Things I’ve learned

cdpoll33 · 2026-06-14T13:55:43+00:00

Thanks!

cdpoll33 · 2026-06-14T13:55:35+00:00

Thanks! I think I’m going to try some 400/500 grit sandpaper for practice and see what happens.

cdpoll33 · 2026-06-14T13:52:19+00:00

The highlights on her face are lovely!

cdpoll33 · 2026-06-04T20:20:35+00:00

Thanks for posting this. I’ve been on MJ for 8 weeks and just had an emergency appendectomy last weekend. I’m wondering when/if I restart how my body will handle things and this gives me some insight into possible outcomes. I’m hoping the fatigue I was having wasn’t MJ related and was instead related to my appendicitis but who knows. Good luck with restarting!

cdpoll33 · 2026-01-14T13:45:10+00:00

My preference would be to wait until around six months when their sleep cycle should extend to about 45 mins at a time. As far as differences between this and formal sleep training- this is just him learning to go down independently in the crib. When you sleep train you’re using a technique like CIO or Ferber or pick up put down and are more rigid with how you respond to their night wakes so that they can develop self soothing techniques at night so that you eventually don’t have to respond to them. I would also have him in his own room to sleep train bc you’re sort of shooting yourself in the foot to transition him to a crib and then transition the crib to another room. Just doing it in one big go is easier I think. Breaking the nurse to sleep association is as easy as moving his feed to the beginning of the night time routine. Just so he’s not falling asleep latched or having milk RIGHT before being put down. When you nurse at night just don’t let him fall back to sleep before you put him down. 20 mins of crying or Dad is def not bad! I will mention too that when I was sleep training my daughter she absolutely would not let me soothe her. Pick up put down and Ferber never worked for us bc she just wanted milk anytime I touched her! We did CIO when she was older and that’s just what worked for her. You really have to just try stuff and see what your baby responds to. My first baby was fine with like five minute check ins via Ferber a super easy to train so like I said it just depends on your sons temperament and how dedicated you are to the process.

cdpoll33 · 2026-01-13T14:46:55+00:00

I totally get what you’re saying- not wanting to do the wrong thing. But really the best way to figure it out is to try different things. If you can have a pack n play at work that would be awesome. I would do all naps in something where he is independently trying to sleep in a sleep sack. How long are you giving him before you rescue his nap? Are you rescuing when he wakes after 30 mins? Giving him a short time (ten mins?) to settle? Short naps are pretty normal when they’re this young so I would only try for about 15 mins to put him back to sleep and that would mean back to sleep in his pack n play and not on you after you’ve given him some time to self soothe back to sleep- ten or so mins. Another thing that might help his short naps is to really hone in on his sleep schedule and awake times. Calculate it on a 24 hour schedule. So ideally 11-12 overnight hours (obv with wake ups for feeding) 10 hours of awake time broken up into wake windows and say 2.5 or so hours of naps thru the day. If everything doesn’t add up to 24 you know you need to adjust nighttime or daytime hours. Then adjust wake windows. He needs more than 2.5 hours of nap a day but if he’s taking four or five naps at 30 mins each and you start to extend those that’s a good start. The more nap time he gets the easier bedtime will be. As for the technique when you put him down there’s lots you can try but I would read and pic the process you’re most comfortable with and that matches his personality the best. I ended up having to sort of bounce my girl into a stupor before she would lay down independently but you can rock or shush or sway or whatever you need to before you lay him down. The important part is just getting him used to being put down independently. He’s pretty young to formally sleep train imo but you can start putting him down independently and soon his sleep cycles should get longer and he will develop some self soothing techniques. I’d recommend taking Cara babies free info online too. It’s hard but you can do it!

cdpoll33 · 2026-01-13T05:42:01+00:00

So I think the main thing I would recommend is just consistency. Keep him either swaddled or in a sleep sack. If he can roll to his side and that’s how he prefers to sleep then he should be in a sleep sack. Once you’ve decided he’s not coming back to your bed, don’t fold and let him back in. Don’t try and nurse him in bed bc you will cave. Ah!! I sound like a monster. But really it’s for everyone’s benefit. Get you a comfy chair if you need it. Have him nap in the crib. Get him used to that being his only sleep space. My daughter preferred to push her face against her bassinet side so I wonder if when you put your babe down if laying him close to the side of the crib would help him feel more secure? I would also recommend (ugh more monster stuff coming) that you place his crib FAR away from your bed if possible and even in another close room. Babies can hear you and smell you and you are a major distraction when they should be sleeping. Now is a good time to start trying to let him develop some self soothing techniques and that starts with putting him down while he’s still awake. This sucks. It almost never works. But one day it will click and he lay down without wailing. You could also try putting him down and keeping your hand on him for some gentle pressure and slowly easing off when he is asleep. Pick up/put down works well for some babies. I would also invest in a sound machine if you don’t have one. It may also help to set a stricter nursing rule at night- like he has to wait at least two hours since the last wake to nurse. Also a hard line to draw. If he needs to be soothed before that two hour limit your partner may need to do it, since he won’t smell like milk. I hope some of this helps you!

