Congratulations, new mom! You've survived pregnancy, labor, and delivery, and now you're knee-deep in dirty diapers and sleepless nights. It's easy to feel overwhelmed, but fear not - you're not alone. We've rounded up 40 amazing and downright genius hacks to help you navigate the wild ride of parenthood. From soothing a cranky baby to organizing your diaper bag like a pro, these tips will have you feeling like a parenting pro in no time. So, sit back, grab a cup of coffee (or three), and let's hack our way through motherhood together.
The One Baby Item You Don't Need to Spend Big Bucks On
Decorating your baby's nursery is exciting, but buying those adorable changing pad covers may not be the smartest choice. Why? Because they're bound to get covered in poop, and that means more laundry for you to do. And let's be real, laundry is the last thing any new mom wants to deal with.
Instead, opt for a basic, easy-to-clean changing pad in a solid color. Not only will it save you money, but it will also save you time and effort. You'll be able to wipe off any messes without having to do laundry every other day.
The Secret Weapon Every New Parent Needs
As a new parent, you may have realized that cleaning up after your newborn is a full-time job. But what if I told you there's a secret weapon that can make it easier?
By strategically stashing wipes in unexpected places around the house, you can save time and energy when the inevitable pooping and eating messes happen. Buy wipes in bulk and don't be afraid to get creative with where you store them. And don't forget to keep some in the car too! Trust us, you'll thank yourself later when you're not racing up the stairs for wipes.
The One Item You'll Be Glad You Packed (Hint: It's not for the Baby)
There is a good chance you have an extra onesie or dress for the baby in your diaper bag. It makes perfect sense for you to pack extra clothes for your baby because we know how messy they can get. However, did you consider packing something for yourself? We often forget that we also need a change of clothes when caring for a baby.
The number of times parents we talked to got baby poop or spit up on their clothes is beyond counting. The worst is when you are out running errands and don't have time to pump, and start leaking on your shirt. You will quickly realize that you should always travel with an additional bra and shirt.
Keep Your Little One Safe with This Clever DIY Baby Gate Hack
If you're worried about your little explorer getting into areas they shouldn't be, a baby gate is a must-have. But store-bought options can be pricey and may not fit your space. That's where this DIY fabric baby gate comes in.
With just a few inexpensive materials and some basic sewing skills, you can create a custom gate that perfectly fits your needs. Plus, it's lightweight and easy to move around, making it ideal for travel or visiting family. Keep your little one safe and give yourself some peace of mind with this clever hack.
Don't Use A Pack n Play For Only Travel Purposes
Many mothers only remember to use their Pack-n-Play when the family is about to vacation. If there is a room in the house that you often frequent, then it is a good idea to set up a Pack-n-Play there. This would make it easy to place the baby down and do things around the house.
A great place to set up a Pack-n-Play is in the family room, especially if it is right by the kitchen. This helps you to keep your attention on the baby while you're in the kitchen.
Never Lose Another Cup: Make a Custom Bottle Leash in Minutes!
Losing your little one's bottle or sippy cup on the go can be a hassle, but this easy hack will keep it close at hand.
All you need is a piece of ribbon, a clip, and some basic sewing skills. Cut the ribbon to size and sew it onto the clip to create a customized leash that fits your child's cup perfectly. Attach the leash to your diaper bag or stroller for easy access, and you're ready to go.
Utilize A White Noise Machine
If you are the mother who insists on complete silence while your baby sleeps, you will eventually regret it when every little sound wakes them up. Use a gentle white noise generator or sound machine to train your infant to soothe at a young age. When your kids are older, a cheap sound machine will also aid them in getting some sleep.
If you insist on complete silence when your baby sleeps, how will they cope when you need to take them on a car ride and they hear a car honk? If you think about all the possibilities that can constitute noise for your baby, then you will appreciate white-noise training.
When Your Baby Is Sleeping, Get Some Sleep Too
One of the main issues new mothers have is the lack of sleep and weariness they experience after having a baby. Learn to sleep alongside newborns because they sleep so much. While it could be tempting to do household tasks while they are sleeping, momma, you need your sleep too.
