Pregnancy and Baby Hacks

Tori’s Baby Hacks @intothesauce

Hi! Thanks so much for sussing my baby hacks ✨ As usual, I have been overly thorough and I really hope it helps a lot of pregnant bbs and their babies! I would love you to share it with any of your friends/family who it might help 👼🏼 For background, I had a natural labour with epidural and exclusively breastfed up until 7 months where I completely switched to formula, so my advice will be most relevant to those circumstances.

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For mum - pre and post baby

• I bought these Kmart bras about 2 days after finding out I was pregnant and suddenly walking, sleeping, moving in any way became excruciating because of my sore boobs! I removed the padding in the Kmart Wirefree Smooth Crop and it is an absolute dream - it really helped with the soreness during pregnancy and I still sleep in it every night. It was also the only bra I could tolerate on my very sore nips with the issues I had there in the first month post natal. I still wear the black Kmart Wirefree Seamfree Crop Bras almost every day too, I actually find them better than the maternity bras I own (just the lace Target ones which are fine, but annoy me a bit how there’s a whole bra cup folded below her face when I feed her). Too tight bras will also put you at risk for mastitis so having the wirefree ones has helped with that.
  
  
• During pregnancy I was (and still am) taking a heap of vitamins to compensate for my often unbalanced diet (lots of pasta). The Blackmore’s Pregnancy and Breastfeeding vitamins I found much better than the Elevit ones (which made me vom), and they were recommended to me by a friend who is a dietitian. I also take fish oil because I don’t eat enough fish, and I highly recommend the Maltofer liquid iron, the only iron that has not made my stomach badddd (constipated). It is not cheap, but worth it for me being prone to anaemia. The Life-Space Probiotic+ Pregnancy & Breastfeeding have possibly helped (amongst other things) with my breastfeeding issues - I was so sore that despite my issues now being solved, I’m sticking on them to avoid a blocked pore ever happening again. The hack here is that every week I fill up one of these pill boxes with all my vitamins and it saves so much time not having to open 4 bottles a night (not to mention precious bedside table space). I also found that taking the vitamins in the morning made me feel really sick, but taking them right before bed on a full stomach had no side effects, so that is another hack.
• Best pregnancy leggings (still thrashing now) are the Lululemon align tights, with pockets. Look no further! I read so many reviews on pregnancy leggings and all the brands I perused had a lot of negative reviews hidden amongst the good ones. These were a great investment for pre and post baby. They aren’t maternity but very stretchy so I sized up.
• I had two pregnancy pillows - one was the typical one you find for sale on Amazon and most websites, the other was a Belly Bean. The Belly Bean was the best for sleeping, you can use it in lots of different positions which I liked. I took it with me travelling and I wish I had taken it to the hospital the night I was induced.
• I love this hack. Even as a not-pregnant person I need to pee all the time, and that was multiplied by 10 during pregnancy. I was getting up so much during the night my sleep was not okay! It was really hard, because it seems that when you are pregnant all you want to do is skull 500 litres of water. I created a nightly reminder on my phone to stop drinking water. You can do it now, just say ‘hey Siri, remind me every night at 7.15pm to stop drinking water’. This helped me immensely!
• I made a list of questions I wanted to answer in my journal a few weeks before our girl arrived so I could remember how I was feeling, etc. during my pregnancy. I actually only just remembered I did this, and thank god I did, because looking back at the questions I couldn’t tell you some of the answers except I have never been to Maccas so much in my life, I probably spent hundreds on $1 Frokes which were my biggest craving 😹
• How many weeks pregnant am I
