There’s No Reason to Reinvent the Maternity “Wheel”
The saying “don’t reinvent the wheel” means, essentially, that discoveries people have made before you shouldn’t be discounted simply because you’re trying to blaze a new trail. You’re not the first mother out there, Eve has that position and she shows no signs (short of time travel) of resigning that commission. You’re part of a long line of successful mothers.
So why approach motherhood as though you’re the first lady to bring new life into the world? This is counterintuitive. Not only will you make avoidable mistakes, you’ll have a harder time. Mothers who have gone before you know more than you do, and can help you be a better mom with less effort. This is especially true if they’ve had many children.
Following we’ll explore three tips experienced mothers are likely to give the new mom. These aren’t terribly in-depth, but they’ll give you an idea of the way you should think about your new position.
- Get Materials in Advance and Pre-Pack Maternity Bags
You want an emergency “bag” in the car for your baby. You also want a diaper bag for general public interactions. You’ll need the materials for both the “mobile” baby bag, and the one you use for emergencies.
You’ll want an emergency kit in your home as well. In the kit should be wipes, diapers, hydrogen peroxide, bandages, varying salves like Neosporin, baby formula, additional pre-pumped breastmilk if feasible, and the list goes on.
Here’s a link that can help you determine just what should go in the “regular” baby bag. The emergency bag will be similar, and you’ll want both with you when you go out of the house for any reason.
- Professional Help for Breastfeeding Effectiveness
Another good place to get life hacks as a mother is from the pros themselves. Endless resources exist for new or expecting mothers. These resources can help you determine proper positions for breastfeeding, among other things. Yes, breastfeeding has associated “best practices”, and they may differ per mom; so see what the experts have to say.
- Grocery Delivery
Grocery delivery is a bit more expensive than doing the shopping yourself, but it saves you time and aggravation. You don’t have to make sure the emergency bag is packed when you go out if you don’t go out. Also, what is your time worth?
For Americans, an hour is worth $27.16 in 2022. So if delivery on a $200 shopping list is only $10 higher than if you bought the groceries yourself, you saved $17.16 in time and an incalculable amount in terms of avoided aggravation. If it’s $27.16 higher, you technically broke even.
Putting Your Best Foot Forward as a New Mom
Get groceries delivered, work with experts for best results in core aspects of motherhood like breastfeeding, and pre-pack emergency as well as diaper bags. These are just a few life hacks for moms, but they can make a big difference for any mother, new or experienced.