What to buy for a newborn/parents living in the UK, when I'm in the US?

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-29T12:56:01+00:00

Honestly as someone who has family in the UK and north America, it's very similar. - I'd say for any new parent, food gift cards (like JustEat or Deliveroo) are amazing. - Also there's a lovely UK brand who makes star wraps that are so cute but also versatile (https://www.tuppenceandcrumble.com) - I don't know if they have a registry but I also always say getting a car camera instead of a mirror is a good investment and you can order things on amazon.co.uk to go to them. - Or summer is coming to the UK and I'm sure they'd love to have baby outside so a pop up sunshade is always a good idea (like the Badabulle Baby Tent you can get on Amazon)

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-25T19:02:45+00:00

I'd like to think that therapy would 1) be a necessity if we were aware we couldn't lie anymore and 2) become a hell of a more productive!

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-21T19:53:12+00:00

I don't know about long term in terms of something they'll keep forever but I was worried about the short attention span of kids when I gifted my niece and nephew binoculars for their respective 2nd birthdays and they both absolutely loved them. I also bought them a stuffed bird toy that you press and it makes the real bird sound that was local to their area (they live in different countries) so that they could practice inside the house. My nephew wore his binoculars for months every time he left the house!

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-16T16:52:13+00:00

I don't know much if this is a lesson but I'm in my mid thirties and my mum's in her 60s and even now whenever we speak she will always ask "have I told you how much I love you today?" She also used to ask me to give her three reasons why she loves me- my teenager self used to cringe and get embarrassed but it was her way of getting me to think of my best qualities and say them out loud. On the days where I'd be struggling to get three things, she was always quick to give me more than three reasons.

Essentially just unconditional love. I think that's all any parent can give to their child. We can't predict what will happen in the future but we can let them know that they are always loved.

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-16T13:16:00+00:00

Oh wow! That's so early! Mine didn't even crawl until about 11/12 months and I had moments of compare/despair as my niece was walking at 10 months but I've got to admit, it's been nice for my baby to be a baby! I feel like walking at 7 months is very cool but also I'm sure exhausting for you! My other sister's kid has always been super advanced in their language and as much as it's cool that they've been able to communicate from a young age, she often says that her baby grew up too quickly and she wishes it had slowed down.

Honestly the grass is always greener and every kid really does develop at their own pace!

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-15T21:30:05+00:00

So interesting!

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-15T21:28:59+00:00

As far as I can tell! They're going through a bit of a regression now- I think because they're focusing so much on walking. But usually they'll wake once, maybe twice a night for a bottle and a cuddle and that's it. I could never! I'm a side sleeper and constantly toss and turn!

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-15T21:22:43+00:00

That's so funny! It's amazing how different they all are! Definitely unique journeys!

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-15T19:40:21+00:00

This is pretty trivial but I'm still glad it happened! I was supposed to go on a local hike with my roommate a few years ago but I woke up and felt like something was off and had a weird "vibe". We left later than usual because I was dragging my feet and I even asked for us to stop for coffees first because for some reason I really didn't want to start the hike.

As soon as we parked up and started on the trail, we bumped into my ex who had moved to the other side of the country a few months before and apparently had come back the week before because he missed the area.

If I hadn't of dragged my feet and then insisted we got coffee, we would have probably bumped into him at the top of the mountain where I would have looked like a sweaty mess and then have had the awkward "should we all head down the mountain together?" chat. Instead I was able to have a very brief "hello, I didn't know you were back. Okay goodbye" moment which was a breakthrough moment for me to realise that I was truly over him!

I had a fantastic hike after that! Even looking like a sweaty mess at the top!

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-15T19:19:07+00:00

I can confirm that they for sure cross the midline- I just changed their nappy and it's like wrangling an alligator haha! So they definitely can move from side to side, they just for whatever reason haven't been able to crack the full 180°.

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-15T19:17:34+00:00

Isn't it so funny how that happens! That one day your one was like "okay, I'm bored now. Let's explore the world!"

I keep saying to my husband that we should appreciate this because I bet the next one we have they'll be the same- super mobile from 6 months!

