Becoming a parent is an exciting time, but can also feel overwhelming. Many would agree, throughout pregnancy, you are guided along by medical experts. Yet, once baby arrives it all seems to grind to a halt.
Your baby is home and now you are in control. This is where determining what works best for both you and your child becomes the next challenge.
Therefore, to make those early days more manageable, we’ve put together 44 tips, tricks and hacks all parents need to know.
Use the knowledge of moms and dads before you to make life as a new parent much easier.
1. Don’t Sweat Over the Little Things
Your world has just been turned upside down by your new arrival. You are sleep deprived, your home is a mess and you haven’t eaten anything nutritious for days. Ultimately, if you and baby are healthy and happy, none of this matters.
Once you get into a routine these things will fall into place. In the meantime, enjoy spending time with your baby, they grow up far too quickly and you can never repeat it.
2. Make the Most of Sleep Time
Babies tend to sleep quite a lot, albeit in short time spans. If you are one of the lucky parents, it might be an hour or two between feeds. Prioritize what’s important to you during this time.
It’s ok to indulge yourself in a hot bath, read a book for half an hour, or even get some sleep. Alternatively, you could spend the time preparing dinner, doing the laundry or household chores.
3. It’s Ok to Turn Away Visitors
From grandparents to friends and neighbors, everyone will want to welcome your new baby into the world. Even long lost relatives could suddenly appear from nowhere. However, it’s perfectly acceptable for you to politely but confidently say no and schedule a time for a visit that suits you.
On the other hand, you could always invite them in and recruit them for some of the chores you just don’t have time for.
4. Fill Up the Freezer
Having some frozen meals prepared could be a godsend during the first few months. You may find you don’t always have the time or the inclination to cook. Take-out is fine now and again but can get expensive and might not be the healthiest option.
Ready prepared meals which simply need a quick defrost and reheat are an excellent fall-back. In fact, it can be a parenting lifesaver for days when baby has been extra fussy and demanded all your attention.
5. Be Realistic
We have all seen the magazines where everything concerning a new baby is picture perfect. The reality of the situation is very different. Don’t expect everything to be the way it’s depicted.
Set realistic goals and go with the flow. Life is not going to be “normal” as far as baby and your own routine is concerned. Day-to-day life will lack order and you will be in a state of constant change.
6. Do Things Your Way
There will be a huge amount of unsolicited advice thrown at you by friends, family, and even complete strangers. Sometimes you might think they are good ideas and in other instances, you might wonder what on earth they were thinking.
Smile sweetly, thank them and then do things your way. At the end of the day, mom knows best about what suits her and her baby. Don’t be swayed by peer pressure if it’s not right for you.
7. It’s Not a Competition
Don’t be tempted to compare what your child is doing with that of others. Every baby develops at a different pace and reaches important milestones in their own time. However, there is always one mom who boasts about their child’s achievements.
Babies are not performing circus animals, they don’t smile to order or all start walking at the same time. Neither will they utter their first words until they are ready to. Ignore the bragging, safe in the knowledge your child will be doing the same when they are ready.
8. Take a First Aid Course
Having a basic knowledge of first aid and CPR is a good idea when you are expecting a baby. Furthermore, it’s surprising how many parents wouldn’t know how to react in an emergency situation.
While we all hope and pray it will never be needed, being aware of what to do when accidents happen can also keep you calmer.
Once babies start moving around, they can encounter bumps and scrapes. Even our homes can be a hazardous environment. Learn how to deal with scalds, burns, and bandaging, as well as CPR.
9. You Are Not Failing
People often loathe publicizing news when things are not going right. In this day and age of social media, all you might see is happy smiling moms, dads, and babies. Just because they don’t talk about it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.
You will not be the only parents with bags under your eyes, dishes in the sink and a mountain of ironing. Everyone has their bad days, most just don’t talk about them.
10. Cherish Time With Your Baby
The baby stage passes all too quickly. Traditionally, moms take the role of number one carer for baby and get to be home all day with them. However, trends are changing, stay-at-home dads are on the increase.
While needs must and money has to be earned, if you’re a working mom, take some extra time out for your child. Try leaving the office on time and avoid weekend overtime if you can.
11. Don’t Try and Be Supermom or Superdad
Tempting as it is to try and do everything yourself, don’t be afraid to ask for help. If a friend pops in, ask them to make the coffee. Let someone you trust look after baby while you grab a shower. Accept offers from others to do your shopping, cleaning or cooking.
