Rookie Mama

Time for Stasha's Monday Listicles again. Better late than never, right? This week's list: 10 Tips for New Moms. While I still consider myself a "rookie" (good website, by the way), there are a few things I have learned along the way:

1. Cloth diapers make the best burp cloths. And you will need lots of those.
2. You can never have too many bibs or onesies, either.
3. Buy several sheet sets. Diapers leak at night, even if you get the nighttime ones (though, they help).
4. Invest in a baby sling. There will be times when they don't want to be put down, and you need to get things done. It can be kinda cozy, too (my son's like a mini furnace).
5. Subscribe to some weekly parenting newsletters online. My hospital has one that it sends out once a week, and I've used a few other websites (babycenter.com is a good one). There's usually a highlighted tip and some other articles, and I have gotten some good advice this way. Books and magazines are great, too, but I found them too overwhelming. Information overload!
6. If you can afford it and don't have one, get a smartphone. I didn't have one at the time, and trying to use my laptop was not easy with one hand. Just prepare your friends and family for several photos of the sleeping baby in their Facebook stream.
7. Invest in a Magic Bullet (or similar) when your child is ready to eat solids. Homemade baby food made easy! It also comes in handy when they're older and picky and only eat two foods, and you want to mix/sneak in some veggies into the food that they do eat. Yogurt and pumpkin? Yum! Pea & spinach mashed potatoes? Popeye would be proud.
8. Baby swings come in very handy if your child doesn't fall asleep easily at naptime (mine still doesn't).
9. As cute as all the clothes sets are, my son lived in one-piece PJs for the first few months of his life. So easy, comfy, and warm (he was a winter baby, so this was especially important).
10. Keep your routine simple, and don't sweat it if you can't get everything done in one day. Life with a new baby gets overwhelming. Just enjoy his/her company and remember to cherish every moment you spend with each other. Dishes and laundry will always be there, but this time will fly by!