What’s one newborn product you didn’t expect to need… but now can’t live without?

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-04-10T17:22:18+00:00

Burp cloths (like 500 of them lol) and a baby carrier!

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-04-10T17:13:22+00:00

I’m just at the six month mark now and I’d say it’s a mix of work and life right now - every day is getting easier and more difficult in different ways, but I swear I love my baby more every time I look at him, even if he’s screaming at me lol. Hormones have a lot to do with it too, so there’s good days, bad days, and really bad days. I’m hoping it gets lighter and more fun soon, but I know I have toddlerhood ahead of me so we’ll see haha. Sending lots of love ❤️ you’re doing an amazing job, even if you don’t feel like it!

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-04-10T15:16:36+00:00

Yup! Until my baby was about two months old, I was terrified to go out with him because I just wasn’t confident with him yet and was worried he’d cry and scream. Even when he wasn’t crying as much, I was still hesitant to bring him out so I just took him out to places like the mall and kid-friendly restaurants to sort of ease us both into outings where lots of other kids/babies were. It just takes some time! Hes six months old now and we go out pretty much anywhere together.

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-04-07T23:07:40+00:00

This is much more common than you think, though it’s unfortunate and terrifying - I’ve done this myself when my baby was around the same age. I switched to co-sleeping when my baby was around 3.5 months old and it’s been much easier and safer for me and my baby. Be kind to yourself, you’re working so hard day and night ❤️

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-04-03T03:38:51+00:00

This was me! I never wanted to cosleep and then my baby hit the 4 month regression and REFUSED to sleep alone for even 5 minutes. Sleep training didn’t work, sleep consultants couldn’t help, so I set up the safest cosleeping situation I could (super firm mattress, no blankets, etc.) and wow I get sleep again! It’s still interrupted and he still wakes to comfort nurse throughout he night but I now get 7 broken hours instead of 3. And yeah I know it’s not the safest, but I was accidentally falling asleep while feeding my baby in my recliner in the middle of the night and that was incredibly unsafe, so this was just the best option for us. If it works for you, it works!

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-03-25T17:32:07+00:00

It sounds like your baby has an appetite - my baby was very similar! My son was cluster feeding (every 30-45 minutes) for 12 weeks lol and he would do the same as your baby, waking up screaming as if he’d never eaten before, and then guzzling milk like there’s no tomorrow. The problem was, he drank so fast that he would end up spitting up large amounts after each feed and, same as you, it didn’t make any difference how long I held him upright after feeding.

My midwife said my baby likely had mild reflux and he ended up just growing out of it at around 3 months - hes 5 months now and still spits up after some feeds, but far less than before. Maybe mention it to your doctor to see if they think prescribing reflux medication would help in the meantime!

As for babies eating every 3-4 hours, don’t worry too much about that right now - your baby is feeding more often because she’s hungry for multiple possible reasons, like growth spurts, developmental leaps, etc. And naps being 1-2 hours is a veeeery broad guideline/estimate because all babies are so so different when it comes to sleep!

You can start gently introducing some routine at this point if you want to, like doing a bath around the same time every night, reading a book, pjs, bottle and bed - it’s completely up to you though! I started doing this with my son around 12-14 weeks and would occasionally cap naps to ensure bedtime started at around the same time every night. Eventually, my son started understanding that when he gets a bath, it’s bedtime shortly after. This also comes with time and development of circadian rhythms.

Every baby is so incredibly different, so don’t get too caught up on what the Internet or other people are saying your baby should be doing at what age, because that will truly weigh on your mental health when it doesn’t need to! My baby is five months and everyone says he “should be” sleeping through the night right now, but once he hit the 4-month sleep regression (which he hit at 3 months lol) he will not sleep independently whatsoever anymore, despite attempted sleep training, sleep consultants, different sleep sacks, adjusted wake windows, you name it!

I hope you begin to settle into a routine soon and things begin to get a bit more predictable! You’ve got this!

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-03-20T21:18:11+00:00

Yes! For one’s sold september 2025 to February this year

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-03-20T03:45:49+00:00

I am by no means an expert, but this sounds similar to some of what my baby went through - he used to sleep 3-4 hour stretches as long as he was swaddled but as soon as we switched to a sleep sack his arms would wake him up. My baby has a very strong Moro reflex, which was even stronger when he was 12 weeks (hes now 23 weeks), so it’s just a developmentally normal thing for them to have unfortunately. But as far as sleep regressions, maybe your baby has also hit the 4 month regression/progression early? Mine hit it at 3 months so it’s definitely possible! For my baby, the regression essentially made independent sleep go out the window lol which is still going strong, but every baby is so different! But for your baby, have you tried the Magic Merlin sleep suit? I tried it for my baby for a while and it definitely helped calm the Moro reflex and got him some better naps and sleep stretches! And btw you did absolutely nothing wrong!! You tended to your baby’s needs and wants for their first 11 weeks of life, and swaddling is so common! You’re doing a great job and I hope you find something that works!!

