12 life hacks that will help a mother in the first year of her child's life

The first child is always stressful! Even if the newly-made mother had the experience of communicating with young children. For the first time, everything is scary, everyday life falls out of hand, and the elementary actions of caring for a child turn into a real quest with obstacles. But you can make your life easier with the help of simple and affordable life hacks. Many of the tips are so basic that you will be pleasantly surprised!

Place a fresh diaper under your baby before changing the old one

This is the cleanest way to change diaperas it is able to catch anything that might leak. With this method, you can change a diaper on many surfaces when you don't have a clean diaper at hand.

Wash soiled clothing immediately

If you don't already know it, baby poop is tricky to wash. Therefore, if you do not want to use harmful stain removers, throw the contaminated clothing into the washing machine or into cold water as soon as possible. Do not throw clothes into the dryer.

Best stain remover 

Let's say you messed up and the stains have dried up, and now it is impossible to remove them. But there is still hope! This solution removes the toughest stains: 2 parts hydrogen peroxide, 1 part liquid soap, and 1 part baking soda. Simply pour the mixture over the stain, spread with a brush, and let sit for about an hour before throwing it into the washing machine.

When changing the diaper, wrap the overalls around the baby's arms.

The worst (or one of the worst) things that can happen during a diaper change is when a baby sticks his hand into a dirty area. The solution to this problem is to put the baby body on your hands: the baby is snug and you are ready to change the diaper without any problems.

Apply cream with a brush

Diaper cream is usually very greasy and is not always easy to wash off. Plus some moms keep long fingernails, then this method is the most comfortable. You can use brushes, or... a new glaze spatula.

Swaddling with a toy 

The more toys around, the easier it is for you / istockphoto.com

When changing diapers, babies often twist and later turn over. For this occasion, keep as many distracting toys as possible on the changing table or bed.

No nipple? Use a nozzle instead

In case you have forgotten or lost your nipple, use a bottle attachment. However, you need to hold it with your fingers, so be sure to wash your hands!

Use a clip to mark which breast to breastfeed

When breastfeeding, it is important that you switch between feedings as the consequences can be dire (including different breast sizes)!

However, the newly-made mom already has so much in her head that the last thing she keeps in mind is which side the child was feeding on.

Special clips are sold, like nipple holders, but you can use a regular crab or hair clip. Just clip it to your bra on the side where your baby will feed next time.

Place the parts of the breast pump in the refrigerator

This tip is specifically for moms who use a breast pump. Washing of parts is not quick, and it is not always possible to do it between sessions. So if you really want to, you can keep these parts in the refrigerator for up to 6 days without washing them (that is how long your milk can safely stay in the refrigerator).

However, since you are using these parts at room temperature, the method should be used for no more than three sessions of the sucker.

Still not sleeping alone? Try this trick!

It's no secret that babies are tame and only fall asleep on their mother. Sometimes you can use this trick. Put a cup of rice or beans in a glove, tie it up, and place it gently on top of your child (safest on your foot). Voila! Take the glove away as soon as the child falls asleep.

Layhack can be used when the child is older and can roll over, and never do it unattended.

Help your baby fall asleep by gently rubbing the diaper over his face a couple of times

Surprisingly, it really works! When the baby is trying to sleep, take the diaper and run it lightly over the face to calm it down. The diaper at first distracts, then makes you blink, which makes you want to sleep.

Use scotch tape to reduce the sound of toys

Most children's toys tend to be quite loud, it doesn't matter if you have a noisy house, but if yours is quiet, then a triggered toy can definitely cause everyone in the room to flinching.

A quick fix to this problem is a piece of duct tape. Stick it where the sound of the toy is coming from. It's such a simple solution, but it works so well!

Also, you will be interested to read:

Breastfeeding and COVID-19: Mom's Tips from Unicef