Brilliant New Mom HACKS to Make Mom Life EASIER
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Are you a new mother raising your newborn baby wondering how you can make motherhood a little bit…easier? Well, these brilliant new mom hacks can help you tackle diaper changes, baby laundry, breastfeeding, and so much more without a hassle!
Raising a newborn baby is scary! It’s exciting and precious, but boy is it scary. That’s because parenting doesn’t come with any sort of instruction manual. You’re just expected to bring home your new baby and figure it all out.
The good news, most parents do figure it all out. It takes time and a lot of patience, but why go through some struggles when you can turn to other parents who have been there and done that? That’s why I’m so excited to share these new mom hacks to help make your life a little bit easier as you navigate this new journey of motherhood.
New Mom Hacks for Baby Sleep
I’ve found that most people either have a really great sleeper or a baby that never sleeps at all. I think we (fortunately) fall into the really great sleeper category, BUT with some very exhausting hiccups along the way.
That being said, these new mom hacks for baby sleep will definitely come in handy (and hopefully get you some extra sleep!).
1. Keep baby’s nursery DARK!
KEEP IT DARK! When we transitioned our son into his nursery, we had NO curtains or nothing to contain any outside light from getting in. Biggest mistake of my life.
He went from being a perfect sleeper in our room to never wanting to nap during the day. After doing some research on Taking Cara Babies Page, I ordered some blackout curtains and made sure that the nursery was pitch black during the day!
2. Use a white noise sound machine to soothe and keep baby asleep!
Another thing we didn’t have was a white noise machine (I know…did I even read anything to prepare for our baby or what the heck was I doing?!).
His bassinet has a built-in white noise sound to it, but once he transitioned to his nursery I didn’t think he’d need it. I was SO wrong. I would also suggest getting a travel-friendly white noise machine for long trips in the car or in the stroller.
Technically you can also use a phone or tablet if you have those available, however, I found that the chance of getting any kind of notification on my device wasn’t worth the risk of waking baby just to save a few bucks.
You’ll be surprised how the exhaustion of no sleep or rest will have you doing anything at any cost to get your newborn to sleep.
3. If you need a night light, use a dark to red light in the nursery!
Using a darker tone or red light in baby’s nursery can help to promote sleep compared to that harsh bright light which can cause them to be stimulated to wake up.
This will come in really handy for you mamas that do your feedings in the nursery. Nobody likes to feel blind as they walk and crash into the nursery furniture, so instead get a darker toned light, like this one here!
If you’re not a fan of the red light, that’s ok too, here’s a dark-toned night light, the same one we actually use and love!
4. Get your baby swaddling technique down!
Before I talk about swaddles, I just want to say our son was a swaddle ninja. He’d always get out (even of the fancy velcro ones).
Eventually, I gave up on the swaddle and got a Love2Dream Swaddle (so his little arms could be out a little) & he stopped fighting right away when I made the switch.
However, if your baby enjoys the swaddle but your swaddling technique is a bit rusty, check out this amazing POST by Aden and Anais – they make the BEST swaddle blankets ever!
Breastfeeding hacks for new moms who nurse or exclusively pump!
These tips are for mamas that breastfeed. This includes all nursing and exclusive pumping mamas!
I have nothing against formula feeding, however, my son just didn’t take well to formula after some time so we opted to breastfeed as it was best for us.
Breastfeeding has been the HARDEST part of everything for me. I wish I had known so much more then I did. But now I have some pretty cool tips to help you out!
5. Every drop counts – use milk saver collection cups to capture every drop!
I wish I had known about these sooner. I was victim to whenever my son nursed on one side, the other side leaked SO much.
I wasted so much milk on a nursing pad or just soaked into my shirt that looking back really could have come in handy.
Don’t let that happen to you! Grab these milk saver collection cups – you just slip them right under your shirt or bra, they’re pretty lightweight and discreet also which is nice!
6. Stock up on Sunflower Lecithin (this will help to alleviate or prevent clogged ducts).
I’m not usually one to rely on supplements for anything, but Sunflower Lecithin by Legendairy Milk worked wonders for me! Whenever I’d notice my milk getting a bit more backed up, I’d take this for a couple of days.