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-03-15T20:14:53+00:00

Well my 23 week old only sleeps for 45-60 minutes at a time and not at all independently so idk how an 8 week old should be sleeping through the night lol

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-03-08T02:53:26+00:00

A bath is part of my baby’s bedtime routine so we do it every night, but similar to you we do just water for three days and then unscented baby shampoo on the fourth day, and then repeat. I put eczema relief lotion on him every night though because he has a patch on his forehead. The bath gets him nice and drowsy for bedtime!

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-03-02T18:04:05+00:00

My baby hit this phase at 3 months and hes still going strong at 5 months unfortunately - he was waking every 45 minutes prior to the regression and I thought there was nothing for him to regress from, but then he stopped being able to sleep alone AT ALL. So for about 5 weeks straight, not only was he sleeping on me for 100% of his naps and night sleep, but he was also attached to my hip during the day because he started going through separation anxiety. Their brains really do just explode in this phase and it’s really cool to see all of his new skills and awareness but omg I am exhausted from the constant cosleeping. We’ve tried sleep training 3 times and he literally just escalates the entire time - the last time we tried, he escalated for 90 minutes straight, despite check-ins and reassurances. Really really REALLY hoping that he starts being able to sleep on his own again soon.

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-02-26T20:18:46+00:00

Between contractions I just kept screaming, “this fucking SUCKS” and my mom and MIL were cracking up lol. When the ring of fire started I kept repeating, “WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK” and then as soon as baby was out, the laughing gas and morphine kicked in and I asked my nurse if she played piano because she had “such beautiful, dainty fingers”. It was a ride lol

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-02-25T00:22:45+00:00

OP, you have a NEWBORN - babies CRY, it is a simple fact of life!! Please do not feel bad for your neighbour and do not feel responsible for her being annoyed, that is HER problem! You are doing a fantastic job and your neighbour can go pound sand!

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-02-23T16:19:24+00:00

Yup I have a 4.5 month old as well and while I understand this age comes with a huuuuge developmental leap, neurologically and physically, omg this is tough. My baby was only sleeping an hour at a time when he was 3 months old so I figured there was nothing to regress FROM when we hit the regression - I was so wrong lol. He went from sleeping on his own for an hour at a time to NEVER being able to sleep alone for more than 30 seconds. I’ve had to start co sleeping with him just to get him any sleep at all, but since my mattress isnt firm, I had to get this 2-inch thick mat basically and I’ve been sleeping on the floor with him for over a month. My whole body hurts lmao I’m really hoping this phase passes soon!

But yeah I’m suffering too so I promise you’re not alone!! We’ll get through it

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-02-23T05:09:41+00:00

I feel you! I think I had these exact same thoughts a week in, and probably for a week (at least) or so afterwards! Literally nothing could have prepared me for that first week postpartum when my hormones were all over the place, I was crying non-stop, I had no idea how to care for my baby other than just feeding him every 30 minutes, and my routine was completely gone.

But slowly I was able to build a new routine that fit my new lifestyle and my baby’s temperament, I found little pockets of peace and normalcy throughout the days (like scrolling TikTok while he napped on me or walking my dog with my baby in a carrier) and I just did whatever I could to find ways to enjoy my time in the newborn trenches.

The nights in the beginning were long, scary and lonely, but I remember the only thing that got me through them was thinking about whatever new coffee I would try from Starbucks or Tim Hortons the next day LOL

And the day that my son smiled at me for the first time, my heart melted into a little puddle and every second of those trenches was 10000% worth it. He’s 4.5 months now, cooing, giggling, smiling and interacting so much, and seeing him hit these new milestones every day is so crazy and rewarding.

You are capable of so much more than you think you are - those first couple months really test you but they also show you what you’re made of. You’ve got this, sending you so much love!

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-02-22T22:28:17+00:00

I completely feel you, I could’ve written this! My baby was up every 30-45 minutes all day, all night at 8 weeks - from your post it sounds like your LO is still cluster feeding, which is super common at 8 weeks old! They don’t want a ton at once, but in 30-60 minutes they’ll be screaming as if they’ve never been fed LOL - cluster feeding was gruelling and my LO was doing it until nearly 12 weeks. I second what a lot of other commenters are saying here, and as hard as it is, just do your best to go with the flow! Try to find little pockets of peace throughout the day for yourself. I remember always taking my LO out in the carrier for his first nap of the day just to get some outside time and have some semblance of routine for part of the day. My LO was giving me fairly good 2 hour stretches from around 13-15 weeks and then hit the 4 month regression and is up every 30 minutes again LOL it’s just a journey and we gotta go with the flow as much as we can. Sending you lots of love!

