5 Solutions to the Unexpected Mom Mistakes You’re Likely Making

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This post was originally published on August 4th, 2018.

This mom life is hard. Often, we screw up in ways we didn’t know were problematic in the first place. Here are solutions to five commonly missed mama mistakes.

Mistake #1 :: Parking as close to the store’s entrance as possible

Praying to Parking God. We’re all guilty of it. You pull into the Publix parking lot, and you throw a prayer up for a spot as close to the entrance as possible. This was legit (theology aside) pre-kids — you avoid whatever the weather is currently imposing on us, get in, get out, all in a snap. I hate to break it to you, Mama, but those days are behind you. You can wave goodbye in the rear view to your Publix pop-ins, Target runs, and quick Costco trips because now . . . you’ve got tiny humans in tow. And when the game changes, your strategy has to change too! 

Solution :: Park next to the cart return.

I almost don’t want to share this tip with y’all because, until now, it’s been my well-kept secret. But in the we’re-all-in-this-together spirit, I give you this. Rather than parking close to the door, snag the parking spot closest to the cart return.  That way, you can get out of the car, get kiddos and carseats into the buggy immediately, get your goods, and unpack with the little ones right there. Simplest adjustment; major gamechanger.

Mistake #2 :: Soaping up baby in the bath

Have I gained your trust with that first tip? Ok good, cause I know you think I’m crazy with this one, but stick with me. It makes total sense that we would put our kids in the bath, soap them up, rinse them off, get them out . . . because that’s what we do for ourselves. But if you’ve never been mid-baby-bath and fighting off a panic attack while that slippery little angel wriggles around, are you even a mom? Until my oldest could sit up in the bath, I anticipated bath time with so much trepidation, it’s shocking she ever got a scrub down, so I devised a different system for the second one.

Solution :: Sud before you soak.

Mama, just a little swap of that order of operations, and you will be in bath time heaven. Fill up that tub, get the room nice and warm, a little water on your hands, and soap ’em down! To get baby in the tub, I use a towel because they’re still slippery. But then . . . you can just enjoy watching your little one kick and play without the stress of having to actually get them any cleaner.

Mistake #3 :: Using a plastic newborn tub

On the subject of baby bathing and panic attacks, those all-ages convertible bath tubs are um . . . kind of the worst. Having to keep one hand on a bitty newborn so that they don’t slip around is stressful to say the least.

Solution :: Get a bathtub with a sling.

These puppies are well worth it. They also happen to convert for kids who can sit independently as well. 

Mistake #4 :: Using messy, sticky diaper paste

Newborn Mama Diary, Day 6: OMG, baby is sooooo cute and smells so good, and even though I’m not really sleeping, it’s okay ’cause I’m hopped up on all this new mommy adrenaline. Um but TBH, there are like one or two kinda gross things about this new mom life. 1) I sweat A LOT . . . why didn’t anyone warn me about this?! and 2) 50% of my day I am like elbow deep in diaper paste. Putting it on, taking it off. It’s sticky, it’s messy, and it comes out of a . . . tub. A giant tub of sticky, messy diaper paste. Gross. But OMG #momlife #sofun!!!!

Solution :: This stuff.

This is #notanad, but if I had a dollar for every time I sang this product’s praises, I might be able to fund my Nordstrom habit. No fingers, no Q-tips, no sticky ickiness. Rolls out like a push pop (ew . . . forget I said that), goes on clear, and smells really good. 

Mistake #5 :: Clicking on this post

Wait, what?! While I am tremendously grateful you clicked on this and have read this far, take a quick sec and think about why. 

Modern mamas, we are plagued by the fear that we are messing this thing up, doing it wrong, and drowning in mom guilt. Why? Honestly, we want to do this parenting thing well, and there are so many solutions and strategies offered to us. We are constantly inundated with messages about how to do it right, and often times these messages are conflicting, or they’re written by someone with a completely different perspective or lifestyle than ours. We jump from tactic to tactic, but few solutions ever really stick. And yup — that’s a giant bummer.

Solution :: Trust yo’self, Mama.

One of the greatest gifts you can give yourself and your kiddos is to quit letting strangers on the internet tell you the mom mistakes you’re making, and consider what your family needs. Could you find one or two trusted resources and stick to just them? There are many layers of magic to this, the most important being that you will be more present with your fam. A lesser known benefit is that, as you stop clicking on those low-key mom-shaming posts, they’ll show up less on your feed 😉

Enjoying motherhood is not a given, it’s not always easy, but it is attainable. By all means, seek out an expert when faced with a true conundrum. But for those day-to-day issues, just be you. There are gifts only the most authentic, self-assured version of you can give to your kiddos. So, let’s stop seeking “mistakes” we could be making, and enjoy those tiny little souls right in front of us, because you’ve got this, Mama. 

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Tiffany M
Tiffany is the embodiment of that feeling when you think you know exactly what you want, but life gives you a once over and a chuckle and says “uh uh . . . I’ve got something else in store.” After 4 years of joyful, challenging stay-at-home-momhood, Tiffany is embarking on a new venture as founder and owner of an indoor cycling studio. The journey has been exhilarating, and filled with trepidation leaving her full-time role as SAHM to Marilee (4) and Rhett (1). And to make things even more fun, her husband Mark is starting an innovative school & youth workforce development program in Ensley . . . at exactly the same time. Perpetually in a state of believing things will slow down eventually (oh, you’re laughing too?), Tiffany loves out-of-town adventures (almost exclusively to friends’ weddings and bachelorette parties), sweaty fitness classes, frequent necessitated deep breathing exercises, and getting to know this fabulous city. She’s lived in Seattle, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Boston, and is finally making Birmingham her home. Her family moved here in the summer of 2017, and Tiffany is intrigued by and excited about all Birmingham has to offer!

1 COMMENT

  1. What a great, helpful, and encouraging post! Thanks for sharing! And can I say, I totally logically know to park next to the cart return, but that part of me that wants to park close consistently wins out when I pull in, and I regret it every time I leave! Next time I’ll remember this blog though and make the better choice! 🙂

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