31 Super Helpful Newborn Baby Hacks and Tips That’ll Make Life So Much Easier as First Time Parents
Being first time parents with a newborn can be as daunting as being a freshman in an ivy league high school, but with the right newborn baby hacks and tips, you’ll be ready to pass every test that comes your way! Of course, until the TODDLER STAGE but that’s another blog post for another time! For Now let’s focus on baby hacks to make life easier!
It’s time for grade school level of parenting!
Welcome to the Newborn Stage!
If you are a new mom trying to survive motherhood, check out this first time mom survival guide as well!
What is the Newborn Stage?
The newborn stage, my friend, is the stage of a newborn period which is from birth to the second month since the baby has been born.
In this period, newborns tend to sleep most of the day, cry a lot, poop a lot, and always want food. Fear not for this might just be an easier stage than dealing with a walker! So, take in everything that you can possibly can (naps, quiet time, none tantrum time, all of the above).
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31 Newborn Tips and Hacks For The First Month with Baby | New Parent Advice and Life-Saving Tips
It’s finally time to gear up and prepare for the newborn stage! With these 31 Newborn Tips and hacks, you will be flying through the first weeks/ month with your baby!
1) Meal Plan
Meal Planning ahead of time will save your life with a newborn. Life with a newborn is going to get chaotic and the things you use to do with ease, will require more time and patience, and let’s face it, momma you no longer have that extra energy. But, life still goes on. So, to prevent you and your significant other from starving or worse, eating junk food and take-out food, just meal plan and make freezer meals ahead.
If you think you’ll need help coming up with super affordable and quick meals, you can try out Erin Chases’s 5 Dollar Meal plans and Freezer Meals!
2) Learn How to Swaddle Baby
Momma, if you don’t know how to swaddle, you can just go ahead and expect to have many sleepless crying baby nights! Swaddling is super important and essential to your sanity! Swaddling your baby at night will help your baby to sleep peacefully for it makes babies feel like they are in the womb (which is their comfort zone).
I would recommend you learn how to swaddle baby asap. If you are reading this while still pregnant or at the hospital, ask the nurse to show you how to swaddle a baby with a normal blanket!
Secret First Time Parent Hack: if you find yourself curse with the inability to swaddle or just too lazy to do it, fear not for you can buy a swaddle pre-made (like the one below)!
But the reality is, it would be super beneficial to just learn how to swaddle so you can use any blanket and don’t have to worry about buying more pre-made swaddles when the baby gets bigger! Oh and not to even mention the multi-use on a blanket!
P.s. I used my swaddle blanket for a car seat covering and even to this day for a sun covering when my husband and I, go on walks with our daughter in her stroller!
3) Breastfeed and Pump Milk
So you wanna breastfeed and pump milk, huh? I did it and I am so happy I did! For one, my breastfeeding story started off in a horrible situation. Dun Dun Dun!! I couldn’t get the baby to latch while I was in the hospital to the point the lactation nurse was suggesting *gulp* FORMULA! I wasn’t haven’t it so I keep trying and finally got my baby to latch! If you want to prevent going through the same horror story as me, I recommend you take a breastfeeding class but we’ll talk more about that later on!
The main reason why I was so glad that I breastfeed and pumped milk for the baby, is for one, the baby was having a hard time latching at first, and for two I was able to get my husband to take night shifts with the baby! The holy grail to getting more sleep as a first time parent with a newborn! Allow your significant other to feed the baby at night when you feel overwhelmed and exhausted! To do this properly you will need a good breast pump or machine with these awesome milk storage bags!
4) Consider Baby Wearing
I’m pretty sure, you have seen the mommas that legit wear their babies on them! It’s a real-life changer experience! For one, you get to bond with the baby more with skin to skin. You also become a whole lot more mobile! If you know better momma, get you a babywearing carrier!
5) Take-Home Everything From The Hospital
I mean it all momma! At the Hospital, you will receive diapers, wipes, swaddles, a manual breast pump (if you go to a really good one), and so much more. Don’t be a fool, take what’s given to you. I legit went home from the hospital with the baby, with bins they gave me with postpartum care stuff for me and then bins with baby care stuff! Of course, the stuff you receive will depend on the type of hospital you have a baby at, so choose wisely! Make sure when bringing a hospital bag to the hospital, that you bring an extra empty hospital bag for all the hospital freebies!
6) Sleep When Baby Sleeps
Don’t take disregard this when other moms give you this advice! It is very crucial that you learn to sleep when the baby sleep. Don’t stress yourself over the house, food, clothes, etc. That why we have already talked about what to do for food, and about the benefits of babywearing!
Just take this time to relax and regenerate yourself, because the hard truth of the matter is baby is regenerating and will be full of energy when they wake up. Do you know the win ratio to a fully rested newborn to a tired new mama? Let’s just say momma ain’t winning in this situation!
