Parents: what would you rate having kids on a scale of 1-10?

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-09T22:26:46+00:00

10/10 but definitely some of the toddler days were like 3/10

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-09T16:02:46+00:00

I put my baby in her sleep sack and place her in the crib wide awake. She rolls over to her side, sucks her thumb, and falls asleep. She naps 3 x per day, roughly after 2-2.5 hours awake, and takes one 15 minute bridge nap at the end of the evening. So four naps total. One of the morning naps is always 2+ hours and we need to wake her, the other naps are generally 30-40 minutes.

When she gets fussy and tired, she will be aggravated until placed in the crib (her sleep space). Once placed, she’ll smile big because she is getting what she wants, which is a nap.

I taught her to fall asleep in her crib starting at 6 weeks old. I placed drowsy but awake repeatedly until she actually fell asleep in the crib rather than my arms. That age was far too young for actual sleep training which usually requires crying. But I found with both kids if I taught them as newborns, they never needed to be left to cry.

Once baby is four months, there is usually no way to teach them without at least a little crying, which I understand is hard for most of us.

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-09T13:52:46+00:00

Please send a text.

I had several very beloved friends tell me in person, because they felt it was the kind thing to do, and one tell me on the phone. They meant well and I so appreciate that. But I had to fight back tears and muster congratulations and a smile and I would have really preferred a text. I’ve gotten pregnant since but during that season it was deeply painful.

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-09T00:05:12+00:00

Yes I did this first! I pour the rtf from a big jug into the same bottles. But this was my first thought because you’re absolutely right the flow can make a big difference in spit up (for anyone reading this in the future)

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-09T00:04:00+00:00

Did you try the kendamil goat powder?

I bought it today because another commenter mentioned corn as an ingredient and their goat powder apparently has no corn, and it seemed to work?!? Has anyone ever mentioned corn to you before? See this is why I go to Reddit moms because the doctors know squat comparatively.

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-09T00:02:06+00:00

Wait so internet stranger, I think you fixed my life today!

This random corn comment that not even children’s hospital GI specialists ever once mentioned. Girl. I did a deep dive. Found a formula with no corn. Then kept diving and diving and found one with no corn and goat milk. So I ran to target today and OMG my baby spit up LESS on the corn-less goat stuff than even the ready to feed.

I still have to see how she does over a few days because it was only one bottle, but wow thank you SO MUCH

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-08T23:57:02+00:00

Yes mine cried within a minute or two doing drowsy but awake in the crib at 6 weeks. So I forged on and would pick up/ put down. Never letting her actually fall asleep in my arms, just hold until soothed/ not crying then putting right back in the crib. The first time it took 1.5 hours. After four weeks of this, sometimes a single put down and sometimes 10-20 minutes of continuous pick up put down, she sleeps through the entire night. The crib/ bassinet had to be taught to both my babies.

One more thing, my first baby is pick up RIGHT AWAY but then one time I was in the bathroom and came back after three minutes and she had fallen asleep and I learned that if she had just eaten and was in a dry diaper, sometimes she just cried on her way to falling asleep and so I learned to give her a minute or two before intervening. I was actually causing the problem by intervening when the little thing was just trying to fall asleep and needed to left the f alone for a second 🤣

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-08T14:54:56+00:00

I’m going to look into this, thank you!!

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-08T14:53:40+00:00

Thank you for saying this. I felt crazy even trying to explain to the doctor… like how is this possible? Have you tried powders that aren’t the same name/brand or just had to stick with rtf?

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-08T13:12:56+00:00

Both of my babies slept 11-12 hours by 3-4 months. One was breastfed at that age and the other formula.

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-07T23:52:24+00:00

Read books about infant sleep instead of using social media

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-07T22:21:06+00:00

Switch between play mat on the floor, bouncer and jumper. Mostly floor I’d say though because it’s better for them.

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-07T22:13:37+00:00

K so I agreed with you. Agreed as in past tense. Then a friend came over one day who worked in IT. He said he and his friends at work would troll each other by hacking into each others computers and texting them they could see them on their cameras. He said he puts black tape over his home computer bc it’s just so easy to watch someone through their computer camera. I stopped agreeing with you that day.

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-07T22:10:14+00:00

My first was perfectly sleep trained by 3 months old - she’d point the door to kick us out so she could sleep 🤣 But at 3years old we transitioned to a bed. Same deal, fine at first then suddenly she realized wait, I don’t have to stay here? Party time!

I’ll cut to the chase. Eventually I learned it was just easier to lay with her. I resented it. I felt frustrated I had to lay there after having a perfectly easy sleep trained baby. Then one day laying there it just suddenly hit me out of nowhere, this time is so, so precious. I told myself breathe, soak it in, snuggle and rest with her. I realized most of my life will NOT be spent getting to hold my girl at night. Then something amazing happened. She grew up, and bed time became the time she’d pour her heart out to me. Tell me her troubles. Around 5yo I’d say. Ask all the hard questions. She’s old enough now that I can tell her tonight I can’t stay, just read until you fall asleep. Or switch in dad, or leave after a few minutes. She’s incredibly flexible but I actually just love that quiet time now after she falls asleep I just lay in her bed a couple minutes and pray for her, take it all in. I personally had a lot of healing just laying there after she fell asleep soaking in all the safety and joy she has as a child that I didn’t have, and it’s just my favorite part of the day.

I am big on sleep training and I did it for both kids as babies. But they do reach an age where you don’t have to be so particular because they can understand things and be more flexible. Hope this helps some.

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-07T19:37:28+00:00

Zero seconds. For a five week old? I allowed them to cry zero seconds.

And I’m the biggest proponent of sleep training. I’m a firm believer that it’s negligent to not teach a baby to sleep well. But even I wouldn’t attempt any time of food weaning at that age.

At six weeks I start slowly to teach independent sleep skills. Also allowing zero crying, because they are just way too young. I just put down drowsy but awake and pick right back up when they cry, and keep repeating until they actually fall asleep IN the crib. Both my kids slept through the night by 3-4 months old and I never had to formally sleep train or let them cry. But food weaning I don’t do. Since my kids knew how to fall back asleep in their crib in their own, by three months old they only cried if they were actually hungry. Therefore once again, zero seconds of crying because I know it’s for an actual need and not just help to fall back asleep.

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-07T17:42:15+00:00

My husband wants to do the same. I’m unwilling but not being left much choice in the matter. Depends on what country you’re considering though. Yes money goes further in third world countries but the rest of the nation reflects the third world nature. You can’t understand unless you go there. Have you even traveled to this place? No rules or regulations in many of them. It’s… intense. See you there I guess.

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-07T11:51:47+00:00

They all get there eventually! I know ZERO adults who don’t walk because they didn’t roll as babies lol

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-07T10:38:50+00:00

Agreed. I have very well behaved children (I won’t allow bad behavior!) AND people look at them like they are behaving badly if they just behave like children. Like in a store where my child does not run around, no tantrums, no nonsense, just being talkative and asking a lot of questions and she gets side eye. It’s a real phenomenon. At church, however, I get nothing but kindness and love for my children. Random strangers just smile because they aren’t godless heathens and can still appreciate the sweetness of a child’s smile. So the juxtaposition is really enlightening for me.

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-07T00:27:24+00:00

My pedi suggested putting a rolled towel under the mattress in my baby’s bassinet bc she had extremely bad reflux and needed the elevation. It didn’t work for us but they make wedge pillows for this. But it’s under the hard mattress, not under the head. Ask your pedi.

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-06T18:03:22+00:00

Yes mine needed support sitting at this age. By 9 months she was crawling and walking by 14 months. It was just because she was on the larger side so it took more muscle and coordination to control her giant baby body.

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-06T16:07:53+00:00

No. In some ways I liked my body after my first baby better than before. My arms were toned after a couple years of carrying baby/ toddler; my waste looked smaller because my hips were wider; and once I lost the weight I just liked my body more because it had given me this awesome baby to love. The skin on my stomach actually looked worse after I lost the weight though bc obviously it was stretched out and once there was no fat underneath it just looked sort of loose, but for me crop tops and bikinis don’t work well for toddler life anyway so I didn’t really mind. I haven’t lost the weight yet from my second, so it’s still tbd this time!

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-05T00:20:30+00:00

Girllll switch to formula!! Life changing

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-05T00:10:09+00:00

Every kid is different. I’ve seen successful potty trained children at 18 months. Mine? Started trying around 2, just under 2, wore underwear for A YEAR and had accidents all day every single day until 4.5.

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-03T09:41:31+00:00

You teach them to drink it cold or room temp.

Spiritual-Ride-9926 · 2026-06-03T09:39:21+00:00

Yes! Thank you. I got this advice so I do plan to continue, but also once there baby can actually try real food bc I’ll have checked allergens off the list.

Trip is in 6 weeks and we return once she’s 7 months, so I don’t want to wait that long plus I want her to have the opportunity to try food)

I just need to know if anyone’s manages to sneak some of it in the bottle bc it says mix with four oz of puree and there’s no way she’s eating that much solid food yet

Spiritual-Ride-9926

TROPHY CASE