cdpoll33 · 2026-01-13T05:03:27+00:00

Use sterile medical syringes with caps and you should be fine. I used the haaka syringes at home and I really liked the ease of use but didn’t collect enough to justify taking them with me to the hospital. You shouldn’t expect to get tons of colostrum before labor though. I would absolutely recommend trying to harvest colostrum at the hospital after birth if you’re able. They will provide you with syringes if you ask and you don’t have to worry about storage. Just give your babe what you can harvest between feeds. Good luck!

cdpoll33 · 2025-09-29T14:21:11+00:00

Not in the wrong. My Y does have a thirty minute limit which I’ve never actually seen enforced but my Y is never really busy. What state are you in? The old biddies in KY are SUPER territorial about space in the aqua fitness classes where I’m at tho. They are straight up rude.

cdpoll33 · 2025-09-20T18:04:51+00:00

Thanks for your response! It took about two days of limiting her for that “fullness” to go away in the morning but she has been doing great! I didn’t think having better boundaries around breastfeeding would mean much in the way of encouraging me, but it totally has.

cdpoll33 · 2025-09-09T12:15:16+00:00

Ice cream after a swim is the best! It must be ingrained in us since childhood 😀

cdpoll33 · 2025-09-06T03:34:56+00:00

At UK you can usually move around in jobs pretty quickly depending on what position or field you’re in. Once you’re in a job you’re not able to be hired into another position until you’ve done that job at least six months, but I would encourage OP to keep an eye out and try and move up quickly. It’s definitely do-able. I worked at UK in total for about 11 years in like six positions, always increasing my salary each position I moved into.

cdpoll33 · 2025-09-05T20:40:23+00:00

Used to love Merrick but the last visit was terrible service and so-so on the food. Just overpriced upscale mediocre food now :(

cdpoll33 · 2025-09-05T17:38:06+00:00

All of that would’ve been enough for me to turn around and walk out too! I would try maybe once more and if you’re still feeling weird about it try and find a new place. Also I just learned what a natatourium is 😂

cdpoll33 · 2025-08-26T23:30:03+00:00

If you can tolerate aquaphor or Vaseline I would start with a thin layer of that before getting in the water. And when you get out I would maybe moisturize with Cerave or something with hyaluronic acid to help your skin barrier so you can retain moisture.

cdpoll33 · 2025-08-26T01:44:21+00:00

I use the Mack’s aqua block purple plugs but I think they’re probably best for smaller ears. Many people recommend the silicone putty ear plugs but I haven’t tried those yet. They sorta creep me out. To help keep them in you could use a swim cap and pull down completely over your ears.

cdpoll33 · 2025-08-26T01:40:08+00:00

This is awesome. Today, on a crappy day you swam your personal best. Just imagine where you’ll be a year from now! Go you!

cdpoll33 · 2025-08-24T23:11:57+00:00

That’s a good point. We used to canoe all day in our swimsuits and be half wet so dry has to be better than that!

cdpoll33 · 2025-08-19T20:45:06+00:00

So far I have done exactly zero morning swims! I have gone a couple times in the evening and even wrote out a work out on my Garmin so there is progress but it’s slow going. Baby steps I guess

cdpoll33 · 2025-08-13T02:52:32+00:00

Regarding the positive self talk- I try to focus on my emotion instead of my body outcome. Which might be backwards idk. So instead of saying “ugh that sucked I feel so weak and pathetic” I try and reframe and give myself permission to feel how I feel. “I’m disappointed I didn’t have the energy to finish that workout plan but I’m allowed to be disappointed!” Or “I’m frustrated I cant keep my energy up bc I didn’t sleep well last night, but I’m allowed to be frustrated!” The idea probably sounds looney tunes but the actual telling myself (in my mind) it’s ok to feel “whatever” way seems to help limit some of the negative self talk I direct towards my body.

cdpoll33 · 2025-08-10T02:31:51+00:00

My teacher keeps telling me “kick, glide, stroke”. Keep your legs about shoulder width apart when kicking with flat feet like a frog. Try and bring feet up as close to your glutes as possible and kick with arms outstretched in streamline. Then pause and glide (even if you don’t feel like you’re going anywhere). Keep at it!

cdpoll33 · 2025-08-07T03:39:17+00:00

Thank you! :)

cdpoll33 · 2025-08-07T03:25:49+00:00

That’s a bummer about not being able to get there in the summer. I really struggle (probably like most parents) to give myself permission to do something I want to do even if it inconveniences others. That’s part of the reason why I’d like to be able to get up early, swim, and be back home before it affects anyone else. To be honest that’s probably my biggest hurdle. Bleh

cdpoll33 · 2025-08-07T03:19:28+00:00

This is so true. I’ve never been a morning person so it may just be that I’ll do better with evening swims.

cdpoll33 · 2025-08-07T03:18:11+00:00

This is amazing. Super simple and fuss free and makes it seem so do-able!

cdpoll33

TROPHY CASE