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Mom's Secrets

Parenting Tips that Work!

There is an old African proverb which says “it takes a village to raise a child”. We all need a little help from time to time, and we all have secrets that make our days a bit easier and our babies that much happier. Share those little secrets with our online village and make a difference to a mom today!

Bath time reassurance. Place a wet, warm cloth over your infant's tummy when he is in the bath. It keeps him nice and warm and gives him the reassuring sense of touch during the bath.
Nozipho - Randburg
Beach sand remedy. Next time you go to the beach, be sure to pack some baby powder. Sprinkle it on to sandy legs and bottoms... the sand will fall off as the moisture is absorbed by the baby powder and you can dress your baby or toddler without getting sand everywhere.
Kate - Durban North
Bedtime routine. Have a bedtime routine… Play peaceful, relaxing music for bedtime sleep. But play the same CD for night time sleep and a variety for daytime sleep. They then get into the routine and know the difference between day and night sleeps.
Cindy Bradshaw - Durban
Best Appliance. The best thing you can buy is a food warmer/sterilizer/bottle warmer in one. I use it all the time!
Rika - Pretoria
Breastfeeding Blues. If you find breastfeeding boring, set up camp in your lounge during the day. Have snacks, the TV remote and water nearby then get comfortable and catch up on some rest and your favourite TV shows!
Anna - Milnerton
Changing Station Mobile. Hang a mobile above the changing station. It will keep your older baby entertained while you change his nappy.
Caitlin - Umdloti Beach
Cleaning crayon marks. Remove pen, crayon or khoki marks by putting a dab of toothpaste on wet wipe and rubbing the area.
Mageshni - Chatsworth
Duct tape. When going on holiday or visiting friends or relatives, keep a roll of duct tape in your bag. It is very useful for securing drawers and cupboards that your toddler will be itching to get into, as well as for keeping little fingers out of electrical outlets!
Julie Fox - East London
Frozen fruit juice blocks. Freeze diluted fruit juice in your ice trays. They make great snacks on hot days and are fantastic for soothing sore gums when teething.
Jane Patterson - Howick
Frozen Grapes. Freeze seedless grapes for a fun fruit snack. Because they are frozen they are more of a treat!
Tina - Hout Bay
Fruit snacks. Puree different fruits and freeze them for a healthy, tasty snack.
Sharon - Orkney
Going out with Baby. Taking your new baby on an outing? Your sleep deprived brain can easily forget what to pack! Type out a list of what to pack for outings and laminate it, then put it up on a cupboard or wall for easy reference.
Sue - Durban
Grated apple. When your baby is anxious for food and you are trying desperately to get the food ready, put them in their feeding chair and grate some apple or cheese for them to nibble on while you finish preparing their food, it keeps them busy and is good for fine motor skills
Linda Harvey - East London
Kitchen Activities. Give your baby a Tupperware drawer or cupboard to play with in the kitchen while you are cooking. If you can stand the noise, a pot and lid is always a hit and will keep them entertained for ages.
Joanne - Brackenfell
Magazine Articles. Collect all the magazine articles relating to health issues while you are pregnant, and file them from A-Z. It is a great resource and gives you total peace of mind if your baby gets sick.
Liesl - Centurion
Mosquito repellent. A safe way to keep mosquitoes at bay is to put a few drops of vanilla essence into a bowl of water in your baby's room. Mozzies hate the smell of vanilla and you will have a great smelling. natural air freshener.
Marion - Ballito
Powder instead of bum cream. I like to use baby powder instead of bum cream for the night-time nappy, it really helps keep my daughter drier through the night and we have much fewer rash issues now.
Lettie Erasmus - Vanderbyl Park
Remote Controls. Protect remote controls with a light layer of clingfilm. The remote will still work and be safe from spills and sticky fingers.
Elaine - George
Sleep time routine. Take turns with your partner putting baby to sleep so he doesn't only associate one parent with sleep time. It gives you extra time to yourself, or to do chores.
Hayley - Vaal
Swallowing medicine. If you struggle to get your baby to swallow his/her medicine, gently blow on his/her eyes. The same reflex that causes him to close his eyes, causes him to swallow.
Sharon - Umhlanga
Washing Hands. Most babies hate it when you wipe their hands and face after eating so make it fun for the by singing this song: "This is the way we wash our hands, wash our hands, wash our hands. This is the way we wash our hands every morning and afternoon!" And repeat the same for the face.
Stella - East London

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