Hello! I didn't know how else to flair this.

My cycle returned around a month post partum. I had Paraguard (copper IUD) placed around 8 weeks post partum.

My cycle more or less regulated to two weeks on, two weeks off for around 6 months. But now, my period ended (now two weeks ago) and just didn't seem to fully stop. I had about 3 cramp free, blood free days, and since then I've been cramping and spotting. My husband and I are sexually active so I did take a pregnancy test anyway, clearly negative.

Does this sound like a normal part of the healing process? These cramps are killing me. I still get them in my hips and legs as if I'm in the delivery room 🥴

I've posted before about nightmares surrounding my baby, and hoping that it would be just a freshly post partum thing - but, now at almost 11 months, I'm afraid it isn't.

I woke up from a horrible dream just 20 minutes ago and my blood pressure is finally coming down now. Seeing your own baby passed away is not something anyone should have to see! I genuinely do not know how I can stop these dreams from occurring!

I am a pretty non-anxious mom/person in general. I don't generally stress about things too much, for instance, I am moving literally 5000 miles to alaska next year because of the military, and taking a 3 month old and a 18 month old along for the ride. All I have done is try to learn about the move and what I should expect. No freaking out, no overthinking, just setting realistic expectations for myself and taking in information where I can.

I wish there was a science to this so I could research and try to prevent it. But really, from prior experience with nightmares, the only way I've ever been able to stop dreaming is by taking benadryl. That's no longer an option, and I'm at a complete loss at this point.

Please, if you have any suggestions or words of wisdom, please - send them my way. I would give almost anything to stop these nightmares. It is actually torture for me at this point.

My baby is closing in on eight months. I bf her only the first week because I had some problems with high blood pressure caused, in part, by lack of sleep. The thing is, I'm still producing milk. It's not much at all but with my first two I dried up completely within a month. Everything I read says I should dry up within one to two months. Idk what's up. Anyone have any ideas or experiences with this?

Hi is Owlet down, it seems to have went down since 6am this morning .I can't seem to get through to customer care

I know this may be a long shot but does anyone have recommendations for a kids show on YouTube or even Netflix that teaches them Arabic with English subtitles? My husband’s family speaks Levantine Arabic but I only speak English. I want our baby to learn Arabic but I would like to also learn, hence the need for English subtitles!

I got a hormonal IUD placed about 3.5 weeks ago. About a week later I started my period (which was my first PP period) that lasted for about 10 days. I’m currently feeling like I’m having ovulation cramps, which is something I’ve experienced before getting pregnant. Has anyone else experienced this? Is this just part of my body trying to regulate post birth?

First, I recognize she’s going to be whiny until she feels better. I’m not necessarily looking for remedies or ways to get her to be quiet because that’s not reasonable. She’s getting fluids, food, and meds. More so looking for things we can do while she’s sick. So far, we do her pop up books, musical toys, and Bluey/Sesame Street/Ms Rachel singalongs. Our dog sots with her a little bit. But mostly, I just hold her because I know she doesn’t feel well.

I’d prefer nothing with a screen. I don’t mind TV obviously, but she has never focused on a screen longer than 10 minutes, anyway, and I’d like to keep it that way. She’s just not a TV kid. Mostly she likes Bluey’s theme song, and the music from kids shows. If there’s no music, she doesn’t care. I also don’t give her my phone and we don’t own a tablet.

Hoping for some advice/tips/experience!

Our son is 6 months old. He has been LOVING purées and is now even more interested in trying foods as we begin some BLW.

Lately he’s become very fussy on the bottle, to the point that sometimes he can’t take more than 2/3oz (usually does 5-7 per bottle). He chomps on the nipple, turns his head/pulls away, cries/screeches. He does not do this at all when he wakes up for his 1 overnight bottle. Has usually done 30+oz a day and is now doing around 24-30oz. We know he is still getting enough luckily!

We are wondering if he’s teething, is just more interested/wanting to eat solids, is this a normal appetite shift with starting solids?? He does seem to have “big boy syndrome” where he doesn’t love being held “like a baby” anymore and wants to sit up and be upright.

TLDR: 6 month old who has started solids seems to become easily frustrated with the bottle. Any tips, tricks, advice?

I‘m preparing to send a small package to a friend and mom of 2 (3yrs and 7months) in Canada. I am planning on including a book I know she’ll like, but I‘m wondering: Do any products from Europe (specifically Germany) come to mind for you that are harder to get, unusual or of considerably better quality and would make a good gift for the mom or her kids? :) Open to all suggestions that don’t break the bank and are somewhat easy to ship. Thanks!

