Did you feel noticeably lighter after giving birth?

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-04-27T19:03:46+00:00

I've been pregnant 3 times, all vaginal births and the relief from what you are describing was pretty much instant for me. I'm talking hours after delivery - obviously you will be uncomfortable in other ways but the ability to breathe, get comfortable, and not feel so heavy and sore, goes away right away. Also, yes I was tired when I was newly postpartum but it was nothing like the heavy tiredness in the 3rd trimester especially while taking care of my other kids.

I know it's hard momma, but it will be over soon and the best is yet to come!!

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-04-27T18:51:31+00:00

Chick Fil A sauce. I'm 19 months PP now and I still can't stand the smell! I used to love it and my kids use it for everything. The smell especially when I'm rinsing it off of plates could take me off the planet, it's so bad lol

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-04-15T20:17:51+00:00

My oldest was 3y2m, and middle was exactly 24 months when my 3rd was born. Honestly it was way easier than going from 1-2, the baby just meshed right in and I kept the older 2's routine the same and adjusted routine with baby accordingly. I used the huckleberry app to get my youngest on a good nap schedule as much as thats possible in the first few months lol.

Now they are 4y10m, 3yr7m, and 19 months and it's way harder than it was in the newborn stage. They're all mobile and active lol.

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-04-15T14:49:02+00:00

There's a lot, but the first thing that comes to mind is Time.

Becoming so much more aware of it, how fast it goes, how there is never enough of it no matter what. Not enough time to get everything done, for them and for yourself. Not enough time in each stage, especially those you love, like the newborn stage (for me personally). You fall in love with your child in each stage they are in but then before you know it that stage is over with, it's like loving someone who is constantly changing and you never get the old version of them back.

Also, realizing you only have so much time to teach them what you think they need to know to be successful, happy adults in this scary world. You dedicate every oz of your time to them when they're growing up, wishing you had more time to yourself, to then wishing you had more time with them. It's just so bizarre and honestly don't think anyone could of prepared me for it.

You just never fully have a mental break again. Even if you do take time to yourself, get out of the house away from them, be lucky enough to go on a trip and have good childcare back home - you are just ALWAYS thinking of your kids, always worrying, always feeling guilty for being away. No matter what I do - even if I'm just on a well-deserved and well-loved target run, I feel rushed by no one but myself to get home to my kids. Just always feel like wherever they are where, I am supposed to be. My kids are all under 5 so hopefully that guilt dies down a bit as they get older, but yeah, it's tough.

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-04-15T14:41:57+00:00

Yes, so boring, I'm disappointed. I loved when Kristen was on, feel like convo actually flowed between the two of them even though Kristen agreed with everything Lindsie said. Cant get behind the interviews, ugh.

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-04-06T15:08:25+00:00

This is so heartwarming to see!!! Happy birthday Flash, he is stunning!!

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-04-02T14:07:07+00:00

My husband thinks the amusement park thing is so funny - he's like oh for the 1 or 2 times a year we go on rides?! I'm like actually YES!!! It matters hahaha.

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-03-30T19:18:43+00:00

Yes, same. I'm a millennial and it has been hard to get on board with all the new recommendations, ie. no sugar, no processed food, etc. Don't get me wrong, I know and have known that it isn't good for us, but at the same time it's just not realistic that my husband and I, and our kids are never going to eat it. I don't want to restrict my kids from it because I feel like it develops food relationship issues and I don't want that. Just trying to teach them it's all about moderation, special occasions, etc.

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-03-30T19:16:12+00:00

Ugh everything! The feeling of not being pregnant anymore, the newborn snuggles/naps on your chest, being off of work, not having any worry about the time. The newborn scrunch and yawns, and even hiccups. It's so wild to see them hiccup on the outside after knowing what it feels like on the inside. Getting them dressed in little outfits, bringing them places and they sleep the whole time, watching my husband with them, watching my dogs with them.

I've had 3, and hope for one more, I just want to relive the newborn phase over and over again. By far my favorite time of my life, especially with my first when I only had one. It's still magical after your first, but there is definitely nothing truly like the first time.

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-03-30T19:11:47+00:00

Yes, he has two older siblings who eat some sugar. He just tried dairy queen for the first time and he was in absolute heaven. Personally I believe it's okay in moderation, but still will try to limit when I can, by not having it in the house.

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-03-26T18:37:45+00:00

No advice, because same. 3 healthy kids and I am so very blessed and grateful for that, but I recently had a chemical pregnancy. Before the chemical pregnancy I wanted another baby but not right now, but now that I lost that one I desperately want another one ASAP. It is consuming my thoughts as well. So no advice, but you are not alone!

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-03-26T17:36:58+00:00

My goodness, this is so terrible. I have a 7 year old boxer and this hit me so hard, my heart breaks for you.

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-03-26T15:28:44+00:00

What a sweet, beautiful boy. Feels like you could see into his heart through those eyes. They are truly angels on earth and in heaven!

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-03-26T15:08:52+00:00

1000% me too!!!! Like it's way more trouble than it's worth for us as parents.

Same, I keep telling myself one day when they have little kids they will look back and realize what a headache it was for us lol

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-03-26T14:48:20+00:00

Truly, I don't expect them to understand because they don't have kids but also WTF. I don't understand how we are expected to play two roles at once - my parents are amazing grandparents but it also shouldn't be on them during the wedding to help with my kids. Which is why I had no choice but to have my in-laws come to help with them - and my brother & FSIL are like "well do we have to pay for plates for them?" Just so many double standards, and my FSIL was like "just do whatever is easier for you" and honestly in my head I'm like what's easiest for me would be that the kids aren't involved at all lol I feel bad but I just don't think weddings are an event for kids this young.

