Newborn Baby Tips for First Time Moms
Newborn Baby Tips: Newborn babies are amazing and…exhausting! Here are some baby tips to help new moms survive their first year!
I just had my fourth baby a few months ago. There are so many newborn baby tips that I’ve learned over the years that I wish I knew with my first baby! It would’ve saved me money and some headaches!
Here are the best newborn baby tips I’ve used to help out some of you first-time parents! These newborn baby hacks are life-savers and perfect for new moms to use every day!
These baby tips will help you survive your fourth trimester and beyond!
Newborn Baby Tips #1
Babies are cold so make sure you swaddle them!
Okay, I’m not even joking here.
I’ve had a baby mid-summer when it was super hot and I had a baby in the dead of winter and both were cold!
Think about when you’re in the hospital and they put a hat on your newborn and swaddle them? They do it because your baby is so used to being inside your warm and toasty body for 9 months! Then, the poor babies are thrown out into the cold world!
Of course, they are going to cry! 
Trust me when I say, get a swaddle blanket and swaddle your baby every night for the first few months. They will sleep better and stay warm. Even in the summer months when it’s hot outside, we have AC on the inside, but it’s still cool to their little bodies. A swaddle blanket with velcro is a godsend and quick and easy to put on!
You may be a great swaddle, then, by all means, use a regular baby blanket to swaddle. But, if you’re like me and not so great at the swaddling thing, get a bunch of these already made swaddle blankets!
Baby Tip #2
Get them to bed early!
When I had my first baby, I had no idea this mattered all that much.
And to be honest, when you only have one kid, they tend to go by your schedule.
Once you have two kids, everything changes! You need a routine with 2 children! Even if you only have one child, make sure you focus on a routine so they are happy and sleep well. If they sleep well, then you also get some peace yourself!
Newborn babies sleep a lot but what I noticed once I had my 2nd (same goes for my third and fourth!) is that they all wanted a bath and to be in bed or at least cuddle with me in a dark cozy room by 6:30-7 PM!
Yes, this will seem so crazy early to some new parents but trust me, the earlier you put them down, the happier they will be and the same goes for you!
Mom needs a break too!
If you don’t believe me, yet you have a fussy baby around 6-7 PM, then try it! Put them to bed early and see what happens! It may be the best thing you ever did!
Related Article: Bathing New Born Baby
Bedwetting In Children: Causes And Home Remedies
Baby Tip #3
Get a shusher!
Say what?
Yes, get a sound machine! Especially if you have other children in the house or it’s not a very quiet house! When it’s bedtime, put on that sound machine and your baby will love it!
A sound machine will remind them of being back in the womb and will calm them and help them fall asleep! It also helps tremendously with colic issues in the beginning!!
Newborn Baby Tips #4
Have a routine!
Now, again, if this is your first baby, this new lifestyle may be a big adjustment! However, start a routine and you’ll see how much happier your baby will be!
We always bathed our babies by 6:30 and it was so cute to see them get excited for bath time! They enjoy this time of night and it helps calm them down and ready for bed.
Babies like routines and it helps them prepare for what’s next to come! You’ll see how much happier they are and it will also help you as a parent! Writing down what time your baby naps will help you plan outings so your baby isn’t miserable!
A few things I love to add to my baby’s bath to help them sleep better are Epsom salt and lavender bubble bath. I also love diffusing some sleepy essential oil or lavender oil in their room to help them sleep better.
Newborn Baby Tips #5
Get a baby carrier!
I know a lot of moms that don’t like baby carriers or just couldn’t find the right one that fits them comfortably.
Trust me here, if you have a breastfed baby that seems to only be happy when they are close to their mama, then a baby carrier is a must-have item!
This tip is especially important for those moms with more than one child!
I was able to go shopping, run errands, and do playdates with my other kids while my baby was happily strapped on me in a baby carrier. Soooo much easier than a car seat or pushing a stroller around! Not to mention, some newborns are just happier held! They just miss their mama and there are times when we have things to get done and we just can’t hold them!
This is where a baby carrier is a lifesaver!
I’ve tried a bunch of baby carriers but the Ergo has been by far my favorite! The best part is, you can use it up to 3 years old if you need to and wear them on your back!
Baby Tip #6
Get a lot of zipper PJs!
Remember how I said newborns don’t like to be cold?
