My Frugal Baby Tips: Baby Feeding

Here's what I like to do to comfort a teething baby.

Babies, especially when they are teething, love to suck on pretty much anything.

Get a clean washcloth, tie a couple knots in the corners.

Nuby Soothing Teething Mitten

Then wet the washcloth with either water or breastmilk, and freeze it.

The cloth won't get hard enough to damage anything.

It will be easy to grab, and not too cold for baby to handle.

Another idea is to let your little one suck on a chilled, soft tip spoon.

The coolness of the spoon will help comfort your baby's swollen gums.

NOTE: Be sure to place the spoon in the refrigerator to chill, not the freezer.

A frozen spoon might stick to your baby's gums.

Thanks to Ann for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Baby eating baby food), by Ravedave on Wikimedia

Here's a hint: Make baby bibs out of a shower curtain you would otherwise throw away.

Clean it well, and cut it into large squares.

Round off the corners, if you prefer.

Sew a hem around the edges, and cut a hole to go over the baby's head.

Use a soft fabric to sew around the inside edge of the hole.

Fold up and sew the bottom edge to make a food pocket.

Thanks to Lindsey and Justin Cannon for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Anderson eating baby food, by Brian Brodeur (mightyb), on Flickr

If you are making your own baby food, and baby is still only at the tasting stage - storing your prepared food in ice-cube trays can be wasteful, since it is way more than your baby will eat in one sitting.

Look around for some cocktail ice-cube trays (I found mine at the Dollar store).

Depending on the size you find, each cube is only about 1-2 teaspoons - just the right size for a taste!

Then you can use the tray again when your child is older, to make fun ice cube shapes for their drinks!

Thanks to Suzanne for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: TraderPlus 160 Mini Cubes | Silicone Frozen Ice Cube Tray | Candy Chocolate Jelly Mold | 100% BPA Free food grade silicone

Shopping Suggestions:

• Silicone Mini Ice Cube Tray

• Casabella Silicone Mini Ice Cube Tray

• Arrow Ice Cube Tray

• Mumi+Bubi Solids Starter Kit

• Juvenile Solutions Baby Food Storage Cubes

Image: Feeding Baby E by Rocket Ship, on Flickr

When I had my first baby, I used these tips - they work like a charm!

Image: EST Mothers Day Gift | 3 Pcs Family Mugs | Mom Dad and Baby | Coffee, Water, Juice, Cup/Mugs | Couple Matching Drink Cup

Mom, Dad, and Baby Cups

Baby Meals:

I used an ordinary-sized coffee mug to keep the baby's cereal warm.
Plus, it has a handle so you can feed the baby with ease.

After you are done, rinse out and fill with a cup of coffee.

Animal Paper Cups

Toy blocks:

Why not use paper cups?

Stack them, sort them, pile them up, build a castle!

When the baby is finished playing, the cups are cheap to replace too.

Laundry Drying:

Tension Curtain Rod

If you're low on cash and do your own laundry, an extra shower rod placed in the middle of shower stall works awesome for drying clothes.

Just make sure a piece of cheap bath mat (rubber) is placed between wall and rod so it won't mess up the paint (something I wish I had done ahead of time.)

Thanks to Sarah Corinne for these Frugal Baby Tips!

Image: Lunchtime, by Joshua Zamrycki on Flickr

Need a bib and left yours at home? Or the one you brought is covered in food, and you need another one?

You'll just need to make and keep this in your purse or diaper bag!

Take two suspender clips and about 10 inches (25cm) of fabric elastic to make a bib for your baby, instantly, wherever you are.

How to Make: Just fold each end of the elastic around the loop of one of the suspender clips and stitch.

Image: Take two suspender clips and about 10 inches (25cm) of fabric elastic to make a bib for your baby, instantly, wherever you are

Now you can use this handy gadget to clip a washcloth (or two, for heavy droolers!) cloth diaper, or hand-towel around baby's neck

Image: Just fold each end of the elastic around the loop of one of the suspender clips and stitch

Image: store it in your purse or diaper bag for on-the-go, and use it with the restaurant's cloth or paper napkins

Or store it in your purse or diaper bag for on-the-go, and use it with the restaurant's cloth or paper napkins.

Other Uses: With a shorter piece of elastic and two more clips, you can make mitten clips (attach one end to mitten, other end to sleeve).

Or even shoe clips for those little ones who like to kick off their shoes! (Fasten one end at the back of a shoe, the other end to pant leg.)

Or fasten to snow pant cuff, wrapping under sock foot, to the opposite side of snow pant cuff - to keep snow pants from riding up!

Thanks to Linda for these Frugal Baby Tips!

Photo credit: Catherine McDiarmid-Watt
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