Congratulations! You just welcomed a newborn into your life and expanded and enriched your family! But honest talk, you are probably exhausted and still in pain too.
Whether you gave birth naturally or by C-section, you are understandably still very much overwhelmed by what is happening. It’s normal to feel this way, whether this is your first baby or even the second or third, every birth is unique.
Your life has been drastically transformed in ways that no one can really comprehend unless they are experiencing it themselves.
Now that you’ve brought your baby home, it is time to plan and adapt to what will happen next and one very necessary thing is to have your own time and get some much-needed rest; so why not use some newborn hacks to achieve this? Take advantage of them, and care for your newborn and yourself.
🚼 Let’s see how you can take off some of the stress of parenting:
1. Use Hospital Pacifiers for Medicine
Hospital pacifiers have a hollow opening and are absolutely perfect to use if you have to administer medicine to your baby.
Using a syringe alone will be challenging as your newborn will likely squirm when seeing it. These are the markers of an unpleasant experience for your baby and yourself. So it’s good to know that there are alternative ways of doing this.
All you need to do is squirt the medicine through the hollow pacifier. Your baby will end up receiving the correct dosage of medicine without making a fuss or panicking at the sight of a needle.
You can also purchase these pacifiers if you did not end up bringing one back with you.
Suggested Read: You might also be interested in checking out some great pacifiers, ones made specifically for babies that are breastfed.
2. Rub Your Baby’s Bottom with Coconut or Almond Oil
The baby’s first stool is called meconium. It is made up of waste material that was collected in your baby’s system over the last 9 months. Meconium is very sticky and can be difficult to remove.
So you must find the right type of apparatus to use while cleaning your baby’s bottom. Newborn wipes alone may not do the trick.
You will want to make sure that your baby’s bum is all nice and clean from it, so pair the wipes with oil. Applying coconut or almond oil while cleaning your baby’s bottom will wipe off the sticky meconium!
3. Use Onesies
You will probably anticipate that your older baby will end up having an explosive bowel movement. It is referred to as the diaper blowout.
It does not matter whether your baby is breast or formula-fed. Blowouts will happen no matter what.
That being said, one way of dealing with this is to dress your newborn in a onesie. This can help contain the blowout as much as possible, even if you won’t like the result.
4. Diaper Interchange Scheme
As you are changing your newborn, be sure to place the new diaper underneath the old one. Make sure to cover the baby’s entire bottom with the new diaper too.
This way, you won’t end up being the target of a tinkling fountain. Covering the baby’s entire bum will also help the diaper stay in place.
Having the diaper ready and at hand will make the whole changing process that much easier. You won’t have to leave the baby waiting while you frantically search for it.
Also, using the interchanging scheme will reduce the chances of the diaper dropping on the floor.
Suggested Read: You could also try using a cloth diaper to cut down on the waste or an overnight diaper for extra protection even during the day.
5. Bicycle Exercises Are a Friend
A gassy baby is an uncomfortable baby, which will likely make him or her fussier as well. Unfortunately, your child will be inhaling air while being fed whether you are breastfeeding or using formula feed.
That means your baby will get cramps and gassy, in addition to spitting up and crying. So if your baby is uncomfortable, lay him or her on the back on their back on a soft and comfortable surface.
Then, take their legs and gently rotate them as if they are riding a bike. This bicycle exercise will help bring your little one the relief he or she so desperately needs.
6. Get a Velcro Sleeper
It is dangerous to leave a blanket in the crib of a newborn or even an older baby. You might also be aware of how much of a struggle properly swaddling your baby can be.
To remove the stress from swaddling as well as the worries whether your baby is cold or not, then you should invest in a Velcro sleeper.
A sleeper that has a zipper is just as good. Your baby will be properly swaddled and kept warm.
All Ready to Enjoy Your Baby’s First Months? 🚼
These newborn hacks are hopefully making your first few weeks and months of parenting that much easier. As your baby grows, some things will get easier, but you will also have to face other challenges. But worry not, as there are facts and tips and tricks to get you through those too.
👶👶🏼👶🏾Dear parents, what other newborn hacks can you think of and have helped ease your first months of parenting? 👶🏻👶🏽👶🏿
Editor’s note: This post was first uploaded in December 2018 and has received multiple updates, including the most recent one in May 2019.
Miriam Slozberg is a blogger, astrologer and freelance writer. Canadian mom of three, she writes about pregnancy and parenting, mental health, relationships and spirituality. Miriam is an advocator for mental health. She aims to help break the stigma that surrounds it.