We are not superhuman and trying to do it all can get the better of you.
12. Only Buy What You Need
There are a plethora of gadgets and goodies on offer for your newborn. However, half of them you don’t need and others you might only use once or twice. Expensive does not always mean best, either. After all, a $200 buggy is likely to be just as good as one that costs $800—they both serve the same purpose.
Save your money and buy only the essentials. If there is anything else you find you need or want along the way, you can buy it then.
13. Feed When You Need
Forget the advice about feeding every three hours. When you are breastfeeding, if your baby is being very fussy and can’t be soothed, offer them the breast. This will often solve the issue and calm them.
Expressing milk and storing it for evening bottle feeds can be beneficial. Your milk might not be in plentiful supply after a day on the go. This can also give dad a chance to feed and bond with baby, as well as giving you a break.
Even bottle-fed babies sometimes need an extra feed; don’t be afraid to occasionally give them a little more. However, ensure it’s not a regular occurrence and that baby isn’t gaining too much weight. If either is the case, seek help from your pediatrician.
14. Escape the House
The thought of packing up a myriad of essentials to leave the house might just be too much. However, a change of scenery for you and your baby can be exactly what you both need.
Keep a bag packed ready, this saves you from preparing it each time you want to go out. That way, there will be no excuses. Even if you only take a stroll to the local park, go to the mall for a coffee or visit a friend. As the old saying goes “a change is as good as a rest”.
15. Feed Before Bed
Feeding your baby just before putting them to bed at night might just buy you some extra sleep. If you are following the feed, bath, bed routine which many people do, top up the feed before putting baby down for the night.
Just like we feel sleepy after a meal, so can babies. Let’s be honest, you will be ready to try anything in the early days if it means more sleep for you and your baby.
16. At the End of Your Tether
A fussy baby can sometimes drive you to distraction. No matter what you do, it just doesn’t work and you can get frustrated. Just remember, they are not doing it on purpose.
They are getting used to this new world they live in and it can be scary for them. Hand baby over to your partner, or someone else you trust, and take time out for yourself. Dealing with a crying baby when you are calm is a much easier task.
17. Be Prepared to Sit Around Feeding
It’s likely the first few months will consist of feed, change a diaper, sleep and repeat. Make sure you have a nice comfortable chair to sit in while you pass this time. It’s also a good idea to have everything around you that you might need.
Think of it as your personal survival kit. Have some water, maybe some snacks and a book or even have your laptop to hand. It could be a great time to catch up on all the missed episodes of your favorite TV series.
18. Forget Clock Watching
We all tend to live our lives following the clock. In the early days with a newborn, it’s a good idea to forget that time exists. Eat when you are hungry, or when you get a chance, not just because it’s lunch or dinner time.
Don’t clock watch at night either. If you can’t see what the time is when you are woken for feeds, just get on with it. You won’t know how long you’ve been awake and, psychologically, this might help. Not realizing half the night has already gone by could make you feel fresher.
19. Always Take a Pacifier Out With You
This won’t work for everyone, as not all babies use pacifiers. However, if you do, make sure you don’t leave home without them. If baby wakes while you are halfway through shopping for groceries it should buy you some time.
Rather than abandoning your shopping cart to search for a place to feed, you might just get through the checkout first.
20. Sleep When You Can
Walking around like a zombie is common during the early days with a newborn. Maybe you could set up a shift system with your partner and share the tasks. This way you might get a decent block of sleep.
It’s also an excellent time for a dad to bond with and feed baby. If you are breastfeeding, express milk for night feeds.
21. Take a Change of Clothes When You Go Out
Carrying a change of clothes for baby will become second nature when you are away from home. Accidents happen, diapers leak or your infant sicks-up after a feed. But, what about you? Unfortunately, these mishaps can affect you too.
Keep a spare outfit in the car for yourself as well. That way you don’t have to walk around with regurgitated milk on your shoulder.
Another consideration here is leaky breasts. Once your milk comes in and baby starts crying, they could free flow. Wearing dark clothes will be less likely to show the wet patch, but a change of bra and blouse would be a bonus.
22. Don’t Listen to the Critics
Call these the mommy wars if you want. Everyone will have an opinion on what is right. Breast or bottle, disposable diapers or cloth, leave baby to cry or comfort him/her, return to work or stay at home. The list will be endless.
