Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide
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Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide

This post is sponsored by Pampers Pure at Walmart. All opinions are my own.

 

You know what's funny? I am not a mom guru haha. Just like you, I literally have no idea what I am doing half the time when it comes to mom-hood. But I get A TON of questions on my insta DM's about what we do or what works for us when it comes to Luna. Like what swaddle we used, or how we transitioned her to her crib or how we introduced a bottle or a lovie or pacifier or... pretty much everything haha. And it is AWESOME! I LOVE that you guys come to me for these sorts of things. Because, I LOVE talking all things MOM.

But, like I said, I am not a guru. I am just a first-time mom who is going through all of this with all of you by my side. So I reached out to you all on Instagram a few weeks ago to ask your best tips on "how to survive being a new mom." And today, I am really excited to share all of your combined answers in this collaborative post with all of you!

Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide
Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide
Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide

A lot of your answers were really similar so I combed through them and combined here and there to come up with this list. And seriously, you guys astound me. The love and support other moms provide each other is SO COOL! I just love that we are all in this together. So without further adieu, here are your top tips on how to survive mom-hood.

New Mom Survival Guide

Be a team with Daddy

Whether you're a stay-at-home mom, Dad is a stay-at-home dad or you both work... parenthood is a team effort. So don't be afraid to assign one another different jobs.

Since I am home all day chasing Luna around while Daddy goes to work, we try to collaborate on things as much as we can when we are all together so neither of our energy tanks are on empty by 7pm. For instance, Luna and I will run to the grocery store for dinner supplies in the afternoons so that when Ben gets home from work he can get started on dinner right away while I give Luna her last nursing session of the day. Then, after a bit of play time and dinner for Luna, it's Daddy's turn to take over for her bedtime routine and give her a bottle while Mommy takes over in the kitchen if needed, or gets started on work (this blog haha). It's a team effort and does wonders for our sanity.

As I am sure all the single mama's can attest to, being hands-on twenty-four hours a day is exhausting. So if you have someone there who can help... use them. Share the work load.

Find Your Mom Tribe

Being a mom is hard. And being a mom can feel lonely sometimes. I literally ask myself on the daily if I am doing this or that right. Having mom friends in general can help keep you afloat down the sometimes turbulent waters of motherhood. Sort of like your life jacket haha.

While you won't necessarily click with every mom you meet... that's ok. The key is just putting yourself out there and connecting so you can be there for each other and go to one another for advice when you need it. Because, we are all in this together.

And what's even better than mom friends? Mom friends with kids your baby's age (or even a little older). That way, they are going through this thing called motherhood right there with you and you can relate to each other (or get relatable advice from someone who has recently been through it).

I found a lot of my mom friends through Arizona's local hero, Modern Milk. When Luna was a few weeks old I enrolled in their "happy mom school," which pairs you with moms who have babies born in or around the same month as your own while showing you the ropes of mom-hood. If you're a local to Arizona, I highly recommend checking them out. It's where I met some of my best mom friends.

If that's not an option, enroll in some mommy and me classes (Luna loves her swim classes and singing classes), make some mom friends at church or don't be afraid to introduce yourself to another mom at daycare, while out to lunch or grabbing coffee.

You can also find and follow along with your favorite mom bloggers out there (uhhum, hi). Like I said, we are all in this together and I love chatting with you guys and swapping advice. Even though we might not have met in person, I am still your mom friend. Promise.

Hire a Good Cleaner

I know, I know... you might be thinking, really?! YES, really! Oh my gosh, after we had Luna I bumped our cleaning gals from once a month to two times a month and it has been amazing for my sanity. A clean and organized house leads to a clean and organized brain. I feel less frazzled to be honest, and there is generally just less mess for mama to clean up. It makes my house feel more manageable and I don't have to stress about wiping down the cooktop.

Whatever allows me more 'me' time or quality time with Luna, I will take it!

 

Order Your Groceries and Mom Supplies Online

Before I had Luna I never really thought to order my groceries online. When Luna was first born I even remember stressing about how to do basic things like quickly running inside the grocery store for this or that because, there is no "quickly" when you have to pull out the stroller or baby carrier or lug your heavy car-seat around the store.

You guys suggested Walmart's online grocery pickup and it has been a game changer for us. Now I CAN quickly grab our groceries and go-to baby necessities without even leaving my car. I love that I can just chill with Luna while everything is brought straight out to our car. And that way, I don't have to stress about trying to squeeze a giant box of diapers or wipes underneath the stroller along with everything else. Who else has been there? Can I get an AMEN?!

And trust me, there are days when even getting in the car is too much for me to handle haha... so ordering on Walmart.com is a life saver. I can order my favorite go-to mom supplies online and have them all delivered for free within two days!* It's so easy and I don't even have to leave my house.

Use Reliable Products that Take Out the Guess Work

Speaking of mom-supplies... I think it is important to identify products that work, but that also take the guesswork out of the materials used. We're busy enough without having to worry about that and want products we can trust.

