twins yourself. The use of fertility drugs and assisted reproductive technology (ART) also increase the odds of having twins or multiples.

Doctor choice

My experience

I have worked with midwives for both of my pregnancies. I went to a gynecologist for a consultation appointment, and he will be available if complications arise. But as long as everything is normal, I will continue seeing my midwife for my entire pregnancy and birth.

What pop culture says

You are required to see a high risk gynecologist once you are pregnant at age 35 and higher.

What science says

Unless there is a serious medical issue that would require closer monitoring during your pregnancy, you can choose whichever provider you'd like.

The best time to have babies

My experience

I always knew I wanted children, but never felt ready in my 20s and I am glad I waited. I met my husband when I was 27 and we got married when I was 30. I got pregnant when I was 31. After a decade of outdoor adventures, higher education, work experience and world travel, I have better ideas of my goals, values and ideals. I feel much more equipped to be a well-informed, empathetic and adventurous mother for my children than I did in my 20s.

What pop culture says

The best time to have babies is in your mid to late 20s when you're still "young and in shape."

What science says

A recent report by the CDC shows that birth rates among women aged 30 to 34 are now higher than those among women aged 25 to 29 for the first time in 30 years. "Older mothers seem to thrive better," said Tea Trillingsgaard, the co-author of a study on how parenting practices and children's development varied with maternal age. "The mothers have more psychological flexibility, more cognitive flexibility, more ability to tolerate complex emotional stimuli from the children."

So, what's the verdict?

Pregnancy at 35 is not as bad as U.S. culture makes it out to be. But I can only speak for myself. While there are some benefits to waiting until your 30s to have children, it is true that your fertility and ability to get pregnant decreases with age.

Although a lot of potential risks don't necessarily show a significant increase until closer to age 40, it's important to consider your own health and genetic history when deciding when to start or expand your family.

If you do decide to have a baby in your late 30s or early 40s, keep in mind that it will probably be more difficult to conceive on your own. Every pregnancy is different but regardless of your age, experts agree that one of the best ways to help you have a healthy pregnancy is to eat nutritious foods and stay active with regular exercise.

The post This is what It’s really like to be pregnant at 35 appeared first on FamilyToday.