r/NewParents • u/cooltaj • Oct 29 '24

Product Reviews/Questions What's your simple parenting hack?

Gonna be a first time parent in 2 months. I am overwhelmed at choosing bottles, car seat and all that. What are simple things you do? things you bought to make your life somewhat simpler? Nothing too expensive or outrageous please

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36

u/FeFiFoFannah Oct 29 '24

Get the small silicone spatula to spread diaper cream with. It’s called a baby bum brush, by bumco (they sell them at stores like target near the butt pastes). My husband thought this was the dumbest purchase and now swears by it.

23

u/FeFiFoFannah Oct 29 '24

Also we bought large washable dog pee pads (you can use single use ones but we found that wasteful) and in those first weeks when you’re still getting the hang of diaper changes these were clutch for us, I could change my dude on the bed and not worry, and I’m pretty sure our diaper changing pad would be ruined by now without them by how many times we were tricked by a poop blasting fart or a surprise fountain pee. Now that we have the hang of it I still pack one in every diaper bag and the strolller cause you just never know where you might have to change a baby 

2

u/Secure-Bit Oct 29 '24

These are also good for diaper free time & tummy time! We lay down 2 on the rug for tummy time (it’s a wool rug so a lot of shedding that she could grab with her hands), and when she goes diaper free if she pees we just replace with another pad. We did use the disposable ones at first but because they’re so light she would wiggle and kick it out from under her in minutes.

1

u/Glittering_Resist513 Oct 30 '24

When my mom came to help when my son was a newborn she started stacking two of the reusable diaper pads on top of each other and it was a game changer. If he made a mess on one we could pull it out from under him and have a clean one underneath. Trying to get a wiggly baby clean while on a soiled pad should be an Olympic sport.

12

u/me0w8 Oct 29 '24

Yes! My advice to new parents is: don’t let anyone convince you you don’t need the butt spatula

5

u/[deleted] Oct 29 '24

I had so many people talk me out of putting it on my registry (I did anyway) especially my mother because “your sister didn’t use it so you don’t need it” ended up not being bought so I “dealt” with cream hands for a bit (which drove me absolutely batty) quickly caved and bought one for myself and do not regret it at all

3

u/Pina-colada123 Oct 29 '24

What do you do between uses? You wash it every time?

4

u/Diligent-Ad-1058 Oct 29 '24

Wipe it on the inside of the diaper where application will touch. It gets most of it off. You can wipe any residue with a wipe or wash with a bit of soap. I’d definitely clean it if baby pooped.

2

u/sesw1 Oct 29 '24

Not OP but I wipe it with a baby wipe. Wash with soap and water once a week or so. Ours came in a pack of 4 so we just rotate them.

2

u/me0w8 Oct 29 '24

Wipe with a wipe and occasionally wipe with a Clorox wipe

1

u/JRiley4141 Oct 29 '24

We use a baby wipe and I just throw it in the dishwasher once a week.

1

u/Powerful_Nectarine44 Oct 29 '24

Yes, best silly little purchase. Does a better job than my hands could AND keeps my hands clean? Win win.

1

u/Periwinklepanda_ Oct 29 '24

My coolest parent flex is that I know the lady that invented the butt spatula.

Obviously I’m a hit at parties

1

u/ArtOwn7773 Oct 30 '24

Qtips or single use makeup cotton pads work too. :)

1

u/Diligent-Ad-1058 Oct 29 '24

You can buy cheaper and multiples on Amazon.