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Finding Baby Time
Being in style is more about looking great, it's also about living a happy and balanced life. With a baby in the home, finding time for family, work and personal interests is difficult for parents--even moreso if both are working.

Schedule time for baby and siblings. There's no easier way to find time than to schedule time. Just as your baby needs a regular schedule to bring them comfort and security, a schedule will help you organize your time to maximize your minutes each day. Put aside time to spend playing with baby in addition to their feeding and cleaning needs. Also, if the baby has siblings, setting aside special time for them as well each day will help them adjust to a new brother or sister and give them valuable time with mom and dad as well.

Family before work. It's sometimes a necessity to prioritize work ahead of other commitments in order to provide for the family--but it can't be the rule versus the exception. A good benchmark: If you find yourself spending less than 30 minutes of quality one-on-one time with each of your children each day, it's time to adjust your schedule in their favor. Even working parents cannot place the burden on the other parent or a caregiver. A child needs their mom's and their dad's attention to develop personality, confidence and self-esteem. In single-parent homes, the parent's daily time with the children is especially crucial.

Meals together. Meal time is a great way to initiate a family activity each day. Make breakfast and dinner a time for all family members. Even if the baby is eating on a different schedule, bring him or her into the dining area and enjoy a meal together. Use mealtime as an opportunity for mom, dad and siblings to talk about their day. The most important thing--sit and talk. No television, no video games, no "may I be excused" after three bites of green beans. Above all, skip the drive-through eat-in-the-minivan routine as much as possible. The meal itself is not the point--the conversation is the goal.

Splitting up errands. In two-parent homes, splitting up the errands between parents gives each one undivided time with the baby or children. Take older children to the grocery store with you while dad stays home for one-on-one time with the baby. Or ask dad to help with an errand so you can enjoy time alone with the little one.