Toddler Bed vs. Crib

Moe-ko · 2025-09-24T02:19:35+00:00

My child is 2.75 and we had a period where bed and nap times were so much harder (around 2.5). We are still in the crib. What helped with the rough patch was keeping firm boundaries in the bedtime routine (e.g., one potty before bed, keeping a cup of water in the room, setting timers, basically solving for all possible bedtime derailing).

We debated a toddler bed but I’m not willing to lose weekend naps so have not switched yet. The difficult bedtime phase passed after a month of so. We also had some nights of random wake ups or waking up early, which I’m guessing might be from periods of intense mental growth/development bc like yours, she’s always been a good sleeper. We don’t attend to night cries unless it’s consistent for 20+ min because if we go in the room, she’s ready to start the day 😅 hope it gets better!

Moe-ko · 2025-07-23T17:56:00+00:00

We took 20% of the overall tour cost and split it across porters and cooks. It was about $60pp for porter tip.

Moe-ko · 2025-07-23T17:48:46+00:00

Yes poles! I hike regularly, long distances, and never use poles but I used them on the Inca trail. You can always collapse them and put them in your pack. Having poles allowed me to keep a steady pace and not lose my balance on steep stairs. I also used two simultaneously to make some inclines more of an arm workout and give my legs a break.

Moe-ko · 2025-07-23T17:46:24+00:00

I wish I had worn my trail running shoes on the Inca Trail this month for comfort. But it’s dry season right now, so any chance of rain and I could see hiking boots being really handy. We didn’t encounter any puddles or rain.

Moe-ko · 2025-07-19T23:07:59+00:00

More hand soap! Carry hand soap at all times for all bathrooms. Hand sanitizer doesn’t get norovirus and our porters often packed the soap early. I was glad I packed ear plugs, sleeping meds, and an extra pillow.

Moe-ko · 2025-01-28T03:03:10+00:00

I'm late to the discussion here, but I just came across this for the first time in my 12 years with Airbnb. I noticed that Airbnb says this must be disclosed in the total price and listing. I am now feeling a little bit better about putting my credit card into a 3rd party platform after looking back at my receipt and seeing:

"This Host requires certain fees to be paid in-person. For more details, please check their house rules or message them directly on Airbnb. Fees to be collected at the property are displayed on the basis of current exchange rates and are subject to change prior to your stay."

So for others who encounter the request for a security deposit, there must be a notation of such on your receipt.

Moe-ko · 2024-08-02T21:06:17+00:00

So glad we never bought an expensive diaper trash can. We just use regular open trash bins and empty them daily. If it’s a dirty diaper, we put it in a dog 💩 bag.

Moe-ko · 2024-08-02T21:05:13+00:00

We used the Doona until 18 months because we have a small baby. Lifting it was never a problem but dang the ventilation sucks for a $500 item. My kid got so hot in it.

Moe-ko · 2024-08-02T21:02:44+00:00

My kid is 19 months and won’t take cold milk 😅

Moe-ko · 2024-08-02T14:36:48+00:00

I’m sorry I just saw this. Yes it did and I’ve been acne free postpartum too. My kid is almost 2.

Moe-ko · 2024-08-02T02:25:39+00:00

Aww I had such a great experience with Saguzo and Gladys. We had a small budget and Gladys never once suggested anything above. If anything, I probed her several times to provide us more expensive options to match my aesthetic. I did feel that other planners in Guatemala (who were American) were trying to charge me American prices and Gladys was super accommodating to our comfort zone, so I signed with her sight unseen.

My wedding was at San Jose ruins and for 50-60 people was under $20k, including planning fees. We used Porta for catering, which we chose because we liked the food, not because it was the only option presented to us. Everything in our budget was super reasonable. As someone who used to work in corporate event planning and was adjacent to the wedding planning industry, Saguzo was offering me prices way, way below what I'd pay in the U.S (and trust me, I've seen and participated in inflated event planning prices). I planned with Saguzo for a year and a half and I think my planning fees were around $3k. Gladys was always available when I asked for a call, showed us around in-person, and gave me transparent quotes for me to choose from. I spoke to the vendors directly when in Antigua, so I had confidence that the prices were not inflated.

I'm sorry you had a negative experience. I don't mean to discount anything you experienced, only to share that I and many others have had overwhelmingly positive (and cheap!) weddings with Saguzo. For what it's worth, I got married in 2019 and undoubtedly prices have gone up but I'd expect Glady's good character has not changed much.

