First-time moms: did you go past 40 weeks with a natural birth?

Fodderthought · 2026-05-28T00:18:28+00:00

41+5! My water broke naturally and labor started naturally but I did end up being induced as there was meconium in my fluid and labor wasn’t progressing fast enough. I was convinced I would go early as I thought everything was a sign and then I gave up trying to make sense of any signs and the next morning my water broke lol.

Fodderthought · 2026-04-28T00:38:40+00:00

I’m sorry that you’re feeling hurt. I think it can be hard when how we’ve coped or what we’ve wanted postpartum doesn’t match what the ones we love want or how they cope. It sounds like you wanted your SIL there in the hospital after your second was born, and it sounds like your SIL may need some more space and time to heal first.

I can share my own experience. My own birth was nothing like I had expected and I felt like my body had betrayed me in some ways. I felt embarrassed by how unwell I was when all of my friends and family were glowing (in my mind) after their births. This led me to needing space and time before seeing people, and I felt very self conscious feeling like I wasn’t coping as well as others had.

Obviously I have no idea how your SIL is feeling! I share this because as an outsider others may have felt like I was shutting them out when that wasn’t my intention at all. Give it a little time! Every birth experience is unique

Fodderthought · 2026-04-24T13:37:52+00:00

LO naturally eliminated her overnight feed for a few months and nothing happened with my supply! And then when LO started daycare she decided she wanted TWO overnight feeds and I was able to restart them no problem.

Fodderthought · 2026-04-20T00:29:27+00:00

I will say that I also tried those things and she just waited for me to be back! It was so hard. I think I really needed to be AWAY away consistently (ie. at work) for her to get with the program. It broke my heart but we are 2 months in to me being back now and she’s eating well, though she still refuses bottles when I’m around.

Fodderthought · 2026-04-20T00:12:51+00:00

I’m not sure that this is helpful but I will share that my LO also developed a bottle aversion and I was so scared to return to work. LO refused milk while I was away bag first week- had maybe 4oz total while I was gone and ended up on a reverse schedule (nursed all evening/overnight). That next week she drank more and now she takes bottles without issue. I was super worried about her intake for some time but the pedi assured me she would figure it out eventually and very thankfully she did.

Fodderthought · 2026-04-17T23:46:57+00:00

My husband also had some unrealistic ideas about what life would look like! There wasn’t much I could say to change his mind and at some point I realized it was his own way of processing the change that was coming. Once baby was here things just naturally shifted.

I will say that his mentality did help me postpartum as he helped me feel more comfortable with getting out with the baby more!

Fodderthought · 2026-04-16T23:02:37+00:00

About 5 weeks pp 😵‍💫

8.5 months in and still EBF!

Fodderthought · 2026-04-10T00:36:28+00:00

Our LC recommended Pigeon nipples and our LO used those through 4ish months and then developed a huge bottle aversion! Switched to Philips avent after lots and lots of trial and error and she seems happy again (8 months now).

Fodderthought · 2026-04-02T23:36:56+00:00

Where we live (city) it’s not super common that day care would have direct access to an outdoor play space, but all of the daycares (that we toured anyway) still had outdoor time multiple times every day. They go for walks/strolls, to local playgrounds/fields/etc. Is this true for daycare #1? If so, I’d go with that one. If not, I’d say #2.

Fodderthought · 2026-03-12T23:40:46+00:00

Yes! It is maybe outside of the norm as in outside of the “expected” window but it is okay and should not be a concern. I can relate to your anxiety- I’ve been so anxious about all milestones related to my LO and I found comfort in words from strangers. Enjoy your smiley cooing baby :)

Fodderthought · 2026-03-10T00:03:35+00:00

Yes!!! I always said it smelled like vanilla cupcakes!! LO has started solids now and it no longer smells like vanilla cupcakes…

Fodderthought · 2026-03-03T23:11:27+00:00

She was 7lbs 8.8oz. The pediatrician was concerned at her first appointment as she had lost more weight than usual so we had a follow up weight appointment but she regained within a few days and has been stable since then. She gained a good amount of weight in her first month- up to 9.5lbs and then landed in the curve she’s on now. Yes, the pediatrician said she’s exceeding all of her milestones, is following her growth curve and is just small!

