Title. Idk what to do anymore. This used to not happen, she would pretty much fall asleep easily at night, but now she is crying a lot and for so long even tho she's fed, changed and rocked to sleep. It only ever happens at night too. After she falls asleep (towards midnight), she pretty much sleeps until 5-7am. She doesn't have colic as far I know, so I feel discouraged. She's breastfed and gets also 2-3 bottles of formula per day given by my family to help me out.

In a couple of weeks, I will be leaving my 2m old overnight. No more than 24 hours, I’m sure. Am I crazy for that? I’ll be 2.5 hours away. My husband will be taking care of her. She eats breastmilk from a bottle and I have plenty stocked up already. He’s not exactly thrilled about doing it so I am feeling mom guilt. She’s a little on the fussy side but it’s gotten better. Sometimes she sleeps through the night and sometimes she doesn’t. She can be hard to settle too but she always settles. Anyway, am I crazy? She’ll be 5 days shy of 3 months old. Shouldn’t I get to have fun too? I know I’m a mom now but I’m also just a girl, an individual, a friend. I need words of support and encouragement 😭 and similar stories!!

Mamas who breastfeed, what pacifier worked for your baby? I’ve tried MAM, Avent Soothie, and NUK, but my little one refuses them all!

I’m looking for a paci that might help with soothing because every time I lay my baby down, they will wake up and want to latch onto the boob, but they’re not actually hungry. They’ll latch on and fall asleep within seconds!

Straggly, greasy hair. Haunted eyes. Constantly hunched over and whispering. Covered in goop (milk? Puke? Poop? Sweat? Who knows?)

Yet still obsessed with my precioussss baby.

That is all.

My cousin is getting married mid-November in Cleveland. I’m really torn on bringing our 4 month old daughter there from nyc - we’re flying. initially was going to bring her but pediatrician said she wouldn’t recommend bc of measles in Ohio - but it’s really not in Cleveland proper. So then the plan was to leave baby with my in-laws (they would stay at our place) which I don’t love just because she’s so little. I am back to thinking maybe we will bring her to Cleveland (would love for her to meet some of that side of the family) but really struggling to decide if it’s too risky. she can’t get MMR vaccine until six months. meanwhile it feels like everyone I know is bringing their baby on planes and taking the risk, so am I being overly cautious?
Edit: to be clear, I’m very close to my cousin and definitely going! Question is should I bring our baby girl and already appreciate the advice folks are sharing!

Basically the title. I have an 8 month old boy, and generally we have been feeding him puréed/mashed food about twice a day (1-2tablespoons each time). For example, lunch may be mashed butternut squash and dinner may include some infant cereal. This seems like a low amount already compared to what others are feeding (shared online), yet he seems to be too full to drink much milk after. He may take at most 2oz after. He’s not getting enough milk it seems based on the recommended 24oz minimum a day for his age.

any thoughts on whether we are feeding him enough purées/mashed foods and why he might not drink milk after?

Sharing in case this hack works for anyone else. Has been miracle for me.

Not To debate whether or not to sleep train (I was against it but when we moved her into her own room at 8.5 months it was a nightmare of being up with her at least half the night and sleeping on the floor at times…) but just to share what ended up working for us.

For background up until about 7 or 8 months I was very type B With her. We slowly started observing wake windows vs just letting her nap when tired and go to sleep closer when we went to bed. She slept in her own sleep space in our room and I was always happy to pick her up and hold her back to sleep or feed her. I didn’t mind and she loved it. The only real “routine “ was that I would play the same bedtime playlist most nights.

When we moved her to her room everything broke. I couldn’t immediately comfort her like before in the night so she would cry and wake repeatedly every 1 to 2 hours all night. Putting her down was still working as I held her to sleep but everything else was a mess. Most nights I would give up and end up holding her to sleep in her nursery. if I didn’t she would cry until she was in distress.