P.s. Get some rest momma!
Related: How To Get Your Newborn Baby To Sleep Through The Night
7) Take a Breastfeeding Class
Oh yes, it’s time to educate yourself on breastfeeding! Like, I mentioned earlier, you don’t want to be the mom that is frustrated and feels unused full due to the fact that she can’t get the baby to latch on. As a new mom, trust this mishap will take you overboard on the “I’m not a good mom” train and you don’t want that!
To ensure you have the best breastfeeding experience, I totally recommend you take a breastfeeding course. To help you here are some good breastfeeding classes to take and resources to have:
8) Stock up on Baby Supplies and None Baby Stuff
As I mentioned early, life with a newborn baby is going to be a lot more hectic and busy. Therefore, You don’t want to end up going out to the grocery store with a newborn baby because you forgot to stockpile up everyday essentials.
But, if you are reading this while after giving birth, then you can still use the grocery delivery app to help you prevent going out in big public areas with a newborn baby. For example, I recommend either using Instacart, Walmart Grocery Delivery, or Shipt!
9) Take a Newborn Class
Taking a Newborn Class might just be better suited if you feel like you want more in-depth help and guidance with your newborn baby. If so, I recommend you take Mommy Labor Nurse’s Course, Newborn Basics 101 (Now part of Mommy Labor Nurse’s Birth it Up Courses)! In this course, you’ll learn about General Newborn info, feeding, diapering & Hygiene, Sleep, Health & Safety, plus a bonus section tailored to you adjusting to the new changes! The Newborn Basics 101 course is taught by Liesel Teen, an L&D nurse for 6 years (So you know you are getting taught by an expert).
10) Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help
One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a new mom is being afraid to ask for help. There are many people waiting for you to tell them what you need from them. Trust me, they want to help, they just don’t know what you need from them. So, when you do ask for help, be specific on how the person you asking for help from can help you in the best way possible.
11) Keep Baby Close To You
So, I definitely learned the hard way with this one. When we first brought home our daughter we thought to have her crib in our room was enough but in reality, I found myself getting out of bed like ten times during the night. Save yourself and either get a co-sleeper bassinet or a co-sleeper baby lounger to have your baby close to you!
12) Place everyday baby essentials around the house for easy access
Placing baby essentials around the house will save you from having to go from one in of the house to the next. Plus, let’s just say you have to be ready at any given moment with a baby. Any place in the house, that you plan on having a baby at, make sure you have everyday baby essentials in those areas, and even breastfeeding helper items around as well. So, if you like to eat lactation cookies to help increase your milk flow and production then make sure to have those nearby. The main everyday baby essential you really want to have in arm’s reach is diapers and wipes, and extra pacifiers.
13) Restart Each Day
In the beginning and even further along into motherhood, you will find yourself having bad mommy days and it’s okay. Just make sure to restart each day and still have a positive outlook on the next day this will help you prevent mommy burnout.
14) Prepacked Diaper Bag
As a first time parent, you want to have your diaper bag already packed and ready to go at any moment because let’s be honest, that mommy’s brain is still a thing and you’ll end up leaving something important if it’s not already packed in the heat of the moment. My husband and I, have two separate diaper bags for each car. So, if we need to go somewhere with our daughter, we already have everything we need packed and ready. The only thing extra to bring would be pre-pumped milk (in my case).
Related: 7 Best Diaper Bags for Newborn and Toddler [You Must Know About]
Diaper Bag Must-Haves for a Newborn Baby + Checklist [PDF]
15) Take Care of Yourself
If you want to be at your best for your baby and your family, you always need to remember to take care of yourself. Things will get stressful and it’s crucial that you stay strong and take some time out for yourself when possible.
16) Eat, Shower, and Sleep, Momma
Let’s just say, when and if postpartum depression kicks in, reminding yourself to eat, shower, and sleep, is actually important and needed. Things can get rough and a lot of people don’t talk about the ugly side of motherhood but it happens, I experienced it, and right on top of my other trauma. Don’t overlook this newborn baby hack, because this is for sure one of the most important baby hacks you’ll ever hear! Overall, don’t give up on yourself momma, you got this and things will eventually pan out to your liking.
17) Date Dot Your Pumped Breastmilk
If you are planning to pump your milk, make sure to add the date and time on your breast milk baggies. As well as, placed them behind each other in order, so you don’t pick the recently pumped milk first. Date dotting your milk baggies will help you keep track of not only the date you pumped them and how long they will last but as well as to help you keep track of how many bags you were able to fill each day.
Related: 5+ Lactation Products To Increase Milk Flow
Top 5 Breastfeeding Products for New Moms (That Actually Works)
Breastfeeding 101 For New Mothers
18) Don’t Stress Over Housework
Stop stressing over housework, you sleep when the baby sleep, and when the baby is up and satisfied you can wear the baby around the house while you clean. But, don’t stress yourself if you just not feeling up to cleaning due to a lack of energy. Above all, It happens to us all, momma.
