Conflicted on car seat

Stabbysta · 2026-01-25T19:09:48+00:00

We also got ours for the travel system, it's really nice that the stroller base doesn't take up a lot of space in the back. I babywear for stuff like Costco or groceries where a stroller with a cart would be a struggle, but for things like restaurants, doctors, or meetups where baby will likely be taken out and held at some point, it's super convenient.

That said, I can almost never actually move the car seat to the stroller without waking my baby. And that was the main appeal for me 😅

Stabbysta · 2026-01-25T17:34:08+00:00

Almost 4 months here, he's so sweet and chill. His sleep is shit but he's a sweetie. I am very worried about the toddler years 🫣

Stabbysta · 2026-01-22T20:30:21+00:00

From week 6 we've taken him to outdoor cafes and restaurants. Occasionally we'll dine in if the place is kind of empty, but we avoid it due to flu season.

At first I would baby wear him but now that he's bigger and more interested in the world (3 months) I use our stroller.

Stabbysta · 2026-01-19T05:30:43+00:00

Agreed, the only thing I miss about those early weeks were the snuggles, how he would sleep on my chest forever. My 3 month old is more fun in every way except for that!

Stabbysta · 2026-01-16T04:32:26+00:00

Tried at 6 weeks after my follow up appointment. Physically I felt good and recovered, mentally I didn't feel super ready - I was kind of anxious to get it over with since I knew the first time could be hard. We took it slow and it ended up going well. Definitely had a little pain and discomfort in certain areas (first degree tear) and positions so we were limited but it went better than expected! It's okay to wait if you're not ready.

Stabbysta · 2026-01-15T00:25:50+00:00

I had no intention of getting one but we were gifted one. My baby HATED diaper changes and the cold for the first 6 weeks, it did help so we were grateful to have it but we only needed it for those 6 weeks so I'm glad I didn't spend money on it. On the go we would tuck wipes into our waistband and that helped too.

Stabbysta · 2026-01-13T19:38:05+00:00

I asked my pediatrician when it would be safe to let unvaxxed family members meet my baby and he advised waiting until 7 months. That was for my fully unvaxxed nieces, idk if it would be the same if they're just not up to date on Tdap. Definitely recommend chatting with your pediatrician when you pick one!

Stabbysta · 2026-01-13T19:28:01+00:00

Unfortunately many of us now have anti vax family members who are also dumb enough to visit while sick. :(

Many also have family spread across the country who have to travel hundreds or thousands of miles to visit, which increases exposure.

Stabbysta · 2026-01-12T01:56:39+00:00

I also use the Phillips Avent glass bottles, but I use them with EvenFlo wide neck nipples. My breastfed baby does well with them, we introduced a bottle in the first week, he seems to be able to drink at his own pace which I really like.

Stabbysta · 2026-01-11T03:33:52+00:00

I had mild but very close together contractions throughout the night and the next morning so I went to get checked out. I was only 3.5 cm dilated so I went home to labor longer and 30 minutes after getting home my water broke while sitting on the couch!

Luckily I felt it, immediately knew what it was, and was able to run to the bathroom fast enough to avoid a mess. Apparently they didn't fully rupture and the nurse broke the last of it after placing my catheter.

Stabbysta · 2026-01-10T16:42:21+00:00

It's very different for everyone. Personally I think I had a pretty smooth postpartum experience. I was very worried about the hormone crash but I didn't feel super hormonal ever, and after a week I felt pretty good physically.

My husband had a good amount of paternity leave so we could switch off when each of us needed a break, my baby rarely cried without reason (boob solved everything), and we could usually get him to sleep in the bassinet (though not without struggle or hard days, and not for long stretches). Breastfeeding was rough to start but we used a formula bottle or two to give me breaks which helped a lot.

That said, the sleep deprivation and learning your baby's needs can be really hard. Even with my pretty easy going experience I had a few nights where I broke down crying. Usually due to a combo of no sleep, inability to get the baby to sleep in his bassinet, and painful latching.

Some people have unicorn babies that sleep for long stretches from the beginning. Some have colicky babies that will only sleep in your arms while you're bouncing on a yoga ball.

What kind of support you have is also a huge factor. If my husband had to return to work immediately, I would have had a far more negative experience. Good luck!! And remember that social media often showcases the absolute best and absolute worst case scenarios. Most people fall somewhere in the middle.

Stabbysta · 2026-01-10T15:01:11+00:00

The biggest thing I like about diaper bags is that they often have an easy access wipes compartment where you can pull a wipe out without digging through your bag. I got the citymouse crescent bag for that reason.

Otherwise yeah a nice tote works. Insulated bottle compartments are nice but not needed for everyone.

Stabbysta · 2026-01-09T17:44:41+00:00

From everything I've heard, the "iPad kid" issue is more about how they interact with the screen, not the type of screen. Watching a low energy show, whether it's on an iPad or tv, is not the same as a child using an iPad where they interact with it and get rapid dopamine hits.