• How long until due date
• How have I felt throughout the pregnancy
• What songs/music reflect the time
• What do I want for her
• What is my birth plan
• What clothes have I been wearing
• How much do I weigh
• How has my sleep been
• What nesting am I up to
• Food cravings!
• Food aversions
• What am I most proud of myself for so far
• The hardest part of being pregnant
• The best part of being pregnant
• I found the Raising Children and Red Nose websites very helpful for information that is backed by research and experts. I highly recommend sitting down one day and trawling through all their articles, I think it is especially important because, whilst most pregnancy books cite SIDS research etc., they also contain a lot of opinion. For example, ‘Save Our Sleep’ uses SIDS research throughout the book to support her recommendations, however, doesn’t apply it to babies sleeping with comforters (because she sells comforters on her website which is a bit dodgy).
• I read ‘Save Our Sleep’ and ‘The First Six Weeks’. Those two baby books (two of the most popular in Australia) are so polarising. When I was pregnant, I loved the idea of the Save Our Sleep routines and was 100% certain I would be following that pattern. When I had Winnie, I realised so soon that she needed to feed when she was hungry, not at a time a book specifies? Around week 3 I was tired, confused and desperate and thought I’d give the routine a try. I can safely say all it did was add even more pressure and anxiety, I wasted all this time trying to wake her up for a feed she wasn’t hungry for, and ended up wondering how it was helpful at all if sometimes I was actually shortening the time in between feeds and giving myself less of a break. Honestly mind blown that she suggests it’s possible to train a tiny little being that has been in the world for one week into a rigid sleeping pattern. I now really dislike that ‘one size fits all’ model. I liked The First Six Weeks because she took a more realistic approach but I often think about how absurd it is that she recommends you stay up at each middle-of-the-night feed for 20 minutes, not to burp your baby but to enjoy the time you have together. I don’t know about other new mothers but another 20 minutes in the night would not be conducive to good parenting during the day, for me at least. In the end though I am glad I read both, I gained lots of random tips out of each and I would recommend reading them if you have time before the babe.
• For anyone in Adelaide, I would 1000% recommend booking in with Dr. Briony Andrews at Mums and Babies - Briony is a GP and a lactation consultant and has seen it all. I had a blocked pore for weeks, to the point where it was so painful I nearly stopped feeding on that side and was crying knowing I’d have to feed on that side again. I saw her and she sorted me out, helped adjust the ‘latch’ (how I was holding Winter and my posture) and it made things so much better. It took weeks to get in with her though, so for my next baby I am going to pre-empt that I could use an appointment (even if it’s just for a simple adjustment to latch alone to improve feeding) and book one in for around my due date and one a month later - can always cancel if you don’t need it!
• One really good piece of advice I got from Briony was to help avoid mastitis by emptying one side each feed (and offering the next side only when the other is empty). Each feed I only offer one side until it’s empty, and before bed each night I pump to empty both sides so I can have a longer sleep and not wake up with insanely full boobs (up til 3 months they were still sooo full and rocky in the morning but it definitely helped).
• I have used the Huckleberry app from day one to track feeding. Matt and I are both logged into my account on our phones. At night, I try to go to bed around 9pm, then Matt feeds Winnie the bottle at 10-10.30pm. When I get up for the middle of the night feeds, I can see how much he was able to give her and at what time. Even now, during the day, I honestly could not tell you how long it’s been since she last fed and I can’t be bothered trying to remember the time it was, and how long for (let alone what side) so this app is amazing for that.
