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Category archive: 0-01yrs (infant)
12 May 08 | Comments: 0
Here's how Andy and Chris simplified car seat installation: Installing car seats is a whole lot of no fun, particularly if you have seat belts that automatically retract. We figured out a little hack that makes our car seat installation...
Dandruff shampoo gets rid of cradle cap09 May 08 | Comments: 31
Shaunta says: To get rid of cradle cap, wash your baby's hair with dandruff shampoo. We used baby oil and a comb, but it took forever to go away. Anyone else have cradle cap cures? Related: What do you do...
Veggie scrubber doubles as high chair de-gunker09 May 08 | Comments: 0
Brooke's found a way to get the crusties off the high chair: I am in love with my veggie scrub. (I'm sure the mesh bags avocados come in would do the same thing.) Both are great at scrubbing potatoes and...
The magical, multifunctional properties of painter's tape08 May 08 | Comments: 17
Jen in Toronto loves her blue tape! For good reason: We use painter's tape a lot around our house, and we take a roll with us when we travel. It makes a great impromptu electrical outlet cover. We use it...
Perfect gift for new moms: The Rookie Mom's Handbook06 May 08 | Comments: 61
Heather and Whitney (aka the Rookie Moms) are true blog friends. I think these are two of the warmest, smartest women around. We've bonded over the business of blogging and parenting and life. They've sent in bunches of great hacks....
Bibs worn during morning toothbrushing keep clothes clean and dry05 May 08 | Comments: 1
Here's how Jill keeps weekday mornings moving along: I’ve found a use for the nice, big, plastic bibs that my daughters (3 YO & 1.5 YO) no longer use while eating. I store a couple of bibs in the bathroom...
Smelly diaper ointment reveals "stealth poop"05 May 08 | Comments: 4
Heather discovered that original Desitin ointment has an unexpected benefit: Three of my kids have had GI issues that have at times resulted in what we call 'stealth poop' - that is, no odor or very mild odor. Usually, those...
Amazon diaper deal: $20 off with a $99 Pampers or Luvs order02 May 08 | Comments: 2
I've been waiting for the Amazon diaper promotion to return! Through May, if you spend $99 on select Pampers or Luvs products , you'll get $20 off a future purchase at Amazon. Read the fine print -- that $20 off...
Cut solid food for new eaters with an egg slicer02 May 08 | Comments: 7
Here's how Margaret speeds up getting "first solid food" meals ready for her baby: The trickiest - and the most important - thing when having an infant who just started having solids is to cut the food "to size" -...
Tissue-stuffed Dixie cup stops baby boys' "geyser" fun01 May 08 | Comments: 10
Hacker Daddy Dave offers a homemade alternative to the Pee Pee Teepee: When he was younger, my son loved peeing straight up into the air when I had him undressed on the changing table. Fun for him, not for me....
InfantSEE: Free Vision Screening for Infants01 May 08 | Comments: 10
In 2006, I took my 12 month old son for vision screening. My husband, despite a childhood of good pediatric health care, is one of the adults who wasn't diagnosed for lazy eye until after the age of treatment. Though...
Label breastmilk bottles with electrical tape29 Apr 08 | Comments: 10
Heather's handy tip for pumpers: I use white electrical tape to label my bottles of pumped breast milk with the time and date. It's economical, and the tape comes off very easily. I recommend writing in a ballpoint pen because...
Amazon Kelty KIDS sale: 20% (or more) off child carriers and accessories29 Apr 08 | Comments: 0
Amazon's really wants to outfit you for your summertime adventures -- their annual Kelty KIDS sale is going on now. I see a good selection of backpack child carriers and accessories and some nice-looking diaper backpacks and duffels (some of...
Pants drawstring gives toddler something to handle while nursing27 Apr 08 | Comments: 4
Melissa found a way to keep her toddler's hands busy while nursing: My nursing toddler has always been a very "handsy" nurser - pulling my hair, yanking my shirt completely off, whatever. And I never really understood the idea of...
Amazon Friday sale 4/25/08: Fitness ball, swim diapers, Victorinox25 Apr 08 | Comments: 0
Parenthacker-friendly picks in today's packed Amazon Friday sale : More Huggies Little Swimmers disposable swim diapers (size Small, 16-24 lbs, two 12-count packages) for $14.99 (25% off). Lots of Parenthackers have talked about how versatile a fitness ball can be...
Apply antibiotic ointment while the kid's asleep24 Apr 08 | Comments: 6
When you can't win the game, change the rules. (In a good way.) From Jeff: Our 4 year old son was diagnosed with impetigo (also known as infantago, among other things). His doctor prescribed an antibiotic ointment for him, which...
Keep that bib on with a clothespin23 Apr 08 | Comments: 2
From Melody: My 12-month-old is becoming an expert at ripping off her bib about 3 seconds after we put it on at the beginning of a meal. Yesterday I used a clothespin to clip the bib together, and she couldn't...
When they're little, sing 'em what you like, with a little backup21 Apr 08 | Comments: 11
Brian's baby is getting better musical exposure than mine ever did: For an infant that you're trying to sing to sleep it really doesn't matter what you sing them, just that you're singing. My wife and I both sing songs...
Quiet loud toys with caulk21 Apr 08 | Comments: 18
Dawn's a smart mom: I don't know about you, but I've found that most children's toys that 'talk' are way too loud - - too loud for me, and I'm sure for the tiny little ears that are even closer...
Amazon Friday sale 4/18/08: Magnifying desk lamp, prep bowls, diapers18 Apr 08 | Comments: 2
Here are my picks in today's Amazon Friday sale : If you've got any small-parts builders or modelmakers in your home, this desk lamp/magnifier would make their projects go a whole lot easier. Great for budding scientists, too. It's $29.99...
Turn restaraunt high chairs upside-down to hold infant car seats17 Apr 08 | Comments: 23
Leah wrote in with a hack I've seen used in restaurants all over. It never worked for us -- our car seat never fit securely enough. Your mileage may vary, but it's worth a try as long as it's safe...
Empty formula cans make perfect bedside table wastebaskets17 Apr 08 | Comments: 19
So smart! From Janette: Empty formula cans [Any cans, really. -- Ed.] are the perfect size to use as bedside/lazyboy side trash cans when you have a cold. In the morning, you can just throw it, and all your nasty...
Use sheet holder "suspenders" as makeshift bib clips10 Apr 08 | Comments: 7
What a great idea! From Tiffany: Have you seen those cute "bib clips" that are out on the market now? Really cute, and handy to be able to use any towel (or even restaurant napkin) as a bib. But they're...
Drape an old sweatshirt over wooden chairs to protect them from booster scratches08 Apr 08 | Comments: 4
Sarah's tip for protecting wooden chairs from strap-on booster seats: My son uses the Fisher Price Healthy Care Booster Seat (recommended by parenthacks). We love the chair, but have two problems: (1) the back of the booster seat cuts into...
Reusing medicine dosing syringes from Target prescription bottles25 Mar 08 | Comments: 14
Parenthackers have sung the praises of the Target's prescription medicine bottles before -- and Kim takes it a step further: Liquid medicines from the Target pharmacy come with a dosing syringe and have a neat little stopper in the bottle....
Use a funnel to fill baby bottles (duh)25 Mar 08 | Comments: 2
Zulima's hack made me laugh -- I don't know if this has been mentioned before, but I use a funnel to fill up my baby's bottle. "What," you say! Yes, I am a butterfingers and when the milk gallon is...
Let new eaters sample foods from the salad bar24 Mar 08 | Comments: 6
Jill's found a great place to introduce her baby to new foods: the salad bar. If you have a picky eater, or even just a new eater, and you're sick of throwing away food because you don't know which fruits...
Decorate baby's room with discount wallpaper24 Mar 08 | Comments: 5
Sable's nursery decorating on the cheap: We recently started to discuss themes for the baby's room (I'm pregnant). Again and again we realised that regardless of the theme, whatever we wanted to do would no doubt end up costing us...
Egg shakers: a non-candy Easter basket alternative21 Mar 08 | Comments: 11
We discovered egg shakers in a Music Together class. Smooth, round plastic or wooden egg-shaped maracas -- these simple musical instruments are a sensory treat. So pleasant to hold and roll, fun to shake (the sound is loud enough to...
Create a mural outline by "tracing" a television character17 Mar 08 | Comments: 11
Wow. Look how John and Heather created a character-inspired mural: My wife wanted to create a Little Bear mural for our boys' bedroom when inspiration hit her. She paused the show on our big TV and used tracing paper to...
Organize pumped breastmilk in a six-pack carton14 Mar 08 | Comments: 10
A smart way to keep those tiny bottles of pumped breastmilk organized in the fridge! From Robin: I pump milk several times a day trying to keep up my supply for a baby who is, shall we say, not the...
