If you are reading this then you must be or will soon be a new mom so congratulations! This is an exciting time in your life! It can also be stressful and exhausting now that you have the responsibility of a new life in your hands. I am a mom of three and with each baby it got easier. The reason being is that each time I figured out the tips and tricks to help make everything go a little bit smoother. That is why I wanted to put together a list of the top hacks to help you survive this new mom thing. Some of these are items that I found as a new mom that completely changed my life and others are things that I wish I knew sooner. Read on to find the tips and tricks to make your life just a little easier with a baby.
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Swaddling is so important because it gives your baby the safe nestled feeling that they felt when inside you. Which means that they sleep better and longer when swaddled. Win for you Win for Baby!
Problem- Does this sound familiar? You’re in the hospital and the nurse swaddles your newborn with ease, doesn’t even break a sweat. But, when you give it a try at home the blanket will not stay swaddled, an arm pops out and then a leg and before you know it the blanket is completely undone, and your baby is wide awake and crying.
*sigh*
No matter how much you practiced during your childbirth classes and how much you study the nurse in the hospital you can’t quite do it right.
Mom Hack- Swaddle Blanket- No need to stress there is a hack for this. These blankets have a fastening flap so that they stay swaddled and tight even if your baby squirms. I found this when I was a new mom and *Angels Singing* pure happiness!!
Source: Swaddle Blanket by Ziggy Baby
Problem- The dreaded moment that your baby’s binky hits the ground when you are in a public place or even worse a public restroom.
*gasp*
Oh no there is not enough soap in your house to sterilize after an incident like that.
Mom Hack- Self-Closing Binky- Here is the hack you need. Did you know that there is a self-closing pacifier? That is right when it falls out of your baby’s mouth it will close before it hits the ground. Brilliant, why didn’t I think of that!
Source: Self Closing Pacifier by RaZ baby
Problem- It takes a long time to fill out the entire tub for bath time and it feels like you are wasting so much water.
Mom Hack- Baby Damn-This hack will save you time and money. How can you not love that? The baby damn blocks the water, so you don’t have to fill up the entire tub each time you give your baby a bath. You can even sit on the edge with your feet in the tub without getting wet. It’s the little things, right?
Source: Baby Damn by Supply Kick
Problem- It is so hard to get your baby to stay asleep. If you get them to sleep in your arms they wake up as soon as you lay them in the crib. For those of you whose baby's have acid reflux you know that they are often inconsolable.
Mom Hack- Angled Sleeper- Another tip to get your baby to sleep better is for them to sleep at a slight angle. Sleeping w?ith a raised head will also help your baby’s symptoms of acid reflux. So, you’re thinking that’s great but how am I going to get my baby to sleep at an angle? Well there is a hack for this too. (Obvi) It is this angled sleeper.
As an extra bonus it can be moved from room to room, so you can keep an eye on that sweet little bundle of joy wherever you are. It is also great for travel because it can easily collapse and fit in your trunk. It has a slight vibration and can be easily rocked to help with sleep as well. I did not discover this until my second child and this was a life changer for me!
Source: Angled Sleeper by Fischer Price.
Problem- So, you are exhausted, and you have soothed him, rocked him sang to him and finally you get him to sleep. (Praise the lord) The last thing you want is for him to wake up for ANY reason, am I right?
Mom Hack- Room Darkening Curtains- That is why I love room darkening curtains. A nice dark cozy room will help keep him asleep longer for naptime and bedtime. These come in a ton of colors too, so you are sure to find one that matches your nursery. I could not live without these and I don’t recommend you do either.
Source: Blackout Curtains by Nice Town
Problem- Your baby is crying and you don't know why. Maybe they have a wet diaper. You don't know so you touch the diaper, look in it and even smell it.
*ugh*
Mom Hack- Diaper Color Line- A lot of experienced moms don’t even know this one. Did you know that baby’s diapers have a color line on them that lets you know if the diaper is wet just by sight? (Mind blown) In the picture, on a Pampers Diaper you will see a yellow line. Just take a quick look and you will know if your baby needs a change. Your welcome!
Source: Pampers
If your baby is like mine were they are addicted to their binky. Most babies need some sort of aid to help them calm down and sleep better.
Problem- The problem with the binky is they drop it and lose it a hundred times a day. Which means you are looking under the couch cushions and under the coffee table a hundred times a day. To make matters worse they have the one that is their favorite that they need to sleep, right? You can’t lose that precious binky or there will be hell to pay. Even worse you don’t want them to drop the binky on the ground especially if you are in public.
Mom Hack- Binky Clip- The binky clip to the rescue! It simply clips onto their clothing, so they will always have it close by when they need it. Life Safer! Bonus, it doubles as a teether with teething beads.
Source: Binky Clip by TYRY.HU
Problem- It's eating time and your baby is in the highchair and ready to go. But wait... where did I put those bibs?
Mom Hack- Command Hook on Highchair- Put a command hook on the back of the highchair to hang your baby’s bibs and never go searching for one again!
*mic drop*
Command Hooks Found Here
Problem- Before I learned this hack, I could never find matching baby socks. Months would go by without my baby having matching socks, don’t judge. It was always a mystery where all of those little socks went. They are almost impossible to keep track of when you do laundry.
Mom Hack- Mesh Bag to Hold Socks- If you have the same problem here’s your hack, simply keep a mesh laundry bag in your baby’s laundry hamper and place all of your baby’s socks into it. Throw the whole bag in the laundry and then the socks will never be apart again.
Source: Mesh Laundry Bag by Gogooda
Problem-Has this scene played out in your house? You are trying to trim your baby’s nails and she will not hold still, and you are growing more and more frustrated then you barely clip her tiny finger and she lets out a blood curling scream. (Fail)
Mom Hack- Trim Nails While Baby's Sleeping- Wait until your baby has been asleep for about twenty or thirty minutes and then swoop in and gently trim their nails. Wow that was easy!
Hope you enjoyed these hacks designed to make your life easier as a new mom. Again, congratulations on your new adventure! Try to remember even though you may have to pry your eyelids open every morning and might be stressed that you are not doing it all right rest assured that you are doing amazing and you will look back at this time in your life someday and miss these moments. Take it from someone who knows. So, try to enjoy the little moments when you can.
Other posts you may enjoy….
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21 Best Modern Nursery Ideas (For Boys & Girls)
31 Best Ideas for a Woodland Nursery Theme
P.S. I have created some FREE nursery printables that you can find here. Enjoy!