Learn to go to bed with them, and then come up with inventive ways to complete household tasks while they are up. Yes, babies are cute but avoid the temptation to stay up watching them sleep or take pictures to send to your friends. We know it's hard, but try to resist and take a nap.
Traveling with a Newborn? This Simple Hack Makes Airport Transit a Breeze
Traveling with a newborn can be daunting, especially at airports. But there's an easy hack to make it less stressful.
Instead of bringing your bulky stroller, use a compact travel stroller that folds easily and fits into the overhead bin. One such option is the BabyZen YoYo+, which is lightweight and comes with a travel bag. This will allow you to easily navigate through security, and your baby can sleep soundly in the stroller until you reach your gate.
Gripe Water To The Rescue
You are probably wondering what gripe water is. No, it isn't grape water. It's called gripe water, and it is a genius way to ease your baby's gas. Yes, babies are incredibly gassy, and unless you want your baby stinking up the whole place constantly, you better grab some gripe water.
Gripe water is an effective herbal supplement that is available in liquid form. It is sold in stores, pharmacies, and grocery stores. It helps ease your baby's gas, colic, and other common baby ailments.
How to Save Money on Baby Gear?
Are you looking for an affordable and easy way for your newborn to get a good night's sleep? Look no further than your laundry basket! This budget-friendly DIY hack is portable, easy to move around the house, and provides ample space for your little bundle of joy.
All you need is an extra laundry basket and a couple of small baby blankets. Remember, babies need a firm surface to sleep on, so don't worry about making it too soft. Just be sure to follow the ABC's of Safe Sleep. Sweet dreams!
Try To Dream Feed Your Infant
In case you haven't heard, dream feeding may be the most effective method for lulling your infant to sleep through the night. Even though we are taught never to wake a sleeping infant, this feeding technique requires you to wake your child, so they can eat just before you turn in for the night.
It's a dream to be a new mother who gets to sleep through the night, which is why the term "dream feeding" was created. It does not imply that you feed the infant while you or the infant are sound asleep. To dream feed, feed your infant around 7 pm, allowing you to sleep by 10 pm.
Add a Cozy Touch to Your Child's Room with This DIY Tutorial
Looking for a way to add some cozy charm to your child's room without breaking the bank? Look no further than this easy DIY pom pom rug! All you need are some basic materials to follow these simple instructions.
You'll need a non-slip rug mat, a glue gun, and lots of colorful yarn. To make the pom poms, wrap yarn around your fingers, tie a separate piece of yarn around the middle, cut the loops, and trim the pom poms to the desired size. Then, glue the pom poms to the rug mat until it's completely covered.
Purchase A Baby Hammock
Infant hammocks are not only really pleasant for the baby, but they also come in handy when you're attempting to go grocery shopping. This handy gadget enables you to gently suspend your child in the hammock while still having enough space in your grocery cart for other items. Car seats simply take up too much space in the cart.
The hammock is particularly effective at promoting longer stretches of sleep for infants and is soothing for those who experience colic or reflux. Your baby can lie on their back in a natural reclining position, frequently assisting in relieving colic and reflux symptoms much more quickly.
Backpack, Not Diaper Bag
Yes, we all want to get that cute diaper bag when we become moms. However, when you get a diaper bag and use them, you will realize how impractical it can be. Instead of getting a diaper bag, invest in a gender-neutral bag you and your partner can use.
You should get a nice neutral color so dad can use the bag too. This way, you save yourself the pain of having to transfer stuff back and forth between two diaper bags.
Cut Your Baby's Fingernails When They Are Asleep
You don't want your baby's fingernails to overgrow. Apart from the fact that cutting your baby's fingernail keeps them from swallowing germs when they stick their hands into their mouths, cutting them keeps them looking well-kept.
Babies are fully relaxed when they are either sleeping or feeding. Use this time to cut their fingernails. We all know that new moms are terrified of hurting their babies when they cut their nails, so make it easy on you both by doing it while they are asleep.
