Tips and Advice for New Moms: The Ultimate Guide

Why don’t they tell you these things? I’ve been pretty shocked to learn how many new moms in my life had to learn what’s normal about their baby and their own bodies AFTER the fact. Being a new mom is stressful enough without adding the stress of wondering if your baby’s poop is supposed to be black as tar for the first two days.

I’ve compiled a master list of tips, tricks, and what’s “normal” from every mom I know and I hope it’s helpful for every new mom and mom to be out there! You are not alone, and you’ve got this!

1. Talk to your baby right away:

Welcome to the world little one! When your baby leaves the safety and comfort of the womb, it can be a traumatic experience for both of you. The BEST thing you can do right away is talk to your baby. They will recognize your voice and this will calm BOTH of you down, and create a beautiful peaceful moment.

Maybe even plan what you want to say to your baby in that moment. “Welcome to the world, you are SO loved.”

2. You can’t pour from an empty cup:

It’s ok to take time to yourself to recharge. No really, you should stay in bed as long as you can! During the newborn stage, your baby is going to sleep a LOT, and you should too. You’re not selfish for needing a break. In fact, it’s better for you and your baby if you’ve gotten all the rest and relaxation you can.

3. Be confident, you are the expert on your baby:

There’s a lot to be said about a mother’s intuition. Trust yourself, because you know what’s best for your baby.

4. Practice your boundries:

Not everyone is going to understand your preferences, and what you are comfortable with. You get to decide what is best for your baby, so practice what you are going to say now. For example: people are going to want to kiss your baby. If you don’t want that, then be prepared for what you want to say in those situations.

5. Ask your Doctor/Hospital for free resources:

Many doctors have resources provided by local communities or hospitals that they can recommend and provide. For example: breastfeeding support, newborn care, etc.)

6. Take videos:

In the age of technology, you are going to inevitably have TONS of pictures. Don’t forget to take videos too! These are going to capture so much more of those tiny moments than just a photograph alone. And my guess is that when your baby is older, they are going to love watching videos of themselves as a baby. Or maybe that’s just me?

7. Get free newborn diaper samples:

It’s likely your baby will only be in newborn diapers for a short time. Save yourself the expense, as there are several resources you can utilize to get free diaper samples (as well as other baby items like formula).

Many diaper companies offer free samples of their products or coupons to entice you to buy their diapers. You can check their website, call or email companies to request free samples. This is a great way to try new products, and get you through the newborn stage.

Your pediatrician and hospital are also great resources to get free diapers and formula samples. Often they’ll have a ton of samples on hand, just ask at your next appointment.

8. Don’t JUST register for online stuff:

If you are having a baby shower, and putting together a registry, have options for people to buy you in-store as well. Of course most people will likely order your gift online, with how easy it is these. But, with shipping delays or last minute plans, it’s nice for people to be able to pop in and out of a retail store to get a special gift for you and your baby.

9. No sunscreen for 6mo:

It is widely recommended across the board not to put sunscreen on your baby until they are at least 6 months old. One really great solution for this is to get a UPF Blanket. This blanket has built in sun protection, so you can place it over their body or legs and still go for a stroll around the block.

***This is highly important if your baby is under 6 months old. When using a blanket outdoors, especially on a hot day be VERY mindful of air temp. “Cold babies cry, hot babies die.” Especially if you have your baby in a car seat stroller attachment. If you are sweating, it’s probably too hot for your baby.

10. Baby acne is a thing:

The first few weeks of your baby’s life, they will most likely be covered in pimples all over their face. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do about it, and you just need to wait for it to go away.

11. You're not going to have a schedule in the beginning:

You might be hoping to get a routine going, you might be wanting to stick to a schedule and plan your day. This will come eventually, but not at first. When you first bring your baby home, they are not going to have a schedule or a normal routine. Just take each moment as it comes.

12. Make a list of photos you want:

If there are certain photos you are hoping to get with and of your newborn; make a list. Your time in the hospital will go by in a flash. If you want a picture of your baby with their hospital bracelet, or a specific family photo. Don’t miss the opportunity!

13. Ask your doctor about sugar water:

Ask your doctor about sugar water for baby pain reduction. In certain circumstances this can be recommended by your doctor to help distract your baby if they are in pain during blood draws, etc. Consult with your doctor about whether this can be appropriate for your baby.

Clothing

14. Don't buy so many outfits, buy onesies:

Most moms recommend not worrying about dressing your newborn in cute outfits every day. Your newborn will most likely live in onesies, and pajamas so make sure to have plenty of those.

