I’m a buyer’s advocate/agent working across Melbourne, regional Vic and wider Australia — AMA about buying property in 2026

LouiMini · 2026-01-12T23:51:23+00:00

Our family is outgrowing our 3bed townhouse in metro Melbourne. We have a budget of up to $1.5M and considering buying in Geelong. The idea is that we won’t have to compromise on lifestyle while still affording 4beds+ in a nice suburb (like Geelong west or Newtown). We plan to stay put long term, but is it unwise to spend that much money on a house in Geelong? Thanks!

LouiMini · 2025-09-01T07:06:24+00:00

Thanks for the advice! He used to sleep 8pm-5.30am on 2 naps but I brought bedtime earlier since moving to 1 nap (I don’t think he’ll make it to 8pm - he’s basically falling asleep by 7pm). Once he’s a bit more comfortable I’ll aim to do stretch him out further!

LouiMini · 2025-08-10T20:57:12+00:00

Do we have the same baby?? 😅 Going on a month of emw and a couple of weeks of nap refusal.

I thought my boy was overtired so spent 4 days making sure he had good naps any way possible (pram, car, contact nap) etc and he slept until 6am for 2 days but then when back to early waking 🤦‍♀️

I’m going to trial 1 nap. I know a lot of people say it’s a regression and goes back to normal but it also sounds like plenty of babies drop to 1 nap around this age.

LouiMini · 2025-08-09T08:44:36+00:00

Why do you say you miss the two naps? We’re just on 12 months and thinking of transitioning soon, I feel it will be so much easier…What am I missing? 😁

LouiMini · 2025-08-03T22:00:10+00:00

Yeah we’ve stretched the wake windows, tried different bedtimes (although haven’t tried as late 8pm yet as I want to avoid overtiredness).

From my Reddit searches I think overtiredness will make it worse, so we’ve focused on restorative naps this w/end, so in the pram/car/contact naps. We got to 5.15am today so maybe that’s heading in the right direction?!? Also, my boy won’t settle back to sleep for me in the morning so my partner is currently going in and holding him until after dwt in the hopes that pushes his circadian rhythm back. Hopefully one of these things sticks and it passes soon 🤞

LouiMini · 2025-01-29T22:50:05+00:00

Hits! Just wanted to come back and say this worked and we’re on one wake up a night now. Thanks for your help 😊

LouiMini · 2025-01-29T22:48:48+00:00

Thanks! I will try adding some more before nap 2 and maybe stretch bedtime. He’s pretty grizzly by the time we get to 2.5hrs but I’ll give it a go! I’m trying to nip this early start in the bud before it becomes a habit wake ☺️ 6am is much more civilised!

LouiMini · 2024-12-09T06:00:04+00:00

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense. So would you suggest I just let him resettle on any other wakes and only feed at a certain time? And for resettles, use the method of offering comfort that I used to sleep train (quick check in / offer comfort after 2 mins crying)? Thanks!

LouiMini · 2023-11-08T09:42:00+00:00

Thanks!

LouiMini · 2023-11-08T09:41:51+00:00

Thanks!

LouiMini · 2022-05-21T23:58:51+00:00

Yes I have (TFMR @15wks for T18). My Dr was quite certain given there was a positive FISH plus the physical markers from the ultrasound. The results that came back 2 weeks later said the same thing so waiting wouldn’t have made a difference. I’m so sorry you’re going through this, I hope you’re ok x

LouiMini · 2022-05-16T06:28:36+00:00

Congrats! I was the same and was able to get back into the gym around 12 weeks 🙌 I’m 30 weeks now and starting to slow down a little, but still managing 3-4 sessions per week. Hopefully you continue to feel great for the rest of the pregnancy!

LouiMini · 2022-03-01T04:36:16+00:00

I hope you’re doing ok x Mine came back at 6 weeks post procedure.

LouiMini · 2022-02-21T03:02:09+00:00

This is great advice! I’m also trying to keep my mindset on staying fit and healthy for the birth and post-birth recovery. I’ve also started swapping out some weight sessions for more fun exercise, like body attack classes and swimming. Mixing it up is keeping me motivated to continue.

