Here is a list of things I've found to be difficult to do while holding a baby and the solutions I've found for them:
1. Eating. Realistically, eating just about anything is hard to do one-handed. I've definitely had to base my food choices around whether or not I'm holding a baby (or nursing a baby) at the time of eating. I usually try to eat when I'm not holding the baby, but sometimes that isn't an option. In my experience, eating things that you can either cut up beforehand (or have someone cut up for you) and then just grab and pop into your mouth is the easiest route. Things like cut-up veggies, grilled chicken, hard-boiled egg white, apple slices, etc. Solid things that you can hold in one hand away from the baby and then take bites of is the next easiest. Things like string cheese, protein bars, bananas, celery or carrots, and so on.
2. Carrying groceries into the house. It wasn't until my daughter was about 4 months old that I had an epiphany about this one. At my baby shower, someone had given me one of those gigantic carabiners that you can clip onto a stroller or whatever and hang your purse or bags from. I took this thing, clipped like 5 or 6 grocery bag handles onto it and picked it up in one hand, no problem! Now I never leave home without it. That thing comes in handy in so many situations it's not even funny.
3. Vacuuming. Once my daughter started crawling, it became clear to me how incredibly important it was going to be to keep the floors clean. She has a habit of crawling over and finding the ONE PIECE OF DIRT I managed to miss while cleaning. So vacuuming regularly became a must. Enter the giant backpack child carrier my friend gave me. Meant for hiking, this behemoth backpack can fit a child up through toddlerhood! It's a little cumbersome but it keeps my kid happy (mainly because she can yank on my hair) and gives me both hands free to operate the vacuum. A Moby wrap, Ergobaby carrier, Baby Bjorn or any other child carrier will work, although it's easier to have them on your back for this.
4. Laundry. Leaning over to grab clothes out of a washing machine is hard enough to do when you're not holding a baby! With a twenty-plus pound child in one arm it can be nearly impossible. My saving grace for laundry has been... a plastic laundry basket. $5 from Target. I put it on the floor, toss a few toys in it, set the baby in it and hold it in place with my foot (in case she tries to pull herself up on the side and it tips.) It keeps her busy for several minutes and I can switch a load of laundry with two hands (hey now..) But if your baby won't tolerate being set in the basket, the baby carrier will be the way to go. Many times you can use the carrier to hold the baby on your hip if they're big enough.
5. Exercising. Obviously going for walks with a baby is easy. But what about lifting weights and doing toning exercises? My solution: use the baby as your weight and get cracking! The internet is rife with baby-and-me exercises for parents. Some recommend using a baby carrier, others don't. Look around on the internet and see what appeals to you!
Don't forget... being a mom is already a superhuman accomplishment. Everything else is just icing on the cake.
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