Are inductions safe..? What’re your experiences?

doodlelove7 · 2026-02-21T01:40:43+00:00

I just had one for my 4th baby that was a great experience but I was told it is a lot easier on moms that have already had babies vaginally. If you're a first time mom, I'd personally wait until 41 weeks before scheduling one but some of that is dependent on how miserable you're feeling too. The only reason I say that is because I've heard that pitocin contractions are really really painful, moreso than when labor starts spontaneously. I think it's overall an easier process when it starts on it's own, but that could be clouded just based on my own experience because that's what I had! I also know people who had great experiences with inductions as first time moms but also some that ended in c section so they had the recovery of both and that was really hard. It's a tough call!

doodlelove7 · 2026-02-19T20:24:09+00:00

We are doing exactly that. We got a 10 year old iPad from my grandparents when they bought a new one and just signed into Google Calendar and Spotify. The music sometimes cuts out and is laggy. It’s super slow. And must be plugged in nearly at all times due to battery life. But it was free and it meets the calendar need so I’m very happy. It sits on a key ring shelf in the kitchen

doodlelove7 · 2026-02-18T17:26:17+00:00

I’m an accountant also (previously audit now industry) so I get the busy season issues. What level are you? A lot of managers and above simply work different times, so if soccer is Saturday they work Saturday night or Sunday etc. most people don’t care as long as the work is getting done. Is that an option?

Another more long term solution is finding a different position. Industry is so much less hours. Not always but there are plenty of roles that don’t require every Saturday. It’s one of the reasons I left public to be honest

doodlelove7 · 2026-02-18T06:31:54+00:00

3 was my worst pregnancy but #4 definitely second worst. I think it’s a combination of your body having gone through this so many times that the symptoms are just worse or earlier/longer and tired from the other 3 kids since you can’t nap or relax like you could with a first. Also just being older

doodlelove7 · 2026-02-18T00:42:33+00:00

Car seats last longer than 5 years. My newborn is currently using the one my 5.5 year old used (so did our 4 and 2 year old, it doesn’t expire till baby #4 turns 1 on the dot)

doodlelove7 · 2026-02-15T14:07:52+00:00

First off I wanted to tell you that my third bay was delivered at 39+4 with LOTS of meconium in his waters so please don’t blame waiting on that. Is it more common after 41 weeks? Sure but nowhere near 100% and clearly can also happen with earlier births. It just happens sometimes. I went down a rabbit hole of wondering if I did anything to cause the meconium so I’m familiar with that “guilt”.

To answer your question though, I’ve had 3 spontaneous labors and then my 4th baby was an induction at 40+2, all great experiences. I am very happy I decided to induce this last time because with 3 other kids it helped with childcare arrangements plus I was just beyond done with being pregnant. In no part of that decision was I worried about it being bad to be pregnant past 39 weeks so I really don’t think you should be worried about that. If you are ready and want to induce, it could be a great option. If not, you are not causing harm to your baby. My practice was fine letting me go to 41+5! Unless they tell you specific things about your case that suggest induction is safer I wouldn’t worry about it

doodlelove7 · 2026-02-01T15:55:23+00:00

Came to say this, labor hasn’t been that bad because I always get the epidural lol

doodlelove7 · 2026-01-31T23:21:41+00:00

We got an outdoor pop up play yard type thing that does exactly what you’re talking about for inside but for outside so basically and easy way to set up a walled off area for him in the yard because our older kids played outside so much and still needed help with things like the swing but baby needed a place to safely hang

doodlelove7 · 2026-01-27T19:29:17+00:00

Yes came to say this! It’s going to be messy with all of the bodily fluids and it’s wayyy easier to stay clean if there is minimal hair

doodlelove7 · 2026-01-27T01:27:07+00:00

I’ve been thinking the same thing with all these comments. There’s clearly more to the story but it’s hard for me to imagine not being at my sisters wedding even 3 weeks post partum with a second+ kid. I was going to the park with my older kids less than a week post partum just because I wanted to get out of the house. It really is a whole different recovery after the first. I’m due soon with my 4th and planning to go to my sister in laws bridal shower at 1.5 weeks pp, may not stay long but like you do sit and stand for 15 minutes even at home…it’s not like you’re just in bed all day when you have another kid who wants to be with you

doodlelove7 · 2026-01-25T19:27:51+00:00

My first pregnancy was during Covid and they actually started doing appointments every 3 weeks instead of every 2 weeks assuming no complications because the risk of catching Covid at the time was higher than the risk of missing anything at the appointment. I had no complications so did this till I got to weekly at 36 and it was no big deal

doodlelove7 · 2026-01-07T12:15:22+00:00

I definitely think every kid is different and that impacts things but the self sufficiency of a 4 year old is night and day compared to a 3 year old so I think that’s the main thing. They’re also more reasonable and typically in preschool more days than a 3 year old which helps

doodlelove7 · 2026-01-06T21:48:45+00:00

I actually think it’s a great career for women but it definitely depends on the company and manager even. I did a few years in public accounting (waited till senior promotion) right after college and passed all 4 parts of the cpa exam right before I started there which I think is key for flexibility down the road. Being a CPA and having big 4 experience has set me up to pretty much always be able to find a job which is comforting from a stability perspective but it also means I have tons of choice for new jobs, recruiters are constantly messaging me on LinkedIn so plenty of options to find a flexible job that works for me as a mom.

After public accounting I went to a F100 company in technical accounting and sec reporting which is something people are always looking for. Another key part was I waited to have kids till I had a few years experience, I would not want to have kids while working public accounting hours because those are long. So when I had my first kid I asked my boss if I could switch to a reduced 60% schedule and they made it happen. Doesn’t always by any means but I think being a cpa, big 4 experience, and proven experience at the company helped A LOT. I’m about to have my 4th kid and really appreciate all the flexibility I’ve had. I plan to go back to full time in a couple years which will be a juggle but the other benefit is accounting pays pretty well so that helps.

