Parenting Contents Archive

Do I really have a CHILD?!

Does anyone else have these moments when you’re not with your baby, looking at photos of them and just find the whole thing so surreal? Like, I’m still just me but there’s a whole other person out there who is my child? Forever? 🤯 I feel this way sometimes when my daughter is at daycare doing her thing and it just seems so crazy. I grew, birthed and nursed this baby so you would think that it’s the most obvious thing in the world but my brain is still catching up. Anyway, nothing serious, just wondering if anyone can relate!

I programmed my baby to sleep on command.

Ok well not really. What I did do was makeup a simple, sleepy time song that I’ve been singing to her right before sleep since she was a newborn. Now at 8 months when it’s nap or bedtime and I start to sing the sleepy time song she immediately settles down and starts nodding off. The other day we were driving and she was in the back seat screaming because she was cranky and tired and I started to sing the sleepy time song…crying ceases, baby asleep. Only works if she’s legit tired/ready for bed and has nothing else going on like sickness, teething pain, etc….but it seriously feels like a magic power at times.

What are the most common birth weights / what are your chances of having a baby over 9lbs?

FTM wondering what my chances are of having a small / large baby. Nobody has mentioned size to me yet at any of my appointments so I’m extremely curious

My 10months baby suddenly hates the bath

Hello, So tonight we were giving him his bath and it was a nightmare. He started crying as soon as we put him in. The temperature of the water was right, but he just started bawling. Do you know what could cause that ? Is it normal? Thanks a lot!

How to stop losing my cool

I’m actually embarrassed to even write this because I know I should be able to keep my sh*t together, but I need tips on how to stop getting so worked up with my kids (4 & 2) to a point where I scream at them. I know it’s wrong. I hate myself the second it happens. The constant bickering between my kids, the never ending pressure of motherhood and working, the constant demands, it gets too much and I just lose my temper. I try give each child one on one time so that they get a part of me, I do fun things with them and I know that their fighting is normal. I just need to try and better manage myself and I just don’t know how. I’ve read the books, I follow gentle parenting sites but nothing is helping me regulate .. any tips?? I don’t want my kids thinking I’m always grumpy

Want your 4 month old baby to take a two hour nap?

Make sure you are holding them and that you drink 64 oz of iced coffee so your bladder feels like it's going to explode. Works every time.

Anxiety in pregnancy

Looking for good outcomes for people who suffered from generalized anxiety and went on to have healthy babies. I read a study about how stress in pregnancy can negatively affect the baby, which has made me more stressed. Looking for positive stories only. I have a therapist and am trying to work through this. Thanks

I’m having one of those days…

I’m having one of those days where I’m “touched out” before I even get out of bed. It’s not even noon and all I want is a relaxing bath, a juicy cheeseburger, and complete silence… Anyone else in the same boat today?

Not inviting my mom to my baby shower

We will end up having two baby showers—one where I grew up for my family, and one where I live now for my friends and family here. My mom is mostly handling the one at home and the other day she invited herself to come and stay with me to come to my baby shower here where I live now. I wasn’t planning on inviting her here and I don’t know that I want her to come. I’m not happy around her and it’s more of a chore for me to entertain her than it is a fun and relaxing time for me. Is that unforgivable if I don’t invite her here to stay with me for my second baby shower?

How far from your child do you go while they’re at school?

I don’t mean in like a ‘gtf away from me, child’ way I mean like, for daily things you need to do, do you take distance into account? I work about 20 minutes away from my kid’s school. I go by public transport but I know if there was an emergency & I had to pick them up I could call a taxi and be there asap. One of my biggest worries is that as I’m a single mom without a village as such, if I travelled the maximum I could during childcare hours & was called to pick up early, my kid would be stuck. If she threw up in class and was sent home but I had got on a train to a city 3 hours away, she’d have to just sit there puking in the office until the end of school which is so sad to me. But I wonder if I’m being overcautious- what do you normally do?

Impact of Air Quality

I have a one month old and live in an area impacted by the Canadian wild fires. Is there any evidence that the extremely poor air quality will have a long term impact on lung development?

Decorating Toddler Room

What recommendations do you have for decorating/setting up a 3 year olds room? We will most likely be getting a twin sized bed and we already have a dresser we used for baby clothes/diapers etc that we’re considering using for the room but also thought about using it for our guest room and getting something smaller that can open easily for them to choose clothes easier. What other items do you recommend for the room? Bookshelf, table, bean bag, etc. We’re looking to make it as cozy and as fun as possible while also keeping it functional for daily life. Thanks!

My toddler is an asshole to my cat.

I've had my cat for 6 or 7 years now, since she was a kitten. We have always told my 2 year old "open hands".. "be gentle" "Don't pull" etc. Lately she's just been an asshole.. and she'll do the overbearing kid thing like hugs or laying her head on the cat. The cat is used to this, and tolerates it well.. I think the cat might like the attention anyway. And then my toddler can't resist griping clumps of hair, pulling on her tail, etc. And my cat obviously runs away or on one occasion has retaliated and did a warning bite. My cat is not mean at all.. How can I keep them separated? I just want my kid to be nice to the cat. I've threatened to "take the cat away", I've told her that she's being mean, physically removed her away from the cat.. I've even hollered at her. My kid doesnt lack empathy. So like.. wtf.. why is she so mean to the cat

High blood pressure at 34 weeks

Has a routine checkup and I’m being sent to Labor and Delivery for monitoring my blood pressure for preeclampsia. Has anyone else done this? Very nervous!

Did y’all sleep train?

If you did, how did you do it? We’ve hit the 4 month sleep regression and she’s waking up 2-3 times a night. She’s been doing it for a month at this point so I figured maybe it’s time to start sleep training. I just have a super hard time listening to her cry so my first reaction is to pick her up and console her.