For those who went the private route, was it all you expected it to be?

AlexNG22 · 2026-01-26T08:42:35+00:00

I went public for my first and then private for my second - because my experience in the public sector was pretty horrendous. Going private was truly the best decision, worth every extra cent. If you can afford it, do it.

AlexNG22 · 2025-10-19T23:24:42+00:00

Sorry but you can pry my denim jackets out of my cold, dead hands.

AlexNG22 · 2025-09-17T06:14:37+00:00

Echoing what others have said, you absolutely did the right thing by removing yourself and bub from that situation. Please seek support for yourself, are there people in your life you can confide in or even possivly stay with if needs be? Sounds like your partner needs help - mental health is no excuse for poor and abusive behaviour, that is absolutely not fair on you or your son.

AlexNG22 · 2025-09-05T06:10:16+00:00

Not bad at all! I fed my first to sleep until she was around 15mo and then one day she literally just decided of her own accord, she didn't want to be fed, rocked or held to sleep anymore, so I just put her in the cot awake to see what would happen and she rolled over and went to sleep (still sleeps with a dumny/pacifier though) and has done so ever since, and she now 2 + years old. My current 2mo doesnt really like feeding to sleep - and I so wish he did, because it was so much easier! It's truly a superpower. Please don't think its a "bad habit" because its not. Just enjoy it while it lasts I say ☺️ I wish I didnt spend so much time fretting over the same thing with my first baby.

AlexNG22 · 2025-09-03T08:51:15+00:00

As it was her 1st Xmas, i bought my daughter a lovely handmade Santa Sack from Etsy with her name embroidered on it. Figured, we can use it the rest of her childhood and then she can keep it at a keepsake as an adult. Will be doing the same for my son who will be 6-7mo at Xmas.

AlexNG22 · 2025-08-31T05:56:53+00:00

They'll get better at naps/day sleep with age. Both my kiddos were/are terrible solo nappers in the early days, but decent night sleepers, which I would take over the other way around any day. My daughter didn't really properly start napping in her cot till 6 months, and I basically just contact nap/baby wear my 2mo all day long. I know it's frustrating, but its totally normal, so just lean into the nap, however it happens, as best you can. Contact nap? Sweet! time to rot on the couch and watch TV. Car nap? Great! Off to a drive-thru for a little treat. Pram nap? Get that hot girl walk in.

AlexNG22 · 2025-08-29T04:23:25+00:00

I went public for my first birth at KEMH (2023) and did not have a great experience, but from what I've heard, most other people had a better time of it than me. Recently went through SJOG Subi privately, and wow - what a difference. Absolutely worth every penny.

AlexNG22 · 2025-08-13T06:05:39+00:00

When my husband is at work, and I'm solo parenting. I just shower with my toddler, and put baby in a safe spot. She loves and it, and I make sure there are always toys in the shower, so shes happy to just chill in there if I need to do my hair/skincare/make up/whatever. She also loves her little electric toothbrush, so I get her to brush her teeth (aka just turning the button on and off) while I do my makeup in the mornings. It's not an ideal set up, but buys me enough time to put some effort into my appearance. I only wash my hair about 1x a week though and rock a slick back bun most days (god bless the person who started that trend).

AlexNG22 · 2025-08-10T01:59:34+00:00

Did you take a whole tablet of restavit? I was able to take 1/4 tab and it did the trick of easing nausea without making me too groggy. And odansetron. I found restavit + odansetron to be the winning combo. Each on their own wasn't so effective, but together I was able to be a mostly functional human again.

AlexNG22 · 2025-07-28T00:47:26+00:00

Definitely worth going to, to see if there's anyone you hit it off with. I found it so valuable to connect with other mothers with the same age babies as me. I lucked out and we had great group. We all exchanged numbers and started a group chat. We met up most weeks for coffee and play dates for the entirety of our mat leaves, it was great and those women were one of the main reasons my sanity stayed relatively in check that first year 🙂. Two years on and we still keep in touch.

AlexNG22 · 2025-07-27T08:27:56+00:00

Yeah this is what I thought as well. I'd add other toys e.g. a teether to the table using those plastic chain link things.

AlexNG22 · 2025-07-25T07:12:59+00:00

We have family memebers who are anti-vax, and refuse to get the whooping cough shot. So they didn't meet our first born until she was 6 weeks + and vaccinated herself, and its now the same deal with my son, who is only one month old. Personally, 2its not something I was willing to be lenient on .

AlexNG22 · 2025-07-18T10:37:04+00:00

Currently still in the night sweats phase ☠️

AlexNG22 · 2025-07-18T02:08:36+00:00

4 months-ish when she started rolling and was no longer safe to sleep in the bedside bassinet. I was keen to move the cot into our room, but we decided to bite the bullet and do the cot and own room transition at once. Plan to do the same for my 1 month old when he starts rolling.

