Month 17: Best-Kept Secrets

C. and I once stayed in a B&B where we found a helpful video in our room. It was the innkeepers’ picks for the area’s “best-kept secrets” -- where to go, what to do, where to eat. About 10 minutes into it we realized that, according to them, EVERYTHING was a best-kept secret! And the only beach in town is hardly a secret, you know what I’m saying?

It can feel that way sometimes with baby stuff. I mean, everyone knows how labor and childbirth works, right? And what a Boppy and a Baby Bjorn are? It can seem that way to us jaded new moms, but actually, it’s not true.

For instance, I had been through hours of childbirth preparation classes and read several books on the topic before I went into labor. Even so, I was in for a huge shock when I showed up at the hospital. I’d been laboring at home all day, and my contractions were 4 minutes apart by that time. But guess what? I was dilated a measly 1 cm!! I was informed that my labor was “unproductive.” So, basically, the 12 hours up till then DIDN’T COUNT. Huh?! I don’t remember them covering that in my classes!

Another “secret” I discovered was that -- surprise! -- breastfeeding is not as easy as we’re led to believe. Start asking around and you’ll discover that very few new moms got the hang of nursing right away. And the “initial discomfort” referred to in the books turns out to be “excruciating pain” for many of us.

But, listen, I’m not trying to scare anyone. (Like, say, my friend L.H. who’s due any day now!) In fact, my aim was to share some helpful tips and products that were shared with me when I was a brand-new mom. But secrets spread fast, OK, so if this is old news to you, sorry.

First, a true story: When one of my close friends had a baby several years ago, she struggled with finding the perfect swaddling blanket. If only someone would invent one that was just the right size, just the right fabric, and actually kept the baby swaddled, T. lamented. Lo and behold, someone did. Fast-forward to my SIL’s baby shower last year where she received no fewer than half a dozen specially-designed, Velcro-enhanced swaddling blankets. Including one from me. Guess the secret’s out, huh?

So, anyway, here my list of “best-kept secrets” for new moms:

You probably know that a Boppy is a C-shaped pillow that goes around the mom’s waist to help position the baby for easier nursing. But did you know that a Boppy also makes a comfy neck pillow for parents? And makes tummy time easier by elevating the baby’s chest and head off the floor? And can serve as a seat to help an older baby sit up?

Similarly, you probably know what baby wipes are for. But did you know they are a surprisingly effective stain remover? And that they take off makeup in a jiffy?

Medela Quick Clean Microsteam Bags are a huge time- and space-saver for sterilizing pump parts, pacifiers, and bottles in your microwave in 2 minutes flat.

When Miles was a newborn, we had a little pee problem. A big pee problem, actually. So I was thrilled when a friend told me about extra-absorbent Huggies Overnites and the Ultimate Crib Sheet. If you’ve ever struggled to change a skin-tight fitted crib sheet in the middle of the night, you’ll appreciate this extra layer that’s easy to snap off.

For those times when you can’t hold the baby’s bottle for him (say, you’re driving to the airport to catch a 7 a.m. flight), the Podee Hands-Free Baby Bottle lets baby feed himself even before he can hold his own bottle. It took Miles a couple times to get the hang of it, but after that it was a huge time-saver.

I first spotted the Snack Trap at Stroller Strides. The little cup allows kids’ hands in to grab some Cheerios without dumping the entire contents out into their lap.

TIP O’ THE WEEK: Stuff I like that’s not baby-related:
To eat: Sabra hummus, Honeycrisp apples
To watch: Ugly Betty, Ace of Cakes (filmed in Baltimore!)
To wear: my new, cute, super-comfy Skechers shoes