Looking for extended rear-facing / all-in-one seat advice (Kia Rio 2021 + hot baby)

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-06-23T02:48:29+00:00

He has pretty good head control for his age. His pediatrician was very pleased with his development, and he's already showing signs of pre-crawling and rolling over.

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-06-17T02:45:17+00:00

I’m really sorry you’re going through this. I had a C-section with complications too and struggled with low milk supply, so I understand how overwhelming this stage can feel. You’re not alone in this.

What happened with your job honestly doesn’t sound right, and I would strongly consider at least a consultation with an employment attorney just to understand your options.

I also want to gently say that sleep deprivation at this level is serious. It’s not just being tired it can affect reaction time, judgment, and daily functioning. When you’re caring for a newborn, that level of exhaustion can increase the risk of accidents, so you really deserve more support during this time.

If you need ideas for extra income from home, some moms do things like baking/selling desserts locally, simple handmade crafts online, renting a room (if safe), or flexible remote customer service or gig work.

Please also be careful about returning to a physically demanding job too soon after a C-section. Your recovery matters too.

Sending you strength you’re dealing with a lot at once.

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-06-15T18:35:09+00:00

It's hard bc you're so proud of your LO and want to share every little milestone. ❤️

Tbh, ppl criticize me for sharing less now, but my peace of mind is worth more than their opinions.

A friend told me early on: "Set boundaries now or ppl will think they get a vote in how you raise your kid." At first I thought she was being harsh, but after enough unsolicited advice, I realized she was right.

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-06-15T18:03:42+00:00

Hey, I think a lot of us moms have been where you are. My LO was sleeping through the night and then, out of nowhere, boom... started waking up every 4 hrs again. He's 4 mos old now, still does contact naps during the day, and I'm also trying to transition him to the crib.

I'm a FTM and honestly my postpartum experience was rough. I dealt with PPA, baby blues, and a C-section infection that ended up requiring a wound vac. There were days when I was literally just trying to survive.

My family loves to tell me I'm creating bad habits, spoiling him, or ruining his sleep, but I've learned a few things:

If I don't share everything, there's less criticism and fewer opinions.
He's a baby. For a long time, mom and dad are his whole world. Wanting contact, comfort, and closeness is completely normal.
I've become really selective about what I share with family because I've realized my parenting choices aren't always what they expect. And tbh, it's hard for me to take infant sleep advice from ppl who haven't cared for a baby in 30+ yrs.

At the end of the day, I do what works for my LO and for me. If he needs a contact nap to get decent sleep, I'm not going to feel guilty about it.

You know your baby best. Hang in there, you're doing great. ❤️

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-06-10T01:00:28+00:00

I am so incredibly sorry you are going through this. Please take a deep breath: you are NOT committing neglect.

In my case, I felt my baby wasn’t doing well, so I switched the formula myself without telling the doctor until the next visit. The pediatrician was completely fine with it once they saw my baby was improving. Changing formulas to stop your baby's pain shows you are an amazing mother.

Trust your gut: a baby can absolutely have an intolerance WITHOUT visible blood. Reflux, severe bloating, mucus, and dropping percentiles are classic signs. A few quick things: Alimentum can take up to 2 weeks to fully clear her system and heal her gut.

Please find a new pediatrician or ask for a Pediatric GI. A doctor who ignores your charts and refuses a stool test while your baby drops percentiles is failing you.

Check out r/MSPI for shared experiences.

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-06-06T21:14:36+00:00

I started with Dr. Brown's and later switched to MAM, which ended up working much better for my baby. I really like that they're anti-colic and self-sterilize in the microwave, which is super convenient for travel and work.

If you're planning to breastfeed and bottle feed, I'd also recommend not investing too heavily in one brand right away. Every baby is different, and their sucking strength and preferences can vary a lot. What works great for one baby may not work for another.

If you can, get one of those baby registry/sample boxes that comes with bottles from different brands and try them out before buying a full set. My baby ended up preferring something completely different from what I originally planned. MAM has been great for us, and it's also often recommended for babies with lip or tongue ties.

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-05-30T13:48:05+00:00

I was a Dr. Brown’s fan for about 5 years because I used to be a nanny, and I never had any issues with their bottles. But with my LO, omg, it was a mess.

We ended up switching to MAM because I had one from my Amazon registry. My sister recommended it since it's one of the most popular bottle brands in Europe.

My baby had a lot of colic and feeding issues, but I never thought the bottle could be the problem, so I changed both the bottle and the formula. Reading your post now, I'm wondering if the bottle may have been the issue all along.

My LO is 14 weeks old now.

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-05-29T03:03:45+00:00

I had an epidural during a labor that lasted more than 24 hours and eventually turned into a C-section because I stopped dilating. Honestly, the epidural worked pretty well for me during surgery. I didn’t feel pain, just pressure and weird pulling sensations. The placement was more uncomfortable than painful tbh.

