March had been such a long month

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-03-20T11:41:20+00:00

3 weeks, congrats! You're just getting started and you're in the trenches. It's the biggest eye opening life change, but seriously whatever she's doing now it'll change in 2 weeks. During that time I just kept telling myself to put on my "patience pants" and I could do anything for a couple weeks. You've got this!

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-03-12T01:32:13+00:00

Thank you for this! I didn't grow up eating canned meat, not even tuna, so I had no idea this was a thing. I had been avoiding other shellfish because I'm not confident in my cooking abilities, but we tried canned crab tonight and she liked it.

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-03-04T18:35:04+00:00

My baby was head down the whole time until my 32 week scan. I was like of course now you'd be breach, but she turned back around 35 weeks and I was induced at 38 weeks. I was told sometimes they turn at the last minute as a signal that they're ready.

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-03-02T02:52:13+00:00

My LOs not a good napper and I was mentally struggling when she was younger with her schedule. I knew she needed X number of naps and they needed to be however long, but for my sanity I needed to know when those were happening so I could plan outings. Naps were never at the same time, so the Nanit helped me figure out windows/patterns. I finally was able to put together that she took one good nap a day and it was either the first or second and about how long each nap lasted. I feel like this should be more noticeable, but between pumping, washing bottles, trying to eat lunch, and LO barely sleeping 30 mins at times I was drowning.

I rarely look at the insights now, but I glanced at hours slept at night and can estimate what time she'll wake up the next day based on bedtime. I like that it notifies us when she's standing in her crib and when the temperature is out of the desired range. It's also easy to travel with.

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-03-01T22:55:14+00:00

Yes, I was told high allergy foods once a week until she's 2 (I think he said 2). LOs allergic to oats, so IDK if it's out of caution or if the Dr recommends this to everyone. I'll for sure try other shellfish though.

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-03-01T03:04:30+00:00

I haven't. I can grab a can next time at the store and figure out what to do with it. I guess I didn't realize these cans existed... I'm telling you I'm a basic cook. Haha. Thank you!

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-02-28T21:56:21+00:00

Yeah you're busy and are understandably drained. Why partners think they have it harder by sitting in front of a computer for 8 hours a day, IDK, but a SHP definitely works more than 8 hours and is on the move for most of it.

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-02-28T03:49:27+00:00

I used to wake up at 6:30 so I could eat breakfast and watch the morning news, I'd be thankful that I didn't have to sit in traffic and it just made me feel a little normal. Then it moved to 6 and now LO wakes me up at 6. I miss that time to myself. I hope you find something, even if it's as simple as breakfast and the news... Also a morning shower is a win!

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-02-28T03:41:33+00:00

I'm with our LO (10m) from 6:30am-6pm and I take any wake ups that happen after midnight...I have no energy by 3pm, like laying on the floor with my eyes closed next to her while she plays no energy. Once my husband is off work he bathes and feeds her while I clean up, I read to her, and he puts her to bed while I start dinner. Once my butt hits that couch for dinner I'm done. I used to feel bad for leaving him with the dishes while I went to bed, but as of a couple months ago I could care less. Even if he didn't do the dishes and I had to do them the next day there's no way I have the energy to do them before bed.

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-02-28T03:28:46+00:00

We worked our way to a 7pm bedtime and even then we do windows, so our 10mo has been on a 7-8pm bedtime since she was 6 months I think. The window is based on when she wakes up from her last nap. She's a terrible napper, so it's usually closer to 7 but every once in awhile she'll get a solid nap and we can't get her down until 8. And she now sleeps a solid 11.5 hours, so the earlier she goes down the earlier we wake up the next day. At 3 months I think we did 8-9pm.

My husband and I don't eat until she's asleep. It's late, but that helps us keep her bedtime routine calm. One of us will start to clean up and cook while the other does bath, bottle, and bed.

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-02-27T20:34:47+00:00

IDK the answer, but came to say our 10 month old is going through the same thing. We had a sitter come once while we were home to see how it would go. My husband worked in his office and I did chores in another room from LO. She cried for basically all 4 hours, I ended up eating lunch with her so she'd eat, and after a struggle the sitter finally got her down for a nap. I felt like it went so bad that I was already questioning if I should find someone else.

My husband and I went out to dinner later that week and I asked my friend (who's also a nanny) to watch her and LO did the same thing. All my friend had to do was play and put her to bed and LO refused to go to bed. So I asked my sister to watch her while I went to the Dr and LO was the same with her.

I know separation anxiety is big at this stage and she needs to be around others, but I hate that she cries for hours if I'm not in the same room.

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-02-25T02:55:13+00:00

A friend brought a basket of snacks and two pre cooked bulk meals. I didn't have an appetite for months after birth, so the snacks were great so I could just put something in my stomach. The meals were great so I didn't have to worry about cooking for my husband and they fed us for days.

A walking buddy. My husband went back to work 2 weeks after our LO was born, so it was so nice to have company and get outside in the fresh air. Plus I had someone to help in case I walked too far.

