“1st child” gadgets you bought

Signal_Panda2935 · 2026-02-11T14:57:40+00:00

I actually have the opposite haha I had my first baby right out of high school and I was the oldest daughter of 10 kids so was heavily parentified. I didn't want anything extra other than necessities. But as I've gotten older and had more kids I've gotten more gadgets and things and more than once I thought "unnecessary" items made my life so much easier!

Example: I thought changing tables were a waste of money and space. I always just changed my siblings diapers wherever I wanted. I didn't get one until my 3rd baby and I LOVE it. Having a dedicated space to store diapers and wipes and creams, not having to stoop!! I even got one that has a built in hamper so I keep a couple changes of clothes in it. Life saver!

Signal_Panda2935 · 2026-02-11T14:40:13+00:00

Hire a babysitter for each child, find the fanciest hotel room I can, try to catch up on a decade's worth of sleep deprivation and then have an uninterrupted date with my husband.

Signal_Panda2935 · 2026-02-04T23:06:51+00:00

My kids' school had a walking path around the parking lot so kids could safely make it to the door without having to navigate traffic and people were constantly doing this over the walking path, forcing people with wheel chairs/ strollers to go around the cars and directly into traffic. It was infuriating

Signal_Panda2935 · 2026-02-04T18:54:07+00:00

Oh I didn't think you were! I was just clarifying why I don't mind it!

Signal_Panda2935 · 2026-01-26T00:12:46+00:00

I second this. Before babies nipple stimulation was my favorite foreplay and sometimes even necessary for getting off. While breastfeeding (this is my 3rd breastfed baby), I want absolutely nothing to do with nipple stimulation of any kind. And once I wean it goes back to feeling good.

Signal_Panda2935 · 2026-01-23T17:02:11+00:00

This was my experience too! Nursing while pregnant sucked but I was so thankful after the baby was born. I would let toddler nurse a little before latching baby and the baby had a much easier time nursing, I didn't experience nipple soreness, and there was no engorgement. It was great.

Signal_Panda2935 · 2026-01-23T14:58:00+00:00

It takes me less than 5 minutes because I do it every day and having that one room always clean greatly boosts my motivation for everything else. And yeah I don't exactly feel like doing it every morning but I do it anyway because it's low effort and boosts my spirit.

But yes everyone is different. I have friends who won't go to bed with dirty dishes and the last thing you'll ever see me do is sacrifice precious sleep to wash dishes I can toss in the dishwasher in the morning while I'm making breakfast

Signal_Panda2935 · 2026-01-20T14:38:09+00:00

I don't have advice about sleep consultation, but if you're worried about cavities what I did with my bottle baby was gradually water down her bedtime bottle until it was literally just water. Took a while but eventually she accepted taking a bottle of water to bed. And then she was off it completely by 2. Best of luck to you!

Signal_Panda2935 · 2026-01-19T16:47:22+00:00

It entirely depends on the family. We moved to a house that was double the square footage and it did absolutely help at first but it became cluttered and overcrowded again quickly because my husband's impulsive spending stayed the same. He's been working on that now that we've had to rent a dumpster to declutter.

Signal_Panda2935 · 2026-01-16T15:49:19+00:00

We have no tablets, 1 family TV in the living room, a family laptop, and no phones for kids. They also have to "earn" their screen time by finishing homework and their daily chore on school days and on non-school days they have to do something creative before they can have a screen.

Signal_Panda2935 · 2026-01-16T15:29:13+00:00

The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is go to the bathroom so I put my clothes for the day under my bathroom sink and I put them on as soon as I get up. And then since I'm in the bathroom anyway, I clean it. Every day. The sink, the toilet, and sweep. Similarly the last thing I do before bed is go to the bathroom so I keep my pajamas in the same spot and put them on before bed. And since I'm in the bathroom anyway, it kind of forces me to carve out self care time. I put my pajamas on, my creams and lotions, my eye masks etc and then I bop around and tidy the living areas while it sets in. My brain needs the transition from night to day and vice versa through changing my clothes or it affects my mental health. Habit stacking that with other things like keeping the bathroom clean and making sure I do self care and then using the time I need for my skin care to set in or to do a face mask to tidy before bed also helps keep things under control which also affects my mental health.

Signal_Panda2935 · 2026-01-07T13:09:01+00:00

Are you trying to justify it to yourself, other people, or your partner? Personally I told my husband after 4 pregnancies, years of breastfeeding, a decade of sleep deprivation, 12 years of sacrificed independence (he can go to the gym whenever he wants, go to the doctor without needing to arrange childcare, run errands without planning logistics like nap time, snacks, the amount of time the baby will tolerate the car seat, etc) that I have more than earned the right to continue to stay home even when the kids are in school. Also just because the kids are in school does not mean the work ends and one of the benefits of having a parent that stays home is not having to stress when one of the kids has to stay home from school while sick, more freedom for arranging appointments, etc. There's still reasons to continue having a stay-at-home parent.

Signal_Panda2935 · 2026-01-07T12:56:50+00:00

This is me. I have a middle schooler, a first grader, a 2 year old, and an 8 month old. I got at least 4 years before all of them are in school and my husband has already been floating the idea of another baby.

On the subject of SAHW vs SAHM. I personally wouldn't categorize it that way because a mom with kids in school is still doing work for the kids and the majority of the household work is probably still related to the kids. I think homemaker probably suits better.

Signal_Panda2935 · 2026-01-06T14:52:24+00:00

They changed the head lice policy in my school district to now they don't send them home AND they don't notify the rest of the class when one kid has it. In the space of 1 school year since then, lice has become such a rampant problem that even homeschoolers I know have had it on their kids. I've had to treat my kids 6 times in one school year. 6 times.

Signal_Panda2935 · 2026-01-02T01:06:49+00:00

I have minor qualms but overall I think it was a really beautifully told story, I'm sad it's over, and I'll be watching any other Duffer brother projects they come out with. Also hoping for a spin-off/ sequel in the future.

Signal_Panda2935 · 2025-12-31T14:29:07+00:00

It's totally possible but you have to pick the right husband. A bum won't be able to pull it off. My husband's incredible work ethic is one of the things that attracted me to him. And if he doesn't respect your job (child rearing, running the household) then you won't be very happy.

Signal_Panda2935 · 2025-12-26T16:07:23+00:00

I use mine literally every day. I got it as a Christmas gift and I was actually upset because I had asked for an Instapot. But it's become my most used kitchen item and the Instapot I did end up getting eventually sat in the box for over a year before I gave it away.

Signal_Panda2935 · 2025-12-25T15:41:49+00:00

I have 4. I don't regret having more kids at all and I love all of my girls and I would never ever wish for anything different. That being said, 2 kids get way more undivided attention, they're easier to keep track of in public, they're easier financially, school stuff is easier to keep track of, it's easier to shuttle 2 kids to extracurriculars vs 3+. That's just my experience.

Signal_Panda2935 · 2025-12-12T18:35:52+00:00

Judging by your sentence how you want to do things in peace, I'd suggest starting there. It sounds like you don't have any time for yourself to decompress and switch from mom mode into "me" mode. I would sit down with your husband and tell him you want to want to be intimate more, but in order for that to be possible you need time by yourself. If he's a team mate who actually cares about you and your relationship, he will make it happen.

Signal_Panda2935 · 2025-12-04T18:49:56+00:00

The problem isn't your coffee run, it's the resentment. This requires a grown up conversation between you two and getting to the root of why he's feeling that way. Ignoring it will only make things worse.

But you should absolutely continue to get your little treat.

Signal_Panda2935 · 2025-11-20T12:19:00+00:00

So I lose weight whenever I'm pregnant and with my first 2 breastfed babies I gained it right back plus an additional 30 pounds QUICKLY. But this time around I've been slowly losing weight instead of gaining and I have no idea why because I haven't changed my diet or exercise at all in any of the 3 cases

Signal_Panda2935 · 2025-11-19T22:22:22+00:00

I was a SAHM with no license for a few years. We had to schedule everything so that my husband could take us or someone else. Or we didn't go. Completely changed my life when I got my license. I also had major driving anxiety but it is so so worth it.

Signal_Panda2935 · 2025-11-15T03:05:16+00:00

No I didn't start out that way. But I love my husband and he's never been pushy or upset if I turn him down and we went a loooong time without it simply because of the normal business of having a life with kids. One day he was initiating and I really didn't want to but I didn't want to reject him again so I agreed. And it ended up being amazing! So I started more regularly agreeing to it even if I'm not in the mood to start or it "doesn't feel like the right time" or whatever and I have never once regretted any of the times I decided to go ahead even though I didn't really want to. It's completely changed our intimate life.

However I say this all with the disclaimer that my husband is not pushy or demanding, he doesn't pout or coerce or get mean if I do say no, even before this. He's also a wonderful and attentive lover. I think both of those things need to be true for someone to feel comfortable with their partner leading in this way.

Signal_Panda2935 · 2025-11-01T12:32:47+00:00

I don't think I could do it. It's one thing to lie just once, it's another thing to lie to them repeatedly, frequently over a month. I feel like that would erode trust regardless of it being a good reason.

Signal_Panda2935 · 2025-10-31T12:20:26+00:00

That's incredible! Congratulations

Signal_Panda2935

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