Sorry, this is probably a dumb question. My almost 6 month old has recently started to play independently for longer periods of time (maybe 15-20 mins at a time). He is army crawling and can sit up so I think the mobility is helping him get the toys he wants to play with.

My question is, is it good for him to play independently? Until now, I had to interact with him all the time or he was fussing (I guess bored?).

Like right now I’m enjoying a cup of coffee on the couch watching him play in his play pen but part of me also feels like I should be with him playing? Like I’m neglecting him? So I just need some reassurance that independent play is good for his development.

Thanks for a stressed out FTM!

New mom here 🫶🏼

I need some advice, or maybe just some reassurance as I figure out what to do for my son’s first birthday. Here’s the situation: My husband and I live at his parents’ house, but we have our own apartment within the house. We even got married here in a small family gathering, and recently, we welcomed our first child! We’re not planning to move out for another year or so (at least until baby #2).

The issue is my family. They live about an hour away and haven’t visited us since our son was born nine months ago. I get it—they’re uncomfortable because my mother-in-law is always around, and they don’t see this as my own home. Plus, everyone has their own lives, jobs, and traffic to deal with. I try to make up for it by driving to see them once a week since my son was 3 months old, so they can watch him grow.

Now with his first birthday coming up, I’m torn on how to celebrate. If I host it at my in-laws’, I know my parents will feel like guests in their house, which would make things awkward. I considered renting a small venue, having food, a bouncy house for the kids, cake, and inviting family, in-laws, and a few close friends—around 50 people total. Then on his actual birthday, we’d have a small smash cake photoshoot with just me, my husband, our son, and his parents since we live together.

I know a first birthday is more for the parents, and honestly, my husband isn’t big on parties. I don’t care about flashy Instagram moments either, but I feel like my son and I deserve this. Growing up, I never really celebrated milestones. I skipped my college graduation, had a low-key wedding, no honeymoon, no gender reveal, no baby shower… And while I don’t regret it, it sometimes makes me a bit sad that I didn’t celebrate those moments. I want to break that cycle and create memorable moments for my own family.

So here I am, unsure of what to do. My family’s already asking about our plans, and I don’t want to make a decision that leaves anyone feeling out of place or awkward, but I also want to make this special for my son and us. I’d love any advice or similar experiences that could help me navigate this. Thanks in advance!

To keep this as unbiased as possible I will refer to my partner and I as “A” and “B” random assignment) - would love answers from both moms and dads.

“A” has a movie date with friend, and communicated that with “B”.

“B” stays home with the baby and all goes smoothly. No issues.

After a several hours (movie should be over), “B” texts “A”, “long movie....”

“A” doesn’t reply. “A” gets back home seven hours after leaving. No text or call until “A” arrives home. Text says, “ Got home at 130. Would be really nice to sleep in a bit in the morning. Can pay you back and watch baby in afternoon.” “B” was asleep at this time.

In the morning, “B” replies to “A” (bc s/he is asleep) “I thought we agreed that I could exercise in the morning but sure. Also do you think next time you could send a two second text please? You said you were going to a movie and then I hear nothing from you for seven hours. Believe it or not, I was a little worried.”

“B” gets up in AM and gets baby, hangs out in living room. “A” comes out and is very angry with “B” for the “I thought we agreed that I could exercise in the morning” text and calls it passive aggressive. “B” states yes s/he was frustrated bc of the lack of communication, but it was not as passive aggressive as s/he is making it sound and was actually having a good morning. The lack of communication was also brought up.

Here’s the disagreement: “A” thinks s/he isn’t responsible for communicating their whereabouts/change of plans/arrival home time. “A” thinks if “B” is worried, then its “B”’s responsibility to communicate that specifically and/or call. Additionally, “A” is mad at “B” for “B”’s response of “I thought we agreed that I could exercise” saying it is super aggressive and that “A” deserves an apology. “B” disagrees with all of this and thinks if “A” has a change of plans or extends the evening, it is “A”s responsibility to communicate that, and that “A” actually owes “B” an apology for poor communication and for not keeping agreed plan for exercise.

For context, “A” hangs out with this friend often and hangs out after movies often. “A” states s/he didn’t look at phone until back home at 1:30am. Additionally, “A” has requested in the past for “B” to not text much when “A” is out so that “A” can truly disconnect. The same courtesy is given to “B” when “B” goes out, to help give each parent a break and disconnect.