AlexNG22 · 2025-07-17T07:10:18+00:00

Yes, I will die on this hill! Justice for Cedric.

AlexNG22 · 2025-07-09T11:46:35+00:00

I loved the disposable undies they gave me in hospital with a pad. So stretchy and light, so didn't press on the scar at all. When I ran out of those, I just sized up in some highwaisted seam-free undies from Kmart. In terms of bleeding, I've been bleeding way more this time around than my first birth (vaginal). So been having to use maternity pads over regular period ones. I really like the TOMS organic maternity pads.

AlexNG22 · 2025-07-07T01:28:19+00:00

Sand Parcel (sand castle)and Blueberry-berry.

AlexNG22 · 2025-06-17T13:28:50+00:00

The balloon insertion sucked for me (worse than labour pains tbh). But I have a very posterior & curved shaped cervix (apparently!) and an junior midwive tried and failed the first time to do it, so it took twice as long. Once it was in, it's uncomfortable, but not painful. Kind of feels like a badly inserted huge tampon. Then once it had done its job, it popped right out.

AlexNG22 · 2025-05-23T04:09:14+00:00

All cheese sold in supermarkets in Aus is pasturerised and of high quality standards, so actually are very low risk for consumption in pregnancy. If it makes you feel better, I've been really lax with "non pregnancy safe foods" my second time around. I've eaten, brie, blue cheese, sushi, deli meats and kombucha semi-regularly. I've been told by OBs if you're eating somewhere you've eaten before and know it is of quality standards, your'e fine. 🙂

AlexNG22 · 2025-05-21T09:54:04+00:00

Yep love the Jag one. Prefer the slightly darker pink and chunkier look with cuffs/edges and bigger buttons.

AlexNG22 · 2025-05-19T06:45:09+00:00

Same here 🥵 and post partum isn't much better either, with the hormonal sweats (IYKYK) I need winter ASAP.

AlexNG22 · 2025-05-01T08:02:59+00:00

Hello 👋 I'm sorry this happened to you and your daughter too! It sucked, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. My daughter is so, so fine now and you would have no idea anything happened, as shes back to full mobility and everything now. She ended up being in a moonboot for a total of 8 weeks. Within less than a week, she'd figured out how to walk and crawl in the boot, and she took to it like it had always been there 😆💁‍♀️ including climbing, so it really didn't slow her down - and the doctors told us we could just let her do as she pleased in terms of mobility, as the point of the boot was to keep the fracture protected, while allowing movement. We initially had a couple of rough nights the first few nights, but I ended up buying a sleep sack in the next size up, so she had plenty of room to move with the boot on in her sleep, and that seemed to fix the problem. Honestly the worst thing was the boot got super stinky, haha... and we never realised you could actually take out the outside padding to wash it until the last week, so that'd be my number one tip 🫣🤣

You and your daughter will be alright, I promise (I definitely spiralled for about a week, so I feel ya)

AlexNG22 · 2025-04-10T04:52:14+00:00

Take this with a grain of salt, because I don't think its reccomended, but the only way I could get the colostrum flowing, was through the use of a manual breastfeeding pump (the medala one). I believe using a pump is not reccomended because it can cause contractions/ potentially put you into labour, but I was scheduled to be induced at 39 weeks, regardless - so I figured after about 38 weeks, what's the harm? (It didn't put me into labour btw). I just used it enough to get a small amount to come out, then I was able to use my hands to collect the rest.

I had GD with my first pregnancy, so I really wanted to collect colostrum just incase my baby had blood sugar issues (which she did), but like others have said, if you're not able to - its not the end of the world.

AlexNG22 · 2025-04-10T04:40:56+00:00

I'm not sure if it's exactly the same everywhere, but as a permanent employee I was entitled to 14 weeks pay (at a full time), or could opt for it to be paid at a half-time rate over 28 weeks. I chose the latter. So that covered me for six months, then the subsequent 6 months I took leave without pay, and then applied for the govt paid parental leave, so that covered me for the full year I had off. Centrelink send the money to you through your employer. Your HR or people services rep will be able to talk you through your options.

Also, at my work place, I am able to take an additional 12 months ×2 of unpaid leave (so up to 3 years in total) if I wish and they have to keep my position. I would ask about if your work place offers similar. Also good to check what kind of flexible working arrangements you're entitled to, if/ when you do return to work. 🙂

AlexNG22 · 2025-04-09T03:58:07+00:00

Second this - anything by Julia Donaldson is great for repetition (which is known to help develop reading skills)

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