New Mom Basics with Sparkling Footsteps

Next up in the “Maternity Leave” guest post series, the most helpful post from Lynzy with all of the new mom essentials …

My name is Lynzy and I am the blogger behind the life & style blog, Sparkling Footsteps. Lexi, who I was blessed enough to meet last year when I was pregnant with my baby girl, asked me to come over and share a post while she is enjoying her new life as a mama. I couldn’t think of a better topic to talk about besides getting through the first two weeks with a newborn.

Everyone says that the first 1-2 weeks with your newborn are the hardest, and I have to say that they were spot on. I mean, I like my sleep and to lose it so quickly, in an instant, was heartbreaking. HA! Okay, I’m just playing. A baby is like 3,198,201 x better than sleep. Trust me on this.

There were a few things that really helped me in the first two weeks with Olivia and I swear by them and thought I would share them with ya’ll.

1. Olivia slept in the Mamaroo
for the first 9 weeks or so. I had to do what worked and this was it. She had colic for the first three months and would cry from about 3 pm – 11 pm every night and this was the ONLY thing that would soothe her to sleep.

2. The best bath tub (and it easily folds up when not in use) is the Stokke Infant Tub. It also has an insert for infants so be sure to grab that if you buy it!

3. Gilligan O’ Malley nursing bras are the best ones out there. Don’t go looking for anything fancy or expensive. I got two, a nude & a black and I have been wearing them both for 8 months. They are still in perfect working condition (besides the fact that my hubs dyed the nude one bright pink in the laundry).

4. The Brest Friend
really was my Best Friend. If you are nursing, god bless your heart. It was the hardest thing I ever started doing but I am so, so glad that I continued (and if you don’t — no sweat girlfriend, it doesn’t matter either way). I tried a few different nursing pillows, but this one was my favorite and it made nursing much easier for us.

5. The only thing Olivia slept in from birth until 3 months was the HALO sleepsack. I am obsessed with those things. They made her feel secure and cozy. Our night time routine was a bath (which calmed her) and then a baby massage followed by the sleep sack.

6. Cloth Diapers. No, I am not suggesting you use them for this exact purpose (although you totally can…) I use them for everything. Spit-up cleanup, burp clothes, literally anything and everything. I put two in my diaper bag every time we leave the house!

7. The best way to soothe my babe was to carry her around. I absolutely loved the Moby Wrap
when she was very young and I now use the sakura bloom sling (she is 8 months). When she would start crying at night I would place her in here and she would sleep within 15-20 minutes.

8. Oh, and white noise. White noise is your best friend. Well, your second best friend next to the Brest Friend. Olivia has slept listening to rain since she was born and I believe it helps her to stay asleep (this is key for babies, learning to stay asleep). We use this white noise machine here. We also travel with this one here.

9. I lived in button up pajamas for months. Seriously… I would take a shower and put on my button up pajamas, because who the heck wants to take off two or three layers just to be able to feed their baby who needs to eat every 2-3 hours?! I love all the pajamas from here – a bit pricey, but a great gift form a friend for your baby shower! It’s important for you to feel good and these will do just that!

10. Soothies Gel Pads are a gift from heaven. No, but seriously. These things feel amazing after nursing and I was so glad I had these in the early weeks!

11. Visitors. Each visitor should come bearing food. You are going to be one hungry mama and you forget to eat once you pop that baby out, trust me. Once visitors come, if they ask if you need anything, say YES. Always take up these offers. Ask them to pick up, vacuum, clean dishes, whatever it is that will make you feel better. I always felt bad telling visitors to do anything, so when they would ask me if I needed them to do anything, I would be all like “Na, I got this” and then I would cry when they left. Do not make my same mistakes people.

12. FYI. There will be MANY soiled diapers in the first few weeks. I swear that my babe went every 1-2 hours. Oh, and babies go to the bathroom as soon as you take that diaper off, so be ready and don’t say I didn’t warn you.

13.  If you are in a desperate situation. I.E. Baby has been crying for three hours straight and you are ripping your hair straight out. Place your baby in a swing in the bathroom with the shower running (and you get in it to calm your anxiety) with the fan on (if you have a bathroom fan). Olivia LOVED this, and trust me, she was hard to please.

14. Sh Shhhing works. If you SHHHH loudly in the babies ear when they are crying, they will calm down, but you need to be louder than them so that they can hear you.

15. Don’t be afraid to have your hubby do it. In the beginning I was afraid to “skip” even one feeding in fear that Olivia would miss out on something. Make sure you get the sleep you need and have you hubby do a feeding now and again. If you are nursing, just pump an extra bottle or use formula. Whatever it is…..do it. A tired mama is not the best mama, you need your sleep too.

16. No matter what just remember this: You are doing a great job. Everyone does things differently, and you do not need to take the advice of anyone or everyone. Do what you feel is best and it will be best for your baby, no matter what that might be. Enjoy this crazy journey, I promise it is one of the best ones you’ll experience.

xx Lynzy