Additionally, “B” received a text from the friends partner asking if a joke should be played on “A” who is at friends house. So “B” finds out from friend’s spouse “A”’s whereabouts. “B” feels concerned a few hours later bc no text or call and there was concern for possible alcohol intake and driving (although both “A” and “B” are typically responsible drinkers on the occasion alcohol is involved).

I never thought I would have to say “don’t play with your food” to my EBF 7mo baby…and I’m not talking about purées 🤪

What’s something you find yourself saying to your little one that you never thought you’d need to?

Hi!

My 6.5 month old only takes 30 min naps. I know this is developmentally normal to take short naps, but for every single nap? And she wakes up tired and won’t go back down. Then, it’s hard for her to make her wake windows (currently can only make 90 mins before getting cranky when I want to do 2-3 hours). Then, because she’s so tired by the end of the day she wants to go to bed at 5 and wake up around 4am.

Please help a tired mama out with any input or recommendations! Thank you!!

Just some advice from a now toddler mom. Sleep routines will get your baby down faster but it will chain you to the house.

So many toddler parents have to leave events at 6:30, buy 100s of dollars of gear, or even skip traveling all together because they created such a strong sleep associate with white noise, the crib, completely dark rooms etc etc.

I know you are being told by every single mommy blogger on the planet to create a routine that doesn’t revolve around you but it’s a trap!

We never did any routines besides rocking and butt pats but now we can go out to eat, we can travel, we can do board game nights with friends heck my kid fell asleep at a concert. Basically we got him used to us being his sleep association and now we can take him anywhere and he falls asleep.

So many friends are worried about the kids sleeping at a new place during the holidays because they only slept in cribs but if your kids used to falling asleep in your arms guess what you take your arms everywhere with you!

Sorry about the rant but I just don’t want to see anymore parents fall into the trap of “don’t get them used to another person helping them sleep”. Your kid until like 6 will always have another person with them but they won’t always have black out curtains, sound machines, and perfectly temperature controlled rooms.

TLDR: sleep routines make your kids unflexible which can cause it to be hard to have a life outside the house.

My baby is 3 months old now. Before being pregnant I used to sleep 8.5h to not feel sleepy, and 10, 11h if I sleep in.

Now I sleep 5, 6h disrupted by feedings and I'm sleepy all day, but even if my baby naps for a bit, I can't sleep.

I got half a day without my baby and still, I couldn't sleep in.

FTM here. When did you transition your baby to their own room overnight? LO is 5 months old and currently sleeps in our room in his pack and play. Lately tho he’s been tossing and turning a lot through the night and it’s hard for any of us to get sleep. I’ve been splitting up the nights, he sleeps in pack and play at the beginning of the night, but then after his overnight feed (usually around 2:00) I put him down in his crib in his room for the rest of the night with the monitor on and he seems to sleep so much better. I’m guessing because he has more room in his crib to get in a comfy position. My thoughts were always to wait until 6 months to move him full time to crib, but I’m thinking of moving him sooner so we can all sleep better. However I’m terrified of SIDS (I have a bit of anxiety). When did you move your LO, and how much of a drop off is the SIDS risk when waiting until 6 months?

Hi! Currently my 46 inch 43 lb son is in the safety grow and go. I hate it. I’ve hated it for years. I don’t feel like it’s as safe or secure as it once was. We’ve had it since he outgrew his infant seat. My son likes to rock a lot, especially when enjoying music. Sometimes he doesn’t realize how hard he does it. Regardless, he needs an upgrade.

He is going on a 6 hr drive with his grandmother to meet his great grandmother for thanksgiving. Two stores near me are having decent sales on car seats (both end today of course). He’s got pretty decent car seat etiquette. Doesn’t try to unbuckle, doesn’t try to grab or reach for stuff but I don’t feel comfortable putting him in a high back booster (no harness) just yet. We have to take the highway sometimes and where we live the highway is notoriously terrible with awful drivers, pot holes, and accidents. The most he does that would be considered poor car seat practice is the rocking back and forth (not side to side) I mentioned earlier. I would feel safer if he were to stay harnessed for another year or so.

It’s also worth mentioning that I drive an average sized sedan. 2016 Corolla le. Unfortunately, this car has fixed head rests in the back seat. We do sometimes have another passenger in the back seat with him so having the car seat in the center position is not ideal.

