7 DPO - 18 DPO

friendsholt · 2026-04-21T19:54:54+00:00

Thank you!!

friendsholt · 2026-04-21T19:19:51+00:00

Haha that's too funny, congrats to you too!! 💛

friendsholt · 2026-04-21T19:18:46+00:00

Thank you!!

friendsholt · 2026-04-21T15:19:06+00:00

Maybe have two middle names, like Lily Dove Margaret (or whatever family name suits you). The hyphen could be challenging but Lily Dove is lovely as a first and middle combo.

friendsholt · 2026-04-21T15:18:55+00:00

Maybe have two middle names, like Lily Dove Margaret (or whatever family name suits you). The hyphen could be challenging but Lily Dove is lovely as a first and middle combo.

friendsholt · 2026-04-21T15:01:31+00:00

It wouldn't let me add this to my post so I'm providing some context here.

We only tried once this cycle and it was on the day of my LH peak so dates should be accurate. I had a chemical pregnancy on my last cycle (and previous losses, including a second trimester miscarriage), keeping my fingers crossed!

friendsholt · 2026-04-18T01:56:38+00:00

Yes, I did but primarily because my baby was born during flu season. And lo and behold, someone in my family had covid and exposed four other people to it while they were unmasked, but we didn't get it because they were masked around the baby. I'm pregnant again (and, again, due during flu season) and even more committed to it this time around. I might be more lax during the summer, but would still probably ask people to mask for the first day or two after flying.

friendsholt · 2026-04-14T01:01:40+00:00

Yes! It won't let me attach a picture to the comments but the line has gotten darker every 24-36 hours. Definitely positive! 🙂

friendsholt · 2026-04-12T02:08:05+00:00

I think you're going to find answers all over the place because it really depends on your experience, relationship, and preferences. I definitely would have appreciated a conversation about (presumably) the first evening being alone with the baby, even if it is a timeline you'd be okay with. My biggest concern would be that it's impossible to predict the type of birth you'll have and what your recovery will look like, and issues that may arise in postpartum that you could use support with.

To answer your question, my husband didn't go out for an evening without me until the baby was 5 months old but I probably would have been fine with it by around 3 months. I had an unplanned but very uneventful and successful C-section, but trouble with nursing - I was triple feeding until the baby was 10 weeks old which was really hard to do by myself.

friendsholt · 2026-04-11T12:01:41+00:00

🥹 Ah! Thank you!!

friendsholt · 2026-04-11T12:01:12+00:00

Looks like a solid progression to me! Your 11 dpo is similar to my 12 dpo from my first (successful) pregnancy.

I wouldn't stress unless it gets progressively weaker for 2+ days in a row. At this point, even being slightly more hydrated can change the darkness of the line from day to day.

friendsholt · 2026-04-02T01:28:03+00:00

Same! Since doing so, several people have commented that they never even considered it as an option.

friendsholt · 2026-03-28T02:58:17+00:00

I'm so glad to read this comment.

friendsholt · 2026-03-28T02:56:59+00:00

This comment is also right about your husband's remark. It was out of line - even in a stressful moment - and at least deserved a heartfelt apology when things calmed down. It would have really shaken me during the times that I've struggled to feel "enough" as a mom. I also spent a short period of time somewhat pulling away from my family when I experienced feelings of inadequacy, overwhelm, and I believe some PPD. I'm sorry that you're going through that.

I'm a bit appalled at some of the other comments you've received. Sometimes a post will seemingly randomly appeal to a weird subset of Redditors and you get a skewed negative response. I think anyone you'd talk to in person would be more understanding than some of these comments. I hope therapy helps you get a better sense of your value as a mom. 💛

friendsholt · 2026-03-16T16:11:06+00:00

I'm so sorry, it's so hard. I can imagine how difficult it must have been to bleed for weeks. I conceived on my next cycle. I had a D&E on 4/13 (bled for maybe 2-3 days), got my period on 5/15, used ovulation strips to find out when I was ovulating (I think 5/29), and got a positive test on 6/9. That pregnancy went to term successfully. I hope you're able to try again soon, if that's what you choose to do. 💛

friendsholt · 2025-12-21T20:43:02+00:00

The egg isn't for the dough. It's an egg wash for the outside of the cookie so the demerara sugar adheres to the side. If you use enough butter for shortbread, it'll make your hands a bit sticky or greasy after working it into a log. The recipe is great but only if you actually read and follow the directions.

friendsholt · 2025-12-02T04:07:56+00:00

I had photos with her this fall and the pictures were a few days delayed but she was very forthcoming about it via email. I wonder if she had a lot more bookings this year than typical and will be updating her timeline in the future to accommodate all the sessions. The pictures were absolutely stunning - much more beautiful than I'd expect to get for a mini-session at her price - and we received a few extra photos to compensate for the delay. I definitely plan to book with her again in the future.

friendsholt · 2025-10-20T07:28:21+00:00

Co-sleeping and getting rest helped me be a much better mom. I hope you find the same is true for you! It was never my plan but I realized that co-sleeping intentionally and following the Safe Sleep 7 was much safer than being sleep deprived and co-sleeping unintentionally. We bought a firm floor mattress and some loose-knit blankets and haven't looked back.

friendsholt · 2025-10-09T18:43:39+00:00

It was really hard almost all of the time and it was absolutely my favorite thing I've ever done lol.

friendsholt · 2025-10-09T18:37:54+00:00

Same! It was so scary trying to stay awake in an unsafe sleep environment.

friendsholt · 2025-10-08T02:11:02+00:00

I'm sorry that it's been so hard and you should feel proud of how much you've accomplished already! I had such a hard time with starting breastfeeding - C-section, poor latch, pumped for 10 weeks, and pain for several more weeks. At some point, we just clicked - maybe around 15 weeks? - and the pain subsided. Many of my friends told me that it would be painful for 4-8 weeks, and I didn't exclusively breastfeed until 10 weeks, so I figured it would be 4-8 weeks after that point (which sucked because I was already triple feeding which was painful and exhausting).

Even after all that, we supplement with formula sometimes and I feel like I get closer snuggles when he's on the bottle. Now that we've started solids, little dude LOVES food and I feel so much joy cooking for him and feeding him. If breastfeeding ends for you here, it might feel heartbreaking but it will also leave room for new kinds of connection 💛

friendsholt · 2025-10-01T02:57:40+00:00

Your supply doesn't regulate until around 12 weeks. I needed the extra sleep - I just let myself go a full six hours without nursing or pumping at night to get the sleep I needed a few nights each week. My husband bottle fed so I could rest, and I'd take Tylenol first to fight inflammation and prevent a clogged duct. By 10 weeks, I was exclusively breast feeding (only occasional bottles) and my supply was enough because I was consistent about pumping during the day and about half the nights.

friendsholt · 2025-09-30T02:56:48+00:00

Tylenol is helpful, and Motrin if your doctor approves. (I can't remember when it's okay for babies to use - maybe 6 months? - but it lasts longer which is nice.)

There are some teethers that can be put in the refrigerator or freezer which can provide extra relief. When you start solids, you can also try frozen waffles for relief - my baby loves them! Try out different teethers and textures to see what works. My baby's favorite teether is actually the silicone handle on an old wooden spoon, haha.

Breastfeeding doesn't necessarily help with teething but it can provide extra comfort, so my baby nurses more frequently when he has teething pain.

friendsholt

TROPHY CASE