• Re: taking the bottle. Every book and online article and mother says this and it’s true; if you want your baby to take the bottle, introduce it once a day as soon as you can. We gave it to Winter on day five and I am trying to give it to her once a day (as well as Matt during the night feed) so she doesn’t start rejecting it, because at 3 months she definitely seems to be starting to prefer the boob which I am not okay with in terms of being able to leave the house! Update finishing writing this one month later - she really does not want to take the bottle and we just wrote down some advice for our next baby which is every single day during the day, give her the bottle, have family give her the bottle, otherwise they can just say no like Winnie is doing,  and despite my best efforts, now I am trying to train her to take it again which is really hard.
• Possibly the best thing I did the night I was induced: took my phone and Matt’s phone and deleted Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat. For 10 days we were in a bubble with no social media and it was just divine. My mum kept coming into the hospital saying, ‘when are you going to post on Instagram’ because she wanted to post so badly, and the thought of downloading those apps and spending that time scrolling made me shudder! It was the best!
• L’Occitane pillow spray was/is helpful in getting back to sleep after the many middle of the night feeds. It smells ridiculously good, I will be using it for life and love gifting it to Mums-to-be.
• My mum bought me this breastfeeding shade which I was initially skeptical about but have found it really handy in public, and much easier than using muslin cloths or blankets to cover things up. It has a curved bit of plastic around the neck which allows you to peep in and make sure baby is attached and breathing.
• These Kmart Fridge Baskets are so handy for keeping nappies/wipes in, I keep my pump equipment in there, they’re even good for books, toys, pasta/pantry items. Love them, I have about 10 - I also use them for toiletries, hair products, laundry storage.
• Pitted prunes and prune juice for the hospital. I was super worried about becoming constipated and having to deal with that along with all the other painful stuff going on down there! I ate prunes over the first few days and drank prune juice to make sure that didn’t happen and it worked so well. Amazing hack.
• If you have the same baby book as me, or maybe another similar one, it asks you for a family tree. I used this website to do ours, printed it off and stuck it on. ‘Work smarter, not harder’, is important when it comes to the demanding requirements of completing a baby book.
• Again for the baby book, I have loved using the Kmart Photos app to print all the pics. I print the monthly photos in the 3 x 5 size then cut them out so they all fit. I put a reminder in my phone ‘hey Siri, remind me at 10am on the 7th of every month to fill out baby book’ (Winnie was born on the 7th). It helps me keep on top of it! I’ve been filling it out as she reaches milestones/does funny things because I’ve found it way better to do it throughout the month than a full session at the end of the month which we were always putting off.
• The Kmart Photos app is also so good for printing photos if you are wanting to start family photo albums! I bought a bunch of Kmart photo albums and have almost filled up two books from 4 months of Winnie which is slightly alarming, but I think it will be so amazing to have them and look back in years to come! The way I organise this is…
• I favourite all photos and videos I love of her
• When a new month rolls around and I am printing baby book photos, I use the ‘Date Stamper’ app to bulk apply a date on the corner of each photo (nice to know the date when looking back, also Kmart often jumble the images up which makes me want to rip my hair out lol)
• I print them in 4x6 using the Kmart Photos app for my photo albums
• I made a bright ‘PRINTED COMPLETED TO HERE’ image in Insta stories, and I screenshot that and favourite it every time I print a new batch of images. That is how I keep track of where I am up to with my printing:
  
