Hello! We have a booked a 3 night cruise in February on Oasis of the seas to travel with our 9 month old son. Only problem is I just called to reserve a crib for the room and they told me because of the room layout the crib is not an option (it never said anything in FAQ or when booking or I would’ve selected another room!) now we could upgrade but we booked with family and have adjoining rooms right now and if we upgrade rooms we won’t be adjoining or potentially even close to them which just isn’t what we wanted while travelling with an infant. We could bring our own pack and play from home but that a lot to fly with and I assume they wouldn’t allow it since they won’t provide one for that stateroom anyways?

Does anyone have recommendations for how to work around a safe sleep situation with our 9mo old? We would prefer not to cosleep and our cabin will have a king bed and pullout sofabed. Any and all recommendations on what to do are appreciated!! I’m

I’m pretty sure I contracted it. I don’t typically eat salads but I guess I was craving some Caesar salad last week and the week before. I bought multiple of the Caesar salad kits from Aldi and had a Caesar salad with my dinner at Texas Roadhouse. Turns out those salad kits are Taylor Farms packaged. My partner is a trucker and we have an almost 11 month old who is a typical 11 month old, needy lol. Not saying that in a bad way, she’s a baby. I started having diarrhea all day yesterday after noticing I dropped 3 pounds overnight on the scale. I had been extra tired the day before but didn’t think anything of it and I went to work yesterday. I only work part time so I figured I would be fine through that, and I was. After fighting my daughter to go to bed last night because I was so painfully tired, we both slept like crap. It has been a pretty rough day so far. Woke up, not having as much diarrhea, but plenty of exhaustion and muscle cramps. Feels like early postpartum exhaustion. I’m hoping I can get rid of it on my own quickly, as I am a healthy adult. Anyways, my partner is gone most of the week. Everyone I know works during the week or are too old to help me much. How are we taking care of babies by ourselves sick???

I'm currently crying while my husband tries to put our 12 week old baby to sleep after I tried and couldn't take his crying anymore.

I feel like I don't understand him at all I don't get when he is tired, when I should be getting him ready to sleep, when he's overtired, etc.

I was trying to follow his wake windows, but when it got closer to 1.5h awake and I tried to put him to sleep he cried a lot. So I thought oh that's too much, I waited too long. But now, if I try to get him ready around an hour after he wakes up, the same thing happens.

This specific case, he had been awake for an hour and ten minutes, his eyebrows were red and he was getting fussy. I thought this must be the time. He has become very difficult to put to sleep anywhere other than the carrier. I strap him in and he starts screaming his head off. I feel like if I shush or speak to him, it makes him cry worse. At this point, he is red and sweating from the crying but will not calm down, no matter if I am trying to hold him, speak to him, walk with him. It's been about 15-20 mins by now. I managed to calm him temporarily while sitting on a yoga ball, but then he started screaming his head off again and I just couldn't anymore. I'd been trying to hold it together and not cry, but at that point I just couldn't anymore. I unstrapped him, placed him in his bassinet and walked away crying my eyes out.

My husband took over and managed now to put him to sleep within 10 minutes and minimal crying this time.

I just feel like a failure, like I can't do anything right. He is breastfed, I'm always home with him and I can't even calm him down and put him to sleep. I have no family close, and I missed out when my friends and family had children as I've lived abroad for the past 10 years, so I have zero experience with babies.

My husband was off today, but he will be at work tomorrow and Friday, and I'm already starting to dread having to be home alone. I was going out every day with the baby, trying to meet people, but now I feel anxious about leaving the house in case a) he starts screaming before falling asleep or b) start screaming after waking up, which he also does.

I'm at my wits end, please give me some advice, I don't want to feel like this anymore. I love my baby, I just wish I understood him better.

All too often I find myself surrounded by negative news that feeds into my own anxieties. I would love for this thread to be a place where people can share their good outcomes. Was there a part that you expected to go differently in your head? Something easier or harder than you had imagined it to be?
Did you have a partner or health care provider offer something you didn’t know you needed until that moment?

I’ve been told I’m an anxious parent. That I impose my anxiety on my husband with his parenting. We have a 19 month old & 12 day old. He placed baby on top of pillow, wrapped in a fluffy blanket inside bassinet. Because I’ve been told I’m anxious, not allowing him to parent, I asked “is it ok if in 10 mins we take the pillow out?” I already have anxiety about the thick fluffy blanket but the pillow is a complete no go for me for safety reasons. This is the first time he put pillow in bassinet so it’s not the norm. Anyways, He did not give me an answer and is stonewalling me. How would you go about it without causing an argument?

