More time tested tips from a mother of three :) I just remembered one of the very best choices I made.
We had the laundry in the basement, so dirty clothes
had to travel all the way from the top floor down 2
flights of stairs into the basement. There they mostly
stayed (in moldering, guilty piles), until I was
desperate and waded into the mountain and did several
loads. Then all the clean stuff had to make its way
back to the closets upstairs.
Finally, we removed the doors and shelves from a
closet on the bedroom level and installed a stackable
washer and dryer. It was just outside our bathroom.
The dirty clothes landed in a small pile at the door
and swiftly made it into the machine and back into
the closets. It was a MAJOR improvement!
I didn't even miss the closet space because I
discovered that instead of needing 3 weeks worth of
clothing for everyone we were happy with about 1 week.
Such a saving in time and money and most importantly
sanity!
I highly highly recommend this solution. So much so
that when we moved I made the same adjustments to the
new house before we moved in.
Another couple of tips: only buy clothing that doesn't
need ironing or dry cleaning. If anyone gives you some
of that say: Thank you and give it away - immediately.
Also look at Freecycle.com great for recycling in your
community.
Don't believe a word they say on the clothes tags
about sizes. They are all joking. Measure your baby
along your arm or take in something he has just grown
out of to be sure.
When you are leaned clothes by friends, mark their
names on the tags.
Sleeping dresses are the best invention - you just
slide them open change the diaper and slide it closed
- much less handling the baby in the middle of the
night.
Also, worth bearing in mind that modern diapers are so
good that your baby will have no idea that he is wet
during the night. A quick spot of diaper cream as
extra insurance and then, unless he poops, you have no
need to interfere with his diaper and REALLY wake him
up until the morning. Sleep is paramount.
If you are going to supplement with formula, don't
think you will fool your little one for one instant
that it is breast milk. Treat it like a completely
different drink. I served mine all extra bottles of
formula as they grew older at room temp. Then, that is
how they are used to it and you never have to dash
about trying to find hot water or a microwave to heat
it. It tastes hideous either way so at least make it
easy on yourself.
Unless you are walking out with your little love in
mid winter - a snow suit is a foul and horrible
torture for both of you. Wrap her in a warm blankie
and dash to your warm car or from it into the warm
shop or warm house. Maybe a hat IF she will let you.
For a very soothing half hour for both of you - climb
in the warm bath with your baby. I have great pictures
of my tiny prem baby lying in her fathers armpit
blinking up at him while he read her textbooks on
pharmacology in a warm bath for hours.
ps babies don't need to be bathed daily! They don't run marathons and it is not even good for their skin. Unless it pleases both of you don't go there.
Rule of thumb for dressing babies - only one more
layer of warmth than you have on you.
Eye infections - squirt some breast milk in their eyes
- clears it up magically. Do this privately - even
laleche league moms will gasp if they see you flood
your babies face with milk. Aiming is a learned skill :)
More than anything - treasure your little one!
