Our committee members and friends have put together this handy wee list of our top life hacks and tips to help the parenting journey run smoother. We hope they help you too!

1. Mums: Take ear plugs to the hospital.
Babies and the maternity ward in general are LOUD!

2. Mums: Pack a new, beautifully-scented body wash for your first shower after giving birth.
It will be the best shower you’ve ever had!

3. If you have a newborn and a toddler, include your older child.
Ask them to be your big girl/boy helper. Ask them to do simple things like pass you a new nappy, find a spilly-cloth etc and tell them what a fabulous big brother/sister they are.

4. Use super glue or a hot glue gun to plug up the holes of bath toys.
This way they shouldn’t go moldy on the inside.

5. Make it and freeze it.
When your child is starting solids, make loads of puree and freeze it in ice cube trays or baby food trays. Where appropriate, blend up your left overs and freeze them the same way.

6. DIY non-slip socks
If you have loads of socks for your toddler that don't have non-slip spots, make your own with puff paint.

7. Make the water work.
If your tap doesn’t quite reach to fill the baby bath, use a milk-bottle hack.

8. Save new toys for when you need them
Hide toys given to you away until you need something new to entertain your child.

9. Keep that dummy close
Use a safety pin and a ribbon to attach a dummy to your child’s top so they don’t drop/lose it. (Just make sure it’s a sturdy safety pin).

10. Baby clothes are made that way for a reason
The envelope folds on a baby top/onesie is there for a reason. It means you can take wet/pooey clothing down over their shoulders and not over their heads.

11. Hair ties - a multitude of uses.
Use hair ties to secure cabinet doors and baby proof cupboards - or on your jeans to extend the girth of them when pregnant (or afterwards!)

12. Snip it. Snip it real good
When weaning a child off a dummy, cut the end off and cut a little more off each day.

13. Let them prove you wrong
When they get a little bigger and you want them to do something, imply they can’t. They will take great pride in proving you wrong.

14. Create Monster Spray
If your little one gets scared at night by ‘monsters’ or anything else, get a spray bottle, fill it with water, put some appropriate stickers on it and call it Monster Spray!

15. Find it while they're buckled in!
Clean out your car whenever you go to the petrol station. Saves finding month old apples and sniffing out yoghurt sachets.
 
16. If you have time to bake, double it.
If/when you bake, always make double and freeze them in serving size bags or containers.
 
17. Go Eco
Buy eco-friendly cleaning products in case of accidental ingestion.
 
18. Create a kid drawer
Keep a drawer/cupboard in your kitchen with some colouring/sticker books, play dough and crayons to keep kids occupied while you are making dinner.

19. Stop them falling out of bed
Use a pool noodle tucked under a fitted sheet to stop your child rolling out of their new ‘big kid’ bed.

20. Prevent the tears - and sore fingers
A pool noodle will also stop fingers being slammed in doors.

21. Double up on sheets
Put two sets of sheets on baby's bed, then if they spew or wet the bed you can just take off the top sheet and mattress protector and the bed is still made underneath.  No more hunting around in the middle of the night for a mattress protector!

Got any pearls of wisdom to add? Comment below.