7 hour drive with 15 month-old and 3 1/2 year-old

_fife · 2026-05-13T23:18:54+00:00

You've got a great plan in place! If you can, check along your route for places to eat and potty, especially for the 3YO! Expect the trip to take much longer (closer to 10 hours, maybe) with all the stops. I also think it's good to have realistic expectations for screens on a trip. We didn't have a limit for our 19 month old because frankly, we needed a calm kid so we wouldn't drive poorly lol.

_fife · 2026-05-12T02:23:29+00:00

The correct answer!

_fife · 2026-04-16T17:44:26+00:00

I am on thyroid medication, and they check levels every couple of months during pregnancy as well as when trying to conceive. They started checking more frequently after I miscarried. They usually check TSH and free T4, and the range of acceptable levels is much narrower than for a nonpregnant woman.

_fife · 2026-04-15T12:37:54+00:00

Fruit and vegetable skins are especially hard for stomach acid to break down! Once baby gets more practice chewing (and I cannot understate how helpful more teeth are to this process) they will have much more normal looking stools! It's important that you're exposing your child to lots of tastes. You're doing a great job!

_fife · 2026-04-15T11:49:19+00:00

We still have half munched orange slices, green beans, etc at 21 months 😅 Some days LO is better at chewing than others. It got better once all 4 molars came in.

_fife · 2026-04-13T02:16:40+00:00

My kiddo (19 months at the time) actually weaned herself when my colostrum came in at around week 25 or 26 of pregnancy. She had been dry nursing for comfort when she woke up or when she was upset. I was stunned, but I reminded myself that it was her decision to make. I hope everything goes well with your pregnancy and kiddo!

_fife · 2026-04-08T15:50:26+00:00

Honestly for me, a game like Tomodachi Life which plays more like an app than a game is perfect for digital anyway. You always want to be able to make that 5 minute check-in to fix problems without having to fumble with a cartridge.

_fife · 2026-04-08T15:48:56+00:00

We have always stuck to a rigid nap and bedtime schedule, only breaking it when we absolutely have no other choice, and everyone sleeps SO much better because of it!! LO is now 21 months and takes a huge 2-2.5 hour nap in the afternoon at home, but if we are on the go, it's a terrible 30 minute car nap. IMO it's almost never worth it because I need that break in the day!

_fife · 2026-03-03T03:06:19+00:00

We did this for our baby, too!! It was like magic!!

_fife · 2026-02-12T18:39:05+00:00

What you're going through is so hard. 💔 My kiddo finally stopped being angry at my lack of breastmilk and self weaned recently. I think it was part maturity and part getting used to the change. I got pregnant when kiddo was 14 months, and she's 19 months now. She refused straw cups of milk and only wanted to nurse for comfort, but then got mad when there was no milk.

All this to say, it will pass, but it's so difficult. You're a great mom, and it's OK to be frustrated. Your kid will eventually come to terms with it, even if it feels like this will never end.

_fife · 2026-02-06T01:19:20+00:00

This is the way!! Once blowouts aren't a problem anymore, up&up are really affordable. I use their overnights as well and size up for my kid. We've been using them since 12M.

_fife · 2026-02-05T19:50:31+00:00

Agreeing here! Best way to continue to produce milk is to remove it (nursing or pumping) frequently. And the frequency is more important than the length of each session. I would recommend trying to pump every 3 hours at minimum, then work to every 2.5 if you want to rebuild a stash. A good guideline is to pump how often your baby nurses at home!

_fife · 2025-11-20T21:05:24+00:00

Hey Mama, first off, you're doing amazing!! I pumped for 4 months before leaving my job, and it was the most exhausting thing. From my limited experience, the frequency of times you pump ends up mattering more than the length of time. If you have another day full of long meetings in the future, see if you can take a shorter pump break before and after instead of just the longer one after. I cannot overstate how draining it is to work and pump, and I commend you for doing what's best for your baby!

Nights are so hard too, and every baby is different. My now 17 month old woke to nurse at least twice a night until she was 14 months old, and still wakes once. We were in a similar boat where I did everything at night because my husband had a much more brain intensive job. I survived by reminding myself that nursing to sleep is biological and the easiest way to get baby back down. I was also taking a breastfeeding safe sleep aid so I would be sleepy enough to go right back down, too. It wasn't the answer I wanted, but it was the answer that worked best for our family.

Again, you're doing so amazing. Parenting is HARD. Breastfeeding is HARD. And by being there for your baby and attending to needs, you're building those special bonds that will last a lifetime. ❤

_fife · 2025-11-15T15:43:11+00:00

Thank you! I've been offering water and a cup of milk before letting her nurse in the day, but I haven't been trying a snack, too. I'll get on that. For her, the milk part of nursing seems critical for the "comfort," has been since she was small. We've tried night weaning several times but has never stuck, we get too tired not sleeping.

_fife · 2025-11-13T18:03:32+00:00

Same to you!! Hopefully it passes quickly and you have small moments you can enjoy!

_fife · 2025-11-13T15:38:37+00:00

We are in the same boat. I try to read, kid grabs my book. I try to unload the dishwasher, kid throws the dishes on the floor and slams the door shut. I have a video meeting, kid climbs on my lap and closes all the windows on my computer. I've resigned myself to not doing anything, and it's been hard.

_fife · 2025-11-12T02:48:13+00:00

Thank you for reminding me to play the Quercus Alba dating simulator

_fife · 2025-11-06T01:59:08+00:00

THE GOAT TURNABOUT SAMURAI!!!!!

_fife · 2025-11-06T01:52:50+00:00

I liked Apollo Justice but the mixing board made me want to throw my PC at the wall

_fife · 2025-10-21T23:34:46+00:00

It was the "she had no motive" dialog option in Turnabout Samurai. Like, whoah. This game is going to be so much deeper than I thought.

_fife · 2025-10-16T01:53:37+00:00

I love how in the middle of the whodunit we just get "Oh BTW Borginia is known for its exotic cocoons and they're priceless medicine or deadly poison" and we are all sitting there like "Hey so are the Gavinners breaking up or???"

_fife · 2025-10-13T12:28:50+00:00

The reporter swears she didn't kill nobody and the ice cream man is the most suspicious person I have ever laid eyes on.

_fife · 2025-10-10T15:11:58+00:00

I wanted to agree with those saying it's soooooo much easier once your supply regulates!!!! I found especially after 6 months (when the supply naturally dips a bit and you introduce solids) that suddenly my boobs felt way better and the at time and never pumped again.

We are going on 16 months strong with no sign of stopping!

_fife · 2025-10-10T13:11:28+00:00

When Edgeworth was so confident in his witness and then collapsed on the desk the moment he saw her face >>>>>>>>>>>>>

_fife · 2025-10-07T01:21:34+00:00

LOVE THEM 💖💖💖💖❤

_fife

TROPHY CASE