There are so many things that moms I know, love, and trust tried to prep me for prior to my son arriving—how to swaddle baby, the pitfalls of nursing, the most trusted gear—but somehow they all failed to mention the new talent they developed after becoming a mom:
The one-handed-mamajabaroo.
OK, that’s just what I like to call it. But really, why did no one let me in on the fact that as a mom you have to learn how to do pretty much everything with just one free hand? Now, those rare moments when I have two free hands feel practically celebratory at times.
If you’re about to become a new mom, here’s a few things I’ve learned to do with just one hand. Start practicing now; this will be your new life soon!
1. Feed myself
Before kids, I thought that using two hands was mandatory for making myself a meal. Psssh. That’s nonsense. I’ve learned to make a mean sandwich that only requires me to open the fridge with one hand, close it with my elbow (start getting in the habit of using other body parts in place of your hands…trust me!) and takes minimal, one-handed knife skills.
2. Clean
You know that saying, “Don’t cry over spilled milk?” That rule doesn’t apply to small children. They will, in fact, cry over spilled milk. They’ll also cry over the wrong flavored waffle, and how their fruit was cut wrong. True story. So when those tear-filled days fall upon you and you find yourself having to literally clean up spilled milk while preparing another snack at the same time (or at the very least, drying off tears), Clorox has your back with their new Pump ‘N Clean™ Kitchen & Dish Cleaner. It lets you apply a powerful bleach-free liquid onto a sponge, paper towel, or cloth with one hand, and wipe out messes in a flash. It’s multi-task, multi-purpose, multi-surface cleaning at its best. Also, it’s food-safe*, so you can clean while doing whatever else it is your mom duties call for on that day.
3. Put on makeup
I vividly remember the first time I took on this task. I felt super-accomplished after. My son was still a baby and I was nursing on-demand at the time. We were already late to a family function and I decided that the only thing I could do was to nurse and apply my makeup at the same time. So I propped up a mirror nearby, nursed with one hand, and swiped on makeup with the other. Even though I’m no longer nursing, this skill is still put to the test almost daily.
4. Use the bathroom
When my son was a newborn, watching him smile or taking him on long walks became entire adventures in themselves. I did things like watch my baby fall asleep in my arms, despite many people telling me he’d becomen dependent on me to fall asleep if I did so. But moments like those always felt so sweet and serene…until I realized I had to pee 20 minutes after he’d fallen fast asleep. (No wonder why people kept telling me not to let him fall asleep on me!) Scared I’d wake him, it was in those moments that I decided using the bathroom with one hand was the only logical solution. Now that’s talent.
5. Text Messaging
I never realized that being a mom would actually affect my smartphone purchase decisions. Between pushing a stroller, holding a baby, and having one hand free just in case a hazardous situation arises, texting with one hand is essential. So when the time came for me to purchase a new phone that had a bigger, shinier screen or a smaller one that was less sexy but more compact, I opted for the smaller one so my fumbly hands were in more control of my phone. (Maybe I just need to give texting a rest.)
What are the new one-handed talents you’ve acquired since your little one was born?
*Do not use to clean up after raw meat or fish.
Featured image: Marc Romanelli / Getty
This post was sponsored by Clorox. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
