5 Baby Hacks for Beginner Moms

We all love life hacks – whether we get them from our friends, parents or, lately, the Internet. But you know which ones are actually quite hard to find? That’s right, life hacks for raising children!

Now, of course, we won’t tell you how to bring up your child – they’re all different and have different needs – we’ll just supply you with info you might find useful. Let’s start!

1: Problem – not sure if the baby is hungry:

The early cues of a hungry baby are stirring, mouth opening, turning its head and seeking or rooting. If the baby hasn`t been fed, it starts stretching, increases their physical movement and they might put their hand in its mouth. The late cues include crying, agitated body movements and their skin turning red – at this point, you should first calm your baby down – by cuddling them, stroking them and talking to them – and then feed them. Of course, if you notice some of the earlier cues – go ahead!

2: Problem – baby is constantly crying, could it be because they’re teething?

Yes! Baby teeth start growing around the fifth month and by the time your child is a year and a half old, it will have 12 teeth! In case you want to soothe the teething pain by applying oral gel, it’s good to remember that for most babies, teeth start growing from front to back. We do, however, recommend speaking to a pediatrician before you take any measures for pain relief. Meanwhile, you can put a little bit of fruit puree on a cloth, roll it up, freeze it and then let baby suck to its heart’s content!

3: Problem – baby/toddler is cranky, but you’re not sure if it’s because of lack of sleep:

A 1-month old baby should sleep around 15 hours – and almost the same amount during the day and the night. By the time it’s 6 months old, the baby will need 14 hours per day – and at least 11 of those at night! With time, the day naps duration decreases, while nighttime sleep stays roughly the same. Finally, 2- to 3-year olds need about 10 to 11 hours of sleep at night, but only 1 to 2 hours of napping during the day.

4: Problem – baby is fussy and you suspect it’s gas:

Lay your baby or child in front of you. Sit at his feet facing him. Use oil or lotion (for babies use edible oil like olive oil so if they touch it, you don’t have to worry it will get in their mouth). Begin by making a single “I” stroke on the left side (your right) of his stomach. Use gentle but firm strokes starting just under his ribs down just past the belly button level. Stroke an upside down “L” going from your left to right across baby’s belly. Then, left to right, make a “U”. Repeat several times.

5: Problem – Baby is fussy and you’ve tried everything:

Try baby acupressure! You can comfort and soothe your baby by applying gentle pressure to certain areas of your baby’s foot.
For example, his toes correspond to his sinuses, head, and teeth area, while the middle of the foot will help the upper abdominal area. Subsequently, the end of the foot helps the lower abdominal area and the heel – the pelvic area.
However, if nothing will comfort your baby, we recommend consulting your pediatrician in order to make sure everything is okay.