67 Tips for First-Time Moms (Money + Sanity-Saving)

Hi friends!

I may have mentioned it on here before (or maybe not) but we’re very ready to add another babe into the mix. Totally looking forward to completing our family… and to be honest, with babies on the brain, I have been doing a lot of reminiscing. As excited as I am about adding to our family, I am also terrified all over again. Suddenly, you start to forget about all the little tricks that helped keep your sanity. I will say – I am definitely not as scared as I was becoming a first time mom, but I am reflecting on what we did with Willow to mentally prepare myself for another newborn.

I thought it would not only be helpful to myself but to other first-time moms (or second, or third, or beyond) to write out all of my best tips and tricks. From money-saving to sanity-saving to self-care, there’s a lot below. To be honest, some of it may or may not be how you feel or may not work for you. The beauty of motherhood is that everyone’s experience is totally unique. But these are the things that I am reminding myself of. I hope that even a few of these tips will resonate or help you to prepare, too.

So without any further rambling, here are 67 of my best tips for life with a newborn.

NOTE: This post contains affiliate links, which means that I’ll receive a commission if you purchase from this link. This will not change or increase the cost of your purchase. This extra income provides for my family and keeps The Friendly Fig running strong.

Newborn Care + Tips

1. There’s no such thing as too much sleep for a newborn. Don’t freak out if your babe is sleeping most of the day away… it is normal! They are awake to feed and see your face, and then they are out again.
2. Choose onesies and footed pajamas for the easiest and most comfortable clothing your babe will need. (Read: they do not need jeans and extravagant outfits.)
3. Also, zip-up footed pajamas are way easier than buttons… trust me. You will thank me when you are changing a diaper during the night.
4. Grab couple long-sleeve onesies/pajamas with the fold-over mittens for the first few weeks when your baby will be touching their face (resulting in scratches). These are way better than separate mittens.
5. Kimono-style onesies are great to use in the very beginning when you don’t want to keep pulling clothing over their head. Makes changing blow-outs easier, too!
6. Grab a pack of aden+anais swaddle blankets to use for a wide variety of things: swaddling, covering baby, nursing cover, burp rag, tummy time blanket, etc. There is NO shortage in use for these amazing blankets.
7. If baby is prone to diaper rash, use a soft wet cloth to wipe after pee and pat dry. We did this to save on wipes, too. Save the wipes for the bigger messes.
8. Car rides before bedtime are a lifesaver. When Willow would be upset before bed, we’d jump in the car and she’d instantly calm down. It may or may not work for every baby, but this was a short-lived routine that we embraced and looked forward to.
9. A white noise machine is ideal to block out any sounds during naptime. Willow still enjoys her white noise.
10. Place burp cloths all over your house. On the arms of couches/chairs, counters, etc. Every room you spend time in should have a burp cloth within reach. I would walk around the house before bed and place all my burp clothes and bibs in all spots I’d be the next day to prepare for what was to come.
11. Choose one or two items that are safe for you to place your baby down. For us, this was the Rock ‘n Play and table bouncer.
12. Baby-wear as often and frequently as your heart desires. There is no such thing as holding your baby too close or for too long! I got a lot done by baby-wearing – cooking, cleaning, etc.
13. Read, even though your baby cannot understand. Just hearing your voice is soothing. I read to Willow every single day since the day she was born… and she looooves to read now.
14. Try not to focus on a set schedule in the first 3 months. You may naturally fall into a routine, but keeping on schedule is just not always possible with a newborn. Let them lead.
15. If baby is cranky, move in front of a white Willow to shush them to sleep. I found that a white wall gave her nothing to look at, thus making her calm down easier. Too much stimulation can keep a baby up.
16. Cut your baby’s nails when they are asleep.
17. Co-sleeping does not mean your baby will never fall asleep in their own bed or on their own. Willow sleeps in her crib through the night every single night, and we co-slept with her for a very long time. It was the only way she would sleep soundly and we could, in turn, get in sleep. A well-rested mom is the best mom.
18. You can never have enough bibs on hand – I like the bandana bibs because they grew with her.
19. Keep the house well-lit and bright during the day and dim/dark at night to help baby distinguish day and night.
20. Don’t make tummy-time any worse than it needs to be. A couple minutes each day is a win. I would place a mirror in front of Willow to try and keep her interested (she really hated tummy time!)
21. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad about using a pacifier. Willow loved her Wubbanub to pieces and it kept her soothed and happy. When she turned a year old, I took it away and she didn’t think twice.
22. Really burp that baby good. You want to hear those burps, trust me. Or else they may be uncomfortable later and gassy babies are not a fun time.
23. Read the same book before bed each night (among others) – it is something you will both grow to love and look forward to together. Ours is Goodnight Moon! We have been reading it since day one and it is a staple for us every single night.
24. Along the same lines, sing the same lullaby or song. I would sing Baby Beluga to Willow when she was upset and felt that it would help calm her down. I also memorized the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and made it a bit sing-songy. I swear, sometimes if she is melting down, if I start to recite and sing it, she relaxes and hangs on every word.
25. Babies will cry and cry and cry. And you probably have done everything you could have done, but they will still cry. Truly, they need to just let it out. Just snuggle, hold, rock, and sing. It will pass. They just need you to love them through it.
26. If you are pumping into bottles, line them up in your fridge as you go so you have a bottle ready at all times (as long as you are using them within a day or two). Any excess, put in freezer bags.
27. If your baby wants to take a 2-hour nap on you, just let it happen. You’ll miss it, trust me.
28. If using a bottle to night feed, leave breastmilk bottle on your nightstand if you are guaranteed to be up within 6 hours. Room temp breastmilk will be fine within that time frame and you won’t have to heat it up in the middle of the night (which takes entirely too long, trust me).