Do whatever suits you and your family. There is no right or wrong and entering into discussions about it will likely frustrate or annoy you. It’s another of those smile sweetly, listen, nod politely, then walk away and do your own thing situations.
23. Don’t Tiptoe Around While Baby Sleeps
Your baby has been used to noise while in the womb. It should be no different now they have entered the world. During nap time, don’t turn down the volume just because baby is sleeping. Continue to put the television on, vacuum, wash dishes or talk to your friends on the phone.
This way, you won’t have to whisper or stay silent when baby rests, for fear of waking them up. They will nap peacefully and you can get on with everyday life.
24. Middle of The Night Blowouts
Yes, it happens, the diaper from hell in the middle of the night leaks all over the crib sheets. By the time you have stripped it down, found fresh bedding and changed everything, baby is wide awake. This can make getting baby back to sleep again a harder task.
Double sheeting the crib can avoid the time it takes to change the sheets. Layer it, mattress cover then sheet and repeat the order. That way all you have to do is strip off the top soiled layers and the bed is clean and fresh to put baby down again.
25. Don’t Become Isolated
It’s all too easy in the early days to concentrate solely on your baby, to the detriment of everything else. As a new mom or dad, you need adult company too. Try and set time aside for socializing with other new parents who understand what you’re going through.
Maybe you struck up friendships during childbirth education classes. Make the effort to stay connected. You could find this is a valuable support system, where you can let off some steam and compare notes.
Or you could join a mother and baby group in your area. Even meeting up once a week goes some way to preserving your sanity.
26. Heating Pads
There is nothing worse than getting out of a nice warm bath and stepping into a cold towel. It’s just the same for baby, so use a heating pad to warm theirs. This will make the transition from water more pleasant and might prevent the inevitable post-bath screams.
Another good use for a heating pad is to warm the crib. Baby has been cuddled and settles in your arms, this is the time to put them down. A warm bed might make this switch easier and lull them off to sleep. Obviously, remove the heating pad before laying baby down.
27. Don’t Forget About Your Partner
It took two of you to make a baby and, now that baby has arrived, he or she needs you both. While caring for a newborn is time-consuming and overwhelming, don’t forget about each other.
Find a trusted babysitter and have a few hours out for yourselves. If you can’t do that, set yourselves some “us” time. Even if it’s just cuddling on the sofa talking about your future as a family with a bottle of wine. Or, if mom is breastfeeding, some chocolate.
28. Use coconut oil or almond oil on your baby’s bum
Because the first poo your baby makes (known as meconium) is tar-like, it can be impossible to clean up, especially if you aren’t anticipating it. Using coconut oil or almond oil, both of which are all-natural and won’t cause any reactions, will keep the baby’s tush moisturized enough to make wiping that stuff up a breeze. You can also use a little oil to prevent diaper rash down the road, too.
Olive oil also works if you’re unable to obtain coconut oil.
29. Pacified medicine
Bet you would have never thought of this one: if you need to give the little one medicine early in life, you can use an open-ended pacifier or bottle nipple to distribute the medicine. Since your baby will already want to suck on the pacifier or nipple, you don’t have to worry about administering the medicine.
30. Swaddled bathing
Sometimes, your baby isn’t going to want to get bathed…which can be both frightening and frustrating to new parents. Instead of fighting with a wriggly infant, try the method called “swaddle bathing,” where you wrap the baby lightly in a swaddling cloth then, while in the bath water, you unwrap just one appendage, wash it, replace the wrapping, and repeat with another body part.
31. The correct use of a onesie
Did you know that those shoulder flaps on onesies are actually functional? In the event of explosion poop or leaky diapers, you can use those shoulder flaps to increase the size of the head hole to slip the onesie down your baby’s body, preventing any brown matter from going all over the place.
32. Quick changes
A lot of parents tend to leave the new diaper off to the side while changing out a soiled one, but this can actually be a bit circuitous. By keeping the new diaper beneath the old one, you not only have some place to rest that cleaned bum down, you can also quickly secure the diaper in place, which is useful if you have a baby boy. After all, no one wants to get peed on right after cleaning up down there.
33. Newborn nightgowns
During the first few weeks of changing your baby, onesies and infant PJs are going to feel like a hassle. A newborn nightgown, however, is open at the bottom, allowing you to roll up the fabric just high enough to remove the soiled diaper without having to give the baby a full strip down in the middle of the night.