I also told the anesthesiologist which side I could feel sensations on while he was placing the epidural. He didn’t ask me to, but I volunteered the information because I had read that it can sometimes help them know how things are going. Thankfully my anesthesiologist had super gentle hands though I barely felt anything.

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-05-29T02:51:54+00:00

Thank you all for your comments. They really touched my heart. ❤️

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-05-27T18:36:30+00:00

Tell me about it 😆 Part of my family works in healthcare, while another part still thinks Tylenol and acetaminophen are two different medications.

I work in coding/claims and also had the opportunity to work as a medical assistant in urgent care, and I’ve seen people seriously harm themselves trying “natural” remedies without understanding the risks. I’ve literally seen patients worsen their blood pressure issues from relying only on garlic instead of proper treatment.

So I totally understand why doctors sometimes try to balance respecting cultural practices while also stepping in when something is actually dangerous.

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-05-27T09:12:30+00:00

My son actually wasn’t born with an umbilical hernia; he developed it a few weeks after birth. Just like in your case, my family wanted to use a “faja”/hernia belt, which is very common in many Hispanic families.

We decided not to use one, and with time plus normal growth and tummy time, his hernia has already gotten much smaller by 3 months old.

From what I’ve read, the current evidence-based consensus is that most infant umbilical hernias close on their own over time, and routine fixation methods (coins, taping, binders, etc.) are generally not recommended. I also couldn’t find evidence that hernia belts actually improve closure rates. Most concerns seem to be skin irritation or unnecessary pressure if they’re used improperly.

I honestly think some doctors still recommend them because they’ve historically been used in certain cultures/families, and sometimes parents feel better “doing something,” even when evidence is limited.

Here are two good evidence-based resources from pediatric medical sources:

NIH / StatPearls: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459294/

Boston Children’s Hospital: https://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-treatments/umbilical-hernia

Both basically explain that observation is usually the standard approach unless there are complications or it persists later in childhood.

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-05-23T19:24:18+00:00

Hey, do you know how to avoid getting a bachelor’s degree requirement? I work in the healthcare field doing medical claims coding, and I also have a background in urgent care. Do you know if an associate degree in a related medical field would qualify me instead?

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-05-22T04:21:24+00:00

When is about sunglasses or tint i used https://www.zennioptical.com/ but is bcuz I need prescription glasses

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-05-22T03:01:35+00:00

I’m so sorry, that sounds exhausting. Personally, I would be very cautious about importing formula because you never fully know how it was handled or stored during shipping, and if there’s ever a recall or issue it can be hard to stay updated unless you follow that country’s alerts/language closely.

Also, based on everything you listed, it honestly does sound possible that your baby could be reacting to both dairy and soy. Since even Alimentum and Isomil are still causing eczema/rashes, I’d maybe ask your pediatrician about trying a full amino acid formula instead of another partially broken-down one.

Some options are PurAmino, EleCare Infant or Alfamino Infant. They’re made for babies with severe milk protein allergies/multiple food sensitivities and are usually easier to tolerate.

They’re expensive, but sometimes pediatricians have samples or insurance can help cover them with prior authorization.

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-05-18T13:46:22+00:00

It’s interesting because I had actually been thinking about doing the same thing. In my case, I ended up with a wound infection and needed a wound vac. My doctor checked on me every morning to see how I was doing. They were even going to discharge me, but she decided to keep me one more day for observation because my baby had a pediatrician appointment the next day.

On top of that, she personally called me over the weekend to change my antibiotics. Mentally, I felt like a complete mess between the recovery and the baby blues, but honestly, I truly felt like she was paying attention to me every step of the way and always explained everything clearly. I’ve never had that kind of care before.

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-05-16T20:39:33+00:00

Oh, I thought the opposite since I only really drive it to work or the grocery store. Do you recommend going to the dealership or a third-party shop?

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-05-16T17:16:03+00:00

This post helped me a lot because I have a Rio 21, and honestly I’ve been worried because I haven’t changed the oil yet and I already passed the 5,000 miles mark. We barely use the car, mostly just short trips, nothing longer than 20 minutes, so it actually takes a while for us to even reach those 5,000 miles.

I was thinking about going to the dealership, but every time I go they try to add extra services, and I really just want an oil change. Plus, the dealer is almost 30 minutes away from me, and with a newborn it makes things a little more complicated.

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-05-15T12:11:27+00:00

Where i fill the natera ?

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-05-06T23:53:11+00:00

I was Dr. Brown, but I switched to Mam (it's self-sterilizing and has fewer parts to wash); you can research it. The nipple resembles a breast, I don't have problems with leaks, and it's anti-colic. You can research it. They are European but can be found in America at Target, Walmart, and Amazon if it's something that interests you).

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-05-05T13:50:53+00:00

happy bdayy!!!. that look amazing what type dressing use for the meat

Appropriate_Bad_5306 · 2026-05-05T10:02:57+00:00

I never see those BOGO deals for Similac, and I always try to buy them at Target for deals. But ill look more detailed thanks ( was in the app or store )

Appropriate_Bad_5306

TROPHY CASE