It’s probably pretty obvious, but when the baby arrives, the time you’ll have to prepare meals dramatically decreases… to practically zero! For the full first month of Leah’s life, I don’t think I cooked a single full meal. I relied on meals that my family and friends brought me, supplemented with prepared (canned, packaged or frozen) foods.

I suggest you accept all offers for people to bring over food! If friends and family come to visit during the day, suggest a meal time such as lunch or dinner so you can have some help holding the baby while you eat (and of course, let them bring the meal!). It’ll help you to take care of the baby (and especially with breastfeeding) if you stay nourished and healthy.

Stock up on some easy meal options beforehand. If you’re the main person in charge of cooking in your household, make sure you get your hubby to familiarize himself with some easy recipes in advance. Stock up your freezer and pantry. Some suggestions for frozen foods are lasagnas, casseroles, meatballs, dumplings, pizzas, Chinese stick rice bundles (‘joong’) and M&M foods. Consider also stocking up on canned soup, instant noodles, and canned tuna or fish for protein. Also having quick snacks around was really helpful to have since breastfeeding made me ravenous! Having granola bars, fresh fruit (bananas!), cheese, bagels, yogurt and granola within reach helped to keep my hunger at bay without sacrificing a lot of time.

A favourite easy recipe:

Apricot Glazed Chicken

250 ml zesty Italian dressing
250 ml apricot jam
One pack of onion soup mix
6 chicken breasts

1) mix and spread over chicken
2) bake at 425 F for 25-30 minutes