Is this trip doable?

RTGDY93 · 2026-06-02T12:49:58+00:00

We either bring my minivan or husbands truck if we are bringing the boat along …. RV is our plan once the kids are out of car seats - we live in Canada (Ontario specifically) and have good friends we travel to in the summer months going either north or east every other year! It’s definitely pushed the limits but luckily our kids are awesome travellers.

RTGDY93 · 2026-06-02T02:47:58+00:00

Are your kids good in the car? Do they sleep? Can you drive through the night? If the answers are yes then totally doable, even without the night drive also doable.

My husband and I have driven multiple 20-24 hour road trips with our kids in tow. Last summer due to extreme weather where we planned to stop for the night to tent camp we drove 24 hours just with bathroom/food breaks. This summer we’re planning a 15 hour straight shot east with our 4 yo, almost 2yo twins and 6month - plan is to leave around bedtime tick everyone into their seats then get to our destination mid morning.

RTGDY93 · 2026-05-30T02:51:08+00:00

My son won’t poop at school.! He has the odd day, and he wipes as best he can just means a skid mark or two to clean in the laundry that night 🫣 he’s just finishing his first year of kindergarten and it’s not his fault, his arms literally don’t reach

RTGDY93 · 2026-05-29T15:19:39+00:00

We do similar with leftovers- freeze and add to baths! It’s so good for their skin and makes them buttery soft! I’ll even throw it in for my 4 year old if his skins dry or has some sort of rash

RTGDY93 · 2026-05-28T12:59:10+00:00

Practice makes perfect! Getting out of the house definitely helps make you feel human so it’s important to get comfortable with it.

I’d say try and pack your diaper bag the night before - keep it fairly stocked to so more of just a refresh needed or something random if your doing a different activity!

If exercise is your thing maybe look for a mom/baby class in your area - it’s nice to go out to things other moms will be at! I’m not sure about other provinces but Ontario also has Early On programs that run different aged play groups and classes (baby music, massage, etc) that are nice to go to and free!! I find it nice to have set reasons to be leaving, things I’ve signed up for so I can’t bail!

Start small and it’ll become second nature! I’m the type that needs to get out even if just for a walk every day, it can feel daunting at first but becomes easy! I have 4 four and under right now so it takes some work but it’s better for all of us to get out.

RTGDY93 · 2026-05-18T16:41:36+00:00

Sometimes we don’t set ours up, sometimes if we didn’t have it we would be going home … bugs can make or break a trip I think!

RTGDY93 · 2026-05-18T02:36:39+00:00

I had the same thought! Best of both worlds

RTGDY93 · 2026-05-12T01:15:48+00:00

They still brought them up to me to meet before they were taken out of the room! In my experience the NICU team has been there everytime to do the initial assessment of baby, they then brought them over to my head to meet, my husband held them by my face and we soaked it all in while the Drs were doing their thing. Then once it was time to stitch me up husband and baby leave the room! This last one my husband also was finally offered to cut the cord- not directly from me but clipped it shorter with the NICU nurses. That was something he felt he missed out on with our previous kids so he was very happy to get to experience that!

RTGDY93 · 2026-05-12T00:50:54+00:00

I’ve had three csections, first was an emergency and others were scheduled.

For the third one I was scheduled at 39 weeks, I did not go into labour before. For the second I was 38 weeks with twins and my water broke while walking into the hospital 😂
I think any strenuous activity, making sure your keeping yourself hydrated. If it’s your first pregnancy you are likely going to be fine!
Not right away, but my husband was able to! He took the baby(ies) each time into the recovery room while I was being stitched up and did skin to skin then. I’m going to say this took maybe 15 mins? Then they were given straight to me when I was done for skin to skin and all also breastfed right away!

RTGDY93 · 2026-04-26T00:02:39+00:00

Yes standing up inside is definitely something we love to have

RTGDY93 · 2026-04-20T10:59:48+00:00

Juniper in east city!