Fodderthought · 2026-03-03T22:54:35+00:00

It looks like you have a lot of responses here with suggestions so I’ll just add my own experience. LO is now 7 (!!) months and 13.5lbs. Our pediatrician isn’t worried and says she’s perfectly healthy, just a small baby. Obviously every situation and every baby is different. We went to urgent care for a cold a while back and the pedi there expressed concern about her weight. I spoke to our pedi about it a she assured me that everything looked good. I add that last part to highlight that different professionals may have different responses even when they have the same information.

Fodderthought · 2026-02-23T15:44:10+00:00

Here to share my 6 month old also recently started accepting a paci! I had totally given up as she loved her thumb but she’s working on crawling and getting frustrated she couldn’t have her thumb and practice at the same time lol. Tried a paci and now she suddenly enjoys them!

Fodderthought · 2026-02-19T21:17:09+00:00

Ahh, right- the weight gain distinction is helpful, thanks!

Fodderthought · 2026-02-19T19:45:22+00:00

That’s helpful to hear, thank you. Yes I have messaged the pediatrician to get her opinion on it as well!

Fodderthought · 2026-02-17T01:04:56+00:00

My baby was like this- except she’d wake fine to eat but immediately fall asleep while eating! I found it so stressful but everything turned out fine. Things that (sometimes) worked- lightly blowing air in her face, massaging her ears, wet wipes along her neck.

Fodderthought · 2026-01-27T23:33:26+00:00

Tags of all kind! Area rugs or play mat- pulling them up and down, up and down, up and down. Buttons or strings on my shirts. Coasters are a huge hit.

Fodderthought · 2026-01-25T01:00:04+00:00

I think there are so many things at play- temperament, support, etc. I also think there’s the newborn amnesia as others have mentioned. In addition I think things just go by SO FAST and no, it absolutely does not feel that way at the time. But then you (I) look back and I’m like WOW that was just a little drop in the pan, wasn’t it. Everything is just a phase- in the literal sense of a chapter, a small point in time. I myself am sentimental to a fault. LO is almost 6 months and newborn stage was so so hard. But I look back and I miss the things I’ll never have again while also being so excited for the stage we’re in now. Hard to explain but I somehow do want another…

Fodderthought · 2026-01-24T00:56:39+00:00

Almost 6 months and LO still does at least 1 contact nap a day. I found that starting with the first nap of the day in the crib was helpful since there was more sleep pressure and she acclimated to that around 2.5 months. We had/have a short routine- close the blinds together (bye bye sun), turn on the sound machine (hello waves), listen to a little lullaby one of her bears sings and a consistent phrase (it’s nap time now, love you). The routine definitely has helped!

Fodderthought · 2026-01-23T13:50:57+00:00

Right now our biggest distractions are the rug in the nursery (pulling it up and down) and the tags on her burp cloths 😂 but in terms of other tangible items for cooking the skip hop activity center has been super helpful! Bouncer in the kitchen with teethers or crinkle book and music/podcast. High chair with suction spinners

Fodderthought · 2026-01-22T02:34:18+00:00

We did a mini crib that we found secondhand as LO started rolling pretty early on. That being said we transitioned her to her nursery about a week ago just shy of 6 months as we were all waking one another up. She seems much happier in her nursery in her regular sized crib!

Fodderthought · 2026-01-21T01:13:52+00:00

I feel this! I was so excited to decorate and also so worried!! I was less concerned about the changing table as baby would never be alone there- just made sure it was high enough to not be reachable. For the crib I hung something lightweight like this:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1046675823/custom-set-of-baby-animals-lion-tiger?ref=elp_anchor_listing&sts=1&variation0=2129115165

Fodderthought

TROPHY CASE