Any suggestions would be amazing and so appreciated. Gotta get this taken care of immediately and I’ve fallen down too many car seat rabbit holes. Been looking at the Chicco Myfit but I worry because I’ve read reviews about the styrofoam head piece cracks a lot and given my son’s tendency to rock it gives me pause. Otherwise I hear it is a great option for kids my son’s age. Bonus points if it is comfortable and 300 or less. Thank you so much.

My LO is about 9 months now, and I'm only just getting to my thank you cards. I have felt looming guilt about not sending any after my showers or to the people who gave me very thoughtful gifts/food. I did handmake each of them so I feel like I have that going for me in terms of a late turn around, however I'm grasping at straws thinking how best to acknowledge how long it's been? I do have a pretty good list of what was given and by who, and even thought I could even include photos of outfits/toys that people gave but I'm drawing a blank at a meaningful wording? Any suggestions?

Hey all. My 4 month old was very close to rolling a couple weeks ago. He had tummy to back down pat, back to side, and was extremely close to side to tummy. He just couldn't get over his elbow. He would practice this every single time he had floor time!

We moved from an apartment with carpet to a house with vinyl. I try and give him cushion (he cries if placed on straight floor) but he's lost all interest in rolling, even on a cushioned surface like a bed (with close supervision).

When laid down, he will roll onto his side for a few seconds if put on his back, but refuses to roll from belly to back or vice versa. If on his belly he tries to army crawl and if at any sort of incline he tries to sit up (using his trunk to try and lean forward).

I've tried luring him with a toy, but he just stares at it if I don't outright hand it to him. Any tips appreciated

Hello, friends! I am wanting to get my almost toddler a baby doll for Christmas. What age did your kids start enjoying dolls? Is 1 year old too young?

Anyone who's become a SAHM, how do you plan for retirement? Do you have your own Roth IRA? High yield savings? Emergency/Solo funds?

Ik theres no "right answer" but just curious

For context I’m a SAHM and my husband is a nurse. He considers this my “job”, which I guess in some way it is. I’ve been trying not to be resentful toward my husband but I do find myself getting increasingly annoyed with his attitude about it and jealous of his “freedom” after having a baby.

I EBF myself, no bottles so I have to be present for every feed, which I do love even though some days it’d be nice to take a break. My husband will watch the baby most times when I ask but I have to have something productive to do (ie: put away laundry, shower, etc)

He’s a nurse so once every 3/4 weeks he schedules himself to get a whole week off. Am I crazy for expecting him to help more during that week? He comes and goes as he pleases without asking, but I feel like always have to say “can you watch the baby so I can go to the grocery store?” or once again I have to have somewhere to go. I can’t just leave freely even when he’s home and available. I’ll be out in the living room w the baby and he’ll be in his computer room playing games. My game time is only during nap time—and that’s if I don’t have anything else to do.

I’m starting to get resentful and I know this is common. He still has his life and I don’t. He gets to come and go freely and I don’t. I know he works hard days to get time off, but he still has a baby at home to care for. And even though it’s my “job” am I crazy for thinking it’s his job a bit too? We’ve kinda argued about it a bit but some mornings I’m so tired. I try to sleep 1030p-12a and wake up and pump (because I want to keep supply up and don’t want to go 12 hr between feeds) then I sleep 1230a-650a. I sometimes ask if he’ll get up early with the baby after I feed so I can go back to bed but he just tells “no thanks”.

How do I handle a husband that thinks just because I’m a SAHM my job should be 24/7? Am I in the wrong for expecting more help/freedom? How do I kick this irritated resentment feeling or help him ease up on his thoughts about it? I’m thinking about therapy (I had a traumatic delivery I haven’t even began to process) and bringing him in to a session, but I guess I’m looking for quick fix ideas so I don’t end up hating my husband 😂

My baby girl is 11 months and EBF. She still wakes up one time in the middle of the night, anywhere between midnight - 4am looking for a breast. Night weaning has been on my mind and I slowly want to work toward that by the time she is around 12-14 months.

The thing is, my partner snores really loud. When he goes in to “help” get her back to sleep (instead of me going into BF) he’ll sit right down with her in the rocking recliner chair (where I usually BF her) and proceed to fall asleep and snore very loudly while holding her. I always have my baby monitor volume up fairly loud so I can monitor and make sure she settles back in, so the snoring has even kept me awake while I listen in 😑 I’m not sure if it bothers the baby the same way.

