Raising a child can be truly overwhelming. In fact, this poll showed that the first year of raising a baby can lead to more than 2,500 arguments. And that’s solely inside the family. If you think of all the parenting styles and techniques, there’s a whole other universe to be debated on which has been dividing parents since…. basically, the dawn of time.
So in order to get your mind sorted and see what really works and what doesn’t when raising a tiny human, it’s best to look at things in practice. Meet Lauren Mejia, a TikTok creator and mom to 22mo Brax who has been sharing child development hacks, Montessori and mama tips with her 350K followers on the channel.
Lauren's advice includes practical hacks she wishes she knew before having a baby, and they have been watched millions of times. So let’s see some of her best tips right below and be sure to share your experiences and thoughts in the comments!
More info: TikTok | Instagram | Linktr.ee
@lauren_mejia_ #babyhacks #baby #toddler #toddlertips #babytips #newmom #firsttimemom #mama #foryou #foryoupage #fyp #parent #parenting #momlife #themoreyouknow
♬ Backyard Boy - Claire Rosinkranz
This post may include affiliate links.
Is your toddler always putting their shoes on backward? Cut a sticker in half & put them on the insides so they can easily match up the sticker!
Store everything you need for diaper changes in a wipe container so you aren't searching your entire diaper bag for what you need
Don't use such a bulky item for it though. I had a diaper pouch with three diapers, baby wipes and baggies. And sure I had a tiny container of Sudocrem with me. That little set is so compact you can put it in any bag. And for when they were really tiny I did have a diaper bag, with warm water, milk and a bottle and a set of clean clothes of course. But keeping the diaper essentials separate was a mental life saver for me. So I get the hack, but I would make it a little more lean.
Bored Panda reached out to the creator of these parenting hacks, a 26-year-old woman named Lauren Mejia who holds a degree in Child Development, Psychology and Montessori education. “I am a mom to a 22-month-old baby boy named Braxton. I got into TikTok around the time my son turned 1 by posting tips and activities that I thought would be helpful for other parents,” she told us.
Cut an old onesie to make a bib & new shirt!
Keep marshmallows in the freezer for bumps... softer than ice but still cold & calming
Bring a thermos with hot water to easily warn bottles on-the-go
If you use formula, put the water you're going to use for the bottle(s) in the thermos, and bringing powdered milk in portion containers. But I'm guessing you already knew that.
So Lauren’s TikTok channel lifts some of that burden from parents’ shoulders and provides real know-how advice on child development and everyday hacks, as well as giving them simple yet game-changing solutions to any of the problems that may come up.
The TikTok creator said that her hacks are inspired by the daily issues she experiences when raising Braxton, which makes her videos all the more relatable. “I get my ideas for hacks by experiencing daily issues being a mom and trying to figure out useful and helpful ways that will solve common problems that other parents may also experience.”
Reduce the risk of mold growing in your bath toys by hoy gluing the hole closed
Wrap their arms in the bottom of the onesie for diaper changes & teeth brushing
Pour water onto a wash cloth & freeze for 10 minutes for the best teething toy
When asked what’s the most difficult part of being a parent, in her opinion, Lauren said that it “is trying to figure out what your baby needs at every given moment and constantly wondering if you're doing enough for them in regards to their development.”
Lauren also added that she mainly gets positive feedback from her viewers. “It's always motivating to post when other parents comment on how useful my tips are,” she concluded.
Have a baby that throws all their food on the floor? Try introducing a "no thank you' bowl to minimize the mess
Is your kid is always dropping their puzzles or losing pieces? Buy velcro from the $1 store so pieces stay put for storage & transfer
And the pieces will never fit flush, which will drive your OCD toddler batsh!t crazy.
Cut the shower curtain in half. Place under high chair for easy cleanup. Just pick it up & rinse it off in the sink!
Having trouble giving baby medicine?
Poke a hole into a pacifier & use the syringe to push it in as they naturally suck on it!
Using a makeup brush is the easiest way to apply sunscreen into all those small areas like their ears/nose
Soooooo... You use your fingers and hands for the entire body, then... wash your hands and get a makeup brush all sticky with sunscreen? FYI, washing makeup brushes of sticky substances is not fun. Or easy. Whole lot easier to wash your flipping hands.
Make sure the ruffles on the diaper are always faced outwards & not tucked in.
This iwll save from potential blow outs/leaks!
If you keep pulling out more than 1 wipe just put a hair tie around the wipes!
Use a command hook on the back of highchair to hang bibs
If you've lost and bought a ton of pacifier covers like me.. Store an extra in a Ziploc in your diaper bag to keep it clean and safe!
Check to see if your neighborhood has a free little library for free books & to donate gently used ones!
Freeze water inside of a paci when baby is teething It's great when they're breaking in those front four teeth!
Have an empty wipe package? Turn it into a super simple plug cover (Discontinue use when your child gains the fine moto skills to open it themselves)
Use a fitted sheet for easy sensory bin clean up or for a contained baby play center
I would be worried the kid would trip over the excess sheet. Just play with the kid to keep control.
I just checked Amazon and this apparently is a thing. I still did not understand whether it should be directed at the baby or the parent, though...
Load More Replies...I'm gonna say this one only appears faster because you're actively involved. I know heart transfers faster with fluid flow but I'm pretty sure air flow in room temp is still a lower heat transfer than sub freezing with no airflow
My fridge freezer has airflow. I wonder when that became a thing.
Load More Replies...Oh lol sorry I wrote before reading the comments. Seams that I am not the only one with this thought
Load More Replies...Wipe their belly with a wipe before diaper change to reduce the risk of them peeing all over you
Put frozen breastmilk in a mesh feeder for an easy teething toy
Isn't it fun to explore how to care best for your baby by yourself? Isn't it fun that a routine you develope with the first child must not work with the second, but you can explore new routines together? There are some useful ideas here, some outright wrong or dangerous, and many mentions where I hardly see the purpose of not finding out together with your baby.
I'm not entirely sure of the rules here. Does someone have to make a negative comment after every suggestion?
That rule is not specifically for this post though. That's pretty much a parents duty whenever someone gives parenting advice. :)
Load More Replies...As a Dad of two the best advice I can give is please don't spend money on a massively expensive pram/stroller (or borrow money to buy one as I have witnessed other people do). We bought a ridiculously priced one for our first not knowing any better. We must have had about 6-8 months use out of it before it became redundant.
Buy a used one if you must, or get a wrap. Much more convenient.
Load More Replies...Some of these just feel like you should be properly teaching your child correct behavior instead of creating a "hack" to overcome it.
If you're serious, whahhaha, if you're not, still the same reaction.
Load More Replies...Isn't it fun to explore how to care best for your baby by yourself? Isn't it fun that a routine you develope with the first child must not work with the second, but you can explore new routines together? There are some useful ideas here, some outright wrong or dangerous, and many mentions where I hardly see the purpose of not finding out together with your baby.
I'm not entirely sure of the rules here. Does someone have to make a negative comment after every suggestion?
That rule is not specifically for this post though. That's pretty much a parents duty whenever someone gives parenting advice. :)
Load More Replies...As a Dad of two the best advice I can give is please don't spend money on a massively expensive pram/stroller (or borrow money to buy one as I have witnessed other people do). We bought a ridiculously priced one for our first not knowing any better. We must have had about 6-8 months use out of it before it became redundant.
Buy a used one if you must, or get a wrap. Much more convenient.
Load More Replies...Some of these just feel like you should be properly teaching your child correct behavior instead of creating a "hack" to overcome it.
If you're serious, whahhaha, if you're not, still the same reaction.
Load More Replies...