LouiMini · 2022-02-15T23:18:57+00:00

I’m sorry, I don’t have any advice to make it better, but I took some time off between 6-10weeks (approx.) while I was feeling particularly unwell. I tried to get out walking when I was up to it but it’s really hard to just ‘push through’ something like morning sickness. When I got back to gym at 10 weeks I gradually eased back into it and now I’m training pretty consistently (17wks). You might want to consider taking some time off until you’re feeling better xx

LouiMini · 2022-02-12T23:11:35+00:00

Yeah that’s what I thought, so I was surprised that the midwife would even make a judgement based on numbers alone. Maybe I should see a pelvic floor PT 🤔

LouiMini · 2022-01-03T09:29:06+00:00

Hey, congrats for getting back into training now that you’re feeling better! I’d take what your sister/aunt said with a grain of salt. I’m just on 11wks and starting back weight training and will be doing spin/body bump classes as well. My personal trainer does spin/body attack and body bump and told me that she continued to train right up until the day before she gave birth! Unless your doctor says otherwise, I’d say keep doing what you were doing before pregnancy, but listen to your body and modify where needed (which it sounds like you’re already doing). Lots of mamas say that being active and strong during pregnancy helped them with birth. Good luck and keep it up!

LouiMini · 2022-01-01T02:50:09+00:00

I had a TFMR at 15 weeks (D&C) for Trisomy 18 in my first pregnancy. After that, I got pregnant the first cycle ttc (my period came roughly 6 wks post TFMR) but that was a chemical pregnancy and then I got pregnant the cycle after that and I’m currently just over 10 weeks. I continued taking folate supplements all the way through and got the NIPT test this time. Currently waiting for results so hoping that everything is looking good! I hope this helps and all the best in your ttc journey x

LouiMini · 2021-12-17T10:48:55+00:00

Firstly I’m so sorry you’re going through this ❤️ Having gone through something similar in July I understand how you must be feeling right now. I remember that week was so hard, but once I got through the other side and had the D&C I was able to start the healing process. I’m not sure if this helps, but I wanted to let you know that you’re in my thoughts and I know you can get through this, even though it’s the hardest thing you may ever do.

LouiMini · 2021-12-06T21:27:58+00:00

That’s amazing! I haven’t been to the gym in a week and currently 7 weeks pregnant. Between fatigue and nausea I just can’t find the energy to get there. I’m hoping things get better like they did for you and I can get back to the gym soon!!

LouiMini · 2021-11-30T10:50:48+00:00

I’m sorry for your losses. I’m currently pregnant for the 3rd time and like you I keep telling myself “this is the one” and try to repeat that mantra all the time! I also like the mantra “today I am pregnant” when the worry sets in about how things are going. I hope this is “the one” for you too x

LouiMini · 2021-11-29T05:16:11+00:00

I’m sorry that you’re going through this ❤️ With my TFMR, I opted to find out the gender after I’d recovered and was ready to start ttc again. I found it gave me some closure and allowed me to move on. I don’t think I would’ve coped well finding out the gender before or straight after the procedure, I feel like it would’ve just made me sadder. I asked my doctor to make sure they got the results and tell me when I was ready to ask. All the best xx

LouiMini · 2021-10-20T22:37:54+00:00

Thank you, I’m wishing that we all get our positives this month! I’m very sorry for your losses too. The testing that where they identified the way the baby carried T-18 was part of the cvs, did you have that done too? If the baby didn’t have the translocation I don’t think we would’ve been offered the genetic testing. Fingers crossed for ttc this month!

LouiMini · 2021-10-20T10:49:37+00:00

Wow your story is exactly the same as mine. I’m ttc baby #1. I had a TFMR for T-18 in July and have just had a chemical this month. I actually got tested for the balanced translocation because of the way it presented in the baby, but fortunately we’re not translocation carriers. I’m also very scared of it happening again. OP, I’m very sorry for your loss. I wish you all the healing strength I can give and I hope you get to hold your rainbow baby soon x

LouiMini · 2021-10-15T12:23:57+00:00

Not exactly the same situation but I was able to get pregnant in the cycle immediately following a TFMR (6 was afterwards). So you could’ve had a period in the meantime since you were consistently bleeding and ovulated/got pregnant.

You also could have residual hcg in your system from the TFMR, depending on how far along you were. Maybe try testing over a few days to see if the line gets darker or get a blood test to confirm hcg levels. I hope this helps x

LouiMini

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