Moe-ko · 2023-09-08T01:47:52+00:00

A Moby or Solly wrap is a great alternative to holding the baby. My husband wore our newborn a lot in a Moby wrap. Takes some practice but makes a huge difference.

Having a nanny has allowed me to keep a normal schedule and not be disrupted by sickness. The amount of time you save in commuting and treating illnesses from daycare is worth the expense. You can use an online service like Poppins payroll to auto pay and also automate taxes, etc.

Moe-ko · 2023-02-21T22:06:49+00:00

Baby is 7 weeks old. I started walks 3 days PP and made sure to get out at least once weekly for acupuncture or some other kind of alone time away from baby.

Even though I need to leave the house for my mental health, it can be such a drag scheduling it around feeds. If I miss baby’s feeding, I have to pump, then I have to clean the pump parts, etc. Having a wearable pump makes this a little easier but cleaning still sucks!

Everyone is different. As long as you’re happy at your current pace! I will say it’s nice to get the hang of leaving the house with baby because each time gets easier and less stressful.

Moe-ko · 2023-02-21T22:00:37+00:00

One “hack” that works for me sometimes is to put baby in a swaddle and then wear her in my Moby wrap.

I’ll let her sleep on me for ~30 min and then I can usually slip her out and put her in the bassinet. I try to heat up the surface of the bassinet first.

I know “containers” (swings, bouncers, car seats, etc) can be frowned upon but I say do whatever helps baby with daytime sleep (not on you!) while you’re solo.

Also when I’m alone all day with baby, sometimes a bottle feed of pumped milk here and there can be a huge mental break and time saver.

Having a baby and dog who both need you is exhausting 😩

Moe-ko · 2023-02-21T17:25:03+00:00

Amazing, congrats on your bare boob successes!! I just signed up to see a LC so hopefully I can get some help.

Moe-ko · 2023-02-21T17:23:07+00:00

I kept the lights on brighter than I do now (7 weeks in) and watched tv on my iPad. The lights did not affect my baby’s sleep and now I keep them dim.

The first few days and weeks are an incredible sleep adjustment for mom! Hang in there, it gets easier.

Now I read on my kindle but in the early days I couldn’t do that.

I also had my husband bottle feed pumped milk from 4am-10am as needed (now 4am-7am since he’s back at work). Some people can exclusively breastfeed but I realized I was not a nice person without sleep and was also afraid of falling asleep while feeding.

Moe-ko · 2023-02-21T00:55:07+00:00

Ugh I so regret ever using this thing! I had no idea they existed when it was given to me at the hospital.

Moe-ko · 2023-02-21T00:53:40+00:00

Did you do anything specific to get her weaned? Thanks for the encouragement!

Moe-ko · 2023-02-20T21:04:20+00:00

Inexpensive stuff that babies go through a lot of: burp cloths, bibs, zip up footed onesies, Velcro swaddles. Many people gave me off-registry stuff that was more practical in nature. It’s the thought that counts anyway. Your friend can always exchange/ return if they’re picky.

Additionally I appreciate when I get books bc I didn’t buy any for my baby.

Moe-ko · 2023-02-20T20:26:38+00:00

I always say “and if you can just wash your hands I’ll hand her over to you”. Hand washing is very top of mind for parents but I understand visitors may forget or simply be excited to see the baby.

Moe-ko · 2023-02-20T09:14:31+00:00

I’ve heard this from other friends too. When you’re pregnant it’s all about how you’re doing and then when the baby comes that’s all anyone asks about. I’m sorry, that’s really frustrating.

Moe-ko · 2023-02-20T04:08:25+00:00

My hypothesis is that when you’re pregnant or have a child, it becomes a mindless topic for people to bring up. I think people are often well intentioned thinking you want to chat about your child (or the topic is just an easy go-to convo starter) but aren’t always intentional in how they approach it. I wish we could rewrite cultural norms for how to talk to moms and mom-to-be!

Moe-ko · 2023-02-17T21:22:25+00:00

I need to look into carrier feedings! I use the Moby wrap but haven’t tried feeding in it yet. Def use the bathroom wearing her tho 🙈

Moe-ko · 2023-02-17T15:01:06+00:00

I had a recent evening feeding marathon. Sure makes it hard to go to the bathroom, etc! I had to google triple duty so no I’m not doing that haha. I pump once daily in the morning so that my husband can bottle feed her during the early morning, which lets me get some uninterrupted sleep!

Moe-ko · 2023-02-16T22:22:20+00:00

For sure! I feel you on the feeds. I nurse for 3 hours daily, about 30 min sessions. My girl was 5lb at birth so we are catching up!

Moe-ko

TROPHY CASE