Does POM give anything practical to Mathematics? Or does it just try to explain the nature of numbers?

If I'm to try to make a new field of mathematics, do I need to be necessarily a philosopher? Is it better to be a philosopher?

I want to know whether POM is separated from or adds to Mathematics. For example, does it make a mathematician better at his work?

I read a post that was something like "POM talks about the nature of numbers". I read some of Wikipedia's article on Philosophy of Mathematics, and it wasn't far from that. For example, Wikipedia's article mentions this: "Mathematical realism, like realism in general, holds that mathematical entities exist independently of the human mind." I can't see that as helping a mathematician. I can't see how a mathematician can "potentially" solve equations better, or discover/construct a useful field of mathematics by putting this quote in mind.

My motivation is that I like to look at things from their roots and go up. So, is POM where I should start, or is POM irrelevant to the progress of Mathematics?