Have a Day and Night Routine
Depending on how you see it, babies can be pretty annoying at night. Have you noticed that at night is when your baby seems to want to be more active? They seem to come alive at night, especially when trying to settle into bed. This is because babies have a different night rhythm than adults.
So, to keep them from being awake all night, keep them up during the day by interacting with them. Engage them in play during the day so they will become tired at night. Don't let them sleep all day long.
Keep Your Little One Safe with This No-Drill Baby Gate Hack
Are you looking for a way to keep your little one away from hazardous areas without drilling holes in your walls? PVC pipes could be the solution. With just a few supplies and some simple steps, you can make a sturdy baby gate that doesn't require any drilling.
First, measure the width of the doorway or hallway you want to block. Then, cut the PVC pipes according to the measurements and assemble them using elbow joints and T-joints. Finally, attach the gate fabric or mesh to the frame and secure it to the wall using zip ties or hooks.
Learn The 5 S's
You need to learn the five S's, especially as a new mother. So, what are the 5's? They signify swaddling, shushing, swinging, sucking, and side laying. These S's are so essential to getting your baby to quiet down. If you learn these five S's, you can get your baby to soothe even if they are the fussiest babies in the universe.
As earlier stated, you can use a swaddle that has velcro. This would help you swaddle your baby easier and faster. If swaddling doesn't work, try softly shushing your baby when she starts to fuss. Before you go through all the S's, your baby should be relaxed and stop crying.
Make a Portable Diaper-Changing Station
Living in a home with enough room and stairs is all fun until you become a new mom and need to change your baby's diaper every few hours. You don't want to be running into the nursery room each time you need to change the diaper, especially if the nursery room is upstairs. So what is the solution? We are glad you asked.
The simple solution is to create a portable diaper changing station. Take a portable caddy and stack it with some diaper-changing essentials. Then, place them in different spots in your home. This way, you have the supplies to change your baby in any room of the house.
Try This Mom's Free Trick to Get Your Baby Sleeping Through the Night
Are you tired of being up all night with a fussy baby? Look no further! A mom on a budget has discovered a free and easy trick to help her baby sleep through the night.
Simply wear a shirt all day and then use it as a makeshift bedsheet for your baby at night. The familiar scent of the shirt will soothe your baby and help them sleep better. Give it a try and see if it works for you and your little one!
How One Mom's Breast-Pumping Hack is Helping Parents Save Time and Space
Breastfeeding can be a time-consuming task, especially for new parents. But thanks to a viral TikTok video, pumping milk has never been easier. Ashley Newton, known as UnlicensedtoMom on TikTok, shared a simple breast-pumping hack that has garnered over 1.6 million views.
By placing a breast milk storage bag inside the bottle and attaching the breast shield, Newton can pump directly into the bag without having to wash the bottle. Not only is this a time-saver, but it's also a space-saver, as freezer-friendly bags take up less room than bottles.
Weighted Pacifier
When a normal pacifier won't do, you need a bit of a weighted infant pacifier. When your baby needs to be comforted, but the regular pacifier isn't doing the trick, these weighted pacifiers keep the pacifier in place for longer sucking. So, instead of hovering over to pop the pacifier back into your baby's mouth, use a weighted one.
This doubles as a toy and soothing device. It is one of the things that stands between you and your sanity when your baby starts making a fuss. They are cheap and cute too!
Leg Warmers
The average infant uses 8 to 12 diapers daily; as the baby grows, this number may decrease slightly but is still rather high. These leg warmers are good to have when constantly changing your baby because they'll be kept warm when you take off the rest of their clothes.
These warmers are important because your baby will need to put on and take off less clothing, hastening the diaper-changing process! While the leg warmers do their job, leave the baby in their onesie for simple diaper changes!
A Seat Mirror
You may be wondering why a mirror is making this list. After all, this is a baby hack guide, not a "ten ways to look handsome guide." Right? Wrong! A mirror is an important hack for new moms, especially when you need to drive your child as you run errands. You can either buy these mirrors from the mall or fashion one into the back of your car. This way, when you are driving and look at your driver's mirror, you will get a good view of your bundle of joy.
