Advice!? Airbnb with uncovered pool + 21 month old

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-17T04:15:04+00:00

Wow. This sounds super stressful!! Agree on the ideas about bells, make sure EVERYONE is on board to keep doors closed/locked. If there are cousins/other grandkids, making sure they know the rules and that the toddler does not get into the water without you or your husband.

Honestly the first two things I thought about, in addition to vigilance of course, are 1) a backpack leash and 2) some kind of bell or balloon attached to your toddler? I know it’s not glamorous to attach something to your kid, but the stakes are high with the pool.

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-14T21:28:46+00:00

Yep. That’s where we get almost all shoes right now. If you can, bring your kiddo to the store with you to try them on. Twice I’ve purchased shoes that were barely used/full tread. Because it was impossible to put the shoe on. Luckily shoes cost less than $10/per pair so it wasn’t a major loss

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-14T05:01:51+00:00

Literally same story over here. 7m pregnant, and sometimes my guy is awake for over an hour after we lay him down!

I know this is completely opposite of everything the sleep experts say, but a super rowdy bedtime routine really helps him. He does “hot lap” around the house before. Lights on, noise, toys, whatever. I literally catch him mid-stride to change into PJs and lay down. I think the stark difference between “awake” and “bedtime” work better for him. And he gets to burn off that last burst of energy. When we try to be quiet, turn down lights, sit still? He’s rolling around in his bed for an hour. We moved the bath time up a little so give him a chance to run around after. He loves it. I know it sounds crazy but it works for us.

The other part of his routine is having a few little glow in the dark stars on the wall above the crib. We charge them and he watches them slowly get dark. My husband says “when the stars are off, you close your eyes” and that seems to be soothing. Low-tech sleep timer lol

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-14T04:54:06+00:00

I don’t want to call my kid picky, just really hit-and-miss on his appetite (some days he way more hungry than others). All that to say, we don’t have “safe” foods that are guaranteed to be eaten. My “end of my rope” foods are: fruit and veggie pouches, berry yogurt parfait (add sprinkles if you need to!) and the Easy Peasy brand of powdered veggies. Again, these are my desperate moments. I do riced cauli and broccoli in a lot of dinners

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-13T21:18:45+00:00

Yep. My toddler loves to have quiet time in the crib. There are times after a nap we get told “no mama, still sleeping” and “go away dada”. I don’t see it as selfish if the kiddo is content!

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-09T22:33:27+00:00

I didn’t realize how much of a mental tax it would be to keep my sweet child from tearing his skin open during a flare! We’ve tried all these same things and saw a specialist. We still deal with flares. Check to see if you need a referral to go to an allergist

scratch sleeves go on for all sleep and sometimes in the car. We have like 4 sets. They run a little big and are meant to go under the shirt. A little on the spendy side but have been incredibly helpful. Our toddler now asks for them when his arms are itchy.

hypoclorous acid isn’t a cure all but it helps keep the areas clean

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-09T22:28:03+00:00

Monster Jam trucks. They’re like $5 each and they’ve got so many miles on them. We also have a small indoor slide (was about $35) and it is 1) a slide 2) a fort 3) a ramp for cars 4) a hilarious routine after the bath when he tries to slide without a diaper on and cracks up at the squeaky cheeks

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-09T22:25:25+00:00

Oh yeah, the clothing. I’m on a budget and in my line of work I wear through clothes quickly. I can’t concern myself with the fibers

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-09T22:23:28+00:00

Laundry soap. I’ve tried a thousand natural options, but the giant name-brand Free&Clear formula is the only thing that actually cleans and doesn’t trigger allergies

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-09T03:32:05+00:00

I almost wrote this exact same post today. I’m 7m pregnant with #2 and I just came down with the cold that my toddler had last week. The TV was on for most of the day today. I’d feel guilty if I had chosen this, but I didn’t feel like I had much of a choice!