  
• I got the Elvie Double Breast Pump, along with the extra Three Bottles (for a total of $667). The only store selling this to Australia (that I know of) is Oxygen Boutique. Sign up to their newsletter for a 15% discount code. I pump walking around the house, in bed, on the couch, doing my makeup, in the car sometimes. I look at my Elvie pumps lovingly when I wash them and think to myself, ‘if these broke today I would order more’ because they have been so easy and time saving. A huge luxury because they are very expensive, but they have paid themselves off and will continue to!
• Once you have the baby, ask your partner to make a list of any flowers/gifts you receive to the hospital/at home in his phone so you remember to thank people and also what they gave you.
• Also ask your partner to make a little journal as your labour progresses and for the days after - Matt just noted down the timings of things happening and funny stuff along the way. I transcribed it all into my journal which is really special to have and it would have completely slipped my memory if we didn’t designate that job to him!

For baby:

• Mustela Natural Cradle Cap Cream available on Amazon here. I think most babies get a bit of cradle cap cream and I wish I had this on hand, it was actually a bit pathetic how many times I refreshed the tracking link after I ordered this. I just applied a heavy amount an hour or two before her bath, then washed her hair well to get the smell of the cream out with baby shampoo (Johnson & Johnson’s because I find it nostalgic). They sell this at some other pharmacies but if you don’t have an Amazon Prime subscription yet and you’re about to have a baby, it is time to sign up. Not to mention they have This Is Us on Amazon Prime Video which is the cutest, most wholesome show I’ve watched in forever. It doesn’t have 8.6/10 on IMDb and 93% on Rotten Tomatoes for nothing.
• Singlets for under onesies and outfits. I got 6 singlets in each size of these Target bodysuits, which sounds like a lot but is a good amount.
• If you have a chest of drawers to keep socks, singlets, leggings, etc. then I have found drawer dividers like these Kmart ones really handy for being able to throw things in and not have them neatly folded
• Storing and organising baby items
  These Kmart Fridge Baskets are so handy as a caddy for keeping nappies/wipes in, I keep my pump equipment in there, they’re even good for books, toys, pasta/pantry items. Love them, I have about 10 - I also use them for toiletries, hair products, laundry storage.
• We have two of these Amazon white noise machines and use them constantly. I got the extra one so I always have it in the pram - some days I have been desperate and put my phone playing white noise by her head but then I don’t have access to a phone. When we aren’t using it to help her sleep in the pram or in the living room, another great source of white noise is next to the kitchen exhaust fan on high, works a treat to start and prolong a good nap.
• Best highchair! My mum bought this Peg Perego for her house and we borrowed it for a day before buying one for ourselves. What I don’t like about it is that it’s not stunningly beautiful, what I do like about it is literally everything else. I take it with me in the kitchen, I adjust it so she can sleep or sit up, we wheel it over to the head of the table when we are eating lunch or dinner, I take her in it into our bathroom when I shower (and squash my face up against the glass at her, makes her laugh, is fun), and I roll it in between our bedrooms/laundry while I put away washing. Even having it in the bathroom with me while I’m getting ready and being able to rock her with my foot while I put makeup on has been a total gamechanger. Well done Mum.
• These wardrobe dividers from Amazon have been amazing to separate all the 00000000s. I also wrote on them to reflect the size in the 0 system too, which I found extremely confusing when buying/receiving clothes. I got these Kmart coat hangers for all the cute outfits.
• I love the Ergobaby 2.5 TOG pouches to keep Winnie warm at night and during her naps. You can get them here from the Iconic - next day delivery, nailed it. Will probably get the 1.0 TOG pouch for summer too. Little burrito, very cute.
• For vaccinations, they recommend giving Panadol 30 mins before the appointment and afterwards to keep the fever down. The baby Panadol is cherry/vanilla flavour. I like cherry flavour usually but it is literally disgusting and made Winnie vomit just by the taste of it! The Strawberry Dymadon for Kids is the same dosage as the babies ones, but comes in a larger container. Compared to the Panadol, it tastes much better and is so much easier to extract the product from.
• Rockit - helpful for when Winnie was really young and I wanted to go have a coffee and not have to constantly rock her. Still useful when she is asleep at the end of a walk and I want to prolong the sleep, I just put it on and pop her by the exhaust fan. I haven’t found it the best thing ever, but I like to have all the gear. I have read lots of good reviews on it though so I know lots of people are obsessed with it! Side note: The Memo is a great Australian website and they seem to sell every baby product with a cult following.
• Happiest Baby Snoo. Priceless investment. Priceless! In the last 4 months, I have only needed to rock Winnie to sleep in my arms once. Amazing honestly. If you can afford it, best money we spent. They are regularly on sale and I have read that the Black Friday sale is usually 40% off. As I write this they have a 15% off birthday sale! We ordered The Big Bundle to accompany it, definitely needed for one extra swaddle in each size and 2 extra sheets. It worked out to $1,440 for us with the 25% off Valentine’s Day sale. Some snippets to convince you from my conversation history with my best friend Lauren whose daughter is 3 weeks younger than Winter:
  