These mirrors help you keep an eye on your baby and respond faster to their needs. The mirrors also help you bond with your baby, especially when you look into the mirror and see your baby staring right back at you.
The Mommy Hook for Strollers
If you've ever been shopping in a mall, you can count how many times you had to run into the store to get a few things, which turned into many things. This is where a Mommy Hook comes into play. Pushing your baby in a stroller and handling too many items can quickly become a nightmare.
The best way to solve the problem of fussing over holding too many shopping bags and baby items is to get a Mommy Hook. The hook can easily attach bags to strollers; it is just what you need when your hands are too full.
How to Organize the Diaper Bag
It takes a lot of effort to leave the house with a newborn, especially for the first time. Make sure you have everything you need while you're out and about by using these diaper bag newborn tricks.
Smaller pacifiers can be kept inside your diaper bag using plastic condiment containers. When you're looking for that tiny binky inside a huge diaper bag full of things, finding them and keeping them cleaner will be simpler. In the first months, infants frequently spit up or blow out. Always be prepared by storing a spare set of baby clothes in a plastic bag that can be sealed.
How One Mom's Bedtime Trick Keeps Her Baby Sleeping All Night
When it comes to getting babies to sleep through the night, parents are willing to try just about anything. One mom, in particular, found a simple but effective trick that works for her.
Rather than letting her baby fall asleep on her chest, she uses a baby wrap to keep her close while she gently bounces on a yoga ball. The result? A happy, well-rested baby who sleeps soundly through the night. Give this cozy snuggle hack a try and see if it works for your little one.
How to Keep the Baby Asleep
We have mentioned some hacks to get babies to sleep earlier in this guide. However, we all know that babies fight to sleep like it's what they are born to do. That is why we often doubt "sleep like a baby" because newborns like to do everything else but sleep. You can try these sleep hacks to help your baby, and you, sleep better.
Many new moms have been there before; we have struggled to dress our babies for sleep. Be careful of tags that can irritate your baby and wake them in the middle of the night. Ensure your infant is dressed adequately by keeping an eye out for the ratings on the tags. Get a bassinet that can be easily carried over to your bed for middle-of-the-night feeding if you plan to keep your baby in your room for the first three to six months. These hacks will help with their sleep cycle.
More Baby Sleep Hacks
If you think your kid will spit up or blow out late at night, layer the sheets. Add a crib sheet first, then a waterproof mattress pad, followed by another waterproof mattress pad, then another crib sheet. You may simply remove the top layer of bedding and return to bed if you need to replace the bedding in the middle of the night.
Babies enjoy being warm. By placing a heating pad or warm water bottle on the crib sheets, you can prepare the bed before putting them in it. Before putting the baby inside, remove any things that may cause discomfort to your baby.
This Viral Baby Sleep Hack Has Parents Raving
A recent viral post has been making the rounds on social media among exhausted parents. The hack claims to be a game-changer for putting your baby to sleep quickly and easily. Parents swear by it, saying that it's helped their little ones drift off in no time.
So, what's the secret? Well, we won't keep you in suspense any longer - it involves stroking your baby's eyebrows. Give it a try and see if this simple technique can help your baby (and you!) get some much-needed rest.
Formula Feeding Hacks
This trick is a must for carrying formula on the move if you are formula feeding. As opposed to scooping it out of the can while you're out and about, this is cleaner and faster.
You might not need to reheat the bottle for your child. Starting with room-temperature water at the beginning will save you money in the long run because your kid will probably get acclimated to whatever you feed them. Purchasing a Baby Brezza is another great trick to make formula feeding simpler. It is essentially a Keurig for infant formula. It's wonderful for infants who have only breastfed formula.
Teething Hacks
As if having a baby wasn't difficult enough, they begin to grow teeth! When the baby's teeth grow, use these teething tips to comfort them. Give your teething infant a frozen bagel if they have begun eating solid meals.