I’m not perfect bc last night I slept with baby on my chest on the couch out of bare exhaustion. So, that’s a safety hazard too. How would you go about it without causing an argument?

Feeling at my wits end currently and need advice. My baby is only 3 weeks old so obviously still super new. He has not slept a wink in his bassinet or crib or really anywhere you can consider a safe sleep space since he was born. After 3+ days straight of being awake, I resorted to basically a version of chest sleeping. I don’t need any lectures on how it’s unsafe or anything, I know it’s not the safest option but I was quite literally hallucinating from sleep deprivation and this has been the only way I can get some disjointed sleep so please reserve your judgment. I did pretty persistently try a floor cosleeping “safe sleep 7” setup but baby will not sleep unless he is in my arms. My husband helps out where he can and will entertain baby for 2 hours at a time when he’s not working so I can get a nap in. and then I usually get a few broken hours of sleep overnight. I am currently exclusively breastfeeding and baby will NOT fall asleep unless nursing.

As for the bassinet setup, we have a Snoo. I have tried putting him in it with its soothing settings as well as just using it like a normal “boring” bassinet. We have tried all the major swaddles. Heating the bassinet up before putting him in it. Putting him in in deep sleep. Putting him in drowsy but awake. Rolling him to his side first. Making his sheets smell like me. White noise. Pitch black room. Shush/swaddle/sway whatever. You name it, I’ve tried it. I went through a few days of super persistently trying to acclimate him with no luck.

I’m tired of “sleeping” (if you can call it that) on the couch. My ass hurts from sitting there night after night. I miss being in bed with my husband. I hate worrying that I will suffocate my baby at night due to our current setup but not having any other options. I’m so tired that I can’t even begin to think of how to work on the bassinet transition. Everyone says it will get better around 12 weeks but frankly I can’t imagine holding on for that long. I don’t really have anyone around who can help out. Please give me all your tips/tricks/routines to try to get this baby to sleep on a safe surface!!!! Step by step even is great because I’m at a loss.

My baby is 4 months old. We live in a big city in the south of France, and I just learned to drive, so I don’t feel confident enough yet to drive alone with her. But there is a lot of trains, buses and the subway.

I grew up cooped up at home, and that’s not what I want for her. I want us to be able to get out and about, but I still don’t feel comfortable taking the subway with her or going far away on my own because, well, she’s pretty restless, and I come home exhausted (I also had a lot of anxiety during the first few months, which didn’t help). Women who go out alone with their babies, how do you manage? Isn’t it incredibly exhausting? Where do you go? What do you enjoy most? What are your tips? I need some inspiration. Thanks !

I’ve heard of putting a new one under while changing, a wet wipe on their tummy to let them pee before changing, etc. I’ve also seek rocket poops and blowouts😂, what are your best hacks for such situations? I know you should size up if you get a blowout and all, but please drop them below!

I’m 7 weeks postpartum as of today & I’m honestly struggling with the anxiety aspect. It started after a family friend died when I was 28 weeks pregnant, but it’s developed into a sort of health anxiety? I’ve become so afraid of death yet constantly think of those around me or myself dying.

When it happens I don’t feel anxious, I feel like smth’s genuinely wrong. I had preeclampsia so I think that certainly exacerbated it. I feel like every symptom I have is smth wrong. It’s taken 6 weeks for me to be able to leave the house without intense dissociation. I still dissociate but I can still semi function. I also think of random things that upset me and have to tell myself to stop.

For example, just now I had a panic attack bc I was eating & I saw my reflection? Idk I didn’t feel anxious then I felt tingly all over & thought I was going to pass out. I decided I’m having an allergic reaction. I go upstairs for change of scenery/ not to be alone & I’m feeling a bit better. But then I’m left confused on what happened in the first place. Then I worry if it’s smth serious I’ll miss it bc I thought it was anxiety. My anxiety also goes to the baby ofc.

I’ve been trying to get into therapy, no luck. I’ve thought about medications but I’ve become afraid to digest them. I won’t even take Tylenol anymore or my prenatals & if I do, I feel anxious until I realize I’m alive the next day.

Has anyone else dealt with this? Or have any advice? I just want to feel like myself again.