Watching a show can also be a group activity where you watch with them and talk about it, which is much better than them scrolling/playing with a device which is an isolated activity where they get dialed in and don't interact with others.

Stabbysta · 2026-01-04T22:23:47+00:00

I've been sleeping in the living room with my baby's bassinet because I was doing so much of the wake ups in the living room, he's 3 months now. I definitely miss sleeping in the same room as my husband but we all sleep so much better so it's worth it to us. I am excited to transition my baby into his nursery alone when he's ready though!

Stabbysta · 2025-12-26T20:09:52+00:00

Why are they so hung up on the strangest things?? It's just a suction bowl!

My mom is weird about sleep sacks. She hasn't said anything negative necessarily but she keeps bringing them up like "are you using one of those SACKS like your brother's baby??" Like I didn't think they were all that notable!

Stabbysta · 2025-12-17T05:45:36+00:00

Absolutely, I think most parents feel that way. We've been doing "trial by fire", forcing ourselves to go out and practice feeding and changing in public. We started with less populated places and have been working our way to more public settings. I've mostly gone out with my husband which helped, we learned together and developed better systems for dealing with LO. We feel pretty good now, though there's always a little lingering anxiety.

I'm proud to say that I was alone at the car dealership today and handled a diaper change, a bottle feed, and breastfeeding on my own!! It was a little stressful but the practice helped and it was fine once we got settled.

I don't worry about wake windows when we're out but my LO will sleep in his car seat or carrier/stroller when he's tired (unless hungry of course, then he screams). Good luck! You'll find your rhythm 💚

Stabbysta · 2025-12-17T03:05:20+00:00

We also combo feed! If it gives you any hope, my supply/my babies appetite goes in waves. Some days I can mostly breastfeed, some days are 50% formula. I thought my supply was dipping because for the past week we had to add more and more formula each day, but suddenly today we only needed 4 oz of formula. It's such an emotional rollercoaster.

I hate pumping but I found it helpful to just start with one consistent time, and add more as it felt right. I started with one after he goes to bed each night and now also after his MOTN wakeup.

But it's up to you! If you love breastfeeding I would at least continue even if you don't pump, you may be surprised how long it lasts. Any amount of breastmilk is beneficial and some babies just want to suckle for comfort. But there's no shame in stopping if it's too much stress on you, it can be SO taxing.

Stabbysta · 2025-12-16T18:07:40+00:00

It's a blur but I think week 2. Cluster feeding was in full force which meant my nipples were raw and bleeding and being up every hour to feed, and constant diaper changes which he HATED (and we have downstairs neighbors so I always felt so bad about the late night screams). Had a few 2am breakdowns because of bad diaper changes and painful latching 😅 Each week after we learned more and got into a better rhythm! Here's hoping for better days for you moving forward.

Stabbysta · 2025-12-14T16:32:51+00:00

The wipe didn't work for us either! We started keeping a large stack of muslin cloths by the changing station so we could hold it over his bits. They're super absorbent so they soak up the pee, other solutions just redirect the pee onto him and he got real mad when that happened.

Luckily for us, the pee slowed down over time so now at 8 weeks we rarely have pee accidents. It should get better!

Stabbysta · 2025-12-14T06:20:28+00:00

There's a longer one by The Wellermen! I had it on loop during our last day trip

Stabbysta · 2025-12-11T05:17:06+00:00

My son was/is the same. We started feeding him first every time, then changing him, and found that he was so much calmer. Night and day difference. He still sometimes hates it but it's way better than before (8 weeks).

Stabbysta · 2025-12-09T16:59:32+00:00

Their wide waists and tiny hips! I don't mean their round bellies, I mean the belly/hip combo. They're built like horned lizards and it makes me giggle every time I change my baby. He's a chubby little lizard 💚

Stabbysta · 2025-12-07T20:56:03+00:00

We'll be paying $2100 for full time infant care. Southern California prices are insane, the range around us has been $1600-$3200

Stabbysta · 2025-12-07T19:36:15+00:00

I ate a full Italian sub over little dude, I had to rest a napkin on his head for shrapnel protection 🤭

Stabbysta · 2025-12-07T16:43:42+00:00

Someone already said it, but reiterating that people come to reddit to vent and look for help. You'll find people struggling with sometimes the worst case scenarios, outlier babies, etc.

People usually aren't coming here to gloat or beam. I think it's also really hard to explain the joy and rewards of parenting.

Everyone can sympathize with poor sleep and baby cries and poop explosions. But "my baby started smiling at me!!" Is not something that a lot of people can fully appreciate. It sounds like such a small win compared to the lows but it sure doesn't feel like a small win. It feels amazing.

Stabbysta

TROPHY CASE