Tips, tricks, and hacks

eazybreezy225

This thread is for you to post any baby/parenting related tips, tricks, and hacks that you know works, that might save the life and sanity of our fellow moms. It doesn't matter how many kids you have or if this is your first baby, if you know a hack, tip, or trick related to parenting or baby, please share it!
We have a separate thread for asking advice or questions, but a lot of hacks or tips are often things you don't think about!

threatlevelmidnight

Co-sleeping saved my life and my sanity. I said I would never do it, but it was the only way either of us slept. And then I was sad when he no longer wanted to. Not only did it save my sanity, but it also became a special memory I'll always cherish. I know it isn't for everyone, but may help your sanity. Lol

threatlevelmidnight

Also, gripe water was a miracle worker

eazybreezy225

I hated how diapers would get just floating around in the diaper bag... crumbs from snacks, accidental rips from frantically trying to find a pacifier... my solution? I use those cloth cover slips that bed sheets are sold in as diaper sleeves. Problem solved.

The best ointments for diaper rashes are the thick-goo types, like Aquaphor or Bag Balm! Other paste-like creams like Desitin rub off so easily inside the diaper... You want a thicker ointment that not only heals the rash but also acts as a barrier between the bottom and diaper to prevent further irritation.

Keep an extra shirt for YOU in the car or diaper bag, I learned this lesson after sitting through a lunch date with friends in a shirt with spit up on it.

elcd458

I once encountered a mom at my old job who was SO good at calming her baby that I couldn't help but tell her I'd never seen someone else there do such a good job of soothing baby without it seeming like a desperate guessing game.  She told me all she did was follow the steps from the book "The Happiest Baby on the Block" -- in fact, her pediatrician had so many parents swear by it, that the pediatrician had started to request that all new patients got a copy to read.  

I know not all these popular methodologies work for everyone (for instance, a cousin once told me to never try Babywise unless I wanted to feel like a failure), and some of the techniques recommended in THBOTB people have issues with (I know it relies a lot on swaddling which seems to be starting to fall out of favor) but I was just so impressed by that mom at my office, that I ordered a copy on Prime Day!  

failuretofly

PROBIOTICS! 
My son started to show the early signs of colic, fussy, crying, grunting like he needed to poop but not pooping. Then I started taking probiotics (some studies show they get them through breastmilk) and within 24 hours he was a different baby! I've heard similar stories from a lot of mom friends, whether they took them themselves or gave baby a baby version!

cait5413

Someone gifted us the happiest baby on the block DVD. It works, but it's also pretty simple. Basically, some combo of swaddling, loud shushing (SHhhhhhhh-basically, white noise. ), swinging, and shaking ( really jiggling/bouncing) will work on most babies. If white noise works, a white noise machine, a vacuum cleaner, or a hairdryer can help. Babies like it pretty loud at first--it's noisy in the womb

oldersis

Onesies are shaped the way they are at the  top so you can pull them down in the event of a poopsplosion (oh yes, it's a real thing). Do not attempt to take a gross onesie off your baby by pulling it over the head!

sjis

In the early days of having a newborn, I ate on paper plates. This saved me on having to do dishes constantly or having them pile up. 

I mentioned this on another thread but using a Cushy Closer or a diy version to silence doors closing is great!

kate0506

Alot of breastfeeding mums may not agree with this, but at 4 weeks when my DS would not leave my breast for constantly feeding, I decided to introduce one formula or expressed breast milk bottle throughout the day. 
This not only gave me a break where someone else could feed him, it mean that if needed, I could leave him with mum for an afternoon or eve if I had somewhere I needed to be or wanted to go out. 
This also helped when I came to wheaning him off the breast onto formula at around 10 months, he took to the bottle no problem. 

lavashiner

@oldersis before we knew that my DH and I cut a onsie off of DD! It was gross.
@kate0506 I'll be trying this this time around--those cluster-feeding days got way too exhausting for me.

My tip: We have two of the Carter's Keep Me Dry Cotton Flannel Protector Pads. We put the regular fitted mattress pad down, then one of these, then the sheet. When there is an accident, just remove and wash the sheet and this pad. It makes life a lot easier!!! Keep two so one can always be on the crib while the other is in the wash. Then we wash the fitted mattress pad more infrequently. 

dkizz82

alyssaleighw said:

Co-sleeping saved my life and my sanity. I said I would never do it, but it was the only way either of us slept. And then I was sad when he no longer wanted to. Not only did it save my sanity, but it also became a special memory I'll always cherish. I know it isn't for everyone, but may help your sanity. Lol

Yes!!!!

kaylawing

We layered our crib as followed: fitted mattress protector, fitted sheet, another mattress protector, another sheet. That way, for middle of the night messes, we could just take off the top two layers and have fresh sheets without having to replace a fitted sheet. 

My pediatrician also recommends Happiest Baby on the Block. I haven't read it, but I read the basics online and it was helpful. 

I ordered these from Amazon to help organize the diaper bag. The largest one fits about three diapers, diaper cream, and wipes. Then I have one for extra clothes, and one for feeding items. It makes it so much easier to just grab what I need from the bag. 

I also second white noise and being open to cosleeping if it helps. There was about a month where my daughter would only sleep in our bed after her middle of the night feeding. I was so worried about "creating bad habits" but looking back, I really enjoyed having her close and it helped us all to sleep during that tricky period. 

mrsorigami

This might seem weird but I got one of those waterproof mattress pad things for our queen size bed in the master bedroom.  I was so paranoid my water was going to break or something was going to leak and ruin our mattress.  

I will probably get one again but one that is a little higher quality.  and it helps with leaking breasts!  tmi!

cait5413

@mrsorigami We have a waterproof mattress cover because we have a memory foam mattress that is not supposed to get wet ever. When I was pregnant with DD I bought Good nights peel and stick absorbent pads (they sell them for kiddos who wet the bed) just in case my water broke, because I was paranoid about it and I wasn't sure when the mattress cover would get washed if it did break and we went straight to the hospital. 

ashtynmo

@cait5413 Smart... I know many people don't have their water break but I was reading a thread on another forum about it and many women had it happen in bed. So in that rare case where it does break I'm bed, how terrible would you feel to have to clean it up before going to the hospital or even worse... having to clean it up when you get home with a newborn, yikes!

failuretofly

Yup! That was me! Luckily I had a soaker pad I "borrowed" from work under my sheets! Very smart idea! So glad my friends suggested it to me! It's also good to have postpartum in case your bleeding is heavier than you're prepared for those first couple nights