Freeze pacifiers for teething relief13 Mar 08 | Comments: 5
Amy's got a good pacifier hack: My 16 month-old son has always been attached to his pacifier, and has had a tough time cutting teeth. So, I run his pacifiers under the faucet, and squeeze the bulb portion under the...
"Virtually Indestructible Keyboard" goes nicely with baby- and toddler-friendly software11 Mar 08 | Comments: 5
Ben is a smart, smart man. I recently read your post on Giggles Software for babies and toddlers. The idea seemed great, but I was reluctant to let my baby get his hands on my MacBook Pro. Nor did I...
Free bath toys await in your toybox, kitchen, and garage09 Mar 08 | Comments: 14
The ever-resourceful Heather has a great bath toy hack: New bath toys make bath time more fun for everyone, but how do you get them without spending a dime? Look around your house and you'll be surprised by all the...
Rubbermaid tote as infant bath05 Mar 08 | Comments: 15
From Gretchen: Instead of the laundry basket in the tub hack, we used a Rubbermaid tote in the big tub when my daughter outgrew the kitchen sink. Used less water, and now it's under-crib storage. A great alternative to the...
Wristbands keep sleeves out of the way for craft time04 Mar 08 | Comments: 2
Tracy has a clever method for keeping sleeves clean: We use old wristbands (although I'm sure some of your readers could get creative with other items) to hold sleeves up during craft time at home. This could be used during...
Britax sale at Amazon ends today02 Mar 08 | Comments: 0
Amazon's Britax sale ends today -- up to 20% off "rarely discounted" car seats and strollers.
Babycape: Easier and more versatile than a jacket29 Feb 08 | Comments: 101
Most of us are still in for plenty more cool weather. But now that Spring is around the corner the on-and-off nature of kid jacket-wearing is already full swing. Too hot! Too cold! Take it off to buckle into the...
Underbed box under the clip-on highchair catches dropped food29 Feb 08 | Comments: 9
Debbie's hack is sure to make us all slap our foreheads and wonder why we never came up with this ourselves: Our one year-old daughter eats in a clip-on chair attached to our kitchen island. We put a large plastic...
CD rack as board book shelf28 Feb 08 | Comments: 0
M's storage solution: A CD shelving unit is the perfect depth for board books. In a regular bookshelf, board books can get pushed back too far, are hard to see when mixed with regular books, are often too small for...
Baby washcloths as "green" mealtime napkins27 Feb 08 | Comments: 14
Susan's come up with yet another use for baby washcloths (they are surprisingly versatile): One of my New Year’s resolutions is to reduce our household waste, including paper products. We’ve started using our old baby washcloths as napkins for the...
Parent Hacks: The Zen Habits Collection26 Feb 08 | Comments: 0
As part of our guest post swap, Leo Babauta asked me to choose twenty of my favorite tips and write them up as a post for Zen Habits. "Favorite" is impossible to capture because there's more wisdom and good will...
Pencil cup as toothbrush holder25 Feb 08 | Comments: 5
The Hengsts have a solution for those fat, character toothbrush handles that don't fit into the holes of a regular countertop toothbrush holder: We have the problem in our house that kids' toothbrushes don't fit in the traditional toothbrush holders...
Britax sale at Amazon - one week only24 Feb 08 | Comments: 6
Just got a note from the Amazon folks: turns out a week-long Britax sale is underway -- up to 20% off "rarely discounted" car seats and strollers. I've been a Britax user of convertible car seats for years and love...
Toothbrush holder keeps used spoons contained in the diaper bag23 Feb 08 | Comments: 8
Megan's answer to sticky spoons: This may be obvious but I have found it the most brilliant of any of my parenting ideas! Whenever we feed the little man when we are out and about, I find myself grossed out...
Diapers fit nicely in the plastic wipes box22 Feb 08 | Comments: 3
Lisa V.'s diapers-to-go hack: If you have a child in diapers, use the refillable wipes packs (the smaller travel size in the soft package). Put the package of wipes into the original box (the regular full-size box). Then add a...
White noise between radio stations helps kids nap in the car21 Feb 08 | Comments: 7
Here's how Mama D gracefully handled an awkward snatch of time that was too big for an activity, but too small for a nap: This hack had a 50% success rate on its maiden voyage, enough to make me think...
Park your car near the grocery shopping cart return area20 Feb 08 | Comments: 15
Lydia thought to write in with a hack that I only discovered after my second child was almost too big to ride in the cart: When going shopping various places with the little one, I always park next to a...
Old socks as arm dribble-catchers19 Feb 08 | Comments: 5
Beth has solved a problem I was NEVER able to solve myself! I had just resigned myself to sticky elbows for years! I have a 2.5yo who loves fruit -- watery, dribbly, messy fruit. It used to roll down his...
Do you improvise upon lullabies? Talk amongst yourselves.19 Feb 08 | Comments: 45
Tim's "hack" is really more of a sweet example of how our kids can inspire us: Part of my toddler's bedtime routine is a song. Somewhere along the line, I forgot the actual lyrics to "Hush, Little Baby". This led...
Computer desk as changing table18 Feb 08 | Comments: 7
Jill found an ideal reuse for an old computer desk: When our son was born, we basically put a crib into the room that had been our office. With company coming, we were forced to convert the baby's room into...
Makeshift Ziploc bag "snow boots" for babies15 Feb 08 | Comments: 12
No snow boots for your baby? Here's Ashley's inventive solution: We live in the Midwest and usually get a few pretty good snows each winter. We got a few inches of snow the other night, so I decided to take...
Valentine hack: Collective valentine-making, and a great photo card idea06 Feb 08 | Comments: 1
Adrienne of Baby Toolkit fame shares two great Valentine hacks: 1) My playgroup mommas are having a toddler-free pitch-in decorating party where we'll make Valentine's cards and decorate sweet treats for our families. [Always more fun with company, and with...
Bake a personal mini-cake for your kid's first birthday03 Feb 08 | Comments: 14
Kristen's first birthday tip: Don't give the kid the whole cake to destroy, or even an entire one of his very own. Bake a mini-cake in a foil pot pie tin. Less mess and less wasted food. I think this...
Oatmeal bath soothes diaper rash02 Feb 08 | Comments: 8
A reminder that we don't always need fancy solutions..simple ones work just fine. From Sara: My mother-in-law bought some fancy Aveeno bath soak for Miss J once, and it was basically oatmeal. Now, when she has irritated skin (diaper rash...
Super Bowl Sunday: No crowds at the usual weekend family hot spots01 Feb 08 | Comments: 7
I trot this Super Bowl hack out every year, but it's such a good one! From Jay: I've noticed that a lot of people are into this whole "football" thing, which means they'll be at home (or a bar) watching...
Put a rubber band around push toy wheels to slow them down01 Feb 08 | Comments: 5
Regina's got a smart hack for early walkers: When kids are first learning to walk, their push toys generally go too fast. To slow my daughter down I put rubber bands around the front two wheels and now she is...
Wash and store velcro bibs in a mesh lingerie bag30 Jan 08 | Comments: 10
Who among us hasn't had an article of clothing destroyed in the wash by the velcro from a bib? Misha has an answer: We use bibs for our baby that have velcro closures and darn it if that velcro doesn't...
Hack request: Send us your Valentine's ideas!29 Jan 08 | Comments: 15
I usually start thinking about Valentine's Day on about February 10...too late to have a relaxed class valentine-making session with my kids. But this year is different! We've got our red construction paper and fancy scissors all ready to go....
What to do when the tab on the disposable diaper breaks29 Jan 08 | Comments: 20
The real poop! From Tiffany: If the tab breaks as you're trying to put a disposable diaper on your squirmy little one (and isn't it always when you're in a hurry?), there's still hope! Go ahead and fasten the tab...
Crib toy bag works well on the highchair, too29 Jan 08 | Comments: 4
Emily's got a great idea for keeping the baby toys from getting underfoot in the kitchen: Sometimes while doing the dishes, I try to keep my daughter occupied in her high chair with various toys and books. I found myself...
Threadbanger shows you how to turn an old sweatshirt into a cozy baby bundler27 Jan 08 | Comments: 8
Dare I say it? Anyone with a sewing machine could make this nifty zip-uppable "pod."
Sylvania power failure lights do double duty as night light and flashlight25 Jan 08 | Comments: 1
Regina has a great solution to "how do you find the flashlight when the power goes out and it's dark?": Recently, you were asking what we do when the power goes out. For Christmas, my folks gave us a package...
Keep bedside Pedialyte chilled in an ice bucket25 Jan 08 | Comments: 3
From the very resourceful Jess: Our 10 month-old daughter has a nasty bug ... a cough, accompanied by some flu symptoms. So we're giving her Pedialyte. But when she wakes up coughing in the middle of the night, she wants...