My husband had (of course) had friends tell him she just needed to cry. I was adamant not only that it was cruel but also that it wouldn’t work. if you have used Ferber yourself you will recognize that since I was always in the room and always holding her to sleep it was never going to work.

eventually I gave in and did 3 nights of Ferber. it was brutal and while she did eventually sleep it felt awful and there wasn’t much progress night to night.

the 4th night was the game changer. I put the playlist at the heart of the plan. I had read about “postive routine” but didn’t want to do bath, book, rocking every night from now until eternity. we do baths a couple times a week and books in the afternoon. Bedtime is wind down and snuggles and I wanted to try something that fit for us. I started by singing along with the first song while I held her, then moving her to crib and singing the second song while patting and holding / hugging her with her in the crib (never taking her out But comforting her as much as possible) and then leaving the playlist on and playing when I said “goodnight” and left the room.
the first time honestly wasn’t that much better. Lots of crying still but she did stop before the first check in on her own!

the second night she stopped crying in about 6 mins after I left.

the last two nights? It’s insane. She knows the drill now and it seems like she is embracing it vs fighting! I put her in after first song and she lays HERSELF down for second song and is asleep already when I leave.

it seems to also be translating into the middle of the night. Still some bad nights, but past two nights she has woken up, soothed herself within a min or two and gone back to bed!!!

it’s seriously amazing. Some may say it’s just that Ferber needed more time but I know my baby -it was the association with the music. When the first song comes on she KNOWs we are on our way to bed. When the next song starts and I put her down in the crib, I can see her accept its sleep time and get herself settled.

I do leave the phone in there with the playlist on for another 10 mins or so (or until Led Zep Rain Song is playing 😁) and then I get my phone back and she is OUT cold.

has anyone else done this ? Is this an obvious hack I missed because I thought “routine” had to be bath, book, rocking ?

if anyone else tries it let me know if it also works for you! 🤘

So im 23 weeks and were not moveing out till the babys atleast 6 months we've lived with my husband's parents for almost 2 years now and im slightly worried how parenting goes since we'll be here for a little bit longer there very nice people and dont say much with there own kids when it comes to there kids so they probably won't say very much at all with me but im still slightly worried like I cant be comfortable if anything anyone have the same situation story?

So my baby gave me a good stretch of sleep for three days, I was shocked and thought I was seeing things each time. I managed to sleep anywhere from 6-7.5 hours straight! However, I felt really tired still, like exhausted, as if I had brain fog. I'm dragging my legs everywhere. It's very discouraging.

I'm currently 3 months postpartum for context, my hair hasn't started shedding, I don't think I have post partum depression but I don't feel completely myself yet either. I don't think I have post partum anxiety, but I do at times get down or feel anxious, it's just not constant or extreme. (Not enough to disturb my sleep or day).

Is there a reason why my sleep quality sucks? I feel almost just as exhausted as if baby woke up all night long, minus the frustration.

Having an elective c-section with my 2nd in a few weeks due to having a 3b tear with my first. I’m terrified of the surgery and potential complications that come with that.

For those that have had a c-section, what’s something others don’t typically know? What is your best advice for avoiding complications (blood clots and infection (sepsis) terrify me)? What are some products to go ahead and purchase to be prepared?

Also, if you have stairs in your home, how did you manage them? Kitchen is on bottom floor and all bedrooms are on 2nd.

Okay, I need any brutal honest advice. I have a opportunity to work at a in home daycare next fall. I can bring my child or children as I have more. Its a homestead/Christian day care opportunity so that is why I am so beyond excited at the opportunity. But does anyone here own a in home daycare or work for one an bring their kids. Do you hate it? Why? Love it? Why? Wish you could do something else? Anyone grow up in one resent your parents?? I need all the good bad an ugly about this as a mom bringing her child(ren).

Currently I have a scheduling job for a medical facility. While its amazing job security and something I prayed hard for before being a mom, Its only flexible because I kinda make it so. Im not supposed to have my little one at home. So daily its hard to choose between her or the computer screen. Im sick of it. I want to be there for my girl when she needs me. Not "when im off the phone" or "mama is in a meeting" im sick of spending the summer with her stuck inside. 😒 Im sick of being in constant fear of loosing my job because Ill be honest. I definitely do NOT get all that I am supposed to done. I try really hard. They do know my little is home an are understanding but Im afraid of one day them seeing I do not keep up with the others as I should.