19) Take Advantage of The Golden Hour
The first hour after the baby is born is considered the golden hour. This Golden Hour is the most optimal time for skin-to-skin with the baby as well as breastfeeding. It is essential you know this because your doctors might not tell you exactly when you can start feeding the baby at the hospital (I had to ask mine, and it was after the golden hour: Possibly why I had such a hard time getting the baby to latch).
20) Allow Your Significant Other To Have Skin To Skin Time With Baby
Skin to Skin isn’t just for momma, it’s for daddies too. My husband was so eager to have skin-to-skin with our newborn daughter during our hospital stay. And Honestly, I love watching every minute of it. If your significant other wants to have skin-to-skin time with the baby, let them. It is a very important day for them as well.
21) Teach Baby Day and Night
If you ready want to win over getting your newborn baby to sleep through the night, it’s best you start teaching the difference between day and night as soon as possible. You can teach your newborn the difference between day and night by allowing light in the room during naps and darkness at night even during night diaper changes. The best thing you can do is invest in some blackout curtains!
22) Track Your Feeding and Diaper Changes
Start tracking your feeding and diaper changes for the baby’s doctor is going to know and also it helps you to manage whether or not the baby is getting enough food and in good health. You can easily track feeding and diaper changes by either writing them down or using a baby app like Glow to help you track them.
23) Pick Your Doctors and Hospital Brain
During your hospital stay, ask as many questions as you possibly can to your doctor and nurses. They clearly can help you, and as first-time parents, there are a lot of things you going to want clarity about. Just like I mentioned early about getting the nurse to show you how to swaddle your baby, the same applies to new mom questions.
24) Take Care of Baby’s Umbilical Cord
It is very crucial that you take care of the baby’s umbilical cord. Your doctors should educate you on how to, and if they don’t mention anything, ask them! Make sure you do not take the umbilical cord off of the baby by yourself, just let it fall off on its own.
25) Have Gripe Water on Hand
So, if you are not familiar with the word “colicky” you soon will, and trust me momma it’s not fun. In the event of your baby crying non-stop for over 3 hours in over 3 days out of 3 or more weeks, your baby would be considered “colicky”. To help your baby when they are colicky, give them gripe water. Of course, there are other ways to help a colicky baby, but gripe water is among the most favorable and commonly used ones among mothers.
26) Learn The Different Baby Cries and Their Meanings
Outside the time that your baby is colicky, there will be a reason why your baby is crying. As a first time parent, you always want to ask yourself these questions to figure out why the baby is crying:
- Baby Hungry?
- Is the baby sleepy?
- Does baby want my love and attention?
- Or does the baby need a diaper change?
In most cases, one of the four questions mentioned should help you figure out why the baby is crying.
27) Start a Routine
Baby-like routines, they are not lovers of change. So, to keep your baby as calm as possible adapt a routine and stick to it as much as you can. For obvious reasons, sometimes you not going to be able to stick to your routine all the time, and that is fine. Just start a routine to get the baby used to doing things at certain times of the day and accustomed to life outside of the womb.
28) Connect with other Mommies
When you connect with other moms as a new mom, you’ll realize the things you are experiencing as a first time parent are very common. It’s just nice to connect with other moms that are experiencing the same as you and can give you helpful tips and advice. A great app you can use to connect with local moms in your area is called Peanut.
29) Join A Mommy Support Group
To add on to my last new mom tip, joining a mommy support group can be super beneficial for a first-time mom. You get to connect and make new mommy friends that are willing to help you out. Also, you will stay up to date on the best mommy deals, and schools for the little one, and let’s not forget the play dates!
30) Take Advantage of the Freebies
Speaking of deals, are you taking advantage of all your mommy and baby freebies? As a new mom, and just a mom in general, there are a lot of brands willing to give you free items to help support you and your baby! Baby hacks alert! If you haven’t heard you can even possibly get a free breast pump machine via your health insurance company! A free breast pump machine is a lot of extra cash saved in your pockets!
31) Just Breathe, You Got This!
Momma just breathe! Things don’t necessarily get easier, you just get more skilled, educated, and stronger as a mom. So, give yourself some credit, you’re just starting off your superwoman journey but soon you will be saving your little one’s world every time! 🙂
Last Thing You Need To Know About Surviving With A Newborn Baby as a First Time Mom
Congratulations momma! You are officially ready to take motherhood head-on with these amazing baby hacks! Just make sure you take advantage of all the amazing newborn baby hacks for first time parents you know now! And remember, you got this!
As always, sharing is caring! Please share this article with your friends, family, and social media (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Reddit, etc.). Also, feel free to leave your best first-time parent hack and tip below in the comment section!
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Monday 7th of December 2020
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