Toddler mittens: Sew the lining to the mitten at the tip of the thumb24 Jan 08 | Comments: 1
Pam (from New Brunswick, Canada, where it's currently negative zero to the tenth degrees) came up with another toddler mitten hack: I broke out the needle and thread today to fix a problem that's been bugging me for weeks. My...
How to tell if a clementine section is seedless or not18 Jan 08 | Comments: 6
Thank you for this, Elana -- I've mangled hundreds of clementine sections looking for seeds! With mandarins and clementines (the perfect sized citrus fruit for kids) in season, we're going through tons of them in our house. I want our...
Best of Parent Hacks: Keeping warm during the winter17 Jan 08 | Comments: 2
The weather outside is still frightful, so I thought it might be nice to dig through the archives for some of our best cold weather tips: Polar fleece makes crib extra cozy Shoe organizer in the coat closet keeps gloves...
Kid already buckled into the stroller or car seat? Put the jacket on backwards!16 Jan 08 | Comments: 6
Haven't most of us done this at one time or another? Thank you, Heather, for thinking to write down this hack and send it in! My 18 month-old hates wearing a coat in his stroller. About the only time he...
Pack a bathrobe for the pediatrician's office16 Jan 08 | Comments: 9
As we're on a bit of a roll with the sick kid-related hacks, I thought Emily's would fit right in: Now that it is cold and flu season, I find myself taking my daughter to the doctor more often. Many...
How to make baby nose-wiping...fun?16 Jan 08 | Comments: 17
Scott's come up with a way to make the inevitable snotty nose-wipe tolerable for his baby: My ten-month-old daughter has a terrible cold right now, and she has developed a fear of the nose wipe. Anytime she sees me coming...
Swaptree: Declutter and get free stuff at the same time15 Jan 08 | Comments: 3
Decluttering and reducing consumption are really two sides of the same coin. So it's nice when you come upon a service that helps you do both. Swaptree is a website that allows you to swap your books, CDs, DVDs, and...
Safety followup: Letting babies sleep in car seats12 Jan 08 | Comments: 4
Many of you commented with safety concerns about a recent hack that suggested letting newborns sleep in their infant car seats. Jennifer sent me a link to this article explaining why car seat sleeping can lead to breathing problems, especially...
Slide button-up shirts over toddlers' heads 't-shirt style'11 Jan 08 | Comments: 4
Had I read Mindy's hack seven years ago, I wouldn't have taken my son to most fancy occasions wearing long-sleeved t-shirts (hey, i ironed them, ok?): My 22 month-old son owns quite a few casual collared shirts with 4 buttons...
Easy diluted juice: freeze juice into cubes first11 Jan 08 | Comments: 7
Emily's "juice cube" tip is a slight variation on a hack we published about a year ago, but I thought it was worth revisiting as Emily adds the dilution twist: My daughter is only 9 months-old and doesn't drink that...
Shot glass as baby food dish09 Jan 08 | Comments: 10
Get some use out of that old drinking paraphernalia! From Rebecca: My husband hit on a great way to serve food to our 6 month-old - we use shot glasses. [Pictured here: a measuring shot glass, so you can also...
Color-code diapers to distinguish different sizes at a glance09 Jan 08 | Comments: 6
Christel's simple and practical hack for parents who have more than one kid in diapers: When my son was a newborn it was easy to tell his diapers apart from his toddler sister's -- his were so very tiny, it...
Put your newborn to bed in his car seat03 Jan 08 | Comments: 37
Important safety note 1/12/08: Many Parenthackers raised safety concerns about this tip. One reader sent us a link to an article which explains how sleeping in car seats can lead to breathing problems. Thanks to everyone who brought this to...
Spread out the gift-opening to keep Christmas morning manageable24 Dec 07 | Comments: 8
Another holiday hack from Mel, who seems to have the realities of holiday logistics well thought-out: I know everyone has their own treasured and time-honoured family traditions, but....since we have one young child and an older child who is easily...
Baby shoes as Christmas ornaments19 Dec 07 | Comments: 1
From Kelly: My aunt gave me this decorating idea: when you have baby shoes your child grew out of that you'd like to keep because they're oh-so-cute and sentimental but don't know where to put them, hang them on the...
Huggies deals at Amazon17 Dec 07 | Comments: 1
If you're a Huggies devotee, Amazon's got some good deals going, including an even bigger discount if you sign up for Subscribe & Save . Through December 31, 2007, they're offering 20% off the everyday price (it's usually 15%, plus...
Childproof your Christmas tree with jingle bells15 Dec 07 | Comments: 4
David childproofed his Christmas tree by installing a festive "toddler alarm system:" My wife and I have a very inquisitive (and smart) 2 year old boy and a large artificial Christmas tree. We were concerned that he might be tempted...
How to administer eyedrops and take the temperature of a squirmy toddler? Talk amongst yourselves.14 Dec 07 | Comments: 23
We've been felled by illness around here, too, so I feel Jenna's pain: We've just had two rounds of ear infections and pinkeye with our 14 month old. Any suggestions for how to take a squirmy toddler's temperature or how...
Fitness First exercise ball winner!12 Dec 07 | Comments: 1
What fantastic ideas you shared for staying active indoors when the weather outside is frightful. Highlights: Dance parties Hullabaloo (we like playing this, too) Tag Pillow fights Obstacle courses and mazes Let your kids follow along with your exercise routine...
How to keep sleeves from getting bunched up in jackets? Talk amongst yourselves.12 Dec 07 | Comments: 14
Holly wonders: I wish I had a hack for this, and I'm sure somebody does --- how do you keep your baby's sleeves on a long-sleeved shirt from getting all bunched up and frumpy when you put the coat on??...
Super Woobee winner!12 Dec 07 | Comments: 1
Congratulations, Jessie! You win the Super Woobee! I guess the rest of us are going to have to return a few gifts so we can buy our own. Because who can resist a product that can do all these things?...
The most luscious baby blanket you get to keep for yourself10 Dec 07 | Comments: 170
Parents deserve blankies, too. We're out there, fending for our kids, trying to keep all the plates spinning and the tummies full, getting pulled in opposite directions, all on little sleep and less recognition. Sometimes we just need to curl...
Britax Parkway booster seat 30% off at today's Amazon Friday sale07 Dec 07 | Comments: 4
I'm a big fan of Britax car seats -- they're well-made and comfortable, but they're also expensive. Nice to see the Britax Parkway booster seat pop up in today's Amazon Friday Sale . It's 30% off ($69.99) today only.
Extend the life of outgrown dresses as tops and tunics07 Dec 07 | Comments: 3
B said this about her thrifty, wardrobe-extending hack: "I thought this one was fairly obvious but I've gotten stopped by other mothers in stores recently so maybe I'm onto something..." I re-use my daughter's dresses as shirts or tunics or...
BabyLegs: More than just baby leg warmers06 Dec 07 | Comments: 146
Baby leg warmers? Who would think that such a simple, obvious idea would be such a godsend? Nicole Donnelly, apparently. Not only did she come up with the idea to keep her daughters' legs warm during "nakedy time," she has...
Laundry room pegboard holds missing socks05 Dec 07 | Comments: 2
Gisela's answer to the Riddle of the Missing Sock: I can't take credit for this hack; I read it somewhere, but I've forgotten where. I used to keep a drawer full of socks missing their partners after doing the laundry--I...
Sanitize pacifiers while on the go05 Dec 07 | Comments: 3
I'll bet Sarah's son had the best breath in playgroup: Here's a tip on keeping binkies (pacifiers) somewhat clean in public. My son would never tolerate his binky being clipped to his person, so I was forever picking up, rinsing...
Simple holiday traditions04 Dec 07 | Comments: 0
What a pleasure it has been to read about your favorite simple holiday traditions! The music, the cards, the food, the tree, the Menorah, the candles, the Advent calendar, the dreidels, the neighborhood light displays...it was enough vicarious warmth to...
Baby wipe box doubles as kitchen cabinet organizer04 Dec 07 | Comments: 7
Danielle found a simple way to corral all the small parts that come with baby bottles (and, later, sippy cups): For a couple of months after our son was born I had a messy cup cabinet. There were so many...
Featured find: Flip Video Camcorder29 Nov 07 | Comments: 7
I love watching videos of my kids, but I hate dragging out the video camera. I find that inserting a camera between myself and the experience often turns me off to taking videos in the first place -- which is...
Use del.icio.us to track gift ideas29 Nov 07 | Comments: 4
If you're not already using a social bookmarking service such as del.icio.us, consider signing up for an account. So easy to use, so useful. I used del.icio.us to build my daily link roundups, and as a way to for us...