We personally love using Pampers Pure Protection diapers and Aqua Pure wipes and end up ordering both in bulk from Walmart's online grocery pickup when we need more. I am sure you guys have seen me talk about them before... they are our favorite. You don't have to compromise between materials and performance. The Pampers Pure Protection diapers are made without chlorine bleaching, fragrance, paragons, latex (natural rubber) and the 26 allergens identified by the European Union. The Pampers Pure Collection was crafted to include plant-derived, dermatologically tested and other thoughtfully selected materials and are hypoallergenic and gentle for your baby's delicate skin. Not to mention they have super cute prints. Another win for mom! And to be honest, we haven't even had a diaper blow out since switching to them. WOOHOO!
*Free shipping on orders of at least $35 of eligible products.

Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide
Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide
Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide
Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide
Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide
Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide

Learn about Newborn and Baby Sleep

Who knew there was a science behind newborn and baby sleep?! I sure didn't haha. After bringing Luna home from the hospital and running on literal fumes, I HAD to figure out a way to get some sleep. Sleep deprivation causes our brains to basically feel fried and no mom can successfully take care of a child and parent like that.

Not to mention, our babies brain develops while they sleep and allows them to grow and consolidate memories. So I decided to take the Taking Cara Babies newborn sleep course and it was so so so so soooooooo helpful. Oh my gosh, I honestly can't recommend it enough because, sleep is invaluable to both you and baby. I actually previously posted about it here, and got soooo many DM's from you guys about it as well. So don't just take my word for it and learn how to give your baby (and yourself) some sleep.

Keep a Schedule

I've talked about this before, but keeping a schedule doesn't just help to keep me on track, it also helps me decipher Luna's wants and needs since she can't just flat out say, 'hey mom, I am tired,' haha. So if she starts crying, I can go through my mental checklist or look at my favorite feed-timer/sleep-timer app and know what she needs instead of guessing. I am in my head like, 'Ok, it's 12:15pm and it's not quite yet time for her second nap, she must be poopy.' And boom! I was right.

Keeping a schedule keeps my life (and Luna's) predictable and manageable. I like the baby feed timer app that I mentioned above because I can track when she's due for a feeding or time the length of her naps (and see when she woke) so I know when it's time for her next one. Side note: if you are looking for baby schedules, you can check Luna's out here.

Forgive Yourself and Understand that Babies will be Babies

You are going to have those days. We've all been there right?! Those days when you set your baby down for .2 seconds and they go straight into full-blown meltdown mode. There's a reason for that. They are learning about distance. You just have to forgive yourself while you put the groceries away as she cries at your feet and remind yourself that YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.

But when I need a little reminder that "this too shall pass," I have loved using The Wonder Weeks as another guide to deciphering Luna's behavior and needs. Backed by science, it calculates when your baby is going to make a 'leap forward in cognitive development' and thus, when parents can expect their baby to be especially fussy, clingy or cranky. On days where I am just struggling and Luna is a mess, I can look at my app and it reminds me that, 'Oh yeah, Luna is just in her fifth leap at the moment and it's ok. It's just her brains way of making room for new skills.'

This app just helps to keep my sanity in check and remind me that babies act this way for a reason.

 

Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide
Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide
Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide
Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide

Wake Up and Smell The...

Wouldn't it be nice if I said 'coffee' here? Most likely though, it's baby poop haha. Just kidding, you were right, this one is about, you guessed it: coffee.

Coffee (and wine) were the most popularly suggested tips from you guys, haha! And for good reason: it takes a strong woman (and a strong cup of coffee) to do what we do on the daily.

But when Luna was first born I was nervous to drink my coffee, to be honest. I thought it might make her wired or give her diarrhea. But I drank a small cup of coffee throughout my second and third trimesters with her and was missing it dearly. And with the lack of sleep the newborn stage provides, you've got to do what's best for you. So if you are one of those 'but first, coffee' subscribers, then by all means, have at it (in moderation, of course).

Don't forget to take care of YOU

And on that note, this one was also a very popular tip among you guys: to remember to take the time for some 'me-time.' When you become a mom, your 'me-time' is hard to find. Between feedings and play time and meal times and bath time, there's very little left for mom time. But on days when I get to squeeze in a little me time, I find I am a better mom. There is a reason why airlines suggest mothers put on their oxygen masks before attending to their children: because you can't help your babies if you can't breathe haha. But it's so true. If I am over-tired and physically exhausted, I can't pour my heart and soul into my daughter. So doing something for myself every day, even if it's as small as taking a nice long shower while she naps, I feel so much better and ready to give her my all.

So, I love this tip. It's important to carve out some time for yourself whenever you can get it. If your husband offers to get you a massage on the weekend, take it. If you have a sitter and are running early, stop by the nail salon and get a quick manicure. If your baby only takes one nap that day instead of two, put her down early and take a bubble bath. The little things truly can add up and fill your me-time tank.

Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide
Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide
Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide
Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide

What did you guys think of this list? If you have more to add, please leave them in the comments below because I would LOVE to hear more. 

I hope you guys found this post fun and helpful. Thanks for taking the time to read.

Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide
Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide
Dash of Darling | New Mom Survival Guide
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