34. Preventing pee attacks
Changing the diapers of little boys is definitely more difficult than girls. To prevent a fountain during changing times, first sweep a wet wipe under his belly button right before you change the diaper. Since fresh air or a breeze prompts urination, the sensation of air against the dampened surface has the same effect. Now, you can safely change your baby boy’s diaper without getting squirted on.
35. DIY bibs
Saving money on baby supplies is always a welcome tip. One of the best is the DIY bib, which can be made by upcycling those old sweaters and sweatshirts that have been packed up in a spare room for years. To make a DIY bib, all you have to do is cut off a section of the sleeve, about a few inches above the wrist cuff. Pass the tube of cloth over the baby’s head, with the cuff being at the top. If you want, you can even hem the cut end or fashion it into a triangular point.
Here is a cool Tutorial:
source: mostazaseed.blogspot.com
36. Bicycles for gassy babies
You know wind relieving pose in yoga? The same pose works for babies, especially if they have gas pains. Lay them on their back and windmill those little legs in a bicycling movement. This should help work the gases through their intestines and provide some comfort.
37. Don’t keep them awake
Yes, you might think keeping your baby from falling asleep is smart, because who doesn’t want to sleep at night? But it doesn’t work like that for infants. Not in the beginning anyway. Newborns need to sleep. A lot. Only keep your infant awake for 90 minute clips. Otherwise, they are going to get cranky and won’t behave. And everyone knows that cranky babies take a longer time to get to sleep.
38. Sugar water for pain
When taking your newborn to get their first vaccinations, give them some sugar water. This mixture will release pain-reducing neurotransmitters. Some hospitals will even do this if your child has to undergo a procedure. To make sugar water, simply take two teaspoons of boiled water and one teaspoon of sugar. Mix the two together then let cool before serving.
39. Take naps when your baby does
Though you might be the worrying mom or dad who wants to stay awake while your baby dozes, napping while they do is going to help you catch those necessary Z’s you need to be the best parent you can be. Even if it’s just 30 minutes, those micro-naps will help you catch up on the hours lost at night. Trust us, your baby won’t mind.
40. Calming with motion
Babies love to be in motion. If you find your baby is becoming fussy and cries nonstop, it may be time to put them into action. Invest in multiple ways to keep your baby moving, which mimics their time in the womb. Things like infant swings, exercise balls, riding in the car, on being bounced on your lap are ways to soothe a wailing child. Another way to calm them is to put the baby in a forward-facing sling while you do housework or walk around. Not only are they close, but they get to see the world as it moves past.
41. Feed your baby when they wake up
Oddly, many of us seemed tailored to give our baby food when we want them to sleep, which is kind of backwards when you think about it. Humans wake up and break their fasts in the morning, using that food for energy throughout the day. Why are babies any different? Hint: They’re not. So, instead of starting a habit that’s hard to break later on, only feed your baby when they wake up so they have energy to play, can digest that meal while moving around, and then go to sleep once they’ve exhausted themselves and their energy.
42. Keeping a schedule
Babies, especially for the first few weeks, will thrive on routine. Since everything is new and confusing, having something that becomes familiar will help keep your newborn calm. You can also start to help them develop natural rhythms. Note when you baby naturally wants to sleep, ate, play, and do their business. Then, once you figure out what that routine is, use it to your advantage.
43. Use white noise
When a baby falls asleep in a silent room, you are basically training them to be light sleepers that startle every time a pin drops. Rather than having that, use a white noise machine or play background music. The baby will get used to falling asleep with noise and be less likely to startle in the middle of the night.
44. Prepare meals ahead of time
This is less about your baby and more about your convenience. Since your hands are going to be full with a baby or two, you aren’t going to always have time to cook. That is why you should always make bulk meals that can be frozen, so when you are having one of those days where cooking seems impossible, you can still have a healthy, home cooked meal.
Final Thoughts
Walking through the minefield of parenthood can be a daunting task. Everything is new and you don’t know if what you are doing is right or wrong.
Ultimately, go with your gut instincts. You will make mistakes, we all do. Don’t punish yourself. If one thing doesn’t work, try an alternative instead.
You will find what works for you and your family. Soon, you will settle into a routine and parenting will become second nature.
Hopefully, these tips, tricks, and hacks will help you make this new chapter easier and leave you feeling like you want another! You’ll at least enjoy the newborn months more with these tips.
