Amazing new parenting life hacks to try right now

Looking for some new parenting life hacks to help out with those pesky but common parenting problems? Here’s three problem-solving quick fixes we’ve been sent to review and have been trying out recently.

New parenting life hacks 1) The vest that’s also a secret dribble bib…

Dribble Stop Tops look, at first, like a normal baby vest, but ahah – there’s a hidden layer of absorbent material that keeps your baby’s chest clean and dry. It’s a simple but clever idea, isn’t it? Designed and created by two mums, the vests are really handy for the more dribblesome teething days and all those times you forget a bib.

Even though they cost slightly more than you’d normally pay for a multi-pack of vests, the Dribble Stop Tops feel thick and really well made, and there are additional touches like the popper fastening on the sleeves as well as the pretty efficient dribble layer.

They cost £14.99 for a pack of two (one plain, one in either pink or blue stripes). The striped one in particular looks really vibrant and colourful. They are available to buy from Kiddicare and Amazon and there’s a little video here with a demo.

New parenting life hacks 2) A multi-use mum and baby cream…

Pommade Divine is a multi-purpose remedy cream that’s great for dry skin, healing, and a whole multitude of uses for parents and children. It’s actually been around since 1800, and contains a blend of natural ingredients to soothe and restore healthy skin.

The pommade is similar in consistency to the classic Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, and has a similar clovey smell. It comes in a really lovely looking pot (although a tube dispenser would also be really handy for those times when you don’t have many, well, hands). I’ve used it a lot on any dry patches of skin the children have and my double dry hands of doom. But shhh, I have to admit I’ve mainly been using it for me, as it’s great on your eyebrows or to add shimmer to cheeks.

It’s also loved by celebrities, including Sienna Miller and Jemma Kidd. It costs around £20 and is available from Liberty.

New parenting life hacks 3) The instant bed that takes up hardly any space…

Ever have an occasion where you need an extra bed but don’t have a spare room or much floor space? ReadyBeds are mini inflatable beds for children that are useful for those all those times, be they sleepovers, Christmas, whenever you have guests staying.

Smaller than a standard inflatable mattress, the beds have an integrated pillow and zippered cover (so less chance of a child falling out). The cover can also be taken off and washed separately. Each bed comes with a pump, and once you’ve finished using it the bed folds back up into a bag with a handle.

Each of the beds comes in a variety of character-led patterns. For our mini Star Wars fan we chose the stormtrooper version against the more princessy version (of course!)

More posts:  parenting life hacks, nine tips for pregnancy, and non-advice for future mums of two