5 Realistic Ways To Make Raising A Baby Easier

Raising a newborn is one of the most rewarding experiences anyone can ever have, but at the same time, it can be a challenge. Looking after a child and being completely responsible for them while taking care of the laundry and enjoying some free time feels impossible. Days are just so hectic.

The good news is that the response to this isn’t just to buy more expensive gadgets. Instead, you want to optimise your daily systems. These will help you lower your stress levels and get a sense of control over your life so you can turn chaos into order.

Use Two Basins In The Kitchen

If you don’t have two basins in your kitchen, consider getting a second one. The idea here is to apply the one-touch kitchen rule. Instead of allowing your cooking area to become cluttered with dirty bottles, drying racks, and pump parts all piling up, you drop items immediately after use. Here’s what to do:

1. Fill one basin with hot soapy water and put the dirty items in it.
2. When the basin is full, rinse them all out at once and move them directly into a rinsing basin.
3. From there, move them onto a countertop steam steriliser or dryer.

When you do this, you sterilise the baby bottles and accessories while also completely drying them at the same time, so you don’t have to hand dry anything. This is the sort of time-saving intervention that can make your life so much better.

Outsource Invisible Load Items With Technology

When you’re raising a child, it’s also a nice idea to outsource the invisible load of raising them. As a parent, you’re probably not conscious of all the ways your mind is working hard to take care of your kids. It can be something as simple as remembering how many wet diapers a child has had today or when they last ate.

The good news is that you can take all of the guesswork out of this by using dedicated tracking apps. There are plenty of these on the market. One of them’s called Baby Tracker, and another one’s called Huckleberry. Choose the one that works best for you.

The idea here is to use apps to manage your baby’s situation. For example, some of these apps can tell from a distance whether your baby cries because they’re hungry or due for a nap. They can immediately inform you of their needs so you don’t spend half an hour guessing. Also, apps can hand off from one parent to another without needing a verbal debrief. For example, let’s say that you work an 8-hour shift in the morning and your partner works an 8-hour shift in the evening. Instead of frantically having a conversation about what happens during either shift, the app can provide that information for the other partner so that they can immediately get on with their job.

Use Multi-Functional Accessories & Furniture

It should go without saying that if you have a newborn, you should be looking at using multifunctional accessories and furniture. These can be extremely helpful while also saving you a lot of time, energy, and effort.

For example, let’s say you’re struggling with bedtimes. Something like Newton’s foldable play yard can help with this. These are a type of bedding area for newborns and toddlers that also combine a play yard and a potential bassinet attachment. Everything is completely washable and ultra-breathable, so the benefits can be considerable. The child’s sleep system is contained.

You could also do something similar with baby clothes. Instead of getting separate clothing items for a baby, you can put them in a onesie that is highly functional and can serve as their pyjamas, daywear, and keep them warm when they’re outside.

Stop Thinking In Terms Of Schedules

Another realistic way to raise a baby is to switch from thinking in terms of schedules and move more toward wake windows. Many parents try to force a newborn into adjusting to the time on the clock, but of course they can’t do that because their brain hasn’t established their circadian rhythm yet. If you insist that your child has a nap time at exactly 1:00 p.m. after they’ve been fed, it will lead to frustration, and you’ll be constantly rescheduling. The alternative approach is to use wake windows.

This is where you measure the amount of time your baby can comfortably stay awake between sleeps. Between 0 and 2 months, the average wake window is pretty short, anywhere between 45 and 60 minutes. Many babies about to go to sleep will often stare into space or zone out. For older children, the wake window becomes longer, and the signs that it’s closing include things like:

• pulling ears
• rubbing eyes
• being fussy

If you catch your child at the end of the wake window, put them down to rest so that you can then focus on the things that you need to do.

Batch Your Station Set Up

Finally, it is a good idea to batch your station setup. If a baby needs a diaper change, a fresh outfit, or a burp cloth, every second spent hunting through drawers adds to decision fatigue. It is a good idea, therefore, to keep all of the items and accessories you need in identical stations in your nursery. For example, you will want to have:

• Multiple diapers
• Fresh packs of wipes
• Several changes of clothes
• Some diaper rash cream
• Burp cloths

Once you have all of these in your station, you don’t have to constantly go out to the store to replace them. You are also not looking in different parts of your house for the same items, which can be very time-consuming.

So there you have it: the newborn blueprint to make raising a baby easier. Nobody is saying that it’s going to be a walk in the park, but if you can apply some of these ideas in your home, you should find that you’re spending less time running around and more time focusing on raising your child and giving them the attention and care that they need.

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