Embarking on motherhood has challenged me in ways I never expected, yet has brought me a level of love, joy, strength and pride I’ve never experienced before. More on all I’ve learned to come, but this post is dedicated to new parents near and far, to empower you with the shortcuts I’ve found immensely helpful as we’ve navigated this wild (and precious!) time…

Organization

Organization is literally everything. Having two hands to myself feels like a distant pastime - I’m lucky if I have one free for any extended period of time! Knowing where things are when they’re needed cuts down on time spent fumbling around which in turn speeds up how quickly you can calm your baby. Fewer cries = happier household.

Specifically, organization with respect to the following:

• Postpartum care: I found it incredibly helpful to have all of my (beloved/I’m obsessed) FridaMom products in one place, stored neatly in the bathroom for ease and convenience. Every minute counts in those early days and this turned out to be a huge time saver.

• Diaper Changes: This is almost a no-brainer but essential to recommend… Knowing where diapers, wipes, ointment, gas drops, the trash bin and other necessities are at any time of day, at any level of sleep deprivation, is critical for maintaining sanity. (If your place has stairs, consider having a smaller basket/caddy with a second set of essentials on the other level… same goes for postpartum care products.)

• Baby Clothes: Coming home from the hospital I thought we were organized, but within the first 3 days I found myself digging through piles of sizing I thought was for newborn but it was actually way too big or too small… I suggest organizing by the size on the label but also taking into account the actual size of the item… huge time saver for finding something that actually fits his/her stage of development.

• Baby Gear: Similar to diaper essentials, knowing where swaddles, heavier blankets, muslin burp cloths, medical necessities, spare pacifiers (a paci clip is helpful), socks, hats and outerwear are at a moments notice is helpful for when you’re trying to get out the door with baby already loaded into their car seat. Also a stroller organizer is gold.

• Baby Bath Gear: Having a designated spot to store a baby bath tub, towels, water bucket, soaps & oils to keep contained and easily taken out and put away is great.

• Kitchen Food Staples & Quick Bites: Nourishment has been critical for maintaining my energy and breastmilk supply. Having food on hand that is satisfying yet quick and easy to make when you’re riding solo has been key. Again, think one-handed prep… I have found the freezer section at Trader Joe’s + our microwave to be a Godsend!

• Electronics Chargers: Having go-to places where you can rely on having the charger for your phone, iPad, laptop, baby monitor, breast pump power cord, etc. is SO HELPFUL! Also knowing where remote controls for TV’s are is great too…

• A hanging clock: sounds so simple, but having a large, quiet, not obnoxious clock on the wall in our main living area has been amazing for distinguishing the time in the blur of newborn life… when a cellphone or other device is out of reach.

Lighting & Ambiance

• A sleeping baby feels like Christmas, you want to make it last as long as possible… Having dimmable lighting for impromptu diaper changes and feedings any time of day, to keep our babe as drowsy as possible if the end goal is to keep him sleeping. A simple lamp dimmer works wonders if you don’t have a dimmer switch for overhead lighting.

• Similarly, keeping his sleeping space dark has been so helpful for facilitating longer stretches of sleep. Blackout curtains are wonderful for maintaining a dark cozy feel, for both baby and napping parents.

• This Hatch sound machine has been a lifesaver - it functions by touch and is controllable via the app, and it allows us to move about our place freely while maintaining a soothing environment (mimicking the womb) for him.

Simplifying Laundry

Holy smokes have we done a ton of laundry since our little guy entered our world… Here are a few major shortcuts I’ve found…

• Overlaying a muslin burp cloth (very tightly) tucked into to the sides of the bassinet helps catch spit up which allows you to change the sheet far less often… (Same goes for a bassinet attachment for a stroller. A soft king size pillow case works for a crib - just make sure it is 100% taut to avoid any fabric bunching beneath their head.)

• The first week we got home I think we laundered the changing pad cover 6x… anyone who has a boy knows this routine well :) This got old very quickly, so I decided to layer a leather mat we received as a gift (here is one similar) which can easily be wiped down, with an additional waterproof layer on top which can easily be laundered/changed out quickly. GAME CHANGER for real.

• Having a separate hamper or laundry bag for just baby clothes has been super helpful. Keeping his tiny pieces separate from ours means quicker loads, faster turnarounds, fewer baby clothes needed (since they grow out of them SO fast!).

• Making baby’s bed layered with a sheet, followed by a waterproof pad and another sheet on top makes middle-of-the-night bedding changes 1000x quicker and easier.

An Extra Set of “Hands”

As I mentioned, having two hands to yourself is an infrequent occurrence (and during a pandemic support has been limited) so having somewhere to put baby down for a bit has been so helpful. That said, I refuse to have our place overrun with baby toys/pieces, so I’ve been deliberate about choosing simple pieces that will last longer than just a few weeks, and aren’t hideous to look at… At times they have felt like I have a part-time nanny… so.very.helpful.

• Boppy Newborn Lounger (great for when you want to take a bath or a shower, just plop ‘em down!)

• MamaRoo Swing

• Baby Bjorn Carrier

• Lovevery Play Gym

• Nuna Leaf Grow Baby Seat

Have any other suggestions?! Email blog@lizgaffneydesign.com, I’d love to include them!

That’s all from me for now, until next time,

LG