Guest Blogger: 5 Quick Mom Hacks

By Marisa Meg Olsen, Girl Loves Food

As a new mother of a six-month-old, I realize I may be considered a novice, but I do have some tips that have helped us survive this crazy time.

Family Nap Time

As mothers, we know sleep is basically gold. If there is ever a time to squeeze in a nap, I am game. My husband and I have this guilty pleasure of orchestrating a family nap during the weekends. Once our daughter wakes up, we take her into our room, I nurse her, and then we basically hang out in bed, playing and cuddling for an hour or so, until it’s my daughter’s nap time. I play her favorite ocean sounds from a sound app on my phone, and then we all nap together. It’s the perfect way to bond and get an extra 40-minutes of shut eye as a family.

Add Your Baby to Your Workout

Short on time and craving a quick workout fix? Incorporate your baby into your workout! As babies gain weight, they become a great natural weight. Plank over your baby and make funny faces. If you have the strength, do push ups over your baby, and kiss their forehead for motivation as you fight shaking muscles and internal cursing.  Hold your baby to your chest as you work on squats. Need to get those biceps toned? Raise your baby overhead.

Pro tip: say “swish” every time you lift them; they seem to love the movement and noise.

Buy a Mobile for the Stroller

Parenting is a whole lot of love, patience, and a smidge of distraction.

Invest in a mobile that attaches to your stroller. It comes in handy as a distractor for all sorts of things like a quick workout, a coffee break with a friend, or a load of laundry. It even helps to initiate naptime when you’re out and about.

Tummy Time Tricks

I don’t know about you, but my baby hated tummy time. She even had a reputation in her baby yoga class for being the one baby who screamed the loudest. Determined, I found that  placing the baby on your chest was a much better and less vulnerable position. Placing the baby across your lap and showing your baby toys or books was also a way to distract. If you can get them on the floor, consider rolling up a blanket under their chest; it gives them more support and confidence.

Why Get Out of Bed?

Feeling a little lazy? Make your bed the new nursery. Stockpile books, toys, bottles, and burp cloths into your bed and settle in for some playtime. No need to get dressed!

About the Author

Marisa Meg Olsen is a food writer, and marketing and social media strategist. She has founded and created Girl Loves Food, a blog for the food lover at heart and has spent several years working at Harvest Restaurants and LMCC, a nonprofit arts organization. Her newest role is being a mother. Marisa is a New York City native who also loves New Jersey, and currently resides in Jersey City with her husband and daughter. Marisa loves cheese and chocolate, cooking, writing, yoga, and traveling.