Motion-sensing switch takes over when kids forget to turn off the lights28 Nov 07 | Comments: 13
We are huge fans of the motion-sensing light switch in our house! From Ellen: My kids seem unable to remember to turn off the bathroom light. We use compact fluorescent bulbs, so the power usage is trivial, but it's a...
Amazon formula rebate ends this Friday27 Nov 07 | Comments: 5
Just a reminder that Amazon's deal on Similac, Isomil and PediaSure products ends Friday, 11/30. The deal: spend $119 on selected products, enter the code SIMNOV07 at checkout, and get an instant $20 rebate (and free shipping).
Bar cookies save trips to the oven (and burned cookies)26 Nov 07 | Comments: 3
Jill from Atlanta shares the practical realities of baking cookies with little kids in the house -- worth keeping in mind given that holiday cookie-baking season is right around the corner: I love baking cookies with my kids. But the...
Uses for old mustard and ketchup bottles24 Nov 07 | Comments: 2
Ashley rescued the mustard and ketchup bottles from the recycling bin: If you wash them really well, empty mustard and ketchup bottles make great bathtub squirt toys. If you use powdered tempera paint, they also make great dispensers! Related: Don't...
Boost your kid's vocabulary by "narrating" drive time21 Nov 07 | Comments: 10
Keep talking to those babies! From Sara: One of those inadvertent hacks is how we've taught Miss J. her over/under/though prepositions. Our daily and weekly drives include a number of highway flyovers that just fascinated her, so we started saying...
How to get a jacket on a squirmy toddler21 Nov 07 | Comments: 3
Damselfly's got a few tricks for getting a jacket onto her toddler: I'm not sure if this is a bona-fide hack, but it works for us. My 14-month-old boy fights me every time he has to get dressed or undressed....
Travel tip: Have diapers delivered to your destination19 Nov 07 | Comments: 12
Here's how Michael avoids jamming his suitcase with baby care supplies: My wife and I are planning a trip, but rather than buy and pack all of the supplies that we need for our 5 1/2 month old, we just...
Handkerchiefs are gentler on runny noses than tissue18 Nov 07 | Comments: 16
Grandpa was right! From Kelly: Here's one hack that my sister-in-law taught me. It may be obvious, but I thought it was helpful. When your child gets a cold, instead of using tissue after tissue all day (leaving piles of...
Stockpile gift cards for the new baby's arrival15 Nov 07 | Comments: 3
Here's how Ana saved up for her baby's arrival: When we were expecting our first child, we knew we had to get prepared, but there's always that apprehension of getting too prepared in case something changes at the last minute....
TV "white noise" helps baby sleep in a hotel room15 Nov 07 | Comments: 8
Another great trick for getting your baby to sleep in a hotel room! From Megan: During a recent hotel stay with my 14-month-old son (who tends to be a very light sleeper), whenever I put him down for a nap...
Strategies for "darkening" the portacrib at bedtime in a hotel13 Nov 07 | Comments: 7
Andrea has her husband to thank for this hack: We spent a weekend out of town with our 5 month-old. At 2 or 3 months we could have stuck her in the Pack-n-Play and she would have slept. Now she's...
Note monthly class payments in your calendar09 Nov 07 | Comments: 5
Here's how Kirsten remembers those pesky class fees: Now that my daughter participates in a couple of activities (dance and piano) that require monthly payments, I've started writing the amount due on the calendar for the first class of the...
Parent Hacks Store Featured Find: Woobee water resistant blanket/cover/soft thingie08 Nov 07 | Comments: 400
In lieu of confetti, fireworks and a grand parade down Main Street, I decided the best way to celebrate the grand opening of the Parent Hacks Store is to shower you, my dear Parenthackers, with gifts! Today's Featured Find is...
Create a visual inventory of kid clothing purchases07 Nov 07 | Comments: 4
I was stunned by the Linda's smarts on this one: I like to shop online for great bargains on clothes for my kids at the end of each season and put things away for next year. However, in the thrill...
Baby Daze helps you track the details during those hazy newborn months06 Nov 07 | Comments: 96
Oy, I get tired just thinking of those newborn months the first time around. There seemed to be so much to remember -- when did he last nurse? when did I give him the Tylenol? who bought him this hideous...
Attach mittens to coat sleeves05 Nov 07 | Comments: 12
Ted's hack could be adapted to store-bought mittens as well: With Wisconsin's winter approaching, my wife is knitting mittens for our 3-month-old. The old plan she's working from has a long string that ties the mittens together and runs through...
Amazon deal: $20 instant rebate on formula04 Nov 07 | Comments: 3
Amazon's got a new deal on for Similac, Isomil and PediaSure products : spend $119 on selected products, enter the code SIMNOV07 at checkout, and get an instant $20 rebate (and free shipping). As someone who used to buy PediaSure...
Use Twitter as a baby-album-of-sorts02 Nov 07 | Comments: 5
Kim uses Twitter as a repository for baby memories: If you don't already know, Twitter is kind of a blogging/chat/texting hybrid. Its main appeal is convenience: you can update it via the Web or IM software or through cute little...
Soothe a fever with a damp washcloth kept bedside31 Oct 07 | Comments: 4
kittenpie's bring-down-the-fever hack: To help comfort a kid with a fever, one of the great things is of course to run a damp cloth over their forehead, neck, and limbs. My child's bedroom is not near the bathroom, though, so...
Make your own polar fleece diaper liner30 Oct 07 | Comments: 4
From Katharine: If you use cloth diapers, try putting a strip of polar fleece (any old cut-up sweater will do - it doesn't even need to be hemmed) between the diaper and your baby's bottom. It's especially good for sensitive...
Halloween hack: No-prep costume: Baby Einstein29 Oct 07 | Comments: 7
Priceless. From veteran Parenthacker Sara: Easy baby halloween costume: Use a permanent marker and write "E=mc^2" on a onesie. Apply mousse to hair. Ta-da! Baby Einstein.
Glow stick fun (potential Halloween hack?)28 Oct 07 | Comments: 12
Rachel didn't specifically connect this hack to Halloween, but I am...could be a fun giveaway! To all you parents who haven't tried these yet (or lately). Glow sticks are fun!! I know it seems like a big "duh," but every...
Breastmilk in a medicine-dispensing pacifier helps regulate baby's ear pressure26 Oct 07 | Comments: 5
Amy's hack may come in handy for road trips, or for babies who simply scream while in cars (I had one of those): Recently I drove through the mountains with my exclusively-breastfed 5 month-old. She has never taken a pacifier,...
Amazon Friday Sale for 10/26: Huggies Overnites, Mr. Clean Magic Erasers26 Oct 07 | Comments: 1
On sale at Amazon, today only: Huggies Overnites size 5: $19.99 for two 27-count packs (that's about .37 per diaper if you keep track of these things). Keep in mind that Huggies are on their way to a price increase...
Keep that maternity jacket! Fits perfectly when your baby's in a front carrier.23 Oct 07 | Comments: 7
Doesn't really matter if the baby's on the inside or the outside, does it? From Cathy of Chief Family Officer: This seems like a pretty obvious idea so it may have come up before, but it was new to me...
How to have an allergy-free Halloween22 Oct 07 | Comments: 9
Several of you commented on the difficulty of managing the Halloween treats when your kid has a peanut allergy (or any other type of food sensitivity for that matter). Here's another place to look for good ideas: How to have...
Halloween hack (redux): Save leftover candy for holiday gingerbread houses21 Oct 07 | Comments: 4
Maribel reminded me of a past hack we used with great success a couple years ago: use leftover Halloween candy for holiday gingerbread houses. Tags: Halloween
Forget struggling with baby socks in winter: let them wear tights21 Oct 07 | Comments: 12
Fiona's hack makes me remember back to my kids' baby days...was always trying to cover up that bit of exposed leg between the bottoms of their pants and the tops of their socks. This would have done the trick... I...
Cool Mom Picks: Safer Toy Guide19 Oct 07 | Comments: 5
Holiday toy shopping may be a little trickier this year, what with all the recalls. If you're not sure where to begin, start with the Cool Mom Picks Safer Toy Guide. Believe me, these fabulous women know their stuff. From...
Chew on This: Teething Bling18 Oct 07 | Comments: 5
When my son was an infant, I often found myself wearing a big multicolored teething toy on my wrist like a giant clown bangle. It was practical, but it definitely lacked style- especially on the days I forgot to take...
Glue down collars on baby outfits to keep them clean15 Oct 07 | Comments: 11
Hilary, you are brilliant. Anything that reduces the amount of laundry is GOOD. All those baby outfits with collars people gave us were cute, but not helpful at feeding time. The collars inevitably flip up and cover baby's mouth, or...