They can chew on the frozen hard bread to help their gums feel better. When our baby was teething at the age of 11 months, we did this every day. You can give your baby a cold cucumber to munch on while you're undergoing baby-led weaning to soothe their sore gums.
Use A Heating Pad
Babies adore being held all the time. Given that your newborn infant has just stepped into a strange and frigid new environment, it makes sense that they would find the most solace in your warm chest while listening to your heartbeat.
But we understand the inconvenience this might bring if your baby only ever wants to be on your chest all the time. Use a heating pad to warm up the area you want to put your newborn in before placing them there if you want to have some free time here and there.
Feed On Demand
As a new mom, you are learning a few lessons. The first lesson you've probably learned is that your baby won't just sleep. The second lesson that will hit you right in the face is that all your baby ever wants to do is eat. It's a pain in the butt, but it's completely normal. Don't make the mistake of thinking that your baby only wants to suck for comfort and not eat. So, don't just pop a pacifier in their mouth, because your baby is most likely hungry.
Here is our advice; offer milk whenever your newborn is fussy. This is very important for the first few days. Your infant cluster feeds to get your milk in, so if you don't nurse continuously, you risk having a poor milk supply and engorged breasts.
Learn the Cues Your Baby wants Something
One important hack for being the mother to a newborn is learning the cues of your youngling. Babies can't talk, which makes it very difficult to understand their needs. However, they show us cues using physical clues. Most likely, you are familiar with hunger cues. Babies communicate their hunger to us in three different phases. It will become increasingly challenging to feed your kid and maintain their calmness and happiness if you miss the early signs of hunger.
Early hunger cues include smacking the lips, mouth movement, and sucking on hands or anything. Mid-hunger cues include rooting around your chest, positioning for feeding, squirming and fidgeting, hitting your arm and chest, acting fussy, and rapid breathing. Late hunger cues include frantic head movement, crying, and or a complete meltdown.
Stock Up On Gas Drops
Newborns' digestive systems are still developing, so there will be some discomfort for you along the road. While colic often doesn't appear until newborns are between three and four weeks old, it can occasionally happen earlier owing to allergies, the mother's food, sensitivities, and inappropriate breathing when crying. Along with your vitamin D drops, you should always keep gripe water and Simethicone Gas Drops on hand for your kid.
You can use gripe water and gas drops to see which one works better for your baby. Remember that babies are different and may react differently to either.
Don't Eat Diary If You Are Breastfeeding
Even though this isn't baby care advice, it will make caring for your new baby much simpler. If you are nursing your infant, you have probably been given a list of items you shouldn't eat because they might induce gas in your child.
Tobacco, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, and even chocolate are some foods that can induce gas in your baby. Every baby is unique, so what makes one gassy and colicky may not impact another. Yet, dairy is the food group that consistently causes the greatest issues. So, avoid a diary when breastfeeding to avoid having a gaseous baby.
Wipe Warmer
You must have read in several mommy blogs that the wipe warmer is a big, fat waste of time. We used to feel that way, too, and have advised new mothers not to bother getting it. If you give birth to a baby that doesn't like the cold than you'll love the wipe warmer.
We remember when we had our first baby, and we touched his butt with the normal wipes; he jerked, peed everywhere, and burst out crying. Since then, we have always had warm wipes on hand.
Use Coconut Oil for Meconium
Coconut is excellent for cleaning meconium off newborn babies. So, instead of irritating your little one's bum when you try to clean off meconium, just get a perineum spray bottle with some coconut oil and spray a little before you wipe your baby's bum. The skin of your newborn is very sensitive. Also, note that you will be changing a lot of diapers which can irritate your baby's delicate skin due to the frequent friction.
Diaper rash is very common, especially among male children. Diaper rashes can also be very difficult to get off. So, to avoid them in the first place, use a delicate moisturizer such as coconut oil.
Becoming a mother is one of the greatest achievements in the world. However, it is an achievement that comes with many challenges and a learning curve. This guide has listed 40 hacks that we hope will make the life of all mommas out there a little bit easier. You are doing great, mama bear!