As a new parent, you’re constantly jumping over hurdles to keep your baby healthy, happy and safe. However, with the unpredictable nature of life, inconveniences are likely to pop up and throw you off your parenting game. Through strategic planning and special considerations, you can proactively prevent any mishaps that may disrupt your baby’s daily routine. Here are some parenting hacks that will help you avoid daily annoyances and save your sanity:
Feeding
The early years of childhood require special nutritional considerations to foster healthy growth of your baby’s body. Vegetables are packed with nutrients that promote good digestion, a strong-functioning endocrine system, stabilized mood and cognitive development. Unfortunately, children often have an aversion to vegetables because their tastebuds aren’t in tune with some of the bitter or earthy tastes. For the toddler who refuses to eat vegetables, you can sneak them into a smoothie. Blend a fruit-forward smoothie with some spinach, kale, steamed carrots, steamed cauliflower or steamed zucchini to pack in the extra nutrients. For smoothie recipe ideas that your baby will love, visit All Recipes to view more than one hundred blended vegetable-and-fruit combinations.
Diaper Changes
Diaper changes can be tricky when your baby wiggles and resists a stationary position on the changing table. Their unbridled movement can be potentially dangerous and add unnecessary time to the diaper change. Have a fun toy handy, that your child can hold and focus on while they’re on the changing table. You can also use their onesie as a temporary arm restraint, that will help reduce their movement. Simply roll the bottom of the onesie upwards to form a cocoon around your child’s arms, so you can complete the change quickly and without a hitch.
Bathing
Bath time can either be a favored or feared activity for a baby. The sensation of water touching your baby’s face may set them off into a spiral of wails and tears. Invest in a baby shower cap, also referred to as a shampoo or bath visor. It protects your child’s eyes, ears and face from water, soap and shampoo. If you have a baby around 6-12 months, they’ll likely be too big for the bathing support tub used in their infant months. Though, the full-sized tub is also not a preferred option, as they may frequently slip and slide as you’re bathing them. A simple and inexpensive hack is to put a plastic laundry basket inside of the bathtub, where your baby can play with their toys without slipping around while you bathe them.
Entertainment
Digital devices are a life-saving entertainment source that will quickly curb tantrums when you are out in public with your baby. Your child can use your smartphone to watch their favorite movies and shows or play interactive games. If you frequently rely on your smartphone as a source for your child’s entertainment, you are likely to use a lot of cellular data. Rather than deal with the headache of going over your data plan and paying the overage charges, you should find a phone plan with unlimited data. Switch to T-Mobile for unlimited LTE data on your smartphone, so your little one can enjoy their favorite online video content and data-fueled, interactive games. Once you’re phone is protected from obscene data charges, make sure the hardware of the phone is also protected from any damage. Choose a case that can handle any bangs, bumps and spills, in case your child drops or drools on your phone. The LifeProof case is a toddler-friendly option, as it provides waterproof, shockproof, snow-proof and dirt-proof protection. It can withstand drops from 6.6 meters and can be fully submerged in 6.6 meters of liquid for one hour without any liquid breaking through its seal.