So thats why This in home day care with someone I know and trust and can focus on my kids an others an take her outside an let my girl play an have fun an not have to turn her away sounds so appealing. She currently mostly independent plays all day an it breaks my heart she can talk an asks me to play all day an I always have to say in a second then it never comes. I hate it.

If you made it this far. Thank you. Please give me some advice, guidance. Im feeling so torn. I dont have to decide until spring. But I am a planner. So help me.

Edit to ADD: Isee what many are saying in regards to Id focus on my own kids more. However, I have been in many situations where I have to watch my child an others kids with no issues. She does great and I also have 0 issues dividing my attention its more so being more free to her if she does need me an if I am unavailable theres someone else there to help like a little village. But I appreciate the feed back and Look forward to more feedback 😊 Thanks so much.

I’m almost 8 months postpartum and for the past few weeks I’ve been having the issue of my one or both eyes, usually once a day or more, utterly BURNING and watering like mad, to the point I can’t keep it over and need to run water over my face. It tears up like mad as well during it and I can’t do anything else but run water over my face to wipe them with a wet paper towel. I have no clue what could be causing it, since it happens even when I don’t touch my eyes. I do lactate very slightly since I do not have breasts anymore but in case it’s relevant to this I’ll mention it. I am also taking testosterone and this never happened before on testosterone so it shouldn’t be that.

This morning, my wife got a notification that her heart rate dropped below 50 overnight from her FitBit Versa Four. She has been postpartum for six days. She felt completely fine but out of an abundance of caution we went to the pharmacy and got a blood pressure cuff. Sure enough, her blood pressure was about 40 points higher than it normally is and was in the hypertensive range. We called her doctor (who also saved her life during an emergency c-section, but that’s a story for another day) and she told us to go straight to the hospital, they would be expecting us. Her blood pressure remained high for a couple of hours, but then dropped. We were optimistic to go home and were on track to do so. They took one more pressure before she was going to get discharged and it spiked again. Then again. Doctors orders, immediately admitted and administered magnesium sulfate (I think that’s the name of it. Please be graceful with me as this is stressful, my brain is clogged from restless nights with a newborn, and I’m obviously concerned for my fam). She has gotten some HBP medication and has been stable since. It’s going to be a long night, but all signs are pointing to a full recovery as of right now. I’m buying a Fitbit as soon as we are out of here. Whoever made this technology very well could have saved my wife’s life and kept my son from being without his mom. Idk who you are, but I owe you one, at the very least I’m going to be your next customer.

Tl;dr: wife has a Fitbit that gave her a notification that her heart rate was low postpartum. Got a high blood pressure reading and doctor got us to the hospital for preeclampsia treatment and she is on the up and up.

how important is crawling? my baby pulled to stand and cruised from like 9-11 months. he started to hitch crawl from 11-13.5 months & then moved on to walking. he walks perfectly normal & has always been super steady. will this affect his development, like reading and stuff? is that true?

i tried sooo hard to get him to crawl normally. he’s 17 months now

Want to know if anyones ever gone on vacation while they were breastfeeding?

My son just turned 5 months old and I’m starting to consider weaning him off. I always worry about my supply and if its enough for him, or if I’ll have enough milk to let my husband give him a bottle at night or have a grandparent help out if I want to take my toddler out. I’m quickly burning through my freezer supply.

We’re supposed to go on a vacation as a family of 4 the second week of January and I’m not sure if I should wean him before or after. We’re going to the caribbean so I’m just not sure the logistics of being all hot/sweaty/sunscreened up and having to nurse him on the beach out in the open, and if its “easier” to be able to nurse him, or have formula instead?

