We’ll be the first to admit that being a mama isn’t easy.
From sleepless nights to self-doubt, sometimes you might need a few of the best mom hacks to save time and money (and your sanity!).
And we’ve got just the thing.
We’ve rounded up the top tips, tricks, and mom life hacks from mamas on Peanut to get you parenting like a pro in no time.
In this article: 📝
- What are some mom hacks?
- How do new moms survive?
- How can a stay-at-home mom be productive?
- What are some mom hacks for toddlers?
- What are some funny mom hacks?
What are some mom hacks?
Let’s start off strong with our best mom hacks from our Peanut mamas.
Take what works for you, leave whatever doesn’t.
After all, there’s no single way to be a mom.
1. “If you don’t have space (or money!) for a rocking chair, use an exercise ball. I used to swaddle my little girl, sit on the ball and bounce while rocking her side to side and it worked like a dream.” ‒ Jess
2. “When your babe is teething, give them some frozen apple slices to gnaw on. It really helped to prevent night wakes and excessive crying with my son.” ‒ Evie
3. “My favorite mom hack is to ask for extra drink carriers at the drive-thru. We reuse ours as diaper caddies in the car!” ‒ Violet
4. Use a fine mist sprayer to cool hot car seat buckles on a sunny day.” ‒ Nati
5. “While weaning, I puree veg and fruit individually and make them into ice cubes to put into individually labeled bags. So I can mix and match meals. That way, baby isn’t stuck eating the same thing every day.” ‒ Aklima
6. “A postpartum donut pillow also works as a bath time knee pillow!” ‒ Katie
7. “Put headphones in when they’re on a crying rampage and you need to cuddle them while staying sane.” ‒ Jac
8. “You can make your own baby wipes as long as you have a good quality paper towel roll, baby oil, distilled water, baby wash, essential oil (optional), and a container to put the paper towel in.” ‒ Jasmine
9. “Use puppy pee pads on changing stations, keeping them in the diaper bag for on-the-go changes, and any time there is a diaper blowout. So handy to have them readily available, and then just toss it out when it gets dirty.” ‒ Megan
10. “Electric toothbrush for diaper changes! The vibration distracts them once they start rolling.” ‒ Meave
11. “If you can’t get sharpie off of a hard and/or smooth surface, use sunscreen.” ‒ Audrey
12. “To find mom friends, Peanut is awesome! I’ve been chatting on the regular with folks in groups during naps. A lifesaver.” ‒ Kari
🤫 Don’t tell anyone, but we found the answer: How to Be A Good Mother
How do new moms survive?
Now let’s hear it for the first-time moms and new moms!
Looking after a newborn for the first time (or even the second, third, or fourth time) can be challenging.
Make things a little easier with these new mom hacks from our Peanut first-time moms:
13. “Don’t you hate it when you go to grab one wipe and 56 million wipes come out with it? Next time, place a rubber band over the wipe opening and only one wipe will come out!” ‒ Lydia
14. “Baby won’t calm down? Try turning on your hairdryer! The sound works like a charm for soothing my little girl.” ‒ Emmy
15. “Instead of buying a special pumping bra, cut 1-inch slits in an old bra, roughly where your nipples would be, then stick the pump flanges through the holes. It’s actually more comfortable than a pumping bra.” ‒ Katherine
16. “Use a pacifier clip to hold your shirt up while nursing. My mind was blown when I tried this!” ‒ Kendal
17. “When my little boy starts fighting his naps, he likes to go for a walk in his pram to fall asleep. So sometimes I put his snowsuit on to trick him into thinking he’s going out… 30 minutes later he’s still sleeping on the bed in his snowsuit dreaming of being on a walk!” ‒ Siyma
18. “Buy men’s trousers and jeans for a decent postpartum fit and deeper pockets!” ‒ Jojo
19. “Use colored stickers to keep track of bottles of pumped milk and when it will expire.” ‒ Kaydee
20. “A walk outside resets a fussy baby.” ‒ Lynn
21. “To remove poop stains: 2 parts hydrogen peroxide, 1 part blue Dawn dish soap, 1 part baking soda.” ‒ Kayla
22. “Put baby in a baby carrier so you can do your household chores while they snuggle up to you.” ‒ Melissa
23. “Sleep when your baby sleeps!” ‒ Taiesha
24.* “Not all pediatricians are created equal. They give varying advice. Do your own research and be your baby’s best advocate.” ‒ Linda
25. “Never turn down the help when offered, and never be afraid to ask for help when needed! Parents, siblings, friends, godparents…” ‒ Ashley
26. “Let the house be a mess. The dishes and laundry can wait.” ‒ Allison
27. “Every decision does not have to be a long-term solution. It’s ok to do what works for now and adjust as you go!” ‒ Hannah
28. “Babies clench their fist when they are hungry… but after a feed they will release the clenched fist.” ‒ Rashmeeta
29. “Don’t try and make a happy baby happier. If they are enjoying doing something (safe obviously), let them do it! It seems like such obvious advice, but my husband and I both have to remind ourselves of this constantly.” ‒ Kasey
30. “Trust your gut over Dr. Google! I think “he” causes so much extra, unnecessary anxiety!” ‒ Kira
👉 Want more? 17 Things Every First-Time Mom Needs to Know
How can a stay-at-home mom be productive?