Money-Saving Tips

1. You may be eligible for a free breast pump. Check with your healthcare provider and they will assist you in grabbing a free one, if so! This was an awesome perk.
2. Babies don’t need toys right away. They are excited to see your face and the world around them!
3. Don’t buy shoes for a newborn. There is simply no use. Barefoot, feet-in jammies, or socks will do.
4. Save money by skipping a designated changing table. A towel on the floor, bed, or couch will do. If you want a table, buy a regular dresser that will grow with your babe and purchase a changing pad + cover for the top.
5. Use regular bath towels. I know the animal hoods are cute, but they don’t last. A regular towel is just as soft and way larger to grow with baby.
6. Sterilize bottles without a designated sterilizer. I used a large pot to boil bottles vs. an extra piece of equipment to buy and have on my countertop.
7. Forgo the bottle warmer. Simply place bottle in a bowl and add hot water. I used my stainless steel kettle to heat up the water quickly.
8. Don’t even think about a wipe warmer. Why get your baby used to warm wipes? You won’t always be home to have warm wipes! I promise, you will NOT miss this.
9. Use an extra pillow instead of a boppy. It is way more comfortable.
10. Skip the diaper pail because honestly, the room is going to smell like poo if you keep poo diapers in there. Just toss them in the outdoor trash immediately.
11. Believe it or not, Sophie the Giraffe is not a necessity. My daughter didn’t really like her! If someone grabs her for a gift, great. If not, it is not the end of the world. There are plenty of cheaper teething devices.
12. This is entirely preference, but I found that the rocking chair I fussed over like crazy did not get use. I spent most of the time cuddling on the couch or in bed with baby before naps.
13. Buy 8-9 oz bottles and skip the small ones. Honestly, the small ones only lasted a little while. They felt like a waste.
14. Visit your local children’s thrift shop for swaddling products. I am SO glad I didn’t spend more than I needed to on them because Willow HATED the velcro ones. I bought two used for $2 each and did not feel an ounce of regret when she rejected them. These are easy to wash – no need to buy new.
15. Skip size newborn clothing (unless your baby was born premature, of course). It’s okay if they are swimming in their clothes for a week or so.
16. Instead of a drying rack for bottles and parts, I would switch out a clean kitchen towel on the side and allowed everything to dry on it. It was kind of an eyesore, but it’s temporary. Just a small way to save.
17. No need to buy a specific nursing cover if you are modest, just drape a large swaddle blanket over you.

