When I became a first time mom, I was surprised at how much stuff you add to your home when baby arrives. So many new items and things that take up space – all for this tiny baby! It’s a bit crazy! I remember browsing local baby stores to figure out what I really needed. At the time, I decided most of it wasn’t necessary. I was going to only buy the bare minimum so that I didn’t clutter up my house with things I didn’t need. Flash forward to present day and I am constantly tripping over toy cars and picking up ball bits and puppy tents to vacuum. When I came to terms with the fact that my baby boy was slowly but surely taking up most of the space in our home, I started to think of ways to save space and make our lives more efficient.
At first, hauling a giant diaper bag full of any little thing you might use for baby when you’re out and about was a bit tedious. My hands were already full with a baby so also carrying a large diaper bag seemed like a lot of work. I tried to pack a smaller bag with just a few essentials for short trips but, of course, every time I did that I didn’t have something I really needed, like the tissues and my baby had a super runny nose. So I went back to hauling the big bag. When my husband and I started using some of these baby products in our everyday life, we thought we had discovered some genius hacks! It turns out other parents take advantage of these hacks too! Some of these are Mommy specific and some are hacks for both Mommy and Daddy. Some of these you may have heard before and others are creative and outside the box. Enjoy!
- Baby Powder. This hack is for Mommy! As a new mom, I don’t get a lot of time to shower and get myself ready for the day. Some days, I have to skip washing my hair so I survive off of dry shampoo. This is a powder-based spray that you apply to the roots of your hair to keep it from looking greasy. Once I realized I could use a little bit of baby powder and a couple drops of essential oil, I haven’t bought dry shampoo since! I have blonde hair so I work the white powder in to blend it well. I have been told by my brunette friends that they add cocoa powder to add some brown color to their homemade mix.
- Baby Teething Biscuits. This is for Mommy or Daddy. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been a hungry beast while breastfeeding. As my body is working overtime to produce milk, I feel hungry all the time! There has been a time or two when we are out and about where I have dipped in to my baby’s teething biscuits and puffs to hold me over until my next meal!
- Baby Bubble Bath. I’ve tried a few different bubble bath mixes to see what I like best. Most of them have lavender to calm baby in the evening before bed. When I get a break, I also enjoy a nice calming lavender bath! It really does relax me and smells so nice. It’s all natural so that it’s sensitive to baby’s skin and so it feels so soft and nice. I just close my eyes and pretend I’m at the spa. Mama needs a break.
- Baby Wipes. THESE ARE AMAZING to have with you at all times. Even after the baby stage, I will continue to have these with me because they are so convenient. Leaving a pack of baby wipes in my vehicle is genius. They always come in handy! I wash my hands often so if I don’t have access to do that while we are out, wiping my hands off with a wipe is convenient. I have also used wipes to remove my makeup when we travel and I’ve forgotten my makeup remover. The wipes work pretty nicely for that!
- Baby Bug Spray & Sunscreen. I’ve been on camping trips and trips to the pool where I forgot my sunscreen and bug spray! My skin is very fair and sensitive to the sun so I can’t go without it. I am also the type of person who mosquitos love to bite. When I pack for trips, I am always so concerned about making sure I have everything for baby that I forget my own stuff. Thank goodness I remembered to pack baby’s outdoor essentials so I can use them too!
- Nipple Butter. Nipple butter is not only used for sore and chaffed nipples from constant breastfeeding, but it can also be used as lip balm and moisturizer. I always pack this is my bag for on the go and use it often.
- Formula Container. Once you go through a container of formula, instead of tossing it, save it to create a sensory toy for baby. I’m not sure if it’s all babies or just mine, but my boy LOVES making lots of noise. I leave the scoop in the empty formula container, close it up, and let him go wild. He loves to hit it like a drum and shake it around to hear the noise. Trust me, kids love the stuff that is cheap or free. He would rather play with this empty container than some of the pricey, musical toys he has.
- Breast milk Bags. I always have a pack of seal-able breast milk bags that you can put in the freezer with me in my pump bag. You can use these to seal up food if you are away from home. You can use it as an ice pack if you have access to ice. They are always handy to have.
- Bottle Brush. A bottle brush is a long cleaning utensil with bristles and usually a sponge at the end to wash out baby bottles. I had no idea how handy this would be for washing delicate dishes like wine glasses. My normal bristle brush I have for dishes is too big for some of my glassware so the thin bottle brush comes in handy.
- Swaddle. A swaddle is a cloth you can wrap baby up in to keep them feeling secure. Although my baby didn’t like being swaddled, I always have one packed with me in the diaper bag. They can be used as a breastfeeding cover if you are shy like me about feeding in public. They can be used as a blanket for your little one. They can also be used to cover them in their car seat if you are trying to keep the sun or wind out of their faces.
Who knew there were so many perks to having all this extra baby stuff in your life?! How creative have you been with your baby product use? Comment if you have a great hack to share!
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