I’m so sick of this being said as a compliment to new moms or just moms in general. I understand that it’s usually meant with the best intentions, but it is just so unbelievably shallow and it makes me feel icky.

We’re pregnant for nine months and then we go through labor and postpartum and all people can think to say is how good it is that you don’t look different than before. I don’t like that we’re supposed to want or strive to get back to what we looked like pre-baby. It’s not some giant thing that needs so much attention. Bodies are just bodies. They are ever-changing and it is such an unimportant part of life in the grand scheme of things. Let’s find new ways to make mothers feel good about themselves that don’t involve physical attributes pleaseeeeeee.

Let me start by saying, she is OBSESSED with her baby sister (6 weeks). She is so kind and sweet and doesn't take her emotions out on her. But she has also become obsessed with....me. Which is of course...what I expected...but I'm now wondering if I'm somehow making the behavior worse by being SO available all of the time within minutes to her out of guilt.

Side note: We are doing everything "right". She gets SO much 1:1 play & cuddles with me. We don't blame the baby for being busy. We tell the baby "hold on, I'll get to you in a minute because your sister needs me right now!". We give her so much praise. We let her help out. Etc.

My question is....at what point do we stop gentle parenting so much and feeling bad for her bc she's having big feelings about the life change, and start setting real boundaries again / enforce SOME kind of consequences for not listening?

For instance, last night...she woke up at 1:30am screaming for me. Pushing her dad away and screaming and being mean when he tried to console her. She didn't have a bad dream...just is stuck on this cycle of mama mania, as we call it. He gave up and she came into the baby's room (where I'm sleeping as I'm EBF) crying. I was feeding baby and couldn't hold her. I also do NOT want to make this a habit so I didn't want to give in to her demands. Was also EXHAUSTED bc it was middle of night. I nicely & firmly said "you need to go lay down with dada. mama will be in there soon". Over and over. Husband and I tried and tried to console but all she wanted was me + my bed. I lost my temper because honestly, the volume of yelling she does is unreal and the overstimulation is very real. I ended up crying and feeling so guilty and just rocking her in bed while he took the baby. Then, she went back to the other bed with dada. But it was an hour long ordeal. I don't have an hour of sleep to spare! I don't know where the line is though. You don't get to scream and throw things and demand things. You have to listen to mama and dada. But yet, she can't self regulate and I know that. I'm just tired and doubting myself and looking for solidarity or someone to tell me when this will pass lol.

So I am 6 months postpartum. About 12 weeks after birth, I was still having pains in my pelvic region, especially on the left side. My OB did a trans vaginal ultrasound, and all was clear. I’m still living with this pain at 6 months (it’s honestly mild, but enough to be a little uncomfortable sometimes). As I’ve tried to understand where it’s coming from, I feel like it’s almost like a muscle or ligament or tissue issue, centralized around where my pelvis connects to my labia/lower part of my body. Again, it’s only on the left side. Sometimes I don’t notice it, but I’m most likely to notice the discomfort when I am baby wearing or exercising. I am concerned I have a hernia. To be clear, I’m not asking anyone to diagnose me here. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow. I just want to know if this is common postpartum or if anyone has experienced this type of pain/discomfort.

I’m 4 days postpartum and have been exclusively breastfeeding since birth. My milk has finally come in, but instead of feeling happy, I just feel miserable.
Breastfeeding has been so much harder than I expected. I’m constantly anxious about whether my baby is getting enough, my nipples hurt, I feel tied to the baby 24/7, and honestly… I’m just unhappy.
I’m seriously thinking about switching to formula because I don’t know if I can keep doing this. But I feel incredibly guilty. Like I’m being selfish or taking the easy way out. I keep wondering if I’m already failing my baby.
Did anyone else feel this way? Did you switch to formula this early? Do you regret it, or was it the best decision for your mental health and your family?
I just want to enjoy my baby instead of dreading every feeding.

With our second one on the way I’m having a sort out and losing my mind along the way. People have been overly generous to say the least. “Oh you knitted a hat, thanks I’ll add it to the other 20 you’ve already done”.

“Another baby blanket that will never get used as babies aren’t even supposed to have blankets”

Only we know the sex of our next baby and it is not the same as the first but I’m trying to make it very clear we don’t need anything other than nappies and money for baby’s bank account.

Probably sound completely ungrateful but I’m 7 months pregnant and there’s a heatwave and I’m stuck organising through mountains of clothes and toys.