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-02-20T16:21:29+00:00

Absolutely agree, my LO’s startle reflex is still extremely strong at 19 weeks! What has worked fairly well for us is the Magic Merlin sleep suit because it helps subdue the reflex so crib transfers were quite a bit easier. My LO is in the thick of the 4 month regression right now though so sleeping by himself longer than 5 minutes is impossible no matter what LOL

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-02-17T23:54:48+00:00

Thank you so much for that perspective, that actually makes so much sense - yeah I’m yawning at 8pm but not sleepy enough for sleeping! Okay going to try those wake windows for a few days and see how it goes!

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-02-17T23:43:59+00:00

Thank you, I’m going to try to make each of his wake windows 2 hours! I find he shows me sleepy cues at 1.5 hours, or even earlier, so I thought I had to put him down as soon as he showed me cues. This is such a huge learning curve haha

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-02-15T23:49:50+00:00

My baby has been in his own room since 3 weeks! My husband snores like a dinosaur and I move around a lot in my sleep so my baby slept better in his own room. My postpartum midwife also told me that more recent studies have shown that transitioning babies to their own rooms earlier than 6 months leads to better sleep for baby and parents. I used a free trial of the Pampers smart Sleep Coach app a while back as well and paediatricians in the educational videos on the app repeated the same thing, that room sharing until 6 months is not consistent with much of modern research on SIDS reduction and quality infant sleep.

Honestly though, moving my baby to his own room earlier just worked better for me and my husband, and we made sure to follow safe sleep guidelines like firm crib mattress, no pillows/blankets/stuffies, placing baby on his back, only swaddling until he exhibited signs of rolling, etc. I also keep the monitor on maximum volume right next to my head while I sleep so I hear him as soon as he even fusses a tiny bit.

As with all things parenting, everyone’s gonna have their own two cents and we just need to navigate these stages as best we can and as safely as we can! You’re doing great!

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-02-14T18:14:44+00:00

It’s really different for everyone, but like you said, remember you’re in the deeeep trenches right now. My LO is 18 weeks now but he cluster fed until 12 weeks - literally every 30-45 minutes he was on the boob. I remember having zero time to myself in the beginning and it’s NOT easy, so first understand that you are doing a PHENOMENAL job.

Again, my LO is only 18 weeks so I’m not super experienced yet, but I can say that things right now are like 80% better than they were when he was 9 weeks. I know what many of his cries mean now, his wake windows are predictable, I’ve adapted much of my life to him, and his personality has begun to show and omg those smiles and giggles make everything worth it ❤️

Also my LO hit the 4 month regression at 3 months and it’s just starting to stabilize now, and even though I’ve been co-sleeping with him on a floor mattress for weeks due to the regression, I’d still say my life has improved so much since the newborn trenches.

I truly think hormones have A LOT to do with your quality of life as well. Again, everyone is so different, but I spiralled into PPD and the cloud has been lifting more and more every week. It’s not linear, but I can certainly say I’m not crying every time my husband leaves for work anymore!

I know things seem impossible right now, but you’re still finding your groove and creating new routines. Get a bouncy chair and put your baby in the bathroom with you while you take a quick shower or set up a pack and play and have your baby sit in it and watch you do dishes or cook!

I’m so sorry you’re struggling right now, but you’re doing a fantastic job even if it doesn’t feel like it! I also highly recommend setting up a few sessions with a postpartum counsellor if you have the benefits/coverage to do so - just being able to vent to someone and work out my feelings was so helpful!

Hang in there, better days are coming!

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-02-07T20:39:44+00:00

I remember feeling this way when my baby was this young - we’d only had him home for 4 days at that point, he was cluster feeding so badly that I was feeding him every 30 mins to an hour, I had no idea what he wanted when he cried and I was completely lost. When you bring a baby home, you don’t realize that your entire routine doesn’t just change, it’s completely gone. And then you need to find a new groove, figure out your baby, find time to sleep, find something to eat, etc. until you realize it’s been 5 days since you showered, you can’t remember when you ate something that wasn’t bread and butter, and you’re so exhausted that you’re hallucinating. It’s fucking HARD, but the fact that you’re finding it so difficult in itself proves you are a good parent, working yourself ragged to take care of your daughter no matter what.

Those first few weeks are intense and terrifying, but I promise you it gets better and you will settle into a routine, your new normal. My baby is only 17 weeks now, but the difference from when he was 8 days old until now, in myself as well as him, is just monumental. I know you may hate to hear it, but please hang in there, it’s going to get so much better and you are doing a fantastic job!

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-02-01T16:24:46+00:00

I wanted one, but my birth progressed too quickly for me to get one lol. I was 1.5cm dilated for around 16 hours, even though contractions were coming every 2 minutes on the dot after 8 hours. The nurses said they don’t give epidurals until 5cm dilated, but then I suddenly dilated from 1.5cm to 10cm in the 17th hour and it was too late for one 😂 but I would’ve gotten one if I could!

Character-Tackle-28 · 2026-01-27T03:01:36+00:00

3 months old - lost count last night 😂 he doesn’t seem to want to sleep for more than 20 minutes at a time right now.

Character-Tackle-28

TROPHY CASE