Top 5 Tips For Getting Out With A New Baby

Top: Old Navy (lots of cute options linked at the bottom of this post) // Jeans // Boots: Zara (sold out) 

I often think about how my experience of being a mom would be different if I were still living downtown Chicago. 

Would Athena know how awesome nature is? Would I take her out and about as much as I do now, considering driving and parking in Chicago is an event itself? How the heck would I get myself, bags and a tiny human up and down the stairs every time we needed anything while parking blocks away from my apartment?

Luckily, life here in Utah is a bit easier. We have a driveway, guys! It's the first time in 15 years I could drive up to my house and leave my car somewhere... for FREE! 

I made it a point that after Athena was born, we got out of the house. Daily if possible. She had her first Target trip at four days old, her first hotel stay at five days old, and first hike at six days old. Keep in mind I had her in the thick of winter too. So if you're a new mom feeling like getting out is too hard, here are my tips! Keep in mind I'm no expert but I AM an organization freak.

1. Get out of your own head. Most moms I've talked to say they are afraid to go out because they are nervous that the baby will cry and then they will be THAT mom with the crying baby. Well guess what? Babies cry. It happens. It will happen. But guess what? You still need groceries and a Target run, so do it! You will all live to tell the tale.

2. Be prepared but not weighed down. Andrew and I keep a grab-and-go gallon ziplock bag with a diaper, small pack of wipes and a pacifier ready to go for quick trips. We keep it in the fully-stocked diaper bag so we know where it is if we want to take the little pack and leave the full bag. You don't always want to carry around the whole giant diaper bag so feel free to leave it in the car and if a disaster erupts it's nearby. And if you do need to carry the whole diaper bag, might I recommend a backpack-style diaper bag. Hands free FTW! I've had my eye on this dusty pink one and we have this one and love it!

3. Know your timing. This is so hard when they are between the newborn, nap-anywhere phase and the two-nap-nap-a-day-with-nice-spaces-in-between phase. You can start to feel like a prisoner when you can only get out for an hour between naps, but do it! But get that list ready, no browsing. Get your business done and get out. You will be surprised how accomplished you will feel picking up toilet paper as your big event for the day! And if you know your babe will sleep like an angel in the car, plan it so that's where their nap is as you sit in traffic.

4. Pack the car when the baby is sleeping. Most of my errands involve returning something or bringing things to the post office. Probably because I order everything online! If I can ship it to my house, I do. It's super hard to carry the baby, the diaper bag and the stuff I need for my errands. So as soon as that kid is napping, pack the car with whatever it is you or the baby is going to need that you know you won't have the hands to carry when you are trying to get out the door. And leave anything you will need to take on the way out the door RIGHT BY THE DOOR so you wont forget on the way out.

5. Keep water in the car. If you need to make formula on the fly or you are just mega thirsty because the baby is peacefully sleeping in the carseat and it's the first time you've had enough time to think about your own needs and you realize you haven't had a drink of water all day long! While we're at it, toss an energy bar in the glove box too. You probably need to eat something too!

Photos by my brunch date Sandy at Publik Kitchen. And can we all appreciate how full and awesome my hair was before Athena (pictured at about 3 months) figured out how to rip it out of my head by the handfuls. Now I just have tiny weird regrowth bangs.