When you're the new mom of a screaming but cute little bundle of joy who takes up a LOT of time, you need all the help you can get. Fortunately we have a great list of tried and true hacks that will help you keep your sanity and make your life easier.
How to Avoid a Big Diaper-Changing Mess
To minimize poop going up your baby's back and onto clothing, especially during the first few months, fold the back tab of the diaper down to create a barrier.
I wish I had known this tip when I had my daughter — I was washing sleepers every day!
Nighttime Formula Feeds Made Easy
If you are currently formula feeding your little one every few hours through the night... here is an easy trick to get you through those late night feedings.
After a feeding, heat a full kettle of water up on your stove. Next, pour some of the hot water into a bottle--but fill it approximately an ounce or two less than what you are going to use to mix up the next bottle--and set this bottle aside. When your little one wakes up for the next feeding, top up the bottle with the water from the kettle. The water in the kettle will stay warm for approximately 3 - 4 hours.
There you have it: instant warm water for the formula without waiting for the bottle warmer to heat up. In the middle of the night, when your little one is crying for food, you can reduce the waiting time by several minutes.
Makeshift Baby Bath
When your baby is at that awkward stage between the baby tub and the regular tub, place a plastic laundry hamper inside the tub. It's a perfectly-sized makeshift bath tub!
Keep A Dirty Bum From Squirming
Diaper changes sometimes feel like you need a team of three just to hold her down! So, after many messy conundrums, I now keep a container filled with random items—from kitchen spatulas to an old remote control—near her change table! I use items she doesn’t ordinarily play with. Trust me, for some reason toys are not as mesmerizing as a giant plastic kitchen spoon! Once the bum is clean, I return the mystery item to its container and away we go!
When your child needs naptime away from home you can use cell phones instead of a monitor.
One less thing to remember/pack!
You could even skype from phone to phone if so inclined, Just remember to mute the cell phone on the listener's end so you don't wake the little one.
How Often to Wash Breast Pump Attachments
If you're pumping multiple times during the day, did you know that you can save yourself a bit of time and sanity by keeping your breast pump attachments in the fridge and only washing once at the end of the a day?
Simply warm up the attachment in some warm water before you pump and you're good to go.
Every New Mom Needs To Read This: Pee First
My tip is simple: Pee first.
When you wake up at 1am to the wails of your hungry infant, your first instinct may be to get to the baby as quickly as possible so you can shove their screaming little mouths on your sore boob (or bottle), but I say — Pee First!
As much as it may pain you to listen to their cry for a few more minutes, keep this in mind: Nothing is more awkward than realizing mid-feed that you REALLY have to pee.
You try to hold it. Get more uncomfortable and eventually realize, you just gotta go. So do you attempt to pee, while the baby is still attached to your boob? (Done it, and trying to get the toilet paper to break off the roll and use it was like an extreme sport). Do you risk making them even angrier by taking them off your boob while you quickly do your business? (Not advised). Do you place them on your cold bathroom floor hoping they won't wake up? (And when was the last time you actually had the engery to clean that floor?).
No, my dear sleep-deprived, emotional basket case, new mom, none of these are wise options.
So I say....just pee first!
How To Survive The 3 A.M. Feeding
The 3 a.m. feeding of baby is a toughie for new and experienced parents alike. Here's how to survive it (and feel less zombie-ish the next day):
Make that feeding parent-friendly. Create a nighttime feeding area with a comfy chair, soft lighting, and a bottle of water for you (maybe even a snack). Parents of newborns rarely have a minute to sit (let alone twenty), so take the 3 a.m. feeding as your time to sit, relax, and enjoy baby.
And know you aren't alone—keep your device handy and catch up on emails, Twitter, and Facebook.
Breast-milk: A Liquid Gold Cure-All!
There is one thing you need to know as a new mom: Breastmilk cures everything. Well, nearly everything. Does your baby have a beautiful lumpy display of baby acne? Rub some breastmilk on their skin several times a day, it will help clear it up. Does your baby have a blocked tear duct? Squirt some breastmilk in the corner of their eye and massage gently with your finger. Did you run out of milk for your coffee this morning? Just kidding. Or, maybe not... ;)
Keep Baby's Toes Warm At Night
Does your little one wake up at night because her little toes are cold? In the winter I always make sure my 2-year-old has socks on inside her sleeper so her feet stay toasty warm all night...and keep her from waking up.
Baby Wipe Alternative
To save on money and make the world greener, use reusable white cloths to wipe your baby's bottom.
It's easy:
1. Purchase a wipes warmer.
2. Buy lots of white face cloths. (A friend of mine used cut-up J-cloths instead.)
3. Wet them with water.
(You can add a drop of essential oil—like lavendar—to the water, and soak the cloths before going on to the next step.)
4. Wring them out, so they are wet, but not dripping.
5. Put them in the wipes warmer (fold them lengthwise).
6. I put a new garbage bin next to the change table and put the dirty wipes in there. Every few days, I would wash them. The stains always came out (sometimes, I used an eco-friendly stain laundry booster—sort of like OxiClean).
For really messy bottoms, use a disposable wipe first (or two) and then use the face cloths.
Breastfeeding Ring Tip
If you forget which breast you last fed your baby on, simply use a ring!
Depending on which breast will be used for the next feeding, you can just put a ring on the corresponding hand.
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