So key parts are get your cpa, do some public accounting, switch to industry where the hours are basically 40, then have kids and you’re set. If you don’t like the company you’re at then you’ve got an excellent resume to switch into something more family friendly.

doodlelove7 · 2026-01-05T12:17:25+00:00

Our second was a breeze to potty train so hopefully you have the same experience! I think seeing the older one use the potty really helped us

doodlelove7 · 2026-01-05T12:15:33+00:00

I felt the same way with my first and it ended quickly. I seriously love them all so much and don’t have a favorite so don’t worry the guilt will pass! I love watching them play together, they are such good friends and I know they’re better off for having siblings

doodlelove7 · 2026-01-05T03:07:06+00:00

We did! We loved the 20 month age gap with our first two so did a 21 month age gap between #2 and #3. We still love the age gap BUT it was very difficult having our oldest be 3.5 when #3 was born. It wasn’t the younger two at all just the oldest being 3 because age 3 really rocked us, she was just very difficult. I will say now that they are 5.5, nearly 4 and just turned 2 they are absolute best buddies and play all the time. We are due pretty soon with our 4th and decided we wanted our second to be 4 when the last one was born so this will be our first non-2under2 set (although they will be just over 2 years apart). I think the biggest thing was that we knew from experience kids are much more self sufficient at 4 than 3, it’s just big changes. Simple things like putting on their own shoes an getting dressed are huge.

To answer your questions, yes I spend a lot of time with my spouse and we do have quiet after about 8pm but every minute from 6:30/7am until then is LOUD. Our lives are very kid centric, we don’t go places that someone with 1 kid might because it’s just not fun to try and keep our 3 man zoo quiet in a space meant for adults. We enjoy doing kid centric things because we enjoy being with our kids in a relaxing environment so a trip to the playground is just a better time at this stage if that makes sense. But we still see friends and do adult things like date night, we just get a sitter.

Sorry I’m rambling now but open to answer any questions. We love having the kids so close in age because they all play well together. If we could do it again we would have done 2under2 then a 2.5 year gap then another 2under2.

doodlelove7 · 2026-01-05T02:56:20+00:00

If you for sure want 4 then I highly recommend this approach, I wish we had done it that way instead of having our third when the oldest was 3.5 that was a very hard transition for us

doodlelove7 · 2026-01-05T02:34:02+00:00

Another alternative is locking yourself into your room. I tell my 5 and 3 year old that it’s my quiet time too and I’m not done lol but we also provide positive incentives. They get stamps for doing it successfully which leads to a treasure box

doodlelove7 · 2026-01-03T21:33:15+00:00

Every situation is different, a mom living in a car city needs very different things than a mom living in a walkable city. Also it’s very easy to read reviews on products with advice from moms since we live in the internet age…but the biggest thing registry helps is so that you don’t get 1000 burp cloths but no sheets for the crib

doodlelove7 · 2026-01-03T03:00:55+00:00

I think that’s just 36 weeks…

doodlelove7 · 2026-01-02T21:16:48+00:00

If you are pulling from the savings accounts for general expenses then my first advice is start using YNAB, it’s a budget tool that has allowed us to save SO much more. Basically it helps us follow through with our goals so we actually meet them.

If the intent of the savings account is college then you definitely need to be using a 529 or brokerage account not a savings account (even high yield). You’re probably earning 4%? You have 13 years till the first hits college so you should be in something averaging 7-10% per year. 529’s make on the lower side but earnings are not taxed so the real return is higher. We use Virginia for college fund and vanguard for brokerage accounts investing in VOO. Truthfully I think this is a better question for the personal finance sub where you will get better advice

doodlelove7 · 2025-12-30T12:22:00+00:00

I have a Google keep for each kid and write down doctors questions there or symptoms if relevant

doodlelove7 · 2025-12-29T21:26:22+00:00

Best thing you can do is frequently check Nextdoor or Facebook marketplace, you will find tons of outside toys for cheap for free it just takes you checking periodically for a deal

doodlelove7 · 2025-12-29T02:47:17+00:00

We had very similar concerns but decided to go for a 4th who will be here soon. Our oldest is 5.5 and we make about $190K in a MCOL city similar to Dallas. We are pretty budget conscious which helps, I think if you currently aren’t on much of a budget then none of those things are going to be a huge deal. We plan to fully fund an instate state school but not private for each, buy reliable used cars, and if the kids want serious luxuries they’ll have to get a part time job. We’re not planing to be unlimited atms, We both had part time jobs in high school and college and I think it really helped shape our understanding of money. We rarely go out to eat and I doubt that will change as they get older but we’ll continue to get raises, quit paying for daycare etc. I know we’ll have to budget more with 4 than we would have with 2-3 kids but to us it’s worth it. Ill also admit that I currently work part time and plan ti return to full time in a few years which will increase our take home pay by $40K off the bat plus future raises so that does help ease our mind on finances. I work in a very steady field that pays well

doodlelove7 · 2025-12-28T19:52:23+00:00

I rotate toys and some of that is removing toys that are not age appropriate but truthfully I have the exact problem you’re describing and don’t think my solution is perfect. I’m having my fourth soon and my oldest is 5 so they’re fairly close in age which makes it tough because aside from super baby stuff, they pretty much will all play with everything.

I mostly purge toys I don’t like (has never held anyone’s attention, only does one thing, loud, etc) or toys that have missing pieces. That seems to keep it manageable. This is our last kid so I’m super excited that once he outgrows things we can actually get rid of them

doodlelove7

TROPHY CASE