I’ll be the first to admit it—when I brought my first baby home, I was absolutely clueless. Sure, I had read all the books and binge-watched parenting YouTube videos until my eyeballs almost fell out, but once we walked in the front door with our little bundle, I was like, “Okay, now what?” The newborn stage is intense, beautiful, and exhausting all wrapped into one sleep-deprived package. Thankfully, after some late-night panic sessions and a few hilarious (well, now hilarious) mistakes, I’ve got a handful of hacks that truly saved my sanity—and hopefully yours, too.

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First up: the magical art of layering the crib bedding. Here’s the deal—babies spit up. A lot. And nothing ruins a rare moment of sleep more than fumbling around for a fresh crib sheet at 3 AM. After spending a few nights miserably washing crib sheets at midnight, I finally got smart and started layering a waterproof mattress protector, sheet, another protector, and another sheet. Bam. Now, whenever my tiny human had a diaper blowout or midnight spit-up emergency, I just peeled off the top layers and was back to sleep within minutes.

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Speaking of sleep—or rather, lack thereof—my second hack is to invest in a solid white noise machine. Trust me, this thing was an absolute lifesaver. At first, I thought, “No way my baby needs a noise machine,” until I realized our house made approximately one million weird creaks and groans every night. The white noise drowned out everything, including my anxious new-parent breathing (just kidding…sorta).

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Another little hack that seriously made life easier was creating “feeding stations” around the house. Newborns want to eat nonstop, and after about two days of wandering around looking for burp cloths or nursing pads at every feeding, I got smart and put baskets stocked with wipes, diapers, water bottles, burp cloths, snacks, and nursing gear in three main spots: bedroom, living room, and nursery. Never underestimate the power of snacks when you’re cluster feeding—trust me on that one.

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Let’s talk diaper changes for a sec. One rookie mistake I made was thinking changing pads didn’t matter. After a few “surprise showers,” I learned to always, ALWAYS have an extra cloth diaper or cheap towel handy to throw over baby during a diaper change. It saved me so many midnight pajama swaps and frustration tears (mine, not the baby’s).

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Oh, and here’s one nobody mentioned to me before: zipper onesies. Buttons and snaps are adorable for Instagram photos, but at 4 AM, they are literally evil. Zippers are quick, painless, and, honestly, the best invention since coffee (and we all know coffee is non-negotiable right now).

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Speaking of coffee, hack number six is getting yourself a mug warmer. How many cups of coffee have I left around the house half-drunk and ice-cold? Too many to count. With a mug warmer, I finally stopped wasting perfectly good caffeine, which, honestly, is essential for surviving these blurry days.

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Next is something I affectionately call the “two-minute tidy-up.” Before heading to bed or after a feeding session, spend just two quick minutes clearing away dirty bottles, diapers, laundry, or dishes. It won’t make your home spotless—believe me, my house was far from perfect—but it keeps the chaos manageable, which does wonders for mental health.

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My eighth hack is babywearing. Seriously, a comfortable baby wrap or carrier gave me back the freedom to make lunch, take short walks, and even fold laundry (though I admit laundry usually stayed unfolded, but hey, it was the thought that counted). It soothed the baby and allowed me some hands-free time—total win-win.

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Next, don’t underestimate the power of fresh air. Even when exhausted, stepping outside—even just onto the porch—for 5 or 10 minutes a day was incredibly refreshing for both of us. It calmed my anxious brain, and baby usually dozed off. Nature, it turns out, is a pretty good parent partner.

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And finally, hack number ten is to lean into the chaos. Give yourself permission to let some things slide—like dishes, house cleaning, or fancy home-cooked meals. Frozen lasagnas are a godsend. Your only job right now is keeping yourself and your new little human alive, fed, and somewhat rested.

I promise, eventually, things smooth out. For now, grab a snack, throw on some zipper pajamas (both of you), and trust me—you’re doing better than you think.