Shoes: If you want them, go for it, but before your baby is walking they probably won’t need shoes. No matter how adorable the baby Nike’s are.

15. Not every newborn is the same size:

This might seem pretty obvious, but just because you have plenty of “newborn” clothes doesn’t necessarily mean they will fit your baby. Every newborn is different and you might find that the sizing isn’t matching your baby’s age or even from brand to brand.

For example, Burt’s Bees sizes tend to run very large, while Carter’s newborn sizing will be best for smaller newborns.

16. Get gender neutral items:

If you plan to have more children, try to get items you can use for your next baby. I’m all about doing away with gender specific colors, but we’ve all collectively decided that pink means girl and blue means boy. Try to get a few things (especially the expensive things) in styles for either gender.

For example: You may not want a pink car seat. *Unless you don’t care of course, in which case we support that!

17. Buy seasonal clothing a year in advance:

Your baby is going to grow out of their clothing SO fast, so don’t spend a ton of money on baby clothes. So, you can buy next year’s Christmas outfit this year because it’s most likely to be on sale after the holiday. When in doubt, size up!

18. Pack yourself an extra shirt too:

Aside from having all your baby’s essentials packed when leaving the house, throw in an extra shirt for you too! Hopefully you won’t need it, but if you’re holding your little one and they decide to have a blowout all over you, you’re going to be happy you don’t have to spend the rest of your outing covered in poop.

19. Dress your newborn in one more layer than you:

Obviously, use your best judgement based on what you have dressed your baby in, but this can be a good rule of thumb to following if you are not sure. And if you want to look into this further, here’s a good article going over this more: Tips on Dressing Your Baby for Every Season

20. Decoding sizes

Baby clothing size is ‘up to’ that number. So if the clothing says 6 months, then it will fit a baby ‘up to’ 6 months. If a label just says 6mo., then it will actually fit 3-6 months and if it says 3mo., it will actually fit 0-3 months. Of course every baby is different but at least you can use the numbers as a guide to see where your baby is landing.

Feeding:

21. If bottle feeding:

There are different levels of nipples that correspond to your babies age. As the baby gets older, you will most likely need to keep sizing up.

22. Hold your baby upright after feeding:

If your baby struggles with acid reflux or gas, holding them upright for 20-30min after feeding can be very helpful. No matter how tired you are, this can be a game changer. And if you need extra support, Gas Drops can be great to have on hand!

23. What's normal with your baby's poop:

•Almost all newborn’s first poops will be black like tar.

•It’s normal for breastfed babies to have mustard yellow, green or tan colored poop.

•If your baby is only breastfeeding, they could go 2-weeks without pooping.

24. If your baby is crying, they are most likely hungry:

Pretty self explanatory, but if you baby isn’t crying for an obvious reason, then it’s highly likely they are hungry.

Sleeping

25. Have a couple swaddle style options:

The purpose of a swaddle is to suppress the moro reflex – which is what startles your baby awake. All swaddle styles are going to serve this purpose, but having different options will help you to find one that you and your baby both like. This is an important things to have to support sleep, and having different options to find the one that works best for you is going to set you and your baby up for success.

Additionally, when searching for a swaddle, pay attention to the “TOG” rating as this will tell you how thick the swaddle is. If your baby’s room is hot, you would not want to place them in a 2.5 tog swaddle.

Pro Tip: Discontinue swaddling once your baby shows the first signs of rolling.

Most moms I spoke with raved about the Ollie Swaddle. It is the most expensive, however but seems to be highly recommended if it’s in your budget.

26. Learn about 'wake windows':

There are some pretty great resources out there that talk about about wake windows, and what’s typical for your baby’s sleep schedule. I’ve linked an article that I found helpful here: Wake Windows By Age

27. Get a noise machine:

This can do wonders for creating a soothing and relaxing environment for your baby. They will also learn to associate this sound with sleep and start creating a routine. This will come in VERY handy if you need to travel with your baby, as you can take this with you to stimulate your baby’s ‘normal’ sleeping environment. And of course, it helps to drown out noises that could wake your baby.

It goes without saying, but make sure the machine is not too loud, or close to your baby as they sleep to protect their precious ears. If you are worried about having continuous noise playing for your baby while you sleep, try getting a machine that comes with a timer. That way, it will switch off once your baby has fallen asleep. This is one I recommend because it also has a red light so you don’t disturb your partner or your baby’s sleep: Hatch Baby Sound Machine

Best of luck to you on your journey of motherhood, you’ve got this! If you’ve got any tips and advice you would like to share, feel free to leave a comment below!

Tips and Advice for New Moms: The Ultimate Guide