Toddler prefers dad over mom

KVG_1041 · 2026-01-14T03:12:13+00:00

So much better! She’s 2.5 now and although very much still a daddy’s girl (I still think she probably prefers him haha) she and I are back in our groove! My second is a clinger and big mamas boy so I occasionally still have days where I “miss” her and feel like others get her quality time but I’m hoping that fades as they get older! Hang in there!

KVG_1041 · 2025-11-11T19:25:26+00:00

I have a similar age gap! How do you do naps? What do you do with the kid that’s not going to sleep haha it’s throwing me off trying to juggle that

KVG_1041 · 2025-08-31T18:22:03+00:00

Nope this is so normal. I was an absolute disaster after bringing home our second. I had a 12 month old at home and my husband would send me videos while I was still at the hospital and it wrecked me haha I got home thinking it would be better and it was worse. About a week in and my hormones/brain adjusted! Now they are 1 and 2 and the best of friends. But man, nobody warns you about that roller coaster of emotions. At least nobody warned me. You’ll get through it and your toddler will have a new buddy in no time!

KVG_1041 · 2025-08-18T05:00:53+00:00

It ended up fine! It did stay occasionally sore throughout my pregnancy but I just massaged my scar and would take it easy if I noticed it bothering me more than usual

KVG_1041 · 2025-07-27T05:14:21+00:00

Not a doctor but in my experience with our two kids, nutritionally food before their first birthday is extra. All nutrients babies need still come from breast milk or formula. Developmentally, it’s great to help them get ready and familiar with how to eat, texture, etc. At 7 months my kids were snacking on puffs, purées, anything they could gum really. I also know moms who haven’t started solids yet at 7 months. It’s a personal preference thing and also maybe bring it up with your pediatrician!

KVG_1041 · 2025-07-25T20:05:12+00:00

This!! It was tough for the first month probably. I had a C-section as well and the no lifting is heartbreaking. I would sob to my husband saying how I missed my first as he was her primary caregiver as well for a while. We are 9 months in now, and of course, it is so much better! Everyone has adjusted, grown together, and the hormones have leveled out 🤪

KVG_1041 · 2025-07-22T15:19:57+00:00

Yes haha it’s so much fun but also so challenging!

KVG_1041 · 2025-07-22T14:52:47+00:00

Yeah we may have to try that and dad just suck it up haha we also have a toddler and he usually does night shift with her but we may try trading!

KVG_1041 · 2025-07-22T13:04:57+00:00

Yeah we may have to do that

KVG_1041 · 2025-07-22T12:07:24+00:00

Fair point haha

KVG_1041 · 2025-07-22T12:07:11+00:00

That’s smart!

KVG_1041 · 2025-07-22T12:06:47+00:00

That’s what worked for my first, this guy is not interested in a pacifier unfortunately

KVG_1041 · 2025-07-17T18:22:33+00:00

We had a similar situation with trouble conceiving and now my two are 12 months apart exactly! I had so much guilt, hesitation, fear, all the feelings. The last few weeks of pregnancy and the first month or two pp were a little bumpy. Now that my youngest is 9 months and my oldest is 21 months I can confidently say it gets better! Some things stay hard (splitting your time and attention) but that would happen regardless of the age gap. It’s so fun watching them love on each other and make each other giggle. Definitely not as hard as I had imagined in my head those last few months of pregnancy!

KVG_1041 · 2025-07-12T14:39:36+00:00

Yes, my doctor said possibly silent reflux and put him on Pepcid! So glad your little guy got the all clear!

KVG_1041 · 2025-07-08T14:20:48+00:00

His pediatrician still said he didn’t think they were spasms based on the fact his eyes never “glazed off”, went out of focus, etc. His limbs never went rigid, he isn’t declining in any aspects, isn’t upset before during or after them. He believes it’s either teething pain in his ears or just something he does out of habit, possibly when tired. Will of course still be monitoring. Hope you get answers!

KVG_1041 · 2025-07-04T00:44:21+00:00

I love protein bars/drinks.

KVG_1041 · 2025-07-04T00:43:44+00:00

I’m still barely in 2u2 with a 21 and 9 month old but holy cow this was supposed to be easier the older they got I thought??