Calm coughing without medication15 Oct 07 | Comments: 18
With infant cold medicine being pulled from the shelves, and the safety (and usefulness) of regular cough medicine in question, it's good to have a few cough-suppressant hacks up one's sleeve. Here are Christiane's: Our oldest son (of three children)...
Amazon Friday sale: Skip*Hop Stroller Saddle Bag12 Oct 07 | Comments: 13
This nifty saddle bag attaches to your stroller for extra storage. Note handy mesh bottle pocket on the side. It's on sale at Amazon today only for $12.99 (it's usually $34). Looks like something I would have used during my...
Elimination Communication: what's it like to go diaper-free? Talk amongst yourselves.10 Oct 07 | Comments: 29
Despite most of our basic parenting assumptions, diapers aren't a given. People all over the world have guided babies through the toilet learning process with nary a Huggie in sight. Call it what you will -- Elimination Communication (EC), the...
How to switch from disposable to cloth diapers? Talk amongst yourselves.09 Oct 07 | Comments: 63
My previous post about the impending Huggies price increase begs the question: why not just opt out of disposables altogether? Why not switch to cloth diapers? I have no bias toward a particular diaper choice; as with most parenting decisions,...
Huggies and Pull-Ups price increase in Q1 200809 Oct 07 | Comments: 8
Good timing on the money-saving post about using Amazon Subscriptions for diaper and wipes orders; turns out early next year Kimberly-Clark plans to increase prices by 4-7% on baby care items, including Huggies diapers, Pull-Ups , and Goodnites . So...
Dry erase marker on the bathroom mirror: an all-purpose noteboard09 Oct 07 | Comments: 9
It's cold season again and, right on schedule, we're all sniffling around here. So was Tiffany and her family, and here's how she kept track of all the medicine doses: My entire family was sick last week (me, my husband...
Mesh tops hide nursing leaks08 Oct 07 | Comments: 15
Shannon's practical fashion tip for nursing moms: As the (leaky) nursing mother of a 2 1/2 month old, I've resigned myself to changing myself to pretty much only wearing black in public and always packing an extra t-shirt so that...
Never run out of diapers again: Amazon Subscriptions05 Oct 07 | Comments: 6
Michael uses Amazon Subscriptions to save money on diapers AND desperate last-minute trips to the store: I’m relatively new to Parent Hacks (and parenting for that matter)… but we have started using Amazon Subscriptions for ordering wipes and diapers….we have...
Cookie sheets rescue food dropped from the high chair04 Oct 07 | Comments: 17
Rob's good-sense feeding hack: Our little guy is just starting to self-feed things like peas, etc. that we spread before him at meal time. However, most of his food ends up on the floor. So to reduce this waste we...
Bath towel "bolsters" help baby sleep without rolling over03 Oct 07 | Comments: 15
Melanie would love your weigh-in on her hack: My son is 7 months old and he is constantly waking himself up at night and rolling onto his belly, then crying till I come in and roll him onto his back...
Baby bottles make good infant medicine travel carriers02 Oct 07 | Comments: 0
Gretchen's simple solution for keeping sticky medicine droppers and bottles together: I hate that the Infant's Motrin doesn't have an integrated dropper, because the bottle and syringe get separated so easily. I tried keeping it in a small plastic bag,...
Use tweezers to grab crusty boogers01 Oct 07 | Comments: 15
Booger removal: we've all got our methods. Here's Stormy's: Our 9 month-old seems to have a constantly runny nose and he hates to have his nose wiped. (What baby doesn't?) My boyfriend came up with the perfect solution for those...
Automotive microfiber cleaning towels as cheap spitup rags28 Sep 07 | Comments: 9
Joshua discovered ideal burp cloths in the automotive section: Our son, now two months old, goes through an inordinate number of small towels. Between burping and spitting up, breast milk misfires, and daddy knocking things over at 2AM, it seems...
Use a nasal aspirator in the bath as a baby shower27 Sep 07 | Comments: 1
Ah, the snot sucker. Rebecca's found another use for hers: The latest hack around our house is using the snotball (rubber nasal aspirator) as a tiny shower. The benefit is that you clean it out (sort of an extra cleaning...I'm...
Free(ish) family business cards simplify playdates and more26 Sep 07 | Comments: 16
Business cards are handy for the non-businessperson, too. From Shawna: Our family uses VistaPrint to order free business cards with all of our contact info. The cards are free when you pay for shipping, so they work out as a...
Store extra diapers and wipes on a media shelf25 Sep 07 | Comments: 9
Mama J's organizing hack: Like many parents I know, we buy wipes and dipes in bulk, but storing them was always a challenge. I got an inexpensive media storage shelf, and now they are all stacked and tucked away in...
Rubber band pant legs over sockless baby feet23 Sep 07 | Comments: 5
Shirky McLazy's little sock hack: We went out and the baby lost his socks. I pulled his pants over his feet and rubber-banded the ends closed. Tada! Warm feet! Speaking of lost baby socks, the only thing that ever kept...
Arrange groceries in the cart so cold and frozen items get bagged together21 Sep 07 | Comments: 20
Teri's good-thinking grocery hack: When I go grocery shopping with my toddler, I keep the cold or frozen items together in the cart and at checkout. That way, I end up with nicely sorted "cold" bags. (The items keep each...
Best bag for toting diapers and laptops? Talk amongst yourselves.21 Sep 07 | Comments: 14
We've all got our own ideas about what makes for an ideal diaper bag. But when you add a laptop into the mix (as many of us Parenthackers have) the requirements change. Tricky to store electronics and juice boxes in...
Intercoms as baby monitors20 Sep 07 | Comments: 2
Nothing like multi-use gadgets. From Jason: When I had an office in the basement, my wife and I bought a pair of intercoms at Radio Shack so we didn't have to shout back and forth. It turns out that these...
Britax car seats on sale (and free shipping) at Amazon14 Sep 07 | Comments: 7
I just noticed that Britax car seats (the brand I've sworn by for years) are on sale at BabyUniverse through Amazon. 12% off regular prices, and shipping is free. They're expensive, but in my experience they're studier and more stable...
Use bread bags for diaper disposal14 Sep 07 | Comments: 6
Nicole says: I use old bread bags for putting dirty diapers in. They're the perfect size. I used to use (note past tense! HOORAY!) the plastic bags that covered my morning newspaper. Related: Diaper pail management
Simplifying the standing diaper change13 Sep 07 | Comments: 18
Cathy, aka Mayberry Mom, makes good use of those onesie/bodysuit crotch snaps: Here's something I figured out recently--can't believe it took me two kids and many years to do so. I've been doing stand-up diaper changes for a year now...
Real Simple Family: full of good hacks04 Sep 07 | Comments: 11
I couldn't resist -- Real Simple Family -- a special issue of the lifestyle mag Real Simple -- found its way into my shopping cart this afternoon. It's full of good hacks, including taping a few unused board games together...
Serve food to new self-feeders in a measuring cup25 Aug 07 | Comments: 8
Liz said, "I am not sure if this is a hack or just a lightbulb moment..." Isn't it funny how some Parent Hacks come on like a flash, and others are just the unconventional way we've always done things? My...
Working with a one year-old's light switch obsession20 Aug 07 | Comments: 7
Kris's light switch hack keeps her son happy (for a while at least!): My one year old son is enthralled with being helpful by turning on and off the lights in every room when we enter or exit. The only...
Let baby "finger paint" with baby food in restaurants16 Aug 07 | Comments: 9
Christy's hack may give you a few precious moments of quiet at a restaurant: When my first child was about 8-10 months old and we wanted to go out to a restaurant for dinner she was always too finicky to...
Track medicine dosage right on the bottle15 Aug 07 | Comments: 6
Excellent hack from Kristi: Perhaps it’s “Mommy Brain,” but I sometimes forget where I am in the dosage schedule of my son’s medicine. I found it helpful to use a Sharpie, which I have on hand anyway for all the...
Alarm clocks work for early-waking babies, too10 Aug 07 | Comments: 11
Lisa's hack is fascinating -- an incredible reminder that babies are capable of a lot more learning than we think: I read a hack not too long ago about a toddler (about 3 yrs., I think) that used to wake...
Blowout damage control: pull the onesie off down over the legs10 Aug 07 | Comments: 16
hedra has just caused me to say, out loud, "WHY didn't I think of this when my kids were babies?" If you're one of the lucky parents whose infant has those ghastly blowout diapers where the poop shoots up their...
"This Little Piggy," the extended version08 Aug 07 | Comments: 6
Duane's kids get extra tickle time with a song that never gets old (for them, at least): You know, "this little piggy went to market" gets to be a pretty boring game for everybody but the baby. Wanna bet? My...