  
• Snoo hack: the velcro strap that goes underneath and in between the legs has been so frustrating for me, a lot of the time we’ve found it’s too short and doesn’t fit her OR she has been in a sleeping bag under the snoo sack so it’s awkwardly tangled underneath her and can't serve its purpose. Very annoying! It just occurred to me to snip it off (after 1800+ hours in the snoo lol) and it’s much better without!
• Comotomo bottles (as recommended by Zoe Foster-Blake, they have not disappointed). If you buy these you will also need the slow flow replacement nipples for the newborn - 3 months age (they come with medium flow)
• This $11 Kmart baby bath tub was great to bath Winnie on the kitchen counter. Now she is in the big bath and can lift her head a bit we use a terry bath support which is great - you can get them from Target here and Kmart here
• Flannels for the bath:
• These Kmart ones to wipe her (ugly but cheap and functional)
• The following ones: available in unicorn or polka dot to drape over her tummy/chest to keep her covered in warm water. They are a better size (22x22cm) than the usual 30x30cm which are too big.
• Dreambaby bath thermometer - I looked at all different brands and settled for this $5 - it does the job! And it’s marked down to $3.75 at Big W, get on it.
• Once baby gets a bit older, I love this Kmart non-slip bath math
• This Oricom baby monitor does the job, pretty bad battery but we have it plugged in 90% of the time. I consciously decided against one that was linked to wifi and would display the cot/baby on an app so I could get a proper break when leaving the house and eliminate the option to check on her constantly
• This wifi thermometer is so good because the above baby monitor does not give an accurate temperature reading. I love this because the temp comes through to an app my iPhone!
• Artipoppe baby carrier. I didn’t use this much in the start, and when I did it usually resulted in getting covered in vomit. Now I am using it a lot with Winnie facing out, it’s so handy for walking around the house and watering the garden with her, she loves it! Use the code 1LUCINDAMOR80 to get it for around $378 (down from $450)
• I got this Rizees Steriliser as a (much loved) baby shower gift - it’s the best. Didn’t realise you don’t need to sterilise if you’re using breastmilk only, only for formula, but I use it all the time anyway especially because when you run it on auto it dries everything. It’s great to pop all our bottles and pumping equipment in and keep the bench looking tidy, instead of having it cluttering up the sink. It’s also great for a dummy and toys that she puts in her mouth.
• This Kmart milk warmer has been great for warming up bottles at night. It’s a bit cheap and dodgy and needs to be cleaned quite often, but that’s what you get for $29 and it does the job
• These Kmart milk storage pouches are great for labelling and keeping milk in the freezer
• Instead of using the formula bottles with annoying lids that are hard to get back on, I pour my formula into one of these containers and keep it in a dark place (apparently if it’s in the sunlight the nutrients can degrade). It’s just easier and you can pour the dregs into your scoop without the frustrating edges they have on the canisters.
• Another formula hack for formula babies - measure out however many scoops of formula you need into a measuring cup so you can use that as a scoop, instead of having to scoop multiple times each time you make a bottle. I have also weighed out my scoops, fill the bottle with water then pop it on my digital scales (which are always in a close and easy access cupboard), and weigh out my formula for ease. Both of these ways I find quicker and better than spooning scoops and scoops 6 times a day.
• For later down the track, I just ordered this Amazon picnic seat so Winnie can sit out in the garden with me or picnic with us.
  Update: This is the best to pop her in on the kitchen counter or dining table so she can look down and see what I’m doing, instead of staring at the counter from her highchair. Love it!
• Loving the Tranquil Turtle six months in to help baby girl wind down in her room before naps and bedtime
• Also loving this Gro Anywhere blockout blind for daytime naps, and nighttime thanks to daylight savings - great suggestion from Luce from Citrus and Co
• These arm warmers for over the sleeping bag are amazing for hot nights and cool mornings! Worst nightmare is a middle of the night outfit change and this is an amazing solution.

Other things I bought:

• Change table - Cam Cam
• Chest of drawers - West Elm
• Cot, mattress, mattress protector - Incy Interiors
• Rocking chair - Freedom
• Floor lamp - IKEA
• IKEA power point remote! LOVE this. Put this next to the normal light switch by the door for easy access, and can turn on and off the lamp in her room (so much better for night feeds because it’s less bright)
• Love this little muslin blanket
• Huggies refillable baby wipes container is great
• Love our Silver Cross pram
• Love our little rainbow mobile!
• Maxi Cosi Euro Slim car seat. If you contact them directly by phone via their website, you will get a much cheaper price than Baby Bunting and free shipping
• Paper Collective prints and Society6 prints for the nursery
• Baby book was a special gift (apologies in advance for the lesser effort I will put in for the second child’s one)
• Travel change mat. Country Road had a cute bunny one but it’s not available anymore.
• Feeding pillow. I got this one from IKEA with this cute cover. Bit bulky and I barely used it to feed her but Matt used it to prop her up on the couch when she was smaller and he was giving her the bottle at night, so it came in handy for that.
• Haakaa suction breast pump. Have used it a little, others rave about it!
• Elvie catch. Also have barely used but others rave about it
• Charlie Crane rocker, love it! Winnie was in it constantly for the first couple of months and we took so many photos of her in it, so it was nice to have her in something aesthetically pleasing as well as comfy.
• Squishy light because it’s cute
• Shusher to save your breath settling baby

Things I didn’t need:

• Nappy bag. I think it’s still full of the newborn sized nappies, I’ve never used it because I always have the pram with me which is stocked up with nappies and wipes, or I will pop them in my bag or bring along one of my fave Kmart Plastic Containers with everything we need for her to leave the house. Update on this: The nappy bag at 1 year onwards has become more helpful - I fill it with a couple nappies, food, bottles, water, formula, etc. I retract this statement and think they are worth buying but I wouldn't rush into it immediately if you're not sure what you like.
• SRC Recovery Tights. I was assessed by a physio after the birth and told I didn’t need them, she said it’s a waste of money for a lot of people so you’re better off waiting until after birth to see if a physio recommends them for your own personal recovery.
• We bought a baby wipes warmer, cos we read in a book they are good. Maybe it works for some babies that hate cold baby wipes but I found it was pretty useless and dried out the wipes, so turned it off a couple of months in.

Hospital Packing List:

For Mum

For Baby:

• 3 x onesies in 00000 and/or 0000 (they will spend most of the time swaddled and it’s warm in there). I love the Bonds Original Poodlette Wondersuits because towelling is in and they’re so cuddly.
• A couple of pairs of socks
• Beanie 🥺 
• Baby blanket. Nice to lay them on your bed and snuggle them in. Also you might like a cute blanket for photos.
• Bepanthen. Putting Bepanthen on their bottom when you change their nappies helps with the ease of wiping off the meconium poos. We still use it now to prevent nappy rash.
• Nappies
• Baby wipes. The hospital had these but I like to be prepared.
• Baby nail trimmer set - I am still using this now! Also sold at Chemist Warehouse.

Things to do - before baby:

• Ask close family to get whooping couch vaccine, you can get it at the chemist
• Make a list of family/friends to message when the baby is born - your brain will be mush and you will appreciate that they are written down ready to message. Make your partner do this so you don’t have to be on your phone!

Things to do - after baby:

• Add baby to Medicare
  To enrol your baby in Medicare make sure you have supporting documentation before you start. You will need:
• Proof of birth documents such as a certified copy of a birth certificate or birth extract
• Upload proof of baby birth to Centrelink for Paid Parental Leave claim
• If you developed melasma or pigmentation from pregnancy, this cream with hydroquinone is highly effective and much cheaper than laser or acid peels. My obstetrician said it’s safe to use whilst breastfeeding (as with retinol), it won’t go through to your milk
• I use a daily habit tracker app called Way of Life which I updated to include new daily to do’s, such as:
• Eat breakfast
• Shower
• Leave the house
• Take vitamins
• Take iron

I also use it to track things like

• Exercise
• Clear inbox
• Favourite photos
• 20 second hug (I make Matt come hug me for a count of 20 seconds before bed lol, it’s the best)
• Journal (every 3-4 days)
• Skincare
• Flossing
• Read
• No phone in bedroom

I feel exposed sharing that 😹 but it really helps me!