Instant relief within a few hours after taking which lasted for weeks until it happened again. But each time I’d take these, paired with some warm compression and it worked wonders!
7. Don’t have a pumping bra? Use a hair tie!
If you aren’t already following Legendairy Milk on Instagram – do yourself a favor and go check them out! They post daily hacks and advice like this one!
You can use a hair tie to hold your flanges in place if you don’t have a pumping bra! Talk about nifty, right!
8. Set up a breastfeeding caddy
Get yourself a little portable caddy (or rolling caddy like this one) to store all your breastfeeding essentials:
- breast pump(s)
- breast pump accessories
- healthy snacks (these are yummy)
- burp cloths
- nursing pads
- nipple balm (hands down the best of the best)
- breastmilk storage bags
- Haakaa silicone pump
- Breast milk catching shells
- Hydrogel nursing pads (these offer immediate relief for sore nipples)
Having all your items stored in one central location that you can bring around the house in all the comfortable spots you’ll be breastfeeding your baby saves you a lot of time and hassle.
New Mom Hacks To Make Diaper Changes A Breeze
Nobody enjoys changing those dirty diapers. And even though we may grow used to it, it still has those super gross moments.
Soaked diapers, poop explosions, ran out of wipes and you left your refills far away. Yup, been there, done that! Let get to the mom hacks, shall we?
9. Keep your wipe refills underneath or to the side of your changing table!
I was quite surprised how many people don’t keep their wipe refills nearby, but let me just say, when you have baby poop on your hand AFTER using the last wipe, that ain’t NO fun!
Use a little hang on caddy or if your changing table permits, get some of those mesh storage bins. You can store any supplies you’d need to restock down below in those.
10. Keep your hands clean by using a Diaper Cream Applicator.
First off, poop on the hands is just UGH! But then you put the diaper cream on and your hands are all sticky AND right next to where the poop mess was…
Save yourself the trouble and get yourself a diaper cream applicator!
True story – my husband laughed at me when I came home from the store with this. Take a wild guess who used it the most? That’s right honey, laugh all you want, but I bet those hands are poop and diaper cream free! You’re welcome 😉
11. Diaper Genie Tip 101 – DOUBLE KNOT THE BOTTOM OF THE BAG!
Alright, mamas – so my most horrendous experience was when my sweet husband refilled our diaper genie. Why? he did a single knot..he also didn’t tighten it enough and as soon as the bag got full, I emptied it and midway walking to the trash outcome all the poopy smelly diapers.
Lesson learned, double tie your bags to be SAFE!
And a bonus Diaper Genie Tip – you can save $$ by using Target’s Brand of Diaper Pail Refills!
12. Keep a fun toy nearby to keep baby occupied while you change their diaper.
Far too often my son has tried squirming away in the middle of a diaper change. It took me a while to realize I could distract him with a cool toy to get him to lay still just long enough for a change!
I’ve found small and noisy toys work best like these here!
New Mom Laundry & Organization Hacks
Definitely, one thing I learned the hard way is that baby clothes (in particular baby socks and mittens and caps) will get lost or destroyed in the washer/dryer. I have no idea where they go, but they legit get eaten alive.
And after my favorite set of baby caps got snagged and unraveled in the dryer, I decided to put an end to this non-sense.
Lastly, baby toys will be everywhere, but I have just the way to help you stay (somewhat) organize throughout your busy mom day and keep your place tidy!
13. Use laundry bags to wash baby clothes!
I’ve never used laundry bags for anything in my life. Not even bras! BUT baby clothes, for whatever reason, is easily destroyed in the washer/dryer. Though it can be frustrating, this is a hack that will save you the time and money so you don’t have to replace any more missing or destroyed baby clothes!
These are the laundry bags we use and I like that they come in various sizes and they have a little tab to tuck the zipper away so that it doesn’t come undone when washing or drying. (you can click on the photo below for more info too).
14. Have a microfiber dust mop or Swiffer ready for use!
Your little one will likely make plenty of mess throughout the day. Whether it’s spilling their bottle or drinks. Dropping food on the ground. Or having some spit up/potty accidents – keeping a microfiber dust mop or swiffer on hand and ready to wipe up a mess will come in super handy!