Sanity + Self-Care

1. When babe is napping peacefully, your partner is at work, and there are no visitors, you may start to feel lonely. Put on your favorite TV show and let your “friends” cheer you up. This was a big thing for me. I would put on The Office, Friends, Parks and Rec, or That 70’s Show. All guaranteed to make me laugh and feel a bit of normalcy. Somehow, it made me feel myself. Maybe it will help you, too. I shared a post about some of the shows that saved my sanity during the fourth trimester.
2. Get. out. of. the. house. Even if that means a walk or a drive down the street for a coffee.
3. This may only be me, but having a stereotypical “diaper bag” wasn’t me. Instead of sacrificing style, I opted for a large bag with compartments and pockets. I LOVE it. You can read more about my non-diaper bag here.
4. Parenting books gave me more anxiety than relief. I know everyone is different, but sometimes it is just best to focus on your instinct and direct any and all questions to your pediatrician. That is what they are there for.
5. On that same note, avoid googling every little thing. Google is scary. Too many horror stories on the internet! Again, call pedi.
6. Accept any and all help offered to you.
7. Use the crock-pot for dinners. It’s easy to dump ingredients in there and forget about it!
8. This seems random, but it sorta saved my sanity. Choose bottles that are compatible with your breast pump. It’s just one less mess you have to clean transferring milk into a bottle. Pump right into it and be done with it!
9. Speaking of pumping, if you pump, just do yourself a favor and buy the hands-free pumping bra. Yes it looks awkward and weird but TRUST ME WHEN I TELL YOU IT IS THE BEST INVESTMENT YOU WILL MAKE.
10. If you are exclusively pumping (like I did) then check out my entire list of tips.
11. Hear me right now. I am telling you this for your own good: IT IS OKAY TO SIT AND STEW ON THE COUCH WITH YOUR BABY IN YOUR ARMS ALL DAY. Please, soak these moments up without a lick of guilt.
12. If you can’t breastfeed (no matter what the reason), IT IS OKAY.
13. Even if you breastfeed, don’t feel guilty introducing a bottle to your little one. This means that your partner can help get the job done in the wee hours of the morning when you really need the rest.
14. Sex can be painful for a while after birth. It is temporary. Even if it takes months… know that there is an end in sight.
15. Have your husband take photos of you with the baby. It is easy to forget this.
16. Don’t feel bad if you limit visitors in the first few weeks. Between hormones, the random crying, learning to breastfeed, etc… it is truly overwhelming. If you are an introvert like me, you may appreciate the solitude.
17. Let your partner bond with baby while you take time for yourself. An hour to catch up on reading, a quick coffee run, or just lay still in silence is rejuvenating.
18. There is no reason to take the diaper bag into every grocery or department store unless you truly think you’ll need it. I keep most of the emergency staples in a box in the trunk and only take in what is necessary. Your shoulders will thank you!
19. If time and money allows, go out and get a haircut or trim or color or something. It is easy to forget about yourself. You may not even feel yourself (I didn’t). Something like this can definitely boost your esteem.
20. Don’t force yourself to lose the baby weight. It will happen naturally and slowly over time. It took 9 months to pack it all on and it will not go away in a month or two or three. In fact, your body will never be the exact same as it was. And it isn’t a bad thing.
21. If you have pets, find moments in the day to just focus on them. When Willow would nap, I would love my cat up to death. I swear, Minnie was my stress-relief some days.
22. Familiarize yourself with the baby “wonder weeks” and growth spurts. There are a lot of great resources out there. I found this site the most helpful week by week. It is pretty accurate and it would give me time to brace myself for some of the crankier times.