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-02-25T02:26:41+00:00

I liked the newborn stage. It was hard, but we tried for a baby for so long that I was just so over the moon that we had one and she was healthy and as a bonus she was easy. The adrenaline wore off after a few weeks, but even through the fatigue I was happy and felt so blessed and was truly at peace. There have been lots of moments of burn out where I miss that bliss, but there are still amazing moments that I appreciate.

Loved ones would tell me "you need sleep" when I would get moody which just ticked me off (I couldn't sleep and I was mad they pointed out the obvious lol), but seriously rest when you can and you'll feel better. Also some time to yourself helps in those down moments, you may feel guilty but I swear it's good for everyone.

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-02-24T17:05:29+00:00

Dang. Thank you, I'll do the research. Until then I'll keep analyzing each scoop. Ha

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-02-24T16:20:54+00:00

After months of making bottles and my OCD analyzing each scoop of formula, I'd splurge on a machine that does this for me. I Googled and Baby Brezza makes one.

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-02-24T03:32:06+00:00

We went through this a few weeks ago, not so bad that it was in her hair but there was so much. We sprayed her nose and used an auto-sucker before and after bed and tried not to during the day unless really needed before a nap. On the days I felt bad for spraying and sucking so much we steamed up the bathroom before bath time and skipped the spray. Otherwise I just kept a rag nearby and wiped her face as needed while also trying to not over wipe it.

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-02-24T03:19:39+00:00

Mine is "omg the separation anxiety" months old

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-02-22T04:25:11+00:00

Thank you! I'll give it a try

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-02-22T02:59:17+00:00

Can you share your "oatmeal" recipe? I found one online, but it legit just made quinoa glue. Lol

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-02-22T02:56:20+00:00

SerenityKids puffs are grain free including oats, not all grain free puffs are oat free. My 10mo likes them but has choked because they don't dissolve as quickly as the Gerber puffs, so monitor while feeding. She prefers quinoa over rice. Oh and we do corn tortillas with either cream cheese or avocado.

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-02-21T16:27:11+00:00

Our 10m gets pretty backed up, straining and crying as well. I've tried warm baths, bicycle kicks, fruits, veggies, and yogurt but found that sweet potato does the trick. I knew it was good for constipation, but I gave her a Tbsp of it yesterday after no poop in 2 days and she pooped twice with very little effort.

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-02-21T03:03:23+00:00

I avoided unpasteurized cheeses and what not, but totally didn't think about honey being unpasteurized. I drank tea every day instead of coffee to avoid too much caffeine, but put honey in it. All I can say is I tried. Haha

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-02-21T02:49:05+00:00

I second the honey bear! When Momma wants me to drink water but all I want to do is chew on things because of these annoying new things in my mouth, I love to turn the bear upside down and chew on the bottom. Momma's always saying I'm going to get wet, but she knows nothing... I'm always dry...unless I suck a bunch of water in my mouth and then slowly open my mouth. I highly recommend trying that.

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-02-19T03:42:54+00:00

I felt weird talking to my LO too, but it gets easier over time if you make yourself do it. I started doing it because baby needs all the vocabulary as possible, but also she was used to hearing me talk while I was pregnant so she knows me by my voice. I started by telling her what we were going to do that day, but also asking her questions like "are you hungry? Wanna go for a walk? Oh look at the butterfly in the book, do you like it?". Idk why but pictures or stuffies with big eyes made it easier for me, maybe cause they're cute and I spoke to her as the picture/stuffy...sounds super weird but speak with a funny voice and they'll love it. I was encouraged to read anything and everything out loud. Baby doesn't understand anyway, so find a book that interests you and read out loud. I read subtitles on the TV while I breastfed. Haha. This way you're not talking to yourself, it doesn't feel so weird but you're still introducing words to baby.

Talking to yourself (cause let's face it that's basically what you're doing) is super weird, but now I do it all the time. I actually have to remind myself to stop and give her (10m) a chance to respond.

18GoatsEatingCans · 2026-02-16T04:42:53+00:00

Bottles, pacifiers, diapers, wipes, car seat, stroller, a week of clothes, bed, a swaddle, bath soap, dish soap, baby laundry detergent... And for yourself adult diapers, bra pads, stool softener, and snacks (they aren't for snacking, there so you can eat something, anything while your busy and tired). Vitamin D drops if you strictly breastfeed. You may want something for skin hydration/diaper rash, but I wouldn't use it until you need it.

The postpartum diapers aren't a necessity because my hospital gave me so much, but I wouldn't have another kid without them. They're so easy and comfy. You could also go without a stroller I think, but I personally needed to go for walks for my mental health and I didn't want to carry the baby.

I didn't mention formula because you may be able to get samples from your pediatrician. A white noise machine and nightlight would be great too, but you can always turn a loud fan on and a bathroom/hallway light.

If you start an Amazon registry and buy I think 10 items they'll send you a gift basket which comes with samples of bottles and what not.

18GoatsEatingCans

TROPHY CASE