Samantha Gash Mum Hacks Interview

Australia's Top 10 Mum Hacks

- Baby powder in the beach bag to use when sand sticks to kids to brush it off easily.
- A cheap menstrual pad can work as an excellent nappy booster - just slice open the backing to keep bubs dry all night.
- Make for a relaxed toilet training experience by giving your child a whiteboard maker and let them draw on the toilet seat lid while sitting backwards on the seat.
- Remove milk stains from clothes by laying them in the sun after a warm detergent wash, the UV will lighten the stains and make them disappear.
- Once baby is too big for the baby bath, use a pool noodle folded in half in a pillow slip as a bath aide.
- Patty pans are the ideal no mess solution for catching drips from ice blocks - just poke a small hole and slide up the bottom of the stick.
- To stop endless sheet changing from bedwetting – simply make the bed three times with protector mats and fitted sheets, if there is an accident just rip the top layer.
- Detachable capsules in prams and car seats enables easy transport without waking a sleeping baby.
- If your baby refuses medicine from a syringe, put a bottle teat on the syringe and slowly inject the medicine into baby's mouth as they suck on the teat.
- Coloured food dye in the toilet bowl – number two's are more fun on coloured water.

From Powder To Pool Noodles – How Mums Around Australia Are Hacking Their Way Through Motherhood

To celebrate their 10th Anniversary range launch, Baby Jogger asked mums around Australia to reveal the ingenious hacks that ease their family life. The new survey celebrates the creativity and commitment of mums nationwide and demonstrates the inspired ways they are tackling the everyday challenges of parenting.

The survey, commissioned by stroller company Baby Jogger Australia, identified that mums are finding newborns are easiest to care for (31%), with toddlers requiring the most attention and clever approaches (67%), led mostly by the development and milestone spikes says renowned child healthcare nurse, Midwife Cath.

Cath Curtin, Nurse, Midwife and Maternal and Child Healthcare Nurse says, "From the age of one till about 4, the baby transforms, becomes mobile and a parent's focus on teaching, influencing and behaviour is most prominent. While we typically consider newborn life to be most challenging, speaking to mums every day I'm not surprised by this."

While most people will be led to believe toilet training and feeding to be the core concern of mums, the survey found most mums turn their attention to travel (20%) and sleeping (20%).

Cath Curtin adds, "Travelling with babies and young children can add pressure particularly if the little one is unsettled or it's a lengthy trip. Baby Jogger's innovations continue to focus on this mentality with compact one-hand quick fold products to ease the journey. While sleeping is a continual development brought up by many of the mums I speak to and in industry literature."

Survivor contestant and professional athlete Samantha Gash, who recently gave birth to her first child, is gearing up for her first Mother's Day.

"Don't believe you can't go places because you have a newborn. It is a choice that you are able to make. With preparation, the right gear and team work with your partner, your journey outdoors can be smooth and mentally healthy for you. I have gotten into the routine of going outdoors with Harry

at least once a day, whether it is for a 15 minute walk or to meet a friend for a coffee."

On travelling, Samantha says, "At five weeks old we are doing a road trip from Melbourne to Adelaide with him in the City GO Baby Capsule so we can easily put him in and out of the car while still sleeping. Then when he is three months old we are going to Bali."

Her advice for other mums travelling with bubs, "Particularly for longer trips with a baby I suggest giving yourself plenty of extra time for cuddles and feeding stops (for both you and the baby), having a good music playlist and a healthy sense of humour."

In celebration of their 10th Anniversary, Baby Jogger has revamped the award winning range that sparked a transformation in baby stroller innovation. Launching on May 1st, the Baby Jogger 10th Anniversary collection will feature a new athleisure inspired design of their trusted one-hand quick fold products.

Interview with Samantha Gash

Question: What are your top Mum hacks?

Samantha Gash: Trail walks with Harry in my Baby Jogger pram are a sure way to settle him down.
Pump a bottle of milk for Dad so he can do a feed at 10pm. It's great bonding time for those two and I can get a longer stretch of snooze time.
In the main rooms of the house I have a terry toweling cloth, some lactation biscuits (Franjo are my favourites) and a bottle of water.
Never say no when family or friends offer to bring food over. Trust me; it's the best offer of help!
Just because something doesn't work once, doesn't mean it won't work the next time.


Question: What's a typical day like, for you, as a Mum?

Samantha Gash: For the first month of Harry's life I stayed close to home and had a loose schedule that I worked with. However, that has become more flexible considering my lifestyle and work as a Speaker isn't routine based. I aim for Harry to be up at 7am for his first feed of the morning and then our day goes in many directions. By the time Harry is six weeks old he will have travelled to every state of Australia besides Western Australia. Harry is my new partner in travel and adventure.

Within each day I make sure we go for at least one walk and have cuddles together as a family.


Question: Can you share with us the biggest challenge you've overcome as a Mum?

Samantha Gash: Logistically working out how to travel with Harry; it's a big part of who I am and what I do. I definitely prioritise what trips are important but I knew that it would be something I wanted Harry to do with me.

The reality is it comes down to thinking ahead, having the right accessories, preparation and working as a team with your partner.


Question: Honestly: which was more difficult Survivor or parenthood?

Samantha Gash: Ha! They are completely different!

Survivor was temporarily challenging but I also knew it was a challenge that wasn't reflective of the real world. My main quandary with Survivor was dealing with the deception of others - as it's the name of the game and deciding if I wanted to be part of it.

Parenthood is far more complex, enduring, meaningful and rewarding.


Question: What advice would you give a new father?

Samantha Gash: Get involved as much as you can early on. Attend hospital visits, birthing classes and take part in conversations about parenthood. I think fathers can feel left out and disempowered if they don't know what role they have to play. The truth is they have a huge role. Mum keeps baby alive and Dad keeps Mum thriving. As a new Mum who was very supported by my partner it filled me with so much love for both Harry and Mark.


Question: How will you be spending Mother's Day?
Samantha Gash: With my beautiful new family... that's as far as I've gotten!


Question: What's on your Mother's Day wish list?

Samantha Gash: Kisses and cuddles; see the theme (laughs).


Interview by Brooke Hunter