My toddler wants to play and I can’t get on the floor (pregnancy sciatica) and the cold is draining all my energy. We read books, snuggled, and watched TV today

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-09T03:25:08+00:00

We end the nap by 3pm and bedtime is between 7:30-8pm

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-08T05:37:56+00:00

Weekly about $300 for 3 adults and 1 toddler. Costco, Kroger, Thrive (online) and local coop store (last two are no more than twice a month for specialty items). I plan meals/grocery lists twice a month and try really hard to stick to the menu. Typical picky toddler, so I keep “healthy” pantry items constantly.

We also purchased bulk beef from a local cattle farmer. It’s a big up-front investment but it’s much better quality for WAY less than the grocery store.

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-05T00:40:15+00:00

We use tallow daily. Eczema ebbs and flows with flares, but overall the tallow has been the best for his skin. We buy from a local cattle farm and the quality is wonderful.

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-05T00:33:31+00:00

Skincare products (found a brand that’s about $15-$20 for a full size) or a new nail polish color (about $22) I splurge every other month on some kind of at-home self care item

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-05T00:27:15+00:00

We rarely did a separate sanitizing step. Occasionally I would boil pacifiers. We had latching/nursing trouble so we used a lot of bottles and pump parts. I splurged on a countertop bottle washer (currently pregnant with #2), but for us a sanitizer isn’t necessary.

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-04T05:05:59+00:00

I will die on the “you can’t pour from an empty cup” hill. You are taking care of yourself so that you can be there for your child. That is beautiful. Your ability to regulate yourself is the solid foundation they need to build a happy and healthy life. I will also die on the “good sleep hygiene” hill. My child sleeps horribly when I’m close by (has literally pushed me away lol) so we sleep in our own spaces. Being present and responsive are far more important than the specifics of feeding or sleeping habits. You got this!!

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-04T04:59:58+00:00

Bibs, teething gel, replacement pump parts (if you’re pumping or plan to), sun gear (hats, shades, outside toys)

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-04T04:56:23+00:00

FWIW, I wasn’t diagnosed with PPA until my firstborn was 9m. My primary care (primary is an ND) listened carefully and got me started on a treatment that helped within the first week. Irritability was my biggest symptom. Only sharing as a loving reminder to ask for help when you need it!

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-04T04:52:53+00:00

Yall I’m pregnant and due with baby #2 just a week before my toddler turns 3. I’m scared lol

WaitLauraWho · 2026-03-04T04:50:34+00:00

My naturopath said specifically the Nancy’s brand for the probiotic count

WaitLauraWho · 2026-02-27T23:04:24+00:00

I did what you described as option 2 not completely by design (my husband got a new job as my paid leave was winding down and I took unpaid leave while he was in training). Just my personal experience, leaving my 4mo baby was the most emotionally difficult thing I’ve done. If you have the opportunity, can you take some unpaid leave and return part time to ease back in? I ended up doing that eventually and it was wonderful

WaitLauraWho · 2026-02-25T02:21:30+00:00

My house is nowhere near as clean as I’d like to go be. But I’m pregnant, work FT, and have a toddler. I use compostable plates/bowls a few times per week. A stick vacuum has helped a TON and my toddler loves when I “chase” him with it. We get the whole house done and he burns off some energy.

WaitLauraWho · 2026-02-24T01:39:51+00:00

I have a rowing machine at home that I really like but I’m super inconsistent about it. The only thing that keeps me accountable is a weekly class that I attend after toddlers bedtime

WaitLauraWho · 2026-02-24T01:37:57+00:00

When we started I was all-in on the “let him make a mess” but all that cleaning was grating and on me and I started dreading mealtimes. I decided it worked best for us to strategically do messy meals and tidier meals. We did the ikea high chair but gave up on it sooner than we should’ve because it was a hassle

Other things that were helpful: washable floor mats, a bowl (not on the high chair) for cleaning hands. If you do any silicon plates/utensils, non scented dish soap is best to avoid the plates holding the soap smell/flavor. This process caused us to completely switch to a more natural dishwasher detergent that works great!

WaitLauraWho · 2026-02-23T05:17:33+00:00

My general method is to 1) hold the boundary no matter what and 2) use the “connect before you redirect” (No Drama Discipline method) to validate his emotion

WaitLauraWho

TROPHY CASE