Stash extra pacifiers in crib corners06 Aug 07 | Comments: 17
Kurt's hack brought back memories -- we did just this when our son was a baby: If your child sleeps with a pacifier she probably also wakes up from time to time crying because the pacifier is no longer in...
Turn a hotel air conditioner into a humidifier05 Aug 07 | Comments: 4
From Mommyprof: If you are in hotel with the little ones and find someone develops a cough in the hotel room, you can make an impromptu humidifier by soaking a bath towel and then draping it over the room air...
Shower curtain as changing pad04 Aug 07 | Comments: 7
Another reason to never buy a changing table! From Sarah: When my first child was born, we had no changing table, or even a changing pad. So I sent my husband to the store for a changing pad, but they...
Presto Printing Mailbox: Send email and digital photos to offline relatives03 Aug 07 | Comments: 50
Grandpa wants regular updates and photos of the kids but doesn't have (or want) a computer or an Internet connection. How to bridge the generation/technology gap? Presto's solution is delightfully simple: plug a Presto Printing Mailbox in at Grandpa's house,...
Extra shower curtain rod as swimsuit drip-dryer03 Aug 07 | Comments: 11
A timely hack from the Hengst family: Put an extra shower curtain rod in your shower to hang wet towels and swimsuits from in the summertime. The water drips right into the shower and not on the floor. If you...
Mattel/Fisher-Price toy recall02 Aug 07 | Comments: 4
Many of you emailed me with news of the massive Fisher-Price toy recall currently underway -- thank you. In general, I don't post recall notices here; the CPSC covers this territory well, even offering an RSS feed of recall notices...
Turn a large plastic storage container into a splashing pool31 Jul 07 | Comments: 12
Fun in the sun, with prolific blogger Sherry: Based on the hack for the water play set, I got inspired and went one step further. I live in an apartment building and though we have a courtyard, we don't have...
Special for Parenthackers: Swap stuff at Zwaggle23 Jul 07 | Comments: 10
Ryan very thoughtfully included all us Parenthackers in an invitation to use Zwaggle! I haven't tried it myself, but it looks fascinating, especially during summer clear-out mode. Thank you, Ryan! There's a cool website, zwaggle.com, and using points instead of...
Freeze old teethers for cool boo boo relief22 Jul 07 | Comments: 4
Good thing Sara didn't throw out all those old teethers: Remember those water filled plastic teething toys? My daughter is well passed teething, but I popped them into the freezer and now when she has a "hurt" I offer her...
Fill baby's high chair tray with water for warm weather splashing21 Jul 07 | Comments: 3
Misty's found a way for her baby to enjoy some summertime water fun: We are trying to not use the air conditioning, so things are really starting to get warm. My daughter is too young to really go swimming or...
Egg coddler as baby food storage19 Jul 07 | Comments: 2
Erin's stylish and practical kitchen hack: We found our clear glass egg coddlers work well to store, heat and serve tiny portions of homemade baby food. Just pop them in a pan of hot water with mashed veggies instead of...
Fish tank net makes short work of cleaning debris out of wading pools12 Jul 07 | Comments: 8
Here's how Pam keeps the baby pool clean! I just purchased a fish net at my local dollar store - works great for cleaning out leaves and dead bugs from the babe's wading pool. Not as cheap as what you'd...
Homemade stairway gate? Talk amongst yourselves.04 Jul 07 | Comments: 24
Katherine needs some Parenthacker ingenuity! I need help with a bottom of the stairs gate....and not just any stairs; these have a (thin!) metal banister (there is a wall along the other side). Ideally, we'd keep the gate open when...
Fleece sleep sack works as a swaddler in a pinch01 Jul 07 | Comments: 4
Amy's middle-of-the-night swaddle hack: My almost 3-month-old daughter, like most infants, sleeps better and longer at night when she is swaddled. We rely on the Kiddopatomus Swaddle Me blankets--we've tried swaddling with receiving blankets, but she gets out of them...
Stroller toys as "undropable" baby entertainment30 Jun 07 | Comments: 5
Eric found another way for his son to play with a magnetic stroller toy: My six-month-old son has a plush rattle that has a magnetic clasp wrapped in fabric that can easily attach to his car seat or stroller. The...
Order a mug of hot water for impromptu silverware "cleaning"27 Jun 07 | Comments: 8
Rookie Mom Heather's hack reminds me of toddler restaurant visits gone by: Last weekend, when I got tired of Holden (21 months) dropping his silverware on the floor of the restaurant, I asked the waitress to bring me a mug...
Buy different sock brands for siblings26 Jun 07 | Comments: 19
Traci laments the curse of matching socks: This seems silly (do most hacks start with those three words?) [Indeed, many do! Also: "I'm sure everyone already does this, but..." -- Ed.] but when you have more than one kid --...
Use a dimmer switch in the nursery22 Jun 07 | Comments: 13
Rachel shares her love of light dimmers (a love I share): In our attempt to decorate the nursery on a budget, I kept fussing over the lamp decision. No lamp under $40 looked appropriate for a nursery. Finally, my father-in-law...
Reuse infant incline pillow when your toddler has a stuffy nose22 Jun 07 | Comments: 6
Kris found a good use for her baby's old crib wedge: When my son was an infant he had a major spitup problem, so we bought one of those foam incline pillows for the crib (they go under the sheet),...
Ideas for reusing mini yogurt cups16 Jun 07 | Comments: 4
Reuse ideas from Amy (who must be a very busy mom with 1, 2, and 3 year-old kids!): I used to buy countless small paper cups to hold my kids' dry snacks since the portion size was perfect for their...
Baby jumper helps facilitate toddler foot soaks14 Jun 07 | Comments: 1
Should your toddler ever require a pedicure or a medicinal treatment (as Maia's son did), do this: My son had an injury to his toe when he was 18 months old, and we had to soak his foot in epsom...
Use email as a searchable appointment database13 Jun 07 | Comments: 9
Wifezilla has found a handy use for her email's "search" function: We just moved to the Pittsburgh area and had to set up new doctors, pediatricians, dentists, etc. I found that I was always losing the piece of paper that...
Plan for common mishaps with the help of your pediatrician09 Jun 07 | Comments: 1
Beth's wise suggestion for making the most of your child's routine visits to the doctor: I have learned to end our well-baby doctor's visits with this question to the pediatrician: "What do you get the most calls about from parents...
How to tie knots in balloons without sacrificing your fingers09 Jun 07 | Comments: 3
Here's how Lisa kept her digits intact during a marathon balloon-knotting session: Our children’s elementary school puts on a BBQ Fun Day that uses 1,000 air balloons. I volunteered to blow up 200 balloons. I knew that my fingers would...
A better way to lift your baby's legs during diaper changes05 Jun 07 | Comments: 11
Darryl documented how he lifts his baby in preparation for a diaper change: I’ve got a technique (hack) that I don’t recall described anywhere else, and I’ve not seen anyone else do (not that I’ve made a survey or anything),...
Store small bath toys in suction cup shower baskets04 Jun 07 | Comments: 7
Michelle's solution for bath toy storage: I don't know if I'm the only one, but I find those mesh bags for bath toy storage really annoying. Yes, they let the toys drip dry, but the toys get all caught up...
Pacifier clip as bagel holder04 Jun 07 | Comments: 8
A Parent Hack if I ever saw one, from Melanie: Our daughter never took to the idea of pacifiers but we tried all sorts of them and also acquired an assortment of clips for them. She is 9 months old...
Tricks for taking a shower with your baby04 Jun 07 | Comments: 25
From Kendra: I used to have trouble getting a decent length shower. I had to get up EARLY before dad left for work or wait until my son was napping to do it. Now I get nice, long showers every...
Pinpoint public playgrounds along your road trip route23 May 07 | Comments: 13
Mike found a great resource for road trip fun: Cool new website called Waymarking.com, which pinpoints the location of all sorts of attractions such as historical markers, covered bridges, etc. One of my favorite categories is public playgrounds. It doesn’t...
Meta-scrapbooking: Save pictures of your kids doing art projects23 May 07 | Comments: 3
Katharine's hack is space-saving and wise: My 7 month-old son is in daycare and they have been sending home a few little arts and crafts things as of late. I love to scrapbook and make commemorative things for my son...
Momergency kit: What would you pack?23 May 07 | Comments: 12
Lifehacker tipped me off to the Momergency Kit: a bag of goodies intended to deal with the inevitable broken purse strap or slow-moving line. Several Parenthacker favorites appear in the kit: a Sharpie, a carabiner, hand sanitizer, Ziploc bags. What...
Via Toy Box: Toy storage they won't outgrow22 May 07 | Comments: 3
Just yesterday, a company I'd never heard of, Via Toy Box, booked a small ad on Parent Hacks (see it right there in the right-hand sidebar?). I always visit potential advertisers before I accept their ads, and I was immediately...
