Parenting Contents Archive

Is it unreasonable to refuse getting pregnant over work?

My husband reeeealy wants another baby. I do to, but I have zero maternity leave, and he won't take leave because it's not the 'norm' at his work. Plus, *I* want to be home with the child I birth. So, last night I flat out told him that we would only be having a baby if I could be a sahm until Kindergarten this time around. Childcare is a nightmare, plus I'd have to balance that and Lo's school day, and I'm flat out refusing putting myself out like that anymore when he does the bare minimum of childcare. He told me I toxic attitude about it and walked away. I just don't feel like that's toxic? But maybe it is?

Modern boys haircuts are driving me crazy

I might be the "old man yells at cloud" guy right now, but this is bugging me. My 4 year old is starting pre-k so I want him to have a haircut that is modern enough and looks good, but everything I look at online is ridiculous to me. It's either all super edged up with a hard part or looks like you need to style their hair for 45 minutes every morning. Do kids these days look like they are getting ready for a GQ photoshoot all the time or what?? I don't want him to look like he's stuck in the past, but I feel like I can't find anything modern that is somewhat realistic looking for a 4 year old.

It's so true it hurts 😂

Wrist pain...

How many new parents out there are getting wrist/forearm pain from picking up/bouncing/rocking/nursing a baby!? I never really thought about that beforehand. I have some wrist/arm stretches I have been doing that my massage therapist recommended, but I was thinking about getting some sort of wrist brace like I used when I was a cashier and had tendonitis. And maybe booking some acupuncture? Anybody have other strategies to help with this? My LO is only 3 months old so I've got a loooong way to go!!

Sounds that wake up baby

For some reason, a fire truck blaring its siren and honking its horn right outside our window at 2am doesn't wake up baby, but me opening up a bottle of Gatorade startles him so bad he starts crying? What noises do your babies sleep through, and what always wakes them up?

Tell me you have a newborn without telling me you have a newborn

I’ll go first, anytime I stand in one place I subconsciously start bouncing. How about you? Whatcha got?

15 month old not walking yet and I am concerned

My 15 month old daughter is not walking yet. She has hit all her other milestones like clockwork so far - rolling over, creeping, sitting up, crawling, pulling up to stand supported. She's been standing supported since she was about 9 months old, and cruising since like 10-11 months. She walks behind her push toy and is quite confident walking around with it. But she just won't stand or walk unsupported. I am beginning to get concerned as the days go by, but I am not sure what I can do to help her. Should I try physical therapy? Any ideas from experienced parents?

Can we talk age gap between siblings?

I have a 15 month old who is the light of my life. I always thought I wanted the same age gap that my brother and I have ( 2 years, 7 months) but I am having a hard time imagining being pregnant already in February. Or having a newborn again so soon. Or changing poo diapers with morning sickness. My son still feels like a baby to me. Maybe it’ll feel differently in a few months. Idk. Will you tell me about the age gap between your kids? What is it like to have a newborn and a 3 year old? Or 2.5 year old? Or a 4 year old? Or 2 under 2? Challenges? Blessings?

When and how to stop contact napping?

Hi all, I have a 4.5 week old baby who needs (read: NEEDS) to be contact napping for most of her naps (day and night; when we go for walks she sleeps in the stroller just fine). I’m aware that newborns need this and will not get spoiled from this, so I currently don’t have a problem, but I’m curious whether this will teach her this habit beyond the newborn phase and if so, how do I manage it? My partner and I cannot put her down in her bassinet without her starting immediately to fuss/cry. Any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated 🙏🏻

Anyone else feeling like a cave troll and struggling to remember how to be normal after being a recluse for the past year+?

I don’t know where else to put this but I’m struggling over here. My daughter was born April 2020 and we have been in hardcore lockdown mode this whole time. But now we’re in the process of buying/building a house and I have to deal with the outside world again and I’m struggling hardcore. I straight up don’t ever want to leave my house. I wish I could do this whole process online/over the phone. I still haven’t bought any new clothes since my kid was born, so none of my clothes fit right and I feel like I’m so awkward it’s painful sometimes. Plus I live in the South, so I feel like the minute I poke my head out I remember why I don’t do that much anymore lol. I know I can’t be the only one struggling with this, but it feels like the whole world kept on moving while my whole life became my immediate family and our four walls. I just hope this whole process goes by quickly and I can retreat back into my cave where I belong.

A question for boy moms

Not quite potty training, but it was the most accurate flair. Son turned 5 a few weeks ago, and starts kindergarten in 2 weeks. When he goes potty, he pulls his pants and underwear all the way down. The thought occurred to me that this may be a problem in the little boys room at school, showing his ass to all of his classmates. I told hubs about my concern, and he thinks I'm being ridiculous. He doesn't want to bother with teaching him how to manage his clothes, that it's to much for kiddo to coordinate, and this is probably age appropriate. All of their butts will be hanging out! While the mental picture of them lined up at the tiny urinal with their asses hanging out is kinda funny, I really think this is something my husband needs to work on with him. So I'm asking you ladies: is my little guy going to cause a ruckus because of his tuchus?

3 week old constantly rolls onto side during sleep

As the title says, every time my 3 week old is put down in the crib or bassinet to sleep he immediately rolls onto his side rather than stay on his back. He’s done this since birth but I’m getting more and more anxious about SIDS risk but don’t know what else to do! We’ve tried both swaddled in either a muslin blanket or Velcro swaddle or just in his pjs and the result is always the same. Without the swaddle he wakes up a lot more than with it on. I feel like I can’t sleep soundly because I’m worried he’ll roll onto his face and not be able to roll back. I’ve seen a few different doctors/public health nurses since he was born and all have varying degrees of comfort with his side sleeping but don’t offer advice other than “keep putting him down on his back”. Any advice for this worried new mom?

Any Parents Keeping kids home again this year?

I'm in Florida and we have the worst Covid rate in the country now, but schools just opened this week. No mask required. It's worse here than it's ever been, but I don't know ANY parents in my circle that chose to keep their child out of school (and I'm taking SAHMs that have the option). I would've put my almost 5 year old in pre-k any other year, but he's at home now with me. I feel so conflicted. I don't want to expose him unnecessarily to Covid if I can help it, but I feel so guilty that he doesn't have many friends. I know other parents are feeling the same, but I go in my local mom groups and I feel gaslit- like they live in another world where Corona is a mild cold/ nbd and everyone is on fun playdates with each other. And I'm here just trying to think of more fun craft projects to keep us entertained inside wondering what the hell I'm doing.

Across the country, teachers are rethinking their own back-to-school routines to account for this moment of transition. “I’m hoping for less pain and struggle for my students and my colleagues," said one educator. @Chalkbeat @kalynbelsha https://t.co/mb66vqzm1I

Nursing be like