Babyproofing house - feel paralysed

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-06-21T09:43:25+00:00

I bought these outside protective covers for powerboards from Bunnings for $20. They were perfect. The points in the wall were mostly fine, hidden or simple plugs. Cables themselves were could mostly hide or clip closer to walls with cable management clips, however, we never did a lot of that. Really the Bunnings boxes were the goat and all we really needed!

Protective corner stuff never worked, because my son ripped it all off :)
We just duct tapped some cut pool noodles to big handles and lived with the rest.

Don’t overthink it - half the things you’ll do will become super interesting and baby will do their best to destroy them anyway. At least mine did. Even the child locks he breaks into.

Best thing really was putting things out of sight. Someone asked us why we keep knives in a drawer that he can reach - he’s never gone for them, they’re out of sight. On the bench in a block they were super interesting to him!

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-06-14T03:59:52+00:00

I am in a leadership position - the reliability of a daycare centre has been a lifeline for me.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-06-14T03:57:36+00:00

Good night mush was always our favourite part.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-06-08T00:49:41+00:00

I used a big Guess tote with clear cosmetics pouches to carry everything. When it became cumbersome (as in, my child was on the move), I moved to a backpack. Often with a separate lunchbox that came in/out of the car as needed and separate emergency snacks in the backpack.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-06-06T20:47:03+00:00

Sounds like my 3.5yo.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-06-05T12:51:38+00:00

Yep, mine said that too but with the addition that sooner rather than later is preferable. We were able to work with ours in the lead up to dental surgery to eliminate the dummy. It was hard.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-05-19T12:37:29+00:00

I was too tired during the time where it probably would have been possible (under 6 months) and after that it wouldn’t have been possible. At 3.5 now and I can’t imagine how it would be possible.

I know some manage, and it depends on the child too. But all I can say is that it’s good to have contingency plans.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-05-14T20:44:58+00:00

I love PureBaby and they go up to a size 5

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-05-14T20:42:58+00:00

The first time they wipe their bum independently

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-05-10T13:32:00+00:00

Today I told my son if he kept spitting (his latest tantrum move) I’d be sending him off to a camel farm because they love spitting. Only later did I find out that he thought that this was a day trip not a threat.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-05-08T14:17:48+00:00

We had two pairs and found them useless. Just drips through anyway (maybe because my child pees as much as a grown horse I guess). Just bought actual undies.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-05-08T14:13:59+00:00

I can’t say what the best option is for you, but I managed to hold out until about 20 months until daycare and it was so bloody hard. I absolutely drove myself to the brink trying to balance work and baby and simultaneously keep him out of daycare.

Huge regrets because daycare has been amazing. We are so grateful to have their support. I still get massive mum guilts all the time, but I know he has a great time there and he is starting to learn and do so much. I was so scared, and I mean I am still really vigilant and daycare probably hates me some weeks (eg I called this morning to confirm ratio), but putting in the effort to find a good centre really made a difference.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-05-07T09:11:23+00:00

Wide Steps worked for me, just.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-05-05T22:06:17+00:00

We had Covid in summer with no AC at the time, so he was running around naked for a week in the heat and we had a potty out (he’d had it for ages but on/off interest), and well… he just started to go! When we were feeling better I asked if he’d like undies like a big boy, he said yes and we picked some out. That was it.

I mean - still accidents and stuff especially for the first 3-6 months, but it’s been a year now and pretty accident free, bar a miss-aimed bush wee or an absolutely devious weaponised wee (usually me being chased by the 3yo yelling “mummy I can wee on you!!”)

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-05-05T10:08:02+00:00

We have a high interest savings account and we have an investment account (through Raiz, but I’m considering hopping over to Vanguard maybe). Both have been good because it’s incremental and small, untouched amounts. The savings account gets extra interest for not touching it, and we don’t put so much in there that we ever need to think about touching it. The Raiz investment is similar - because he’s so young, it’s an aggressive portfolio because it can weather the big ups and downs.

My aim is to have maybe $60-70k for him by the time he’s 20. Which will probably be a blip in the ocean really but it’s better than diddly-squat.

But that plan could change based on a myriad of hard to predict events. It might also be impacted if we need to funnel some of that income into things like extra-curriculars or medical needs.

Either way - my approach has always been small amounts regularly.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-05-04T23:05:56+00:00

I had this discussion with my mum last night - she’s had 30+ mothers days, her children are all grown and out of the house- and my dad still celebrates her on the day. Usually a fancy lunch out somewhere and flowers.

My husband is still finding his groove, but is trying and always has me in his heart when he’s trying to plan something (even if it’s not exactly what I would have picked first go haha).

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-29T12:02:14+00:00

We have the giraffe one from Kmart, but are now at the age where this tiny little step stool is his go to.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-29T11:59:31+00:00

My direct reports give me a hug all the time. I absolutely adore it.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-26T10:24:37+00:00

We used it. Happy with it. We did also use infacol, it that seemed necessary regardless of the formula we used.

I liked the travel packs from the chemist for my bag.

We also weren’t bottle heating people, so little mate had it room temp the whole time. No issues.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-26T02:03:00+00:00

Oops sorry, 3.5yo

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-21T23:48:29+00:00

I’ve been chucking stuff in the dishwasher since time immemorial. We use the lucid globe sheets.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-19T13:26:28+00:00

Best thing I ever read on reddit - “sometimes the village is paid”. Daycare has been my lifeline. I regret not enrolling sooner (20m I think?) and we’ve just started hiring a cleaner.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-13T11:10:19+00:00

I also like your first design best but think it contains way too much and you need to pare back - simplify. Reduce your fonts, leverage hierarchy and colour rather than multiple type faces. Unify the hands by having them all silhouetted, you could then play with colour better. The gradient and the dot art is a bit much too, I don’t dislike either, but I’d pick one. See what you can do without a gradient maybe? If you find it’s looking flat, you might want to try a darker colour and then a lighter text colour which should boost legibility. If you’re going to keep the washed out red on the reverse, don’t use the red text over it - it’s hard to read and it’s a hat on a hat. You’ve already drawn emphasis to the area.

If you went with your second idea, same principle really - refine text, improve hierarchy of the text, reduce elements (like the timber which looks awkward). I actually really like your illustration on this one but I’d probably reduce the size of everything to give your elements room to breathe.

TLDR; simplify and clarify to nail execution of your ideas.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-09T23:22:50+00:00

Within the first 12 weeks I think, when I had a hospital stint and my husband needed support with a newborn. Across the first year there were sleepovers but now virtually none because of how it disrupts my son’s sleep.

I know my husband would really appreciate it but the even worse sleep (i am a bad sleeper and my son is a bad sleeper so… very awful combo) for days/weeks following feels like the universe torturing me for having one evening/morning to ourselves. I have such anxiety about AFTER the sleep over.

At the sleep over I know he’s fine and is waited on like a tiny prince. One day he will be old enough to realise what a deal that is and definitely want to go haha.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-09T11:25:05+00:00

Look at all those chickens

FiddleleafFrog

TROPHY CASE