From sleep tips to nappy nightmares, follow my top tips to help make being a new parent breezier! Mum is by far the hardest job title out there. Hands down. I will fight anyone who says differently. That’s why I’ve put together this list of 10 parenting hacks that will help you breeze through those early days and make the parenting adventure a little smoother, as it did my second time around.
1. The power of white noise
Introduce a white noise machine into your baby’s sleep routine. That gentle hum will soon be your little life anthem, and let it be! Apparently the white noise mimics the comforting sounds of the womb, promoting better and more restful sleep for your little one. I don’t know if this is true but what I do know is that this white noise shiz works!
2. Nappy changing stations
Gentle warning. You’ll be changing nappies 10, 15, sometimes 20 times a day! Make sure you aren’t running up and down for those. Prepare 2 or 3 changing stations in your key rooms. Nappy caddies were the best and most useful gift I received in the early days
3. Master the art of swaddling
I am not ashamed to say that I genuinely practised this before my firstborn. I used a little teddy and a swaddle/muslin to get my swaddle perfected! I fully believe that making sure the newborns were snuggled up in a cosy little bundle helped with making sure they slept for large chunks of time during the day and night. I’m sure there’s youtube videos out there but feel free to reach out if you ever want a how to video! I still have that practice teddy 😉
4. A touch dimmable lamp
Get yourself a dim night light for during night time nappy changes and feeds to help keep a calm environment so you and baby can fall back asleep easily.
5. Meal prep / get some easy meal items in
Cooking with a newborn was quite easy for me I’ll be honest as she slept a lot of the day – with a toddler and a newborn it was almost impossible. But even with a newborn I highly recommend it. Energy levels after giving birth really really fluctuates and you need to give yourself more rest than you think. So eventually I had to embrace batch cooking and meal prepping as I tried to get in good healthy meals as much as possible to help breastfeeding and make sure I had enough energy.
6. Snacks: the gift that keeps on giving
You might find (like I did) that you won’t have a lot of hands free time – in all honesty I didn’t want it. Especially the second time around when I realised how quick time goes, i didn’t ever want to put my little bundle down. So I highly advise you to keep some one-handed snacks around for those moments when you find yourself nursing or soothing your baby with one hand or just having some snuggle time. Keep a little goody box where you like to snuggle up or feed most with some snacks, tv remote, book, phone charger, headphones – whatever you might need.
7. Use and abuse a good baby carrier
Invest in a comfortable baby carrier – it’ll be so handy to keep your hands free while still keeping your little one close. I used to put Myla in a carrier when I hung laundry out to dry and even sometimes washed dishes when she was super small.
8. Zipper baby grows
For the first few months, I don’t recommend any other clothes other than baby grows and vests. I know the idea of cute little dresses and dungarees is just stunning but honestly it’ll be the bain of your life. Maybe keep 1 or 2 for milestone pictures if you really want. But the most important part here is the ZIP. As mentioned higher up – you might be changing nappies SOO many times in a day…and night! So come second baby, I opted for zip up baby grows only! It’s also a nice one to put on your registry list 😉
9. Communication
(this one is preferably pre birth) After birth, a new Mums head will be frazzled. No matter how you feel at the time, you are highly likely to look back and think ”woah what a blur…what an absolute whirlwind” I wish I had outlined between me and husband what we would each be responsible for around the house/baby/toddler etc so we could easily share the load and be there for each other.
So I think that it’s so so important to keep communication with your partner at bay at all times. Keep vocalising what you need, how they can help, ask how they are, how they’re doing. It’s a new journey for you both, you’re both learning. Do it together. Try not to put pressure on yourself to be the perfect parent…ask for help. Ask questions. Figure it out in your own time, but do speak up on how you’re feeling.
10. Never say no to help
Don’t hesitate to delegate and accept help from friends and family. Whether it’s cooking, cleaning, or simply spending time with your baby, sharing the load can make SUCH a difference – even the smallest of things. And you’ll be so surprised by how eager people are to help. Even messaging your neighbour to get you some milk the next time they pop out could make your whole day go that much easier!
I hope these little hacks help make your journey a bit smoother. Remember, there’s no perfect way to do this, . Embrace the adventure, celebrate all the victories – big and small, and cherish every single precious moment with your little one. You’ve got this!
~X~