Most would assume that by the time you have baby number 3, you’d have it all worked out, right? Wrong! I think that because it had been so long between our second and third children, it kinda felt as if we were starting all over again. I mean sure, we had a little more knowledge than when we had our first baby but the feeling of unsureness and lack of confidence in your ability stays with you. That feeling is there through every newborn stage you experience. It’s even there through every other obstacle your littles have as they grow. My guess is that it probably still sticks around when they’re adults and you’re learning how to be a parent to your adult children!
Anyway, the point is, parenting at any stage, with any amount of children is HARD! That’s why, when you find something that helps everyday life with your kids go that much smoother, it’s a blessing. So here’s a list of products and tips that I found helpful during my 3rd-first year!
The Snotty Boss
Image from snottynoses.com.au
Yep, you read that right! The snotty boss was 100% the best money we had spent during my “late night breastfeeding, online shopping sessions”. Our son came down pretty sick at 3 weeks old (thanks to awesome school germs that his siblings accidentally bought home), using the traditional bulb nose sucker (the one that you have to press and release a million times to remove the snot) was not only traumatising for him and frustrating for me, it was so ineffective also. Babies under 6 months cannot breathe through their mouths, so when their poor tiny little noses are completely blocked it’s just terrible! I ordered the Snotty Boss and for the first time ever actually paid for express shipping because I was desperate to help him.
When it came, we used it on him and it was like instant relief! We’ve since used it many times on him and as it comes with many sized attachments, it has also come in handy for our older two kids and his older cousins as well. I never used anything like this with Miss 9 or Mr 6 but I can tell you now, this is now the top product I recommend to every friend I know that’s about to have a baby!
Find the Snotty Boss here.
LaVie Lactation Massager
Image from www.laviemom.com
This one is not only for the mums who continue breastfeeding their little ones; it can be so helpful when your milk comes in, when you have a blocked duct, when trying to dry up your milk and you are engorged or even to help stimulate the extra production of milk. It might look a little funny, but with its waterproof technologies and multiple vibration settings, it’s something that has helped me many times with pain and engorgement.
Check out the LaVie Lactation Massager here.
Nana G’s Rusks & Fruit Stick Holders
Image from mumsnbubs.net.au
Another late night purchase after seeing it pop up in my news feed. Man, I wish these were a thing when my first 2 were babies! No more washing off the rusk, throwing it away or just plain losing it! The rusk holder works like a dummy clip, one end clips onto their outfit or stroller seat belt and the other holds the rusk (or fruit stick) firmly in a silicone sleeve so that when baby lets go, it doesn’t fall on the ground! This is a literal game changer! Save your money buying millions of rusks, save your sanity trying to find where it went or trying to juggle everything at the shops while you hold it for them and one of my favourite perks… It’s harder for baby to shove it too far back and gag on it like they do so much when chewing on them normally!
Nana G’s Rusk Holders are sold here!
Munchkin Miracle 360 Trainer Cup
Image from woolworths.com.au
We started our youngest one out having his first sips of water through this cup instead of the traditional Sippy cup. We still definitely alternate between this one and his many Sippy cups but these cups are no-spill training cups designed to help them learn to drink from a normal cup faster. This has been proven to help with their fine motor skills, development and oral health. Although not necessary, we loved this cup for our little one and wanted to share it with you guys too.
You can find the Miracle 360 trainer cup here.
Okay, I guess these products we could probably have lived without, but golly did they make our lives easier! Parenting is a tough gig! Rewarding for sure, but certainly isn’t a walk in the park and not one single parent out there has it all together or the perfect handbook in their heads. Why not share what works along the way and help someone else? Kindness is free and we’re all on this journey together!
Check out our blog for more helpful tips and tricks!