Not looking for medical advice but did anyone else pass clots that look like tissue? I’m 7 days PP and they’re jelly like and light pink sometimes

My daughter was born in January ‘25. So last year she had all of her first holidays. And they were all quite terrible.

Easter, my close family member had a bit of a mental episode and it threw off the whole day (they’re ok.) Halloween, my daughter and I had COVID. The only photo I have of her is in a second hand costume and she is Screaming. Thanksgiving so much ridiculous family drama went down with my siblings and we just wanted to leave. Christmas we went to my in-laws and stayed in a hotel and our girl cut her first tooth and it was all around bad.

All this say. At the end of that holiday season I felt fully defeated. I was disappointed and sad and just felt bad about it all. And 99% of it was fully out of my control, but what was in my control were my own expectations of how it would go. I really should’ve lowered my expectations.

And this year, she’s almost two and I’m already SO much more at ease and know things won’t go to plan but I’m anticipating that.

Anyhow I’ll get off my soapbox.

But, I do hope everyone’s full holiday season this year is wonderful and if it’s not it’s ok. They’re not going to remember being sick on Halloween or their aunt causing drama at Thanksgiving. They’re going to look back on the pictures on day and you can tell them the little moments of joy you found in that year’s holiday season. And they’re a part of it all and that’s what matters.

My baby is 3 months old and has not been gaining enough weight for the past month. She only weights 10.4 lbs.

Today we had a follow up doctor appointment and he told us we would have to switch her to formula entirely. She was pretty much exclusively breastfed except for a bottle once in a while when we were out of the house.

She was taking the bottle well until a month ago, then we went a few weeks without giving her one. We happened to try giving her a bottle Friday and she wouldn’t take it at all, she gags when I put the bottle in her mouth and she screams and cries. Saturday my husband tried giving her one and same thing happened. Sunday my dad tried with a different bottle and same. Now today I learn that we have no choice but to switch to bottles only.

Has anyone else been through this? Does anyone have tips for how to try switching her to bottles?

I’m really sad that I can’t breastfeed anymore I haven’t stopped crying since we came back from the doctor. :(

Hey everyone, I’m 12 weeks postpartum and feeling pretty overwhelmed, just looking to hear from anyone who has navigated something similar.

My delivery involved a big baby (almost 10lbs), and since then my recovery has been a rollercoaster. I was diagnosed with a Stage 2 cystocele (bladder prolapse) and a hypertonic (overly tight/guarding) pelvic floor. Because of the prolapse pocket and the muscle spasms, I developed significant urinary retention—my post-void residual has consistently been over 200 mL.

Because my bladder never fully empties, I got caught in an awful loop of back-to-back UTIs (most recently a confirmed E. coli infection). I’m currently on antibiotics, but between the lingering inflammation, lower back ache, and heaviness, my bladder just hasn't been able to catch a break.

At my appointment today, my doctor recommended placing a catheter to decompress my bladder and finally break this cycle.

Intellectually, I know this is the right mechanical reset it gets rid of the stagnant pool of urine, lets the antibiotics actually work without being diluted, and gives my stretched/inflamed bladder lining a chance to rest and heal. But emotionally, walking out of an appointment with a catheter at 12 weeks postpartum is a lot to process.

I’d love to hear from anyone who has been here:

Did temporary catheterization (whether a Foley for a few days or intermittent self-catheterization) help your bladder "wake up" or reset?

What did your transition off the catheter look like once your bladder had a chance to rest? Did medications like Flomax or a pessary help you empty on your own afterward?

How long did it take for your retention and pelvic floor to calm down enough that you stopped getting recurrent infections?

Just really needing some light at the end of the tunnel from people who understand how exhausting postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction can be. Thank you so much in advance.

It’s so strange, it’s like I crashed as soon as my baby started consistently sleeping through the night about a month ago. I should be feeling better but it’s like the adrenaline and everything wore off and I’ve been starting to feel easily overstimulated, feelings of extreme distress and just wanting to break down every time she gets into a crying fit. Like right now she wouldn’t go down for her nap and kept crying and crying and I wanted to cry while trying to comfort her. This age just feels really difficult with the separation anxiety, starting to see some tantrums, big feelings, everything’s a battle. It’s becoming difficult to cope.

