In some ways, everything gets easier by the time baby number three arrives. In other ways, baby number three is just as hard as the first. What I have grown in confidence, I still lack in brain power to remember. The mommy brain struggle is real. But I have learned a thing or two that makes those first few weeks manageable, these are my tips to surviving the first month with baby.
This post is sponsored by BlueSmart mia.
Surviving The First Month With Baby
Say Yes To Food
If someone offers to bring you food, say yes. Always say yes. It took until baby number three for me to learn this, and I still struggled. But on the nights a friend brought me a meal, it was the best thing I ever tasted.
The gesture of a home cooked meal was more than just feeding our bellies. It fed my soul and reminded me that I was loved. Here I was doing everything I could to keep this tiny human alive (as well as my other two small people), and someone else cared enough about me to feed me and my crew. Our bellies were full and my heart was happy.
Soak It All In
Babies don’t keep. Days with a sleepy, smooshy baby seem to drag on when you are exhausted, but one morning you will wake up and realize how much your baby has changed. So even when it is hard soak it all in. I know it sounds cliché, but stop, take a breath and try to remember the moment. Even at 2 am. Middle of the night feedings won’t last forever mom (I promise).
Forget about the laundry and the dishes, at least for a moment, and let yourself linger for an extra 10 minutes with your baby. Look at her, breath in her smell and hold on to the feeling. She won’t be tiny forever, so everything else can wait… Let yourself enjoy these moments.
Take The Photo
This goes with the above, but always take the photo. Better yet, make a video. Better still, hand someone else the camera so you can be in the picture/video with your baby! Look, I am not a fan of having my picture taken looking my worse, but sometimes the moments when you aren’t make up are the memories you want to keep.
My top tip for beautiful pictures, turn off the light and flash and place baby near a window. (Also, black and white hides so many flaws! LOL.)
Keep Baby And Baby’s Things Close
All three of my babies have slept in my room for the first few months, and it has been the best decision. Postpartum recovery is no joke, and in those first few weeks I was too weak and in too much pain to be traipsing across the house at 2 am. Not only are they close by for middle of the night feedings, but there is a sense of calm knowing baby is close.
Just as important as keeping baby close, keep baby’s stuff close. Even the third time around, I forgot and I put all of her clean clothes in her room before she was born. By the time she was a week old, I moved everything into our room so I could change her, feed her and put her down all in one room. Thanks to the dear friend who gave me her old changing table so I could have one in my room too. BIG help!
Let Technology Work For You
It has been almost 9 years since my first baby, and baby gear has changed a lot since then. While some old standbys are still the best (like the hand-me-down bouncer that calms my baby!), there are awesome new gadgets like the BlueSmart mia to make mom’s life easier. And if it makes mom’s life easier — embrace it!
Knowing how much to feed your baby is a challenge, especially when you aren’t there. BlueSmart mia helps you stay connected via an app on your phone. When it’s time to feed your baby BlueSmart mia alerts you to how much your baby eats and how long it took for baby to eat. Giving you peace of mind when you can’t be there that your baby is getting everything she needs to thrive.
The BlueSmart mia is a high-tech, WiFi- enabled smart sleeve that tracks and analyzes a baby’s feeding intake. It also helps alleviate anxieties surrounding baby feeding by precisely measuring the amount of milk consumed by little ones and alerting parents and caregivers in real-time.
For even more peace of mind the BlueSmart mia offers suggestions on optimal feeding angles and temperatures and features an expiration alert to inform parents when milk should be discarded. No more trying to remember how old the milk in the refrigerator is! (A regular problem in my house.)
Through the end of February, save $30 on the BlueSmart mia with coupon code NEWMIA30.
Go ahead and embrace technology and give yourself piece of mind with the BlueSmart mia.
And congrats on your first month with baby!