Gas drops dissipate bubbles in formula19 May 07 | Comments: 5
From Laura -- a mother of triplets, who can use every extra minute she can find: If you're mixing large batches of formula you are well aware of the foam that appears and takes forever to dissipate! Another triplet mom...
Strawberry basket as bubble blower17 May 07 | Comments: 3
It's strawberry AND bubble season! From Serrina: New hack, courtesy of Pat in my office. Pat just gave me a bunch of old green strawberry baskets. Dip them into a plate of bubble solution and swing them in the air...
Seat Chiller keeps hot carseats cool17 May 07 | Comments: 5
Now that the weather's getting warmer, carseat covers and buckles get mighty hot -- making late afternoon grocery runs with kids even more painful than usual. Innovative solution: the Seat Chiller. This carseat cooler is basically a long, thin icepack...
Send your used toys to children in Iraq17 May 07 | Comments: 6
Updated 8/07: The toy drive is back on! Two of Edmay's comrades have taken over her role, and are accepting toy donations. send your donations to: Michael Fellenz or Natalie Sudman USACE-GRS APO-AE 09331 7/30/07 update: Edmay's toy drive is...
Volunteering with baby? Talk amongst yourselves.15 May 07 | Comments: 29
Whitney of Rookie Moms asks: I want to do a post about volunteering with a baby in tow, but don't have any real life stories of success. Can we tap into your readers and ask for anecdotes of the type...
Baby furniture tip: will toys roll underneath?08 May 07 | Comments: 8
Elizabeth thought to write down a piece of advice that every parent should hear about nursery and kid's furniture: I just have to warn parents to be if they are going furniture shopping before the baby is born to look...
Shoe organizer in the coat closet keeps gloves and accessories within reach04 May 07 | Comments: 8
Tracy's hack works just as well for warm weather accessories: sunglasses, caps, swim goggles... How to keep gloves, scarves, hats, dog leashes easy to find? Hang a shoe organizer on the inside of your coat closet door. Assign a row...
Apply lip balm while they're sleeping03 May 07 | Comments: 5
Kim and Lou say: Our daughter is going through a "licking lips" phase which is giving her a rash around her mouth. When we apply Aquaphor she licks it off. Our daycare woman suggested to apply it to her lips...
No highchair? Belt 'em in!02 May 07 | Comments: 1
Here's Jodi's makeshift highchair stand-in: We were at a childless friend's for dinner and we needed a way to keep him in one spot while we ate (without the blitz-eating-parent-tradeoff). We didn't have our pack 'n' play, or his booster...
Probiotic cure for colic?02 May 07 | Comments: 7
Hedra uncovered research that points to a probiotic as a promising treatment for infant colic: Okay, so my kids are too old now to benefit much from this (at least in this form). But having learned (the hard way, with...
How to change diapers without getting cream on your hands02 May 07 | Comments: 25
I would say at least twenty-four hours of my life has been spent getting diaper cream off my hands. (Amy, where were you seven years ago???): I didn't even realize this was a hack until my husband saw me do...
Parenthacker toy recommendation: Parents Animal Hospital01 May 07 | Comments: 10
Misty's got a toy recommendation for key-obsessed toddlers and preschoolers: Animal Hospital (Parents magazine brand). Has it all. Keys that WORK for starters (six of 'em). Several critters to lock up and bail out. A good assortment of real-enough-for-kids instruments....
Simplify general cleanup with bulk bar towels30 Apr 07 | Comments: 10
Elizabeth's cleanup tip: Kids of all ages are messy and the best thing I have found to help with the battle is a bulk package of white terry cloth towels, sometimes called bar towels. I usually get them at Costco...
Handy postpartum gadget: a reacher30 Apr 07 | Comments: 2
Here's how Jennifer got the "third hand" we all wish for while nursing: when i was still pregnant, i had bad hip pain which made it difficult for me to bend down and climb stairs (let alone a ladder to...
Diaper cartoons as changing table entertainment29 Apr 07 | Comments: 6
Nic's hack, from the "we do what we must" file: One thing that I've started doing recently and found really useful is to use the nappy to entertain him on the changing table. We use a combination of disposables and...
Mealtime hacks for new eaters29 Apr 07 | Comments: 7
Amberlynn shares her tips for mealtimes with babies who are just starting to eat solid food: My little boy still loves nursing, so eating is still an entertaining novelty to him. However, so far (six months of solid foods, and...
Make your own decorated wall clock28 Apr 07 | Comments: 2
Never underestimate the resourcefulness of a Parenthacker. From Marisa: I found an adorable "elephant stampede" clock online for $39.99, plus shipping and fell in love with it. I listed as a gift idea for my baby shower, updated the wishlist...
Schedule your kid's sick time!28 Apr 07 | Comments: 3
Smart advance planning advice from Laura: Babies have immunizations at 2, 4, 6, 12, 15, and 24 months (your doctor may vary). The shots may cause your baby to be feverish, cranky or tired. If you can, schedule these appointments...
Fearless Friday: Fear is my companion27 Apr 07 | Comments: 2
Arianna Huffington's recent book, On Becoming Fearless...In Love, Work, and Life, is now out in paperback. To commemorate the occasion, Mother Talk is hosting Fearless Friday, and I'm happy to participate. I never really knew fear until I became a...
Clothes dryer as changing table27 Apr 07 | Comments: 12
Amy's dual-floor diaper-changing solution: We have a two-story house, and her changing table has always been upstairs in her bedroom (I figured that if I went upstairs for every change, I was getting much-needed exercise, a little at a time)....
Seventh Generation diaper deal ends Monday26 Apr 07 | Comments: 0
If you're a fan of Seventh Generation diapers and wipes, stock up at Amazon -- their $20 instant rebate off $99 worth ends Monday.
Turn office printouts into school scratch paper19 Apr 07 | Comments: 6
A recycling reminder from Karen: My work generates a lot of printouts that are only used for a day, are non-confidential, and are single-sided. When we're done with them, I take the paper to my son's day care and they...
Pacifier encourages babies to swallow medicine18 Apr 07 | Comments: 5
They don't call it "The Plug" for nothing. From Ashley: My two month old has bad gas and we have been giving her gas drops, but as soon as we put them in her mouth she spits them out. So...
Dog bed as staircase landing pad18 Apr 07 | Comments: 6
Michele of I Got Two, Babe came up with this answer for the baby + stairs problem: We have almost 2-year old twin boys who have been fascinated with the stairs since they could crawl to them. We have them...
Stroller shopping: a checklist17 Apr 07 | Comments: 19
I ignored plenty of good advice when I was pregnant with my first child. One tip I ignored at my peril: "Wait till after your baby arrives to buy the stroller." In my haste to get everything ready (and to...
Toward less perfectionist parenting17 Apr 07 | Comments: 11
Take a moment to ponder Cathy's assertion: My philosophy is, if you don't set the standard too high in the beginning, you can really save yourself some trouble later on. Examples: from the time that they were babies, I didn’t...
Track medical history with Excel16 Apr 07 | Comments: 7
Kelly's hack makes me realize that I'm doing a better job tracking my car's maintenance records than our own health history: I started taking note of my kids' medical histories when my oldest was a wee guy, but in notebook...
Tie toys to the diaper bag for in-flight toddler entertainment16 Apr 07 | Comments: 3
Here's how Emmie kept her toddlers busy on the plane: When our twin boys were 18 months old, we took a 3 hour plane trip. Both boys are very attached to their bunny lovies, which they need in order to...
When does parenting get easier?11 Apr 07 | Comments: 10
Fascinating discussion going on at The Juggle about which parenting years are the hardest. I find myself crawling toward the end of my day, bone tired, and when I finally make it to bed, I'm asleep in minutes (my kids...
Wash breast pump parts in the dishwasher11 Apr 07 | Comments: 19
I've mentioned before the calm that comes with starting the day with an empty dishwasher. What I didn't mention was that I grew up in a conservationist household, where we only ran the dishwasher every 2-3 nights or so. I...
Polar fleece makes crib extra cozy10 Apr 07 | Comments: 4
Kittenpie's suggestion for a soft, warm crib: I was making my daughter's bed when I realized I was tucking in a hack! No, not her... A yard of cheap polar fleece fabric tucked in over a crib sheet makes a...
Nosefrida nasal aspirator: A Parenthacker tells all04 Apr 07 | Comments: 12
Heather was the lucky winner of the Nosefrida nasal aspirator we gave away back in February. She's since had a chance to try it out, and here's what she had to say: First, the good: easy to use, easy to...
Seventh Generation diaper deal at Amazon04 Apr 07 | Comments: 1
Angie of Baby Cheapskate kindly pointed out that Amazon is running one of its famous promotions for Seventh Generation diapers and other products -- $20 off $99 worth. The deal applies to more than just diapers and wipes -- you...