Hi all! I remembered sharing my birth story with my first baby so I want to do it again !
I was 38w&2 days yesterday and I had my second baby.
Technically I was in early labor since Saturday morning , I had lost part of my mucus plug and having irregular contraction. I ended up needing to go to the hospital Sunday morning for some elevated blood pressure reading and home, due to being dehydrated 🫣 but I was checked and i was already at 3cm. I thought maybe they’d keep me but my contractions fizzed out and I was sent home. I had contractions all of Monday and Tuesday, i was in so much pain! The timing of them was so off so I couldn’t go back to the hospital and I didn’t have another OB appt until later this week. Finally I had enough at 3pm yesterday I called L&D and asked if I could be seen even with irregular contraction because I was in so much pain. They thankfully said yes and funnily enough on the way to the hospital I felt a POP and my water fully broke!
At this point I was terrified I wouldn’t make it in time for an epidural, but I was! I got to the hospital at 4pm at 6cm almost 7cm. I asked for an epidural which they did within an hour and I was relaxinnngggg. Gosh I love epidurals lol
Baby was a little high up so they moved me to my right side and she came down FAST. My Dr wanted me to do practice pushes but said lol jk her head is literally crowning.
And at 9:30pm I pushed her out in two pushes 😎 still so proud of my self!!

I wish luck and safe deliveries to all mamas 💕

I recently had a relative pass away, and live 3 plane rides and nearly 10k miles from where the funeral will take place. My daughter is close to 10 months old and is a handful right now. She's crawling, standing, screaming, teething, eating everything-- food or otherwise-- and is just a big ball of energy. My partner cannot travel with me meaning I would be going on my own on this long journey, and would also not be able to stay longer than 6-7 days, if that.

I keep oscillating between thinking I absolutely shouldn't go with her because it would be miserable for all of us and feeling like a bad mom for even considering leaving her. Right now I feel like I either shouldn't go at all or should go on my own and make the trip as short as possible.

Has anyone done anything similar, ie, traveled crazy long distances alone with their energetic infant? I know one mom who has done this two or three times so I initially was thinking it was possible but now I feel like she was just insane and willing to go through much more than I am.

Any experience or advice would be appreciated.

Our baby has us completely exhausted. She's 8 months old and she's an absolute whirlwind. A tiny tornado. She literally doesn't stay still for a second. We don't get a break during the day, and we don't get a break at night either. It's honestly amazing how much energy such a tiny human can have.

The other day she spent an hour in a baby jacuzzi doing exercises, even against the resistance from the bubbles. You'd think she'd be completely worn out afterwards... but nope. She still had enough energy for another couple of hours of playing at home, and then she slept terribly that night.

She's never been a good sleeper. Since she was born, we've probably had only 4 or 5 nights with just one wake-up. Most nights it's 3–4 wake-ups, and for the last few days it's been 6–7. Who knows... maybe teething, maybe a regression. With babies it always feels like there's something.

The exhaustion isn't just because we haven't had a decent night's sleep in months. During the day she needs constant attention. If you leave her sight for even a few seconds, she cries like the world's ending. You can't even go to the bathroom without triggering a full-blown meltdown.

She spends a lot of time on the floor so she can move around and develop her motor skills, since she's already army crawling everywhere. We give her toys (she has plenty), but she'll play with one for a minute, then start complaining. We hand her another one... same thing. Before long the floor is covered in toys, and nothing seems to make her happy. We honestly don't know what she wants. She seems to need constant stimulation and doesn't really know how to entertain herself or just sit quietly looking at an object, her hands, or anything else for a while.

Thankfully, we get to enjoy her amazing 30–40 minute naps... which is just enough time to eat something, shower, and get ready for the next round.

She honestly seems like a very demanding baby. And we don't really have anyone who can help, even though my parents would love to. She cries inconsolably if she's left alone with them.

It's really frustrating and incredibly exhausting.

That said, we absolutely adore her. She's the cutest little thing, and when she smiles our hearts melt. I just hope she'll grow into a slightly calmer, easier-going personality... although so far there aren't many signs of that.

Any other parents here with babies like this? How did you survive?

I tried searching this all over Reddit, but it would always come back as someone had a catheter during birth. I did not have a catheter at birth 3 weeks ago yet I still feel so much pain in my urethra area. I also feel like there is a grape sensation in my vagina. I don’t believe it’s poking out but I haven’t looked. I feel like I have a but I’m on four or five of an antibiotic and it’s still not feeling better. They never did a culture on me. I’m slowly spiraling, I’m just so tired of being in pain. Did anyone else have urethra pain without a catheter?

