Clever Parenting Hacks You Need To Know

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Collaborative Post¦ Becoming a parent is the best thing in the world. From the first time your baby opens its eyes and looks at you, your life will change forever and it will be for the better. 

When you take on a child and parenthood; there will be a lot of advice thrown your way. For some reason everyone you see will suddenly become any experts and share the best breastfeeding tips for new mothers or how you can secretly fold the nappy into a swan. As a new mum, I found it really helpful to check out parenting resources for women. But all of this advice can be daunting and confusing for a new parent.

That’s why today we want to help you gain some heads up on parenthood and how to handle your baby like a pro. Don’t worry about what anyone else says and use our awesome hacks to make looking after a new baby a doddle.

 

1. Use a pacifier for medicine 

 

If your baby needs to take medicine, it will likely be in liquid form as a drink. The task of getting your baby to take their medicine is mammoth but this hack can help. If you have an open ended pacifier, pierce a small hole in the top and add the medicine. Your baby will then suckle the pacifier and take their meds! 

 

2. A baby bathtub 

 

You can buy a baby bathtub from the store if you want, but then comes the issue of where to put it as well as the aches and pains you feel when bending over to wash your baby. Instead, use the kitchen sink. Sure, it might not be the conventional way but it is the right height and it works! 

 

3. Put lotion on the cradle cap

 

Use gentle lotion or coconut oil to moisturise the cradle cap and this will make a massive difference to your baby. It will keep them moisturised and will help to remove dead skin easily. 

 

4. Baby nail scissors 

 

It is important now and again to cut your baby’s nails to keep them short and rounded. Instead of using nail scissors you can use small rounded nose hair scissors for the same job. 

 

5. A swaddle bath 

 

Swaddling your baby in a blanket is a method to mimic the womb and settle your baby. If baby is fussy and needs a bath, swaddle then and carefully unwrap one limb at a time. 

 

6. Exercise balls

 

During labour you likely had an exercise ball to help move things along and stimulate the opening of the cervix. But now you can carry on using it as a way to keep your baby happy. Bouncing on this is fun and your baby will love it! 

 

7. Layer the changing table 

 

If you want to ensure you always have a clean changing table, make sure to layer a few pads on top of each other. This way when one gets messy; you can take it off and there’s already a clean one waiting for you. 

 

8. Fold nappies away from the belly 

 

When you have a baby They will cut off the umbilical cord, and for the first few weeks of having a baby this will be a little painful and will still be healing. Make sure to be careful around this area and fold nappies away from it to reduce irritation. 

 

9. Tummy time 

 

One sure fire way to build a bond with your baby and to make them feel relaxed is to lie on your back and undergo tummy time. Put your baby on top of you and let them snuggle close. It will relax you both and it will feel amazing. This is a great option for dad too! 

 

10. Use newborn nightgowns

 

Onesies are the general choice for baby sleeping in the first few days, but they are notoriously annoying to put on and take off. Instead use a dressing gown that will be no fuss to put on your baby and will keep them snuggled and warm. 

 

11. Paint on nappy cream 

 

The amount of times you have to change a nappy for your baby will shock you, and when you do change you need to put cream on your baby to stop them forming a rash. Babies cannot produce oils in their skin like adults hence the need for moisture all of the time. To avoid getting your hands greasy all the time, use a makeup brush to paint the cream on instead! 

 

12. Hair washing 

 

Washing your baby’s hair is a big task and often it can be pretty annoying. To handle this task with little to no issues, bundle your baby in your arms and wash it under the kitchen tap. Don’t try to wash the hair during bath time because your baby will likely get fussy. 

 

13. Stop baby boy pee

 

If you happen to have a son, you may know the worry of him peeing on your when you change his nappy. To prevent him from peeing on you, you can swipe a wet wipe under his belly just before changing the nappy and this is said to make him pee before you remove the nappy. It will save a lot of wet faces and a wet ceiling! 

 

14. Use oil to moisturise 

 

Instead of buying expensive baby lotion, you can use olive or coconut oil to moisturise your baby’s body throughout the day. It is much easier and it is more natural, so actually works out better for your baby in the long term. 

 

15. Make your own bibs 

 

When you have a baby you will need to have a whole lot of bibs at the ready for their messy eating habits. To save you spending lots of money buying bibs for your baby you can make some yourself. If you have old shirts or jumpers you can create a bib from these and it will be much easier than heading to the store. 

 

16. Don’t waste nappies 

 

Nappies are the single most used commodity you will have as a new parent and they are like gold dust for you both. This is why if the tab rips on your nappy you should never throw it away. Instead, get out your first aid kit and grab a plaster, and use this as a new adhesive strip on the nappy. 

 

17. Burping baby 

 

It is important now and again to burp your baby to ensure that they are comfortable and that they don’t have air and food stuck in their body. To burp your baby you should sit down and place a napkin on your shoulder, and sit your baby on your lap facing you. Then simply move their upper body in a small circle and aim their head over your shoulder until they burp. 

 

18. Make baby wash 

 

If you suddenly run out of baby wash and you don’t have time to go to the store you can make your own easily. You can make a simple baby wash by mixing some hand soap with water and this will work just as well. Make sure to only use gentle ingredients. 

 

19. Don’t worry! 

 

The most important tip we can give you for looking after a baby is not to worry. It is so easy to be caught up in the stress of parenthood but as long as you try your best you won’t do wrong! Be calm and sure of yourself and always trust your own instincts. 

 

We hope these tips helped you and you can go off and be an awesome parent today! 

 

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.