Calling all stay-at-home moms!
Whether you’re working or not, there are lots of SAHM hacks for you to try:
31. “When your little one wants a popsicle at home, place a cupcake liner on the bottom of the stick. It’ll save so much sticky mess!” ‒ Aiyana
32. “If you really need to shower but you have your toddler to watch, give them some stickers (that are easy to peel off!) and make a game where they have to put all the stickers on the bathroom cabinet. Keeps them busy and out of trouble!” ‒ Hannah
33. “Just discovered a new game for when your kids want you to play hide and seek but you absolutely do not want to play hide and seek. Pick a toy, hide it, then your kid has to go find it! I was able to sweep and vacuum all my floors, fold a load of laundry, and drink my coffee still hot!” ‒ Tomi
34. “Make a rainbow on the floor using toys. It’s a lot of cleaning after but at least the process gives me a break.” ‒ Andrea
35. “For coffee drinkers: get an insulated mug. If it still goes cold, add ice and you’ve got an iced coffee!” ‒ Alice
36. “As a stay-at-home mom, it’s so important to have a village surrounding you. Spend time with your family and friends whenever you can, join mommy groups, do play dates, just get out of the house.” ‒ Kylee
37. “If you’re feeling ill, ‘shower the sickness off’ every day and sleep in something clean so you’re not sleeping in last night’s sick germs. Yes, it’s more laundry for when I’m done being sick, but I swear, not sleeping in your sick germs makes the sickness go so much quicker.” ‒ Michelle
38. “If you’re working from home with a baby, invest in a playpen filled with balls to keep them entertained.” ‒ Esther
🏠 More hints and tricks: How to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom: Tips & Benefits
What are some mom hacks for toddlers?
If you’ve graduated from “new mom” to “toddler mom”, life definitely starts looking different pretty quickly.
Settle into some routines that work for you and your little one with these mom hacks for toddlers:
39. “Get a nice pillow spray if you’re planning on traveling or staying away from home with your child. That way, wherever they sleep, the smell of that pillow spray will give them the sense of home and familiarity they need to doze off.” ‒ Nicola
40. “Elastic band on the toilet roll to avoid having to reroll the thing constantly!” ‒ Sara
41. “As early as possible, build a routine of tidying up toys together as you go. Moving away from Magnatiles to a snack? Back in the bin. Done coloring and want to go outside? Back in the bin. All done with your pretend picnic? Clean it up, back in the bin.” ‒ Shar
42. “I make my kid feel like cleaning up is a superpower. I’ll say “Who’s going to help me?” in a dramatic tone. Then my kids volunteer. When it’s all done, we celebrate with high fives. I tell him how amazing he is and everyone is happy.” ‒ Aidee
43. “Timers, timers, timers. We use timers for everything. Almost time for a nap? Timer. Almost time for his tablet to go away for the night? Timer. It gives my toddler a sense of control, I think, knowing what’s going to happen and when.” ‒ Misty
44. “Count extra slow when playing hide and seek. I get about an extra 20 seconds each time to tidy up while we’re ‘playing’.” ‒ Ashley
45. “If you have 2 under two, get your toddler involved when you’re doing ‘baby stuff’, so they don’t get jealous that you’re not spending time with them when you’re looking after baby. It also gives them a sense of responsibility.” ‒ Rebecca
👶 Want to keep your kiddo busy? 70 Fun Toddler Activities for Your Little One
What are some funny mom hacks?
Sometimes, motherhood is just hilarious.
Whether that’s the sleep deprivation talking or your toddler making you giggle, we know you’ll love these funny mom hacks:
46. “We picked up these LED bulbs that you can control brightness and color from your phone. She suddenly got picky about green veggies so we changed the light to red one day during dinner and she got down on the stir fry broccoli and tofu my husband made. She didn’t even notice that she was eating broccoli!” ‒ Mary
47. “Kid going through a picky phase? Make the food you want to feed them look like the food they want to eat.” ‒ Cara
48. “Grocery bags can make diaper covers in a pinch. Don’t ask me how I know. #Traumatized.” ‒ Aria
49. “Hide your favorite cheeky snack in your coffee cup or a ‘spicy’ crisp packet. That way, your little ones won’t keep pestering you to eat them.” ‒ Zoe
50. “Tell your kids that you hate the sound of vacuuming so they’ll do it to ‘annoy you’.” ‒ Annie
51. “Get a baby onesie that’s also a floor polisher. Two birds, one stone!” ‒ Sam
52. “Told my son his ears turn red when he lies. Now he covers his ears when he lies.” ‒ Tara
53. “Three magic words: ‘I’ll time you.’ They get my little one to pretty much do any task, because she thinks it’s a competition.” ‒ Deana
54. “Start investing in baby’s own account as soon as they’re here. Or even sooner!” ‒ Tasha
(Psst, we’ve teamed up with EarlyBird to give you $15 free when you create baby’s first investment account to get you started)
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And finally, for our favorite mom hack:
55. “As long as baby is loved, clean, happy, and full, always remember: you’re being a good mom.” ‒ Ressa
Got your own mom hacks to share?
Or hungry for more?
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