Babies are such a gift to parents and their families. Your little one will surprise you and make you laugh for the silliest of reasons, as your relatives fuss and fight over who the baby looks more like- all in good fun, of course! As some of you may know, Mina gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby! There have been tears of joy and laughter, and moments of growth and of course, lessons learned. Mina would like to share her top tips for new mothers on the go. Here are just a few of Mina's Mommy tips!
# 1 Keep it simple.
We all want to be prepared for anything that could happen while we are out and about, right? There are some go-to-items that will always make the list like diapers, wipes, snacks, pacifiers, and when the "time is right," an iPad. Because “No mom [should feel] guilty for trying to enjoy a meal with [her] husband by putting an iPad in front of [her] kid. It's survival of the fittest out here.”
# 2 Keep it practical.
When shopping for a new item, ask yourself: Is it practical, or is it the ‘new thing'?
It is so easy to look at the latest and greatest baby item and go, “We need that!” The truth is, new inventions come out every single day, and if you said that every single time you saw something, you’d have your own specialty store after a month! Don’t get us wrong, we LOVE specialty stores, but it can be very frustrating to have so many items and not have a place to put them.
Just ask yourself: Is this practical? Do I need it? If the answer is no, then great! You can save a little cash for a rainy day.
# 3 Be easy on yourself, stay active, and nap!
Being a parent is the best job to have in the world and a full-time job. Your hours may vary, especially in the first few months. So, be engaged and active as long as you can but, “When you [can] take a break, or a nap, or a snack, take it. It's a weird time for your body and mind."
# 4 Nap! Nap! Nap!
“Everyone says, ‘Nap when the baby naps.’ Which is great and all, but you still have a home, and a life, errands, AND chores. So, if you can, for sure NAP. But, you know what's best for you. So just listen to your body and make it work for YOU.”
Side note: “You'll feel like there is a strong haze over you and your brain for the first three months. That is normal, and when your baby starts sleeping through the night, you won't even be able to remember the last three months.”
# 5 DON'T WARM THEIR BOTTLES!
"Eventually, in post-baby life you will venture out in the world... don't be that person that needs to request a bowl of boiling water at a restaurant to warm your baby’s milk to the perfect temp. You're putting too much on yourself- we literally never warmed Jack's. We always did whatever was available. It makes your already very hard job, just a little easier when your baby is used to drinking all temps of milk vs. just that ONE, SPECIFIC perfect [temp]!”
So there you have it, parents-to-be, Mina's top five tips. What are some of yours?