I had my second section a week ago (at least this one was planned) and now I’m trying to support my recovery whilst looking after a 2.5 year old and a newborn.
As mentioned I have an apron belly from my first surgery and I’m struggling with discomfort trying to keep the incision dry and aired out with my tummy hanging over.
So far I’ve had a clean cotton muslin cloth placed between the two to avoid the skin rubbing against each other but I’d love recommendations for an abdomen binder post C-section

Has anyone tried Nutrafol supplements, specifically the postpartum hair growth supplement? Would you recommend them?

My first baby had issues gaining weight between months 1 and 2. I’m breastfeeding my 2nd baby and I have been extremely anxious that we will get to her 2 month appointment and find that she has not gained weight. It’s to the point that I’m weighing her almost daily and stressing about the number. Can somebody please tell me this is not helpful and that fluctuations day to day are exactly why we shouldn’t weigh them daily. I know this in my heart but I’m terrified she’ll have problems growing like her sister. I’m ashamed that I’m even doing this and nobody knows I do which is why I’m posting here.

Hey everyone! I am on maternity leave and was thinking it would be fun to make a book for my babies first year, similar to a scrapbook. I’m not opposed to making an actual scrapbook but I was wondering if there are any online sites that you would recommend for making a book like this? It may be easier than doing an actual scrapbook and then I wouldn’t have to buy all the supplies !

I posted here yesterday about how my MIL insists on holding my baby which makes him cry and makes her think he hates her. And how she blames me for holding him too much.

I just want to say thank you guys for reinforcing my backbone by giving me lots of support and validation. I did end up going for a visit but I stood up for my son and myself.

I did let her hold him, of course he cried and I took him back. She did the whole woe is me thing saying he hates her. She asked me to be honest and tell her if its just her or if he does that with everyone. I told her for the hundredth time that it is because he doesn't like to be held by people and needs time to warm up first, that he is like that with my family too. I told her that honestly, if she tries to keep pushing him when he isn't okay with it, of course he is going to have a negative association with her. She brushed me off yet again which was annoying but not unexpected.

Then she asked if I was on a list for daycare. Said that I need to get him in there to get him used to being away from me so he's not so clingy to mama. I told her he isn't clingy to mama, he is a very bubbly little boy. That if I had only been out in the world for 5 months, I probably would be scared of unfamiliar things as well and take some time to warm up. That it is a good thing for him to have his mom or dad to make him feel safe when he is unsure. It's a healthy kind of attachment. She didn't respond to any of that.

Later on when I was sitting and playing with him she brought up AGAIN that I must hold him a lot. I told her I don't know what counts as holding him but not really. He's wants to be on the move but can't quite do it yet, so I often get down on the floor with him and help him sit, stand and climb. I let him work on it himself but he gets frustrated and likes the help. She looked at me shocked and said oh, it really seems like you hold him all the time. I said nope and told her that he also loves his dad, it's not just me that holds him.

Then she said something that idk if I can forgive her for and was the last straw. She said its probably because he was in the NICU and he didn't get to bond with his mom so now he's got separation anxiety. This is obviously a very sore subject. No, I didn't get to bond with my baby until later on and it caused me a lot of stress. This comment also reopened an old wound that I must have blocked out due to trauma. When my baby was in the NICU she felt the need to tell my husband that she told me not to use a midwife and I should have listened to her, that midwives kill babies all the time. Basically insinuating that my choices are why my baby (who was born in a HOSPITAL with a full medical team and overseeing OB) was born experiencing oxygen deprivation and ended up almost dying. She hounded me my whole pregnancy for using a midwifery rather than an OB and never respected my choice. She's lucky I ever moved past that and honestly I don't know why tf I did. Well, back to present day... I told her very bluntly, do not bring that stuff up cause its crossing a line. My son is not the way he is for any other reason than thats just who he is. Its not shitty parenting and its not trauma, stop looking for an explanation for it. She made a sour face and shut up.

Anyway, I've decided to go low to no contact with her. If my husband wants to take the baby for supervised visits, I'm okay with that but I won't be joining them anymore. I've given this woman too many chances to shut the fuck up and she isn't learning. She doesn't deserve any more chances and I don't deserve the disrespect. If at some point she starts talking that way to my son, I wont hesitate to make sure she never sees him again. Being in his life is a privilege not a right and he would be fine without her.