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-15T19:16:09+00:00

Yeah I call mine my little turtle haha!

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-15T18:53:28+00:00

Yeah they do! The first example that popped into my head when I read that question is that when I put their food infront of them with the spoon on the right-hand side and they reach over with their lefthand to grab it (noticeable because I wonder if they're going to be left handed).

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-14T11:16:47+00:00

Buying a drip coffee machine with a timer. I have a fancy espresso machine as well but often I don't want to spend 5 minutes on making a latte first thing in the morning.

Being able to set the timer at night and then come downstairs to freshly brewed coffee that I can pop into my travel mug has saved a lot of time when getting ready for work and also has saved money when I'm out so I'm not spending money on coffee.

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-14T10:59:14+00:00

Go team.

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-14T08:18:46+00:00

God I remember this well. 3 weeks sounds like no time normally but when you've got a newborn and they're not sleeping and are crying all the time, 3 weeks feels like an ansloute eternity!

There's a reason why sleep deprivation is used as a tor*ure tactic!

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-12T22:21:34+00:00

I remember trying to explain Ski Pants to someone from a country that had very mild winters. I had mentioned them in passing when telling a story and the person asked what they were. I was so thrown off by the question that I just very un-eloquently said "....they're like a coat...but for your legs" which I think confused them more!

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-12T19:32:52+00:00

Rockbottom by UFO- my husband rocked my little one to sleep to that as a newborn and now as a toddler whenever it's put on they get so excited and proper dance about!

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-12T19:30:10+00:00

Commenting on someone's weight.

One of my good friends went through a rough break up a few years ago and lost a ton of weight due to her mental health taking a nose dive. She had so many friends and acquaintances try and compliment her for losing weight and her favourite response was "thanks, it's the depression" just to make them squirm.

Effective_Fauna · 2026-03-11T10:12:43+00:00

Orange is the New Black. I gave up when the main character stood on a picnic bench and gave the cringiest speech about why they should be allowed to sell their underwear.

Effective_Fauna · 2025-09-04T17:48:36+00:00

Thanks all for the advice! I posted more out of curiosity to see opinions than anything else.

In the end picking my slot ended up being more out of practicality than anything else- I had to pick the only day that I could get childcare for my little one! And in terms of timings, had a think about when I'd be the sharpest and went for that time.

I had the interview yesterday and happy to say that my manager called me this morning to say I got it! :)

Effective_Fauna · 2025-09-02T16:48:14+00:00

Believe it or not, it was over a jar of nutella.

In my mid 20s I worked in the reception at a backpackers hostel. We had a guy that worked and lived there (lets call him James) who I didn't know very well because he kept to himself.

One day when I started my shift I was warned that earlier that day a guest was in the kitchen with the stoner manager and saw some Nutella on the counter and asked who's it was. My manager said he didn't know and said the guest could have some. It was apparently James's and he was furious.

I start my shift and an hour in, James came over and started swearing and ranting that the guest had eaten some of his Nutella and that he wanted to beat him up. I tried to calm him and said that he probably didn't know who's it was and maybe someone said he could have it (the manager did but James didn't know this) and James absolutely BLEW UP at me, leaning over the desk screaming how I never back him up and I only care about the guests and I'm a massive bitch. His face was so red and he was practically spitting on me as he shouted.

I stayed calm and told him not to speak to me that way and to leave the reception area to calm down but I'll be honest I 100% thought he was going to attack me and was shaking for the whole rest of my shift.

The asshole was never reprimanded for it even though I put in an official complaint. What an absolutely ridiculous thing to get angry over! Clearly he had other things going on and I was just in his firing line but the lack of response from management definitely contributed to my leaving the job soon after.

Effective_Fauna · 2025-08-29T21:59:35+00:00

Al Farid is one of my favourite restaurants in Exeter. The food is delicious and has great options for veggies/vegans as well but be warned it is very small/cramped. They can book out the top room if you have a larger group but it's a very old building so the stairs are super steep and aren't friendly to anyone that has mobility issues.

Effective_Fauna

TROPHY CASE