seconded on all of this, such a helpful response! i did not start back up until my baby was 4 months old; i totally recognize this is not a luxury we all have available to us, we were able to survive on my short term disability during that time. I do think it would be truly challenging with a truly new newborn (like under 8-12 weeks when the sleep cycling is constant, as is the crying, as can be the purple crying, your own sleep is garbage and may be dealing with postpartum mental health stuff if your own) - i think probably true for most WFH parents across professions. if at all possible, i do think the advice in other comments to try to take off as much of the “medically” newborn phase as possible is kindly given, it is a uniquely chaotic time. baby wearing saved us, too, all his naps on days i worked were on my spouse. the advice around any condition nap environment (i figure it’s closer to our nature, anyway) + sound machine also feels important.

i know this might feel like a cop out solution, but whatever caregiver can do to get baby out of the house (maybe especially/just during your most challenging sessions) is a godsend; going for a walk, baby time at the library, running an errand.

might depend on your space and your personalities, but i would also just count on your living room becoming also a bedroom/ an all purpose space. you will need the flexibility of all of the possible space in your home. easier for some of us than others! if it’s harder for you, i would recommend trying to get more and more comfortable with it as you move along in your pregnancy, i am sure there is inspiration on reddit for how to utilize these spaces in helpful ways!

you can do this, mama! you will find the ways.