10 Things I Have Learned How to Do With Just One Hand
I can do anything with a baby on my hip!
I remember somewhere around Cullen’s 8th or 9th week, when he finally seemed to have enough head control that he didn’t need me to have both hands on him at all times. It felt liberating to just gain that one hand back. Having had it held hostage by a wobbly baby head for 2+ months, I was amazed at how much I could suddenly do again. But even that could feel pretty limiting at times. That is, until I passed the new-mom initiation test of learning how to do anything with one hand.
Not to say that mastering certain skills one-handed is necessarily easy, but it’s something you learn to do as you bounce a baby on your hip. I’m a huge fan of babywearing, and that got me through many of the early months, but these days Cullen isn’t really into being strapped down.
You’re probably thinking, just put him down — you don’t need to carry him everywhere! And while he crawls and plays most of the time, as anyone with a nine-month-old knows, you can’t just put them down and go about your business. He is into everything, so if he’s down, he requires attention and monitoring. And when I really need to get something done — without pulling phone chargers or dog food out of his mouth — he hangs out in my hip.
Here are ten things I’ve learned to do with one hand, while carrying a baby around…
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Sorting and switching over laundry
Cullen has a serious fascination with the laundry machines, so if I put him down while I switch laundry over, he tries to climb inside the dryer while I'm tossing clothes around. I usually sit him on my lap and hold on with one arm, while I move clothes in and out with the other!
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Take a shower
Next time you take a shower, try putting on hand behind your back and leaving it there the whole time. Squeezing soap onto a loofah? Good luck! Even better, now try doing it with a wiggly, slippery baby in your arms. Occasionally when Cullen isn't feeling so independent, and mom desperately wants a shower, I'll take him in with me. I hold his slippery little body tightly with one arm while I do my best to lather rinse and repeat with the other. It's tricky, but fun.
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Put on makeup
Usually I can put Cullen down on the bathroom floor while I'm getting ready, but on those mornings when he won't stop digging in the trashcan or trying to open cabinets, I'm forced to scoop him up. Putting on eyeliner with one hand is a SKILL, I tell ya.
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Put toothpaste on a toothbrush
Sounds so simple, but it's tougher than you'd think. Opening the toothpaste, applying the right pressure, turning the sink on -- all things that are generally done with two hands. The upside is that Cullen thinks my electric toothbrush is HILARIOUS!
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Taking the stroller in and out of the car
This is probably the one I'm most proud of. Collapsing the BOB, folding it down, and hurling it into the car with one arm is no small feat, and is definitely one of the reasons my arms are looking bulkier than usual. This is necessary when I need to put the stroller away, but we're not actually leaving in the car quite yet. I'm not going to go through wrestling Cullen into his carseat just to pack up, so I make it work with one arm.
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Locating a pacifier blindly while driving
This is a skill all moms learn quickly. Concentrating on the road while simultaneously flinging an arm over the back seat, locating a tossed pacifier, and plugging the mouth of a screaming baby.
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Rinsing dishes and the high chair tray
If you saw my kitchen today, you'd never know that I could do this, but I DO clean up the kitchen while carting Cullen around quite often. After he's done eating and we're getting ready to head upstairs, I don't like to leave the mess on his tray, so I scrub it down with one hand while bouncing him with the other.
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Feed the dogs
This is another one that sounds so simple, but it's probably one of the hardest. Carrying two bowls, bending and scooping food into them, and then carrying them back full is hard enough. But then I need to carefully place each on on the ground with two giant hungry dogs leaping around. I try to always remember to do this when Cullen is in the Jumperoo so that I have to hands free!
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Making the bed
Our master bedroom is right at the top of the steps, so I make sure to make our bed every day in order to keep the house looking even remotely together. Cullen is obsessed with eating the phone and baby monitor chargers next to our bed, so he requires constant attention in our room. In order to make the bed, I often have to scoop him up!
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Prepping baby food and making lunch
It's hard to cook and prep food with a baby in tow, because you want to make sure they are never close to a knife or open flame. I have mastered the ability to chop fruit with one hand, making sure to keep Cullen turned in the other direction. Usually our fridge magnets are a good enough distraction that I can chop quickly for a few minutes, but occasionally I have to go with the one handed method.
Read more from Emily on her personal blog Daily Garnish, where she creates healthy vegetarian recipes, recaps her latest running adventures, and chronicles life as a new mom to her son and two crazy dogs. You can follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest too!
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This is what babywearing is for!
Hi Emily,
I was just wondering what your thoughts on playpens were? I was looking into them recently and I don’t think a lot of people have them these days.
Thanks
@Marty
I have a playpen for my almost 5 month old daughter and she loves it. It gives me at least 20ish minutes every time i place her in there to get things done I can’t do while holding her… out of her jumperroo, stander, swings, etc her favorite is the playpen! Couldn’t reccomend it more to any mother
Ps: great post as always, Emily!
Twitter.com/jessandgia_
Hello!!! How do you manage a baby and 2 dogs? We want a dog but can’t imagine how to walk them and train them with a baby
Do you recommend it
Looooveeee your blog
My girls are 21 and almost 19, so I have been “alone” for those things for few years. This guy is so attached that even when I shower, he has to be standing with the curtain open (if I am not showering WITH him) so that he can see me at all times. But, today when I left him at daycare, he smiled and waved like, “Catch ya later woman.” LOL.
OH MY GOD You need a Baby K’tan baby carrier or an Ergo baby carrier or something of the babywearing nature!!!
Wow you have one spoiled kiddo!
Wow woman! I was impressed that I’ve mastered getting my pants off one handed but putting on eyeliner? Kudos to you! Oh, and they make leashes for those pacifiers! I swear they’ve saved my life!
I have a play pen and an exersaucer for this very reason. Sometimes he has to cry for 5 or 10 minutes a day until I can get to him again but I have a 2 year old also so I can’t carry him all day. She needs attention too and Mommy needs alone time at LEAST when taking a shower lol. He’s pretty good about occupying himself in his infant seat as long as he can see me in the shower lol. Breastfed baby, sigh.
Like other posters have said, you need to start wearing that kid. An Ergo or Onya will take you well into (and even past) toddlerhood. They love it and it frees up both hands!