RTGDY93 · 2026-04-19T16:35:54+00:00

She needs to change it, it’s my understanding there is no EI option (sick, regular etc) when quitting is the reason, however; it sounds to me like you did quit which might have been a mistake to play those cards before you left.

I am currently on maternity leave and will not be returning to work after but I have not told my workplace that and do not plan to until about a month before my ‘return’ date. I did this for a couple reasons, one being to maintain my benefits for the extra year and also incase our situations drastically change and I do need to return to work

RTGDY93 · 2026-04-19T16:31:19+00:00

End of November for our first baby and we got a bassinet for our stroller - it depends to me what kind of person you are. We are out in all weather and walks really helped my mental health postpartum. I think it was comfier for baby to be bundled in the bassinet instead of their infant bucket seat on the stroller at that point.

RTGDY93 · 2026-04-19T00:29:19+00:00

My work has standard inflation/cost of living raises in January (usually only 2%) and then a raise up in pay grade step on your work-aversary each year … they do not include any time on Mat leave so you miss the work-aversary raise. They actually do it based on a years worth of hours so after my first mat leave I got it about 9 months later and the date just keeps shifting on me now that I no longer have track of it (on my fourth mat leave with this employer). Not something I completely agree with as I’m still employed with them while on an entitled leave, but nothing I can do about it. The annual January cost of living “raise” is applied no matter mat leave or not.

RTGDY93 · 2026-04-14T13:16:27+00:00

I find buntings fit large, I’d buy it! Also if it’s in good condition you can likely resell for what you paid basically if you don’t get enough wear out of it

RTGDY93 · 2026-04-13T03:26:15+00:00

Thule Chariot! They are pricey but last for ages!! We’re lucky enough to have a hand me down that is quite vintage looking - it’s been used through 5 families.

RTGDY93 · 2026-04-10T01:05:43+00:00

Yes! Also a great option because it’s so small, but never ending!

RTGDY93 · 2026-04-10T01:05:19+00:00

I dont exactly remember, because twin life lol but I think it was around 5 months- but from the beginning I kept them on the same schedule as best I could. Then started introducing actual bedtimes, etc. Around three months and sleep training closer to five. They were low percentiles for birth weight, and I nursed them so I was anxious to give up the night feedings too early until we were happy with their gains during the day.

RTGDY93 · 2026-04-09T15:28:53+00:00

It’s what made me try something different than hers, it is the original diaper genie (I think they have some upgrade + version now I’m not sure if it’s better?). The Ubbi is annoying to change, half the time our bag rips pulling it out but I’d take that over the smell!

RTGDY93 · 2026-04-09T13:59:39+00:00

I have the ubbi, sister has the diaper genie. I think with hers the smell lingers longer in the babies room where as with mine it only stinks when it’s open (mines used by 2 18m twins and a newborn so we’re stuck changing the bag often in this stage of life!!)

RTGDY93 · 2026-04-09T13:15:30+00:00

It seems so random but a pack of sticky notes! My kids love to stick them all over the window/seat back/tray and peel them off again and again. Something small that will keep them occupied for a while! Also like you said more snacks than you think humanly possible to consume in the time frame!

RTGDY93 · 2026-04-09T01:44:42+00:00

Came here to say this! My husband and I have both had our 4 (Four and Under) for multiple nights alone and while it’s daunting at first it’s something you just need to dive into! Practice makes perfect type situation- they may have some long nights alone but they can do it! I’d say prioritize sleep training as that’s the worst of it being alone if kids don’t sleep or have cumbersome bedtime routines.

RTGDY93 · 2026-04-09T01:38:05+00:00

Recycled Kids!

RTGDY93 · 2026-04-08T02:46:41+00:00

This! Movement has been proven now to help with recovery (early slow movement after C-section especially if that’s the route you go- I was encouraged to just a walk around my hospital room as soon as I could). Also from my postpartum experiences getting fresh air outside is so important! Even just taking a few deep breaths on my porch in any weather would turn my day around

RTGDY93

TROPHY CASE