As a mom of four and neonatal nurse, Tricia Smith is an expert when it comes to newborn mom hacks! Pictured are her daughters Locklyn, Karter, Gentry and Shay. Photo: courtesy of Tricia Smith

Y ou’ve read the books. You’ve taken the advice of doctors. You’ve listened to the well-meaning wisdom from your aunties. And all of that is important! But so is the real talk you hear from a friend just coming out of the sleepless nights of newborn-dom.

New moms need gentle anchors to offer encouragement and knowledge. But they also often need straight talk. A little of both may just be the perfect balance.

What they often need are mom hacks – advice from moms who have been through the trenches of babyhood.

We asked moms what they couldn’t live without when they had infants and what they found completely unnecessary. Think of these mom hacks as advice from your no-nonsense best friend.

Tricia Smith, a Tulsa neonatal nurse and mom of four girls, was quick to respond to our request for advice to new moms. She’s just the person we had in mind for real talk. Smith has given birth four times, plus she has a front seat to the beauty, tears and – sometimes – confusion that comes with those first days of having a newborn.

Her first piece of advice? How important it is to not let a newborn get overtired.

“They should only be awake 45 minutes at a time for the first couple of months. It’s so easy to miss the window of getting them back to sleep easily because you want to enjoy them being awake,” she said. “But they get overstimulated and overtired easily, and then it makes nap times and bedtime so much more difficult.”

Everyone has their preferences for equipment, like swings, carriers and swaddles – and Smith says that’s a good thing.

“Every baby really is different. Some may like swings, some may like swaddles, some may like pacifiers. While another baby likes none of them,” she said.

It’s true – every baby is different. And every mom is different! So, what works for one may not work for you. Take this advice as just that, then see for yourself what works. New moms – remember that one day you’ll be the seasoned mothers sharing your own wisdom.

Natalie Mikles is a mom of three – 12-year-old twin girls and an 11-year-old boy. She writes about food, sharing recipes for busy families and picky eaters. She has been recognized for her food columns as well as features on families and issues affecting local children, and she loves pizza and movie nights with her family.

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