Well, trust me when I tell you NOT to get any outfits with buttons, especially PJs for the first couple of months!
After you bathe your baby and get them ready for bed, most of them wiggle and move around like crazy when you try and get them dressed. Do yourself a favor and only get PJs that have zippers!
It will make life easier for both you and your baby!
Yes, you will probably get a bunch of adorable button-down outfits that will be a pain to put on your baby but look so cute! Save those for special occasions and be sure to stock up on plenty of PJs with zippers! You will use them daily, especially for those winter babies!
Baby Tip #7
Buy a bunch of footed pants
Another tip is to stay away from any newborn socks if you can! Most socks are too big for newborn feet and fall off anyway and become a hassle! 
Finding adorable outfits with footed pants is a must-have item, especially in the cooler months!
Keeping babies in their footed PJs every day is wonderful but not always an option if you have somewhere to go and want them to look cute. And let’s be honest, putting a newborn in socks and shoes looks adorable but isn’t practical daily. They kick the shoes off and if this is your second or third baby, you know it’s something you don’t have time for!
Baby Tip #8-
Get breastfeeding help early on!
This maybe should be the first tip but not all moms choose to breastfeed their baby. If you do plan on breastfeeding, take this course here while you’re pregnant! This will help you prepare for breastfeeding ahead of time so you know what to expect!
Related Article: Breastfeeding – Benefits for Both Mom and Baby
Baby Tip #9 –
Get a co-sleeper or pack-n-play sleeper next to your bed!
Trust me, you’ll want your baby in your room with you the first few months until you are ready to move him or her if you decide not to co-sleep.
Co-sleeping is not for everyone, however, in the first few months you’ll be waking up a lot with your baby, and having them right next to you will be so much easier than in another room!
Not to mention, if you’re anything like me, you’ll probably sleep better yourself knowing they are ok and can easily check on them when you need to.
If you had a c-section delivery, lifting your baby will be difficult for the first week or two. Having a co-sleeper makes this adjustment much easier! Even if you had a vaginal delivery, co-sleepers are a blessing!
Newborn Baby Tips #10-
Buy yourself a small heating pad!
Here I go talking about babies not liking the cold again! It’s so true though!
You may have trouble getting your baby to nap alone after you’ve held them or nursed them to sleep for a while. Newborns love the comfort and warmth of their mothers so once we move them to their crib or bassinet, they sometimes wake up!
This happens often because their bassinet or crib is much colder than being held close to mom or dad!
So, how can you fix his?
Get yourself a small heating pad like this one! Place the heating pad in the bassinet or crib that you want to lay your baby down into sleep. Once you are ready to lay them there, remove the heating pad, and then lay them down.
This helps their nap area feel cozy and warm and they won’t wake up abruptly because it’s such a cold difference from your arms! This trick works so well!
Heating pads work great for so many things and you’ll probably get a ton of use out of it for those pregnancy and postpartum days for yourself anyway!
Baby Tip #11-
If you have a two-story house or condo, put a changing station downstairs!
If you have a larger size home or even a condo with two stories, put a changing station somewhere on the lower level of your home. Trust me, you’ll be changing that baby’s diaper A LOT!
If you don’t have an extra pack-n-play changing pad to change your baby in, even using a portable changing mat is a godsend! It will save you time from running up and down the steps when your baby’s diaper is just wet and you don’t need all the space upstairs.
Related Article: Diaper Rash, Baby Diapers
Baby Tip #12
Treat those poop stains fast!
Those messy blowouts can be tough to get out of your baby’s clothes! I have found over the years the best way to treat these yucky poop stains and save those cute outfits!
If the outfits are white, buy this OxiClean stick and keep it in your diaper changing or laundry area. This gel works wonders on white clothes! It also works great on colors BUT you have to wash it immediately on colors, otherwise, it can fade or bleach out your colored clothes so you need to be careful!
For those colored onesies that you can’t wash immediately, you have two options. You can use this spray and wash by OxiClean which works awesome! You can spray this and wash your clothes up to a week later and it treats it so the stain comes out! This works similar to the gel stick but won’t fade your clothes like the powerful gel stick up there! Trust me…. I’ve learned from experience here!
Or a third option is to make your own natural laundry treatment spray! I’ve used vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap which works great or you can check out Wellness Mama has a great all-natural laundry spray recipe you can check out here!