Mighty Tite keeps car seats secure03 Apr 07 | Comments: 18
[UPDATE: Be sure to read the comments on this post; several parents suggest the Mighty Tite can actually overtighten the seat belt and be unsafe. -- Ed.] There was a time when I could never seem to get my son's...
Make an ice pack out of hair gel or corn syrup31 Mar 07 | Comments: 4
Kara's first-aid hack: Use frozen hair gel as an ice pack (I’m fond of bright pink Dippity Do). Squeeze some into a quart- or snack-size Ziploc bag and toss it in the freezer. You should use corn syrup instead of...
Teach babies to drink out of a Dixie cup31 Mar 07 | Comments: 8
SourPatch's cup-learning hack: I’ve been teaching my 14 month-old to drink with a cup all by himself (crazy me, didn’t think to introduce him to a cup until he was past one year old). He’s adept at drinking without spilling...
Track medicine dosage with a reusable chart30 Mar 07 | Comments: 1
Here's how Shauna avoids double-dosing: To give long-term medicines without the confusion of who gave what to whom and when, make a simple calendar on the computer (with days only -- not dates) and laminate. [You could also slide the...
Gmail and digital pictures allow working parents to collaborate on health remedies30 Mar 07 | Comments: 1
Noran, who proudly shared that she's a first-time parent at 44, uses Gmail and a digital camera to keep in touch with her husband about their baby's health scares: I'm an emergency room registered nurse, and I work 12-hour shifts...
Up to 70% off selected toys at Amazon28 Mar 07 | Comments: 1
Amazon's having a spring toy sale -- if you've got birthday presents to buy, now may be a good time to do it. Up to 70% off selected toys . [Thanks for the pointer, David!]
Record your child's voice with your cell phone28 Mar 07 | Comments: 4
Andi found a reason to be happy about her toddler's obsession with her cell phone: We all know that our babies and toddlers love to play with our cell phones. They will often babble away on pretend phone conversations for...
Add prune juice to formula to keep newborns regular28 Mar 07 | Comments: 12
Zac of Baby Roadies on the benefits of Nature's Laxative: When our newborn son Hank was having difficulties keeping everything moving downstairs (if you know what I mean) [oh, we KNOW what you mean, Zac. -- Ed.], our doctor recommended...
Pass secret messages on diapers26 Mar 07 | Comments: 13
Who says every hack must solve a problem? From Sara: The other day after "school" I was surprised at changing time with a message on J's diaper: "My Last Diaper!" -- a message from one of her teachers that we...
Formula dispenser simplifies feeding baby on the road23 Mar 07 | Comments: 9
Randa found a way to take some of the guesswork out of formula feeding: There are times when you are out and about, or have your baby with a sitter that you just never know how much formula you're going...
DIY cookbook for families with food allergies22 Mar 07 | Comments: 7
Here's how Amber's keeping track of the recipes that fit her family's dietary needs: My family has a lot of food sensitivities, so I work really hard at trying to find as many varied (but not too strange) recipes that...
Put socks over baby's pajama feet to keep them in place20 Mar 07 | Comments: 6
Jackie's hack keeps her baby's feet inside the pajama footies. My second child, while weighing a perfectly acceptable 7 lbs 12 oz, is a dainty little thing and her feet were getting lost in the legs of her one-piece sleepers....
Fashion a no-build "closet" out of a curtain rod and a bookshelf19 Mar 07 | Comments: 6
Megan's brilliant space-saving clothing storage hack, which I may put to use in my daughter's room: My bedroom serves as the nursery and is also quite low on dresser space. I use a bookshelf with one of the shelves removed...
How to encourage your baby to tip his head back during shampoo-rinsing19 Mar 07 | Comments: 3
Lots of good hair-rinsing hacks lately! Plenty of brainpower is being spent on how to keep soap out of little eyes. From Seth: A "give him your O face" hack (not to be confused with the "Oh face" from Office...
Plush toys double as travel pillows09 Mar 07 | Comments: 2
Tricky road trip trick! (Tricky road trip trick, ticky road tip trick, tippy road trip tick...okay, so I have a weakness for tongue twisters. Try it on your kids five times fast.) From Kirsten: The best travel pillow ever. On...
Zipsheets simplify changing crib sheets08 Mar 07 | Comments: 18
One piece of newborn nursery advice I'm glad I ignored was the suggestion to buy an innerspring crib mattress as opposed to a firm foam mattress. Have you ever tried to lift an innerspring mattress? Foam is much lighter making...
Five rules that can save you hundreds on diapers08 Mar 07 | Comments: 3
Pregnant Parenthackers take note! Angie of Baby Cheapskate has written up five rules that can save you hundreds of dollars on premium disposable diapers. Of course, washing your own cloth diapers is the cheapest way to go, but if you're...
Use baby cereal as a thickener to assist new self-feeders05 Mar 07 | Comments: 9
From Whitney, one of the beloved Rookie Moms: We had a 22-year old college grad as a substitute nanny for 6 weeks this summer. To my surprise, she taught me a few tricks. The most useful was: Mix infant cereal...
Massive collection of free software for kids05 Mar 07 | Comments: 12
KidsDomain has compiled an incredible list of PC and Mac freeware for kids of all ages, including the "keyboard bangers." [Via Lifehacker]
Toyinstructions lets you throw away your toy manuals02 Mar 07 | Comments: 2
For those of you who agonize about saving the instructions from your kids' toys and games, or who've stumbled onto vintage toys at garage sales, the folks behind Z Recommends have create a new site: Toyinstructions. This is site is...
Cornstarch gets Vaseline out of hair28 Feb 07 | Comments: 6
Lisa of Lil Duck Duck says cornstarch gets petroleum jelly, Vicks Vaporub, and other oily, sticky substances out of your kid's (or your) hair. Details on her blog.
NoseFrida nasal aspirator: revolutionizing the snot sucker28 Feb 07 | Comments: 69
Ah, the nasal aspirator. This ubiquitous bit of baby gear has a place in most nurseries for good reason: babies inevitably get congested and must be "suctioned" so they can breathe properly while they nurse and sleep. Problem is, most...
Diaper Valet: New changing pad option27 Feb 07 | Comments: 1
I recently profiled Adrienne's lovely handmade diaper pouch, the Diaper Valet. Just in: matching changing pads! If you've been on the fence about buying one, free shipping ends tomorrow, and you can also get a $15 rebate if you purchase...
Birthday party keepsake: an autographed photo mat26 Feb 07 | Comments: 5
Liz, of Mom-101 and Cool Mom Picks fame, made this simple keepsake for her daughter's first birthday party: Buy a cheap photo mat, put photo of the birthday girl or boy inside, and leave a felt pen or marker for...
Sheepskin as cozy stroller liner25 Feb 07 | Comments: 5
STL Mom has lots of good ideas, but this one popped up in the comments of Hot water bottle as stroller warmer, and I wanted to be sure everyone saw it: I received a sheepskin at a baby shower, but...
Hot water bottle as stroller warmer23 Feb 07 | Comments: 6
Jo's MIL scored a winner with this cold-weather tip: This was actually suggested to me by my mother-in-law (who knew? most of her "advice" makes me roll my eyes but this one's really good) and my husband told me i...
Time's running out on the Amazon Pampers discount22 Feb 07 | Comments: 0
You've still got a few days to get in on Amazon's $25 instant discount on $99-worth of Pampers, Luvs and Kandoo products. Few things make you feel as secure as a pantry stocked with diapers. Offer ends 2/28. Tags: Baby,...
Bottle nipple as medicine dispenser21 Feb 07 | Comments: 4
Cathy came up with an ingenious medication dosage hack: So they sell those nifty baby medication pacifiers where you crack the thing opened, put in the medicine, and in somebody’s dream world, the baby peacefully sucks the medicine down no...
Clean your wood floor with disposable diapers21 Feb 07 | Comments: 4
Here's how Farah of shopping site SheFindsMom used up extra disposables: I have a great way to clean up wooden floors. I use diapers--clean ones, of course. (I still get a bunch in the mail from Huggies for some reason...
"Scrub" toothbrushes and toys with denture cleanser tablets21 Feb 07 | Comments: 8
Soni ("A devoted, albeit child-free, reader") offers this cleaning advice: To clean toothbrushes, I put them in a clean pasta sauce jar or some other container where I can cover them with hot water, drop in a denture cleaning tablet...
Lead in vinyl lunchboxes: A bigger problem than we first thought19 Feb 07 | Comments: 13
Some time ago, we talked about the presence of lead in some soft vinyl lunchboxes. The topic came up again for me based on this GNM Parents po