Inside Look at Emily DiDonato's New Mom Routine
We want to provide an honest look at the joys, rituals, and challenges that people face when they’re building a routine that works for them. Emily is gracefully navigating the waters of new parenthood while still prioritizing forms of daily self-care.
This month, we’re sharing Emily DiDonato’s daily routine. DiDonato keeps busy — she’s the co-founder of Covey, model, content creator, AND new mom to five-week old Teddy. Here are a few of the ways she stays present in her day, limits multitasking, and carves out little pockets of time for rest and self-care.
🍳 Enjoy a simple, go-to breakfast.
Emily goes out to her kitchen to make coffee and drink about a liter of water, and then she makes her everyday oats. Having a regular recipe you can turn to in the mornings can be a game-changer, helping you avoid mid-morning dips in energy and general hangriness.
Here’s Emily’s go-to bowl of oatmeal:
- Oats
- Hemp seeds
- Chia seeds
- Flax seeds
- Maple syrup
- Almonds
💄 Get ready, even if it’s just a swipe of mascara or fresh sweats.
Emily’s ideal morning is being fully ready before the baby wakes up. She prioritizes doing her makeup, skincare (the full Covey routine, obvi), then hair and makeup. Emily calls this putting on her “Emily uniform.” She believes a cute and comfortable outfit and blush or mascara can make all the difference in your mood and productivity.
It’s not about “looking” a certain way, but feeling like you’ve taken time to care for yourself each day.
🙏 Practice moments of staying present.
Emily was surprised at how time-consuming breastfeeding can really be (anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour, multiple times a day!) Originally, she thought she could multitask during breastfeeding sessions, but that didn’t feel quite right to her.
Instead of responding to emails and working, she simplified her approach to savor the bonding time with Teddy.
Sometimes, doing one thing at a time is enough. Don’t force yourself to be your most productive when you’d rather be present in the current moment. You don’t have to answer emails while you have your morning coffee, or take work calls during your lunch break. Sometimes, having a quick meditation break — as little as 5 minutes! — can make the biggest difference.
👐 Lean on your support system as much as you can.
Emily admits that her strong support system, like her husband, family nearby, and nanny, are critical for her being productive each day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness or that you’re overwhelmed; instead, it’s important to acknowledge that going it alone is scary and stressful. Everyone deserves support.
For Emily, she intentionally makes sure to set aside time to do at least one thing each day that makes her feel like herself. This might be:
- Going for a walk
- Do a quick at-home workout
- Block out a 20-30 minute “nap” on your calendar between Zoom meetings
- Work on one task you’ve been procrastinating on
🧽 Try mini-cleaning sessions.
Set a timer for 5 minutes and see what you can get done! Cleaning just a little bit once each day can make a huge difference over time. You can:
- Make your bed
- Do dishes
- Wipe down surfaces and countertops
- Water your plants
- Put away a few clothes
🚿 Know when daily anxiety might strike (and why!)
Emily prioritizes her evening shower around 4 or 5 PM (before the sun goes down) to feel safe, warm, and clean. This helps her keep postpartum and evening scaries at bay. She brushes her teeth, does her Covey routine, and then shares a meal with her family.
Prioritize a nourishing night time ritual, whether that’s tea and no screens before bed, establishing a regular bedtime, or reading a book each evening.
Every day (or night) might not be exactly the same ritual, but over time, you’ll develop an entire toolkit of nourishing, comforting activities you can turn to at any time.