15. Give every toy or item a ‘home’.
Keep a bin nearby for every baby item in your home. As baby stops playing with a toy or goes down for a nap, place the toys no longer being used back in the bin for ear storage. I like using the mesh bins.
You can also check out this post about Keeping your house clean and organized for even more tips!
Baby’s First Food New Mom Hacks
Starting solids – such a fun time for everyone! Watching your little one take their first bites, whether it’s purees or Baby Led Weaning, it truly is a fun time.
What not fun? Oh, just the big ol’ mess of food that gets everywhere. However, there are some things you can do to try and minimize the mess!
16. Freshen up your CPR skills
Whenever your baby is ready to begin eating solids, it’s important to make sure you know how to administer CPR if needed. Though gagging is very common when baby begins to eat their first foods — choking is not.
If you need help remembering the best CPR practices, this online baby safety course is just the refresher you need!
17. Use a food catching bib for baby!
The silicone food catching bibs are the BEST! Not only will they help to catch the food your baby spills, but if you’re on the go you can use them as a little bowl!
They’re very lightweight, easy to clean, and pretty cheap overall! I’ve had 2 since my son was 6 months old and they’re still in top-notch condition!
If you’re not a fan of the silicone bibs, they do have another version that’s a wipeable fabric bib with a food-catching pocket instead!
18. Use a placemat that suctions to the table or highchair!
One thing babies will do when they start eating is they will 100% try to flip over the plate/bowl they’re eating off of.
It’s loads of fun for them, but super not fun for us parents to get to clean up the mess. Lucky for us, they make these awesome silicone plates that literally suction to the table or highchair!
I have 2 of these as well and LOVE them! Our son isn’t able to flip over his food and feeding time has been pretty clean for us!
19. Store homemade purees with a baby food freezer tray!
Using this baby food freezer tray came in super handy for me as I homemade my son’s purees for the first month before we transitioned into Baby Led Weaning.
I also liked using it for breastmilk popsicles and blended fruit popsicles, which are GREAT for teething by the way.
Life Hacks for Mom
20. You don’t have to love every minute of motherhood
Just because you find some moments challenging and don’t love every second of it doesn’t make you a bad mom. We can love our babies to the moon and back while still having moments of being past our limits.
21. You MUST make time for yourself
You cannot show up your best to parent when you’re running on empty. You absolutely must make time to connect with the woman beyond the mom, because she’s in there and she needs your love too.
22. Try grocery delivery (at least once)
Listen. There will be days where you just don’t want to leave the house because you’re running on 1 hour of sleep, your baby won’t stop crying, and you just need someone to bring all your necessities to you.
That is the joy of grocery delivery! As a mom who uses grocery delivery from time to time, I have to say that Walmart and Target are my favorite stores that offer same-day grocery delivery.
23. Find your tribe (sooner than later)
There is nothing more powerful than a supportive group of mom friends who not only understand you but who has your back when you need it most.
If you’re struggling to make mom friends, you can join the popular mom app Peanut which was made to help you connect with other moms locally.
Another great way to connect with like-minded mothers and find support is through an online support group! I happen to run an online motherhood group called Love Your Motherhood, come join us today!
24. Don’t suppress your feelings
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed out, you need to let your partner (or someone close to you) know. Suppressing your feelings and guilting yourself into “being able to handle it” doesn’t do you any good.
Plus, the more you practice advocating your needs and letting those who care about you into your inner circle, the easier it will get with time.
25. Don’t be afraid to set boundaries
Boundaries are a healthy way to maintain relationships with friends or family members. This could look like telling Aunt Kathy to stop asking when you’re going to end your breastfeeding journey. It could look like kindly telling visitors you don’t want any parenting advice.
Whatever boundaries you feel need to be set, make them clear and make them known.
The fact about motherhood is that nothing will ever be too easy. Becoming a mom means you’ll always be adjusting to new challenges and milestones throughout your baby’s life. However, with these awesome new mom tips and tricks, I hope they come in extra handy for you!
Read more breastfeeding articles here: