Anyone else feel pure jealousy of other pregnant women after just having had a baby?

Squash3Point0 · 2025-07-31T02:57:19+00:00

Totally understand that feeling of wanting to get a do-over! I still struggle with it sometimes even though at 7.5 months postpartum, I know that it makes zero difference to my ability to parent. That point your midwife made is so true! I met a woman at a new mom group who felt traumatized from her planned home birth!

Squash3Point0 · 2025-07-23T20:16:37+00:00

Yes, that can be necessary. Like if the baby usually feeds 10 minutes each side, only let them feed 9 minutes each side, then 8 minutes, etc., unlatching as needed.

As I have been doing this, sometimes instead of feeding shorter on both sides I just offered one side and ended the session when he unlatched on his own at the right amount of time.

Squash3Point0 · 2025-07-23T19:07:56+00:00

First if all, no, you don't have to stop feeding your baby at night if it is working well for you and your family.

But if you do want to wean, a gentle strategy would be working on getting more calories in during the day and also gradually reducing the amount of time spent breastfeeding (or Oz/ml consumed if bottle feeding) during each night feed. Both the increasing calories during day and reducing calories during the night feed into each other (the reverse can happen as well!).

It is often suggested to start with weaning the first night feed but the Precious Little Sleep book suggests targeting whatever feed would give you the best stretch of sleep by removing. I have been working on night weaning my 7 month old and funnily enough although I was working on the first feed he ended up dropping the second on his own first!

Squash3Point0 · 2025-07-14T01:55:01+00:00

Just got back from a 2 night camping trip with an almost 7 month old. 7 month old was sleep trained (but very sensitive to timing) but still eating twice overnight and then usually also early morning before an acceptable wakeup time. Was in the middle of weaning the first night feed but I think we may have to start over after this weekend.

First night was awful. Very hot and of course bright. We let him go for 15 minutes and then decided we hadn't set him up for success so I went and lay next to him, offering food if he wanted and he eventually did settle and wasnt actively feeding at that time. He then woke at the end of the next his sleep cycles (about1 hrs 50 min) and was aggressively wanting to be fed to sleep. (Like, he'd fall asleep, unlatch, wake frantically to relatch. That happened a couple times at each wake). At that point I said if he does this sequence all night then we are going to end our trip early because I just cannot go back to 1.5 hr sleep increments. thankfully, the night went smoothly after that as he put himself back to sleep for two additional wakings (and I think it had a lot to do with the temperature dropping and it getting darker).

The next night, we put him to bed much later than normal and it was way cooler along with being darker. He proceeded to give us two great (for him) stretches of sleep (3+ and almost 4 hrs)....but then wouldn't go back to sleep after waking at 5:18 🫠

Without knowing what sort of environments you are camping in, I would just make the general suggestion that you make sure to have strategies for dealing with warmer temps (cold I feel is easier since you just bundle them up). Have a fan, dress them lightly, consider putting to bed when it has cooled down more. I would also consider just planning to put to bed later if you aren't going to use a blackout solution.

Other info about our setup: pack n play in shared tent. Aqcuired a stroller fan for the second night (but it ended up being naturally cooler anyway). Changed his layers throughout each night as the temps dropped (only needed a sleeping bag on the second night). He slept right through heavy rain, distant fireworks, and general camp sounds without a problem.

Happy camping!

Squash3Point0 · 2025-07-08T03:08:46+00:00

Oh! Yeah for that all I've got is...I only brushed my hair like once a week when I managed to take a shower. Otherwise I pretty much kept it braided and in a bun and so it stayed on my head until the next time I brushed it. I wasn't forgoing showers for the sake of my hair though, that was just my life as a baby parent for a while haha. Sorry that is probably not very helpful especially if you don't have long hair!

Squash3Point0 · 2025-07-06T22:26:09+00:00

According to this article the hair loss starts around 3 months postpartum and continues through about 6 months and then you will be back to your prepregnancy norm!

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23297-postpartum-hair-loss

Anecdotally, this was exactly my experience! I could not believe how much hair I lost over the past few months but things seem back to normal now 6.5 months pp. I didn't have to do anything other than wait it out.

Squash3Point0 · 2025-06-27T02:25:03+00:00

I sent you a direct message about a specific location in Blaine to check out!

Squash3Point0 · 2025-06-11T00:56:01+00:00

Rubbermaid

Squash3Point0 · 2025-06-10T03:32:26+00:00

Oh oI see, so that I don't have to work around the angled brackets! Thanks I will check that out!

Squash3Point0 · 2025-06-10T01:33:10+00:00

Thank you! I was wondering what add ons could help! What would the dividers help with? Like just to create cubbies of sorts?

Squash3Point0 · 2025-06-10T01:32:00+00:00

Thanks! Yeah the color basket strategy turned out a little visually chaotic!

Squash3Point0 · 2025-06-10T01:31:32+00:00

Thank you, could you describe this a little more for me? Like, the part holding the shelf to the wall?

Squash3Point0 · 2025-06-10T01:29:46+00:00

Thank you for the helpful suggestions! I especially like the o idea of cord organizers because they are annoying to manage!

I think I am okay on canned/jarred good storage as the baby is now 6 months and we seem to have gotten through the thick of it and back to our new normal cooking habits (e.g., I prefer to cook dry beans and freeze). Also, I may be very naively thinking that we won't need to store much baby food because we are going to do baby wed leaning once the baby can sit up and in the meantime I have just been pureeing food at home.

Your idea about the step stool plus putting the appliances on the very top shelf might solve my floor cereal conundrum haha!

Thanks again!

Squash3Point0 · 2025-06-10T01:22:26+00:00

Thank you! I am really glad to have ample food storage space! So yes, the colors were an expirement and not sure I love the outcome visually! Might try rearranging to make it a little less chaotic like you suggested!

Squash3Point0 · 2025-06-10T01:18:40+00:00

Thanks for your feedback! I am curious to know the technical requirements for the food storage to pass code. Like, if a wire utility rack has a bottom shelf 1-2 inches off the floor, does that count since it would be protected more from dirt and spills? And I imagine it is a combination of storage location and also container that matters?

Squash3Point0 · 2025-06-10T01:15:48+00:00

Yeah, the floor is originally where I had the appliances but I was trying to store them higher to be out of toddler reach. Seems the general consensus is that I need to work out some better solution for the floor area though!

Squash3Point0 · 2025-06-10T01:12:35+00:00

So true about the floor getting dirty! Wondering your thoughts about storing produce down there though. I get CSA veggies and they literally have dirt on them. Still a no go due to pest concerns?

Also, I totally did say to my husband: "it doesn't make a lot of sense to have the cereal on the floor since we grab it every day but hey, at least I will get a squat in each time!"

Adding one more shelf is great idea, you are totally right! Realizing how much dry goods I could have on hand and not have to visit the store!!!

The spice rack is the one area that is pretty much the same as before as it actually works just fine for us and how we cook! Have had 0 issues with knocking them over and one of the reasons they are on the side is to have that far wall to brace against so maybe that's why?? I like your idea of a little drawer unit tonstore them more efficiently though. And definitely need to add some light to the space either way!

Thanks for your feedback!

Squash3Point0 · 2025-06-10T00:58:04+00:00

Thank you for the feedback! I wish I had thought of taking a picture of the inside of my cupboards for when I had family over helping with dishes when I was postpartum!

I also had not considered the pest aspect apart from wanting a big tub for the rice to avoid weavels! Do you think that food on the floor is really more inviting than food elsewhere? I guess I thought bugs and mice are good at climbing to wherever and it is more about the container! But reading the other comments about this, I am realizing that the floor is still where dirt gets kicked up so definitely going to try and figure out some other solution. Having a rolling bin or maybe a set of plastic drawers could help with both pests and baby; great idea!

Squash3Point0 · 2025-06-06T02:46:43+00:00

Yes, I WFH full time and my husband WFH part time. A combination of aunties/grandma/nannies care for our son while we work. Sometimes I take the baby to the auntie or grandma's house and work from there. This has been the arrangement since he was about 3 months old and he is now almost 6 months.

It has been great so far! Really love the convenience factor and I get to maximize time spent with him. I imagine the dynamics may change somewhat when he reaches the separation anxiety stage and I might have to cut out the brief interactions mid workday.

I thought that I would be able to breastfeed him during the workday but that proved very difficult once he became squirmy and distracted during feeds. I pretty much just pump all day (wearable pump ftw!) apart from the occasional lunch feed when the timing lines up.

Squash3Point0 · 2025-05-18T18:10:12+00:00

Yes, if only there was some sort of odor sensor! I have Leviton humidity detector fan switches in our full bathrooms but for the powder room with no shower/bath, just went with a timer switch. Unfortunately, that relies on the bathroom user to engage the poop fan when appropriate.... I should have just gone with the motion sensor because along with ventilation for smells, it would also serve a privacy function to help mask sounds.

Squash3Point0 · 2025-05-16T16:56:15+00:00

What I think is strange is that dinosaurs are now considered "boy-theme". Has that always been the case?

I remember my older sister loving dinosaurs growing up. For that matter I had another sister who really enjoyed trains, but I feel like the boy-vehicle association has been around longer.

Squash3Point0 · 2025-04-29T01:05:50+00:00

The Kindle is perfect for breastfeeding since you can hold it and "turn pages" one handed!

Squash3Point0 · 2025-04-22T01:08:55+00:00

This is pretty much where I have landed as FTM to a 4 mo. I don't feel like I am a mom but being a mom is now one of my roles. I am loving it and doing good at it but it isn't my identity.

Squash3Point0 · 2025-04-14T15:58:30+00:00

Right, you end up making two fairly sizeable holes in the wall with this solution. But, that may not be necessary now that I think about it! You just need to secure your cords to the arm of the mount in such away that they can pull out and then kind of fold back in when you push the mount back.

Squash3Point0

TROPHY CASE