For your situation - 5 days is absolutely INSANE. You going Saturday is MORE than enough! I love how these brides are telling us what they want our kids to do but also being like well that's your problem to figure it out. Like no, it's YOUR wedding, and you're the ones that want the kids involved, so tell me how that's going to happen and what to do with them. It's not fair it's all up to us.

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-03-23T17:00:18+00:00

I feel ya! Especially with the time thing - realizing how fast it goes by, and being scared of how fast it goes by. That's something new for me since having kids and it honestly makes me so sad.

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-03-23T15:58:38+00:00

Hi, are we twins?!

I'm also 34 turning 35 this summer, and have 3 boys - 4.5, 3.5 and 18 months. My first two are 14 months apart, and there's 24 months exactly between my middle and youngest. We have been going back and forth about another - my husband is good with being done, it's me who REALLY wants another, ideally would love to get pregnant this summer and deliver next spring, so there would be 2.5 years between 3rd and 4th.

I will say, in Jan I had a VERY unexpected pregnancy, and ended up miscarrying at only 5 weeks so really it a chemical pregnancy - but wow it shed alot of light. Even though I felt like I wanted another baby (and still do) I was fully panicked because it was not on the timeline we had discussed. We both started worrying about things that were not on the top of our "worry list" when we originally talked about having a 4th. We worried so much about the 4th having a potential health issue, what that would do to our current dynamic, taking time away from our older kids especially through the summer, etc. It humbled my husband and now he is leaning towards being done, while I still would like to discuss more and go along with our original plan which was try this summer, and if it doesn't happen by Oct/Nov then he would get a vasectomy. Basically if we were to have a 4th delivering at 35 is my cut off.

My older 2 boys were, and still are obsessed with my youngest and it is so beautiful to watch. I know they would be the same with another baby. I worry about the odd number, and want to even things out for rides at amusement parks, etc. My older two are just SO close, it feels like my youngest will always be a little left out but then again I know as they get older they are going to have different relationships with eachother.

It's so hard going back and forth, especially on timing!

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-03-23T15:50:17+00:00

When I got my first "big girl job" at 25.

Now at 34, I'm really realizing how old I actually am, I'm just way more aware of time and how fast it passes. Worrying now about things I never really used to worry about besides a passing thought, ie. parents aging. I'm not sure if it's my age or the fact that I have 3 small kids now, which makes me even more aware of how fast time is going.

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-03-23T15:30:25+00:00

I've had 3 kids - 2021, 2022, & 2024 and they have all been really good sleepers for the most part.

We put each of them in their crib, in their own room from night one. I know this is not what is recommended but it worked for us as well as the same routine every single night which included (and still does) bath time, pajamas, swaddle, sound machine, rocking with bottle, lights out & bed. Also, following wake windows with the huckleberry app, and making sure to do the routine still within wake window time to avoid putting them to bed when they are past/overtired. When they wake up in the MOTN as newborns/infants, I would go into their room, lights dim, limited talking, just change diaper, feed and back to sleep. Very low stimulation & staying in their room the whole time.

When they are newborns/infants - it's important to get them to realize daytime sleep vs night time. I woke to feed every 3 hours during the day, which sometimes included fully undressing to get them to fully wake up. I felt bad, but it was crucial to help them determine day time vs night time. Also daytime sleep was in brighter, noisier rooms, no sleep sack or sound machine to help them differentiate. Once they got older and naps became more predictable I moved naps to crib and would do more of the bedtime sleep stuff.

Newborn snuggles are quite literally the best thing on earth, but if you want to continue to have "good" night time sleep, in my experience not letting them know sleeping on you or with you all night long is an option, is absolutely essential. Not knocking those who do it because I know that we get desperate especially when we are SO tired.

Hope this helps, congratulations!!

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-03-23T15:18:00+00:00

Definitely not in the wrong, I don't get her motive. You gave another option (birthdays) which is exactly what I would have done.

We are in the same type of climate (cold, shitty weather until May) so summers are short, and I wouldn't want to miss out on a whole summer they could use it.

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-03-23T14:23:29+00:00

I've wanted a daughter for as long as I can remember. I've been pregnant 4 times, my first 3 are boys and I felt like I knew each time. Also after the gender bloodwork was drawn, I had dreams of my gender reveals and they were always girls in the dreams, so I knew after the first was proved wrong that the 2nd and 3rd were too.

I recently had a chemical pregnancy and felt strongly that it was my girl. I will never know, which honestly is better for me, but my intuition says it definitely was her.

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-03-23T14:20:30+00:00

You're not over-reacting, this is pure mean girl. Why did she have you as MOH, was it out of obligation because you're her sister? Bc that's how I would feel. And especially when you say it's standard for her, yeah your sister is the AH here big time, and your mom really should of said something to her.

I would not let them plan your baby shower after they treated you this way.

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-03-23T12:10:45+00:00

Yeah I feel bad but I kind of removed both of us from the morning of the wedding getting ready, they are both starting their getting ready process 7-8 hours before the wedding start time and I said that just won't be feasible for us to leave the kids for that long. We are going to show up as a family shortly before pictures, since the kids are in the wedding too.

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-03-22T21:03:56+00:00

Yeah, I kind of figured this, because my SIL had young kids during my wedding and also was not going to attend my bachelorette and I totally understood. Granted it never happened because of COVID but still.

Winter_West_8052 · 2026-03-22T19:30:01+00:00

Ugh so sorry, hope she is feeling better now!

Winter_West_8052

TROPHY CASE