I had really bad anxiety and panic attacks the first month or so PP, and got it under control with a great postpartum therapist. I thought I was cruising along until recently. Last week I finally got a prescription for Zoloft from my doctor but I’m just so terrified to take it because I’ve never been on an SSRI before. I feel scared to admit that I might need it. I’ve always been someone who’s prided herself on healthy habits - strength training, taking supplements, healthy eating, getting outdoors. I’m still doing all those things but it’s just…not helping. I got my bloodwork done and my iron is low so I’m taking supplements for that but everything else is fine.

I’d love some words of comfort and positive experiences with taking an SSRI later in postpartum.

My baby has been waking from naps and nighttime sleep prematurely due to noise from the neighbors walking upstairs. They don't stomp or anything, but the ceiling of my apartment really amplifies the sound of footsteps and cabinets and drawers closing. We are very close to them and they are so sweet and considerate and love our baby; they already stopped walking around in the area directly above the crib at night. Unfortunately the sounds from other parts of their home get amplified too, and I am not going to ask them to stop walking in their own house. We use an air purifier near the crib and it is on the highest setting, ridiculously loud white noise, but doesn't drown out the structural creaking and thumping sounds.

Recently the neighbors were out all morning and my baby napped for two whole hours-- extremely unusual for him, it was glorious. Has anyone found ANYTHING to help a baby sleep through irregular noises? Thank you!

What the title says. As a FTM I’ve been so worried about her getting sick and we’ve had the no kissing rule since she was born. Shes almost 6 months and is going to be around family more with the holidays coming up and I was hoping to continue minimizing germ sharing like that but my baby’s started to put her hands in other people’s mouths and now I’m sure she’s going to do it to anyone holding her 😂 so what’s the point?

Anyone been in a similar position? I’m thinking we pretty much say screw it and if she gets sick, she gets sick but I’d love to hear some advice!

Anyone else? I thought I would be a hormonal wreck when pregnant and breastfeeding but it has been the most mentally stable year I ever had. Now that I had my period again I am moody, anxious and irritable. I dont like this old self of mine. I liked my pregnant consistent self.

Does anyone deal with something similar? What would you recommend for me that could help with cycle mood swings? Thanks

I keep seeing some version of “overtired isn’t a thing” in sleep discussions. In the context of fighting naps when they are not crib naps I am just confused how being under tired would realistically play out..

Since 12 weeks my 15 week old can only manage a 30 minute nap in the crib vs the 1.25-1.5 hours she was doing prior to 12 weeks or can still do in my arms. So we’ve been exclusively contact napping for like two weeks so that she doesn’t become a cranky mess. This past week baby is fighting naps hard and I just can’t figure out if it really could be that she’s under tired when it’s not like she has to nap at all since I’m not dropping her in a crib. Basically, at a certain point awake she starts to get fussy and I’ll hold and bounce and soothe her. When she’s tired this will usually put her to sleep and then we contact nap (she hasn’t just fallen asleep in our arms without some sort of rocking or bouncing since very early days). But if she wasn’t tired this would generally soothe fussiness and she would just be awake and happy in my arms. The past week in this phase she is getting super upset and screaming at any soothing methods until she finally passes out and then we contact nap.

The hysterics before falling asleep seem like they must be from overtiredness but am I misreading things/that doesn’t exist?

When did you transition to giving bite sized soft foods?

According to a quick search it’s around 8-9 months but my baby is still so TINY at 8 months. It’s hard for me to imagine transitioning to “real food” so quick.

I’m thinking of transitioning to this around 9-10 months but being a FTM I want to make sure I’m not making some sort of detrimental error doing it a bit later. I’m just scared of my baby choking and personally don’t feel like she’s ready to just start eating shredded cheese or pieces of pasta.

Right now I basically puree some of our dinners for her so it’s a thick puree. She’s been doing amazing with solids.