There is so much I would do differently as a new mom. If I had discovered minimalism when my kids were younger, life could have been so much simpler.
My oldest is now in middle school and in many ways life is far from simple. And the truth is that practicing minimalism with children is not that easy.
Minimalist Advice for New Moms: Baby Essentials
I consider myself a fairly laid back mom. I never stressed over trying to schedule my babies naps or feedings. I nursed them when they let me know they were hungry and I never EVER woke a sleeping baby unless absolutely necessary. As the oldest of five children, I felt as prepared as I could be for having babies.
I was not prepared for the mountain of clutter a new infant can bring to your family. Months before my first son was born, the nursery was decorated with a full Noah’s ark theme.
From the matching comforter set to the framed prints and Noah lamp, every inch was covered. I used to sit by myself and look around the small, yet packed room and imagine how our lives were about to change.
The Minimalist Mom’s Guide to Baby’s First Year
I vividly remember going down each and every row at Babies R Us, registering for more baby supplies than a single child could ever use.
When all the baby showers were over, we went back to the store and purchased any missing items ourselves. We couldn’t stand the thought of being unprepared for the birth of our son.
As I’m sure you can guess, we had way too much stuff. Clothes went unworn. He never took a pacifier despite my efforts. We never used the giant SUV sized stroller because it weighed as much as I did and took up the entire trunk of our car.
If I knew what I know now, I would do a lot of things differently:
- I wouldn’t assume a need for something until I actually experienced that need.
- I would buy fewer clothes, take more pictures, and more naps.
- I would skip the cradle and the bouncy seat.
- I would still get a playpen but choose the basic model.
- I would remember to tell my husband to raise the side of the crib when you put a child to sleep BEFORE leaving him alone with our baby.
My friend, Rachel Jonat, just wrote a book that shows how peaceful and uncluttered a life with a baby can be. If you or someone you know is a new parent or about to become one, her book is a must read! I certainly wish the book had been written when my kids were born.
The book is called The Minimalist Mom’s Guide to Baby’s First Year. It is full of ideas for:
- doing more with less
- avoiding the clutter trap of too much baby stuff
- slowing down so you can enjoy the early months with your new baby
- saving money
- creating a peaceful spacious home no matter the square footage of it
- finding more time in your day for things like sleep (!), relaxing and bonding with your new baby
I have to be honest and tell you that because Rachel is a friend of mine, I would be tempted to promote her book whether it was incredible or not. She was the first minimalist mom that I met when I started my own journey to minimalism. We both started blogging around the same time and it’s been encouraging and lots of fun to share our adventures together.
I can honestly say that Rachel’s book is great and I’m proud to promote it. The first half of her book covers the foundation of minimalism and the second half covers the specifics of how to apply minimalism to your baby’s first year. It’s available on PDF and on Kindle. It’s a great investment for your sanity.
If you’d like to read more from Rachel, you can follow her blog at The Minimalist Mom. Be sure to say “Hi” and tell her I sent ya. ?
Now it’s your turn: What would you do differently during your baby’s first year?