• We put sanitiser on a step ladder by our front door so all our guests sanitised their hands - better safe than sorry, didn’t want to risk a sick newborn and yes we are germaphobes
• Again on germaphobes, I used the pram rain cover a lot and was a good hack to avoid people putting their hands in and touching baby girl’s face and hands when I was worried about it being cold/COVID season. Same would work with a muslin cloth but the rain cover was good because it was winter and people could get as close to the plastic protection as they liked without speaking over the babe!
• I live by this quote (9 months as I write this)! It’s helped so much - a bath, watering the garden, even sitting by the shower or watching a tap. Water is such a cure!

Things I bought/learned - newbown → toddler phase!

• Our Winnie does not enjoy having her hair washed. This battery operated Elephant bath hose from Amazon is so great for fun bath playtime, and also to very easily wash her hair. Love it.
• Hours of research on sippy cups - obsessed with this one! Has a lid, is easy to clean, doesn’t spill. 10/10.
• I love this Ergopouch 3.5 TOG sleeping bag for winter. Bought two, they’re perfect.
• Panadol hack: Winnie hates taking medicine and we now purchase the higher concentrated solution (5-12 years instead of 1-5 years) so we can give her 50% less volume. Make sure you check with the pharmacist before purchasing or administering.
• For teething: Nurofen is thought to work better than Panadol as it’s an anti-inflammatory and the gums are inflamed
• For travel: I just purchased this SnoozeShade for portacots for an OS trip in September. Will be super handy for the holiday as well as local weekend trips away when you just can’t get the room dark enough.

Things I bought/learned - toddler phase!

• Absolutely love this sleep suit - now she can walk well the ones that have legs are epic
• I am in love with the Babyzen YOYO2 Stroller in black - was an absolute game changer for our travels to the US. Meant we were able to have her in the pram at the airport - it folds down small enough that you can get it into overhead luggage.
• The above pram we took away with us had a really convenient pocket in it so you could pop your phone, Dettol wipes, sunnies etc. within arms reach while pushing the pram. I have missed that massively since and just ordered 3 pram bags to trial of Amazon and can confirm this Skip Hop Pram Bag is the absolute best one, love it and loving using it. Great for drink bottle and snacks too.
• Just in general, using Amazon to subscribe and save on Nappies so I don't have to get them from the supermarket - highly recommend.
• This also lives in my baby travel hacks doc, but the SnoozeShade for a portacot is honestly just so handy and I cannot recommend enough if you're using a portacot anywhere outside your own home.
• I am personally a Camelbak girl (I love my Frank Green and I know it's prettier but the Camelbaks are just better to drink from, don't spill and are lighter). I ordered Winnie a kids Camelbak and it is the BEST, it's so easy for her to drink from, has a decent volume, isn't heavy and she skull sooo much water out of it. It is not cheap (way more than the adult ones, maybe due to demand, but it will last forever (might need to replace the mouth bit at some point one day), and honestly just can't recommend enough. Both her other sippy cups I've tried to drink out of and found it really hard to actually suck water out from the straws, so it must have been even harder for her to get hydrated from them. 10/10 would recommend.
• I've always used pram clips but just got these pink ones which I like because they are pink (obviously). If I ever need to press a button to cross the road with the pram I use one of these to avoid germs, just a germaphobe hack of mine!
• Now Winnie's hair is out of control long and curly, I bought this truly excellent water mister in white (also use on my own hair when I want to blow dry my fringe but it's dry, and on my plants). I also got these clear rubber hair bands which are fab for her hair - initially was astounded there are so many in a pack, however, since using, am yet to find the hairties I used that day.
• Since Winnie was born I set a weekly reminder on Siri for Sunday afternoons to do a 'LIFE UPDATE' so no matter where we are or what we are doing (mostly) I'll record a video of us with a short update on the week. Sometimes it only happens once a month but it's a really nice way of doing family videos. I shoot landscape on my iPhone and then add them to a 'Life Update' folder, so they're all in there together. On holidays etc. now I have also taken to shooting landscape because I think it will be great to watch on the television when we are older (also unsure if phones will stay portrait, maybe they won't).

Side note: Please ignore 'method' below I can't figure out how to get rid of it right now! Thank you for reading and good luck 🫶