Newborn Tips

Bombarded with endless hot-tips from parents, grandparents, friends, forums, websites, social media………where do you start when it comes to essentials for getting through the 4th trimester with a newborn?

I’m not claiming to be any sort of expert but wanted to share a list of things that seemed to work for me & my friends. Before having our little lady my list consisted of material purchases. Now at the 6 month stage I can look back and have removed some of the possessions and replaced with more holistic mechanisms of coping with the rollercoaster of emotions and moods.

SUPPORT NETWORK – Not everyone has family around the corner, friend’s with kids who might understand what you’re going through. While warming the bun in the oven check out your networking options:
- INSTAGRAM – find like minded bloggers, grammers, brands who talk about real life motherhood in their feeds and Instagram Stories. Be warned though, laughing out loud can occur and wake up sleeping babies.
- MUSH or PEANUT apps – basically online dating for mums. Can feel wired at first but I’ve met some great people in what feels like an isolated area
- MAMA FITNESS GROUPS – I’ve met the best bunch of ladies through Buggy Bootcamp. I had my first night off mama duty on the town with them
- FACEBOOK – search out parent / mama groups online
- REAL LIFE GROUPS – I found loads through FB, Mush and our good old village newsletter
- NEIGHBOURS – if you don’t know them, get to know them. You never know how handy they might be in being able to pick up a pint of milk or walk the dog when you don’t have the energy to leave the house
TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS – this is a tough one, especially in the first few weeks. But as you’re Gran might have said to you “mum knows best” and you do, even if it doesn’t feel it at the time.
SAY YES – if someone offers to cook a meal, pick you up some milk, make you a cup of tea, hold the baby while you have a solo wee – do it!
SAY NO – also learn how to politely but firmly say no! Family & friends will be naturally excited about seeing your little one and you will no doubt want to show them off. But manage your visitor time. The early days are so important for you and your partner (and other kids) to bond with the newborn. You don’t want want your mum-in-law throwing you a dagger stare when you snap at her son / your husband due to lake of sleep, hormone overload and not knowing what the bloody-hell you’re doing. Get the timing right for you.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS – get outside everyday. Just 10mins of fresh air can do you and the baby the world of good while she slept or gazed at the shadow of the leaves. I’m not going to lie, it wasn’t always a quiet affair as she hated her pram in the beginning but our little one loved her sling. Now at 6 months old, going outside calms her (and me) down most of the time. Having a dog definitely helped with all of this.
WATER CUPS & STRAWS – I bought myself some fun water cups with lids and straws from from Home Bargains (love a HB purchase). It was one of my save-in-graces while in labour as the stupid little crushable plastic cups they give you in hospital can’t stand the pressure or keep up with your consumption. I was lucky enough to be able to breastfeed (whatever you choose / can do you should not feel any pressure from anyone – topic for another time). When I got home I had my water cups dotted around the house in every possible “feeding station” and topped them up every night before I went to bed. There’s nothing worse when you’re partner goes back to work and you get trapped under a sleeping baby with no water or FOOD to hand!!
SNACKS – like above, dot them around the house in your “feeding stations” where you might get trapped under a sleeping baby
SLING – an early days sling like a Caboo light was our go-to in the early days. A great way of being hands free around the house and a lovely way for dads to spend time bonding with the little one. You don’t have to spend a fortune, check out FB Market place in your area, sling libraries and NCT / second hand sales. We got a Baby Bjorn one for a fiver then upgraded to a brand new one with waist band for more support when she was 5 months and will take her up to 2-3 years.
LOUNGEWEAR – before bump arrives, treat yourself to one or two pieces of nice loungewear. In fact it doesn’t need to be expensive just something you love because of the colour, softness, practicality of getting your melons out! You’ll spend plenty of time in them in the early days. I bought a full length beach bandaeu dress from Primarni which I found invaluable especially as our little lady was born on one of the hottest days of the years.
SLEEPYHEAD – Our little lady loves hers & still does. Really mobile so you can easily move it around the house for her to sleep, play in and feel snug in at night. She’s still sleeping in it at 6 months but I know some grow out of the baby size by this time. According to friends the Sleepyheads also fit into Next To Me cribs – something I wish I’d got as she grew out of her moses at 4 months but was too small for her cot.
BREASTPUMP – DO NOT buy before the baby arrives. Like breastfeeding, not every woman gets on with expressing. See how you go in the early days – whether you want to or can breast or bottle feed and take it from there. And if you want to express find your way of doing – back to number 2 : use your INSTINCT
EXPECTATIONS – throw all parenting expectations out of the window. Live day by day, trying not to put any pressure on yourself of what your baby or you as a mum / parent should be doing (way easier said than done, especially because I’m outside of the 4th trimester now). Which leads me to……
CELEBRATE THE WINS – to stimulate positive vibes. No matter how big or small – It could be getting your little one to latch on for the first time, getting them to take a bottle, getting out the house without you or the baby crying, having a shower or not exposing your breast to the postman on 2 consecutive days!
PHONE CHARGERS – Like the water & snacks, dot them around the house. Power for your phone / pad which prove to be essential lifelines when once again you are trapped under a sleeping baby. Ikea do great 3 way USB plugs for multi tech plug ins and Tiger do some really fun colourful cables if you feel the need to jazz up your tech accessories
NETFLIX – needs no explanation
WONDER WEEKS APP – the most useful and spot on baby develop app me and my friends found
FEEDING CUSHION – a great support however you feed your baby. Your arms get a rest and you’ll find many an afternoon with the baby asleep on it after a feed while you catch 40 winks or delve into Netflix.
GIVE YOURSELF A HIGH FIVE – you grew and gave birth to a small human!