My issues with it are- is this snoring bothering and keeping baby from resting well (then it ends up being my problem the next day anyway) and also that when I go in there, it’s not like I just get to fall asleep holding her. Sure, it’s happened maybe a handful of times at most, but 99.9% of the time I am breastfeeding- and that usually does the extreme opposite of put me back to sleep. Should I expect my husband to stay awake with the baby as I have had to do even though he’s not feeding her or anything? I know that a lot of people will cite safety concerns of sleeping (especially that deeply) while holding the baby and I get that. (I probably would have had a rage reaction if he did that when she was much smaller but lucky for him he’s only very recently started to step in as we talk about night weaning.) But truly, my main issues are the first 2 I shared (preventing baby from resting well and just the unfairness of it), safety is something that crosses my mind tertiary to those.

FTR the extremely loud window-cracking snores have one led us to no longer bed share so I can sleep and two have been a moderate source of annoyance when he puts our toddler to bed as well- ten out of ten times he will pass out on my toddlers floor bed with toddler and snore really loudly. I go in and wake him up so he will leave the room and give toddler some peace and quiet (at least in my eyes, maybe it doesn’t bother my toddler how it does me IDK.)

And I know that many people will also suggest that my husband go get sleep tested and I agree, that would be a great idea if I could make him do it. But I can’t just make him go do something. I will continue to bring it up gently with him to see if he eventually will. But at this point it doesn’t seem like something I can make my husband do or that he has an eager interest in doing himself.

My baby is about to be 9 months. We’ve been doing a combination of purées and baby led weaning, although he’s been doing a lot better with purées. I wanted to add more protein to his foods and we always have so much peanut butter. Neither his dad or I have a peanut allergy but I am sooooo nervous about giving him peanut butter and him having an allergic reaction.

Any tips on the best way to introduce foods like this that he could potentially be allergic to? We had done scrambled eggs at one point and he broke out into hives all over. Scared me so bad but pediatrician just said to monitor him and no eggs for a while (or try feeding him foods with eggs just baked in to start, not plain egg). I think that experience is making me more nervous!

I love my baby but I genuinely regret pregnancy so bad. I wish I could have had my baby without being pregnant/giving birth. I always heard women say postpartum is hard/sucks but nobody ever got into the nitty gritty of why that is. I’m 8 weeks postpartum and I can 100% say with certainty that I will never get pregnant ever again. First of all, the weight gain….. I used to be that girl, like I literally was so hot but now I look like a highland cow. The stretch marks?? My skin was smooth and beautiful and now it’s all floppy and marked up and ‘hyperpigmentation remedies’ is in my daily Google search. Next, my vagina was my pride and joy 😭 cute, tight, wonderful. Now? LOL. First of all my vagina is now 10 shades darker than the rest of me. Further, it’s also floppy like ??? My lips literally look completely different. Not only that, it feels like I have no walls 🥲 And to top it all off… sex seems like it’s impossible. I used to love sex with my partner… even now I want to have sex with him so badly. Can I though? No. Why? Because it feels like a dagger is entering my vagina. I tried to have sex with him last night for the first time and literally couldn’t get it in because it felt so tight and uncomfortable. How can I have no walls but simultaneously be unable to have sex because it feels like I’m going to rip in 2?! And this is all just physical 😅 I didn’t know post partum anxiety was a thing and as someone who had general anxiety, I can confidently say I’m now a certified psycho. I make up unrealistic scenarios in my head about all the ways my baby can get hurt and then feel paralyzed with fear about 10 times a day. The first time I had to drive my baby in my car alone I literally almost cried because I thought we were going to die in a terrible accident. What is wrong with me? Nobody told me nothinggggggggg!!!!😭 I’m up at 7am with tears in my eyes because my life feels ruined. I now understand why people have kids and then their marriage deteriorates because we have too much shit going on postpartum and everyone just expects you to get cleared at 6 weeks and magically bounce back 🥲 I love my baby. I am so happy to have him, but I hate my body and my new normal. sobs sobs sobs (Sorry if I’m scaring anyone who is currently pregnant - I genuinely hope you have a better journey than me.)

My husband and I always rocked our first child, and now that we are on baby #2 and doing the same thing (rocking to sleep for both naps and bed time), I wonder if we are not the norm or doing ourselves a disservice.

Our daycare doesn’t rock babies to sleep and they’re kind of struggling with our baby at nap time, and I’m wondering if it’s because of the attachment we’ve created to rocking.

Are fast crawlers typically fast runners?

My baby is so fast at crawling to the point everyone always comments on it too! I already can’t keep up!

make it stop!