If I’m out and about, I carry these amazing Wash It Later Emergency Soak Bags! Just throw a few in your car or diaper bag and when your baby has a crazy blowout and you don’t have any laundry stain remover on hand, these bags will soak your clothes in all-natural laundry detergent! All you have to do is add some water and seal it!
That’s it! And you just saved yourself another outfit! You can wash it later when you get home! These make an awesome baby shower gift too!
Newborn Baby Tips #13
Keep an emergency bag in your car at all times!
Always have a few extra diapers, changing mat, nursing cover, one or two extra onesies or outfits, baby Motrin, baby wipes, pacifier, teething rings, bottles, or sippy cups in your car at all times!
You never know when you might be out of something and need it! I even keep a small manual breast pump in my car for emergencies in case I’m traveling somewhere and can’t feed my baby on time.
It’s also a great idea to keep a few extra plastic grocery bags both in your diaper bag and in your car in case your baby has a diaper blow-out! I’ve had this happen one too many times and having a small plastic disposable bag there was a lifesaver for cleaning up the mess!
If you are on the go a lot with your baby, then keeping a nursing pillow in your car along with a nursing cover is also a must-have! If this is your first baby, you may not be in the car as much but I know with my 3rd and 4th baby, I was always nursing them in the car! We were always on the go picking up my other kids from school or sports!
If you’re a busy mom that doesn’t have time to stop, then be sure to keep a nursing pillow in your car with your other baby emergencies! You’ll thank me later!
Baby Tip # 14
Get a diaper subscription from Amazon!
Amazon is a lifesaver for a new mom! I honestly don’t know how I survived without it with my first baby! Get a diaper subscription to save you money and time running out to the store!
Newborn Baby Tips #15-
Colic is real and it will probably happen, so be prepared!
What I will tell you is those witching hours can be tough! I’ve gone through this with all 4 of my babies! Some dealt with it better than others!
Depending on if you breastfeed or bottle-feed your baby can affect your baby’s belly. There are a few things I recommend but without reading my entire colic post, get yourself some gripe water!
Gripe water is your friend! Gripe water is all-natural and helped relieve gas pains quickly! This stuff is great to keep on hand!
Newborn Baby Tips #16-
Ask for help and sleep when you can!
I didn’t do a lot of this and I probably should’ve done both!
I was lucky to have my husband help me this last time around with our fourth baby but I wasn’t so lucky after I had our other 3. He had to return to work the day I came home from the hospital. Life was hard…especially after we brought home our 3rd baby girl.
I didn’t have family close by and it was a lot to deal with but I survived.
Ask for help if people offer it to you. I think the best help someone could’ve given me was to take out my toddlers for a few hours and keep them busy! Or even just coming over and holding my baby so I could jump in the shower!
Some of my best friends brought me dinner this time around and it was truly a blessing to not worry about cooking for our family at that time!
Newborn Baby Tips #17-
Give your breastfed baby a bottle early on if you plan to go back to work!
If you are breastfeeding your baby but plan to go back to work in a few weeks, be sure to start them on a bottle as soon as you can!
Do not make the mistake of trying out a bottle last minute like I did with my daughter and then have them refuse it! It is NOT fun!
Once your newborn is established at breastfeeding after about 3 weeks, try to give them a bottle. Pump as much as you can or use a Haakaa to save up your extra milk! If this is your first baby, you may not have a lot of extra milk, so pump whatever you can or try these lactation supplements to help boost your milk supply.
Read: Cupping Milk
Newborn Baby Tips #18
Get a big jar of coconut oil!
Coconut oil can be used for so many things and you will need it over and over again for your baby’s first year!
I’ve used coconut oil to remove cradle cap on my baby’s head, soothe diaper rash, treat insect bites, help soothe and calm baby eczema, treat baby yeast infections, help remove meconium off of their sensitive skin when it gets stuck, and even clear up any baby thrush!
Coconut oil is amazing! I even use it to wash and moisturize my face! The best part is it’s all-natural so you know it won’t hurt your baby!
And that’s it!
I hope these newborn baby tips helped a lot of first-time parents out there! Being a parent is a huge blessing! It’s so true when they say the days are long but the years are so short! Enjoy every second of it!
Then, introduce your baby to a bottle! Have dad or a relative give baby the bottle for at least one feeding a day up until you go back to work! This way, you won’t have to deal with your baby refusing the bottle! Trust me, it’s no picnic!
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