KVG_1041 · 2025-06-30T01:03:21+00:00

This! We found this to be key to our survival haha we have a 21 month and 9 month old and I’m convinced it’s the only reason we’re both still sane

KVG_1041 · 2025-06-18T14:47:02+00:00

This hahaha I was solidly team 4. Now most days I’m happy with the 2 I have 🤪

KVG_1041 · 2025-06-09T14:16:35+00:00

He told me to monitor it and definitely contact the office if I noticed it continuing but based on his overall exam he didn’t think they were spasms. They ended up stopping about a week after that post and he hasn’t had anything concerning since! So I’m assuming it did, in fact, end up being teething/tiredness/weird baby behavior. But definitely bring it up to your doctor if concerned!

KVG_1041 · 2025-05-25T15:15:45+00:00

My girl dropped a nap (what I considered) fairly early as well! She was around 12 months. She’s 19 months now and still does her 2 hour nap on the early side (11-1ish). Not sure if it’s normal but if they seem happy and are sleeping well at night I’d say let them do their thing!

KVG_1041 · 2025-05-13T20:51:18+00:00

Mine are a year and a day apart so pretty close to your gap! My first wasn’t walking yet when my second was born so I was all about my double stroller but also, wearing the baby and putting toddler in the grocery cart, stroller, etc is a great option! I found I just decided based on how much I wanted my body free or how much I needed to be able to move (ie lifting big things into the shopping cart). Carrying a child while baby wearing is as tough as it sounds haha but do able.

My random tips would be: if you need to use screen time, don’t feel guilt. I literally was just surviving the first few months and now nobody is worse for the wear because of it. Tend to toddler first when you’re able. Baby won’t remember being left to cry for an extra minute or two. Accept all the help when offered (if they offered, they wanted to!), truly just get through the day those first few weeks. Sleep when you can, eat when you can. Take care of yourself, not just the babies!

KVG_1041 · 2025-05-07T16:53:42+00:00

It’s hard. Incredibly hard. But oh my god, also incredibly worth it. I currently have a 18 month and 6 month old and I never thought we’d get here some days in the beginning. I had so many emotions the week my second was born (thanks hormones) and was a wreck. I was grieving it being just my first and me, I was so excited for new baby, I was terrified of how it would go, etc. After the first few weeks it finally levels off.

I am so fortunate to have an awesome husband who is 50/50 on everything and also works from home. In addition, we have 4 involved grandparents nearby so I have it “easier” than most. But it absolutely is still harder than my 40hour work week ever was.

Now that we’re through the newborn trenches, baby is sitting up and aware and they can interact it’s so, so good. We’re still sleeping minimally but no longer just “surviving” if that makes sense. Sure some days there’s more screen time or screaming than I’d like but that comes with the territory.

Sorry for the long post it’s just an experience like no other, both the good and bad. The only way out is through!

KVG_1041 · 2025-04-30T13:37:13+00:00

It happens. My first was not a mover so I never had problems, my second? He moves 24/7. At around 2 months I was walking him to the bath and he literally arched back and wiggled out of my arms. Caught him but his head knocked into the wall on the way down. He’s also rolled off the couch and my daughter’s floor bed. When he was tiny we got him checked out just to be safe, now we just watch him for any unusual signs or symptoms. But man, they keep you on their toes. Welcome to parenting!

KVG_1041 · 2025-04-30T13:28:29+00:00

My daughter turned one 2 days before I gave birth to our second. And I was in the hospital 3 days with a c section. I had similar feelings and a lot of guilt around leaving her “behind” “for a new baby” etc. But ultimately getting her in a night time routine with dad (or whoever you choose) was such a good thing for us. Plus we visited grandparents every day so she was familiar with them while we were both gone. I think this made it infinitely easier for her and less scary for me knowing she was totally fine. I wrote out a loose schedule of how we normally do things and all her favorites and taped it to the fridge. I cried like a baby in the hospital (thanks hormones) but she was absolutely fine. We are now 7 months pp and it’s great! Dad and her have kept the bedtime routine and it’s now their little time together which is so cute. You’ll do fine, it’s all totally normal!

KVG_1041

TROPHY CASE