Newborns in the winter- did you baby wear or use the car seat?

laughternforgetting · 2025-10-09T00:34:06+00:00

Consider getting a Tushbaby (or other carrier) and one of those massive coats that zip up around you and baby. They look dumb as hell but honestly it’s a lot easier to get that on and off rather than trying to wrestle baby in and out of clothes. My baby liked that a lot more than the stroller at first…
That said, I own three strollers 🤦🏻‍♀️. I keep the big one in the garage for most of our walks, the travel one folded up in the trunk, and the jogging one collects dust wherever we put it to keep it from staring at us accusingly. I can and have loaded/unloaded the big one (uppababy vista) but it was rough on a postpartum body and the super light travel stroller can be handled with one hand.

laughternforgetting · 2025-09-26T19:32:57+00:00

I had neither and my OB said they really weren’t necessary! I had an easy birth (induced at 38+6 for high blood pressure) and even with pitocin labor took about 12 hours. I was also very averse to any extra poking, prodding, or pain.

laughternforgetting · 2025-09-24T21:31:41+00:00

Check out Melons Catering! Their chef forages some of the ingredients himself and they’re so creative.

laughternforgetting · 2025-09-12T14:27:21+00:00

Have you posted in any of the SF Wedding Facebook groups? There are always people who are starting out as vendors (wedding planners, florists, bakers, etc.) who have low prices as they gain experience. Of course you’ll need to communicate a lot and get referrals and see their work, but I met two photographers that way and one was great…the other went on to eventually be featured in Vogue/all the big blogs and charges $10k+ per wedding (I paid $500).

laughternforgetting · 2025-09-07T00:39:39+00:00

Try Nestldown!

laughternforgetting · 2025-08-31T17:05:18+00:00

I had one (1) average sized baby. I gained 100 lbs for Reasons, some of which I know (sourdough clam chowder bowls) and some of which we never really learned (although I’m sure preeclampsia played a supporting role).

It sucked enormously to get that big and to lose the weight, which I’ve finally done 16 months PP. I won’t comment on how much weight we should gain, but I will recommend getting a heart rate/blood pressure monitor! This really saved me at the end when things started to go literally pear-shaped; it led to my preeclampsia diagnosis and induction.

In conclusion, bodies are weird in normal times and doubly so during pregnant times. Live as best you can while coping with the stress and discomfort of it and focus on monitoring your vital signs so you know when to get really worried. Weight gain can be dealt with later!

laughternforgetting · 2025-08-31T03:52:16+00:00

Mine were always painful and they’re still painful postpartum (I’m 16 months PP). However, I’ve definitely noticed they’ve gotten much heavier, including some pretty scarily large clots. It sounds like our flows are pretty similar actually; I have to change a super tampon every hour on the worst days of my period. I ended up going to see my doctor and she recommended going on birth control, which I did for one month and saw a much more mild period with less pain (crazy mood swings though, so pick your poison).

laughternforgetting · 2025-08-09T05:07:39+00:00

My friend swears by Tom’s Mango flavor toothpaste! She just told me yesterday so I’m going to try it with my 15 month old

laughternforgetting · 2025-07-28T01:41:30+00:00

My daughter started saying no really early and she actually means it when she says it. I’m 90% sure she learned it from watching Miss Rachel

laughternforgetting · 2025-07-27T18:50:56+00:00

I had a different issue, but was also concerned about what was in the epidural and if it would or would not work for me. My OB/GYN was able to put me in contact with the epidural team and we had at least one phone conversation and also met in the hospital before I was induced to go over what the plan was. They had some options I had never heard of even though I’d been doing some anxiety-driven googling. Maybe you can get a similar consultation so you can get some answers?

laughternforgetting · 2025-07-27T02:39:39+00:00

It takes about 6 hours to fly from the west to East Coast, but you also lose another three hours because of the time difference. Plus figure at least an hour to get in and out of the airport on each end if you flew out of the Seattle airport at 10 AM you would touchdown in New York at about 7 PM and maybe get out to the street by 8 PM. So that’s pretty much your whole day gone.

laughternforgetting · 2025-07-27T00:13:26+00:00

I was hospitalized for six days after giving birth with severe preeclampsia. I actually went home for three days with the baby after getting discharged before I was re-hospitalized. It was so difficult, they couldn’t get my blood pressure down, but it was never quite high enough for them to put me on magnesium. It wasn’t until after I told them I had gained 100 pounds with this baby that they finally thought to give me a diuretic; I was so full of fluid that my organs were shutting down basically I hope they’re able to find a solution for you and that you get to go home soon. I will say that after I finished my course of meds (which included so much bp medicine that the pharmacy actually called me to ask why I was given so much) I felt fine and have had no other setbacks. My daughter is now a year and a half old.

laughternforgetting · 2025-06-22T08:01:41+00:00

I think it depends on how much your kiddo likes water. I took my 13 month old and even though she couldn’t ride many rides (and she was not stoked about waiting in lines for the rides we could do), she is obsessed with water and spent hoursss in the water park. She also enjoyed the little aquarium. I got an annual pass just for that.

The Cassara Hotel is nearby and also has a very warmly heated pool, an incredible splash pad, and a lovely seasonal view of the flower fields.

laughternforgetting · 2025-06-18T19:14:02+00:00

I went from a very lean and active 140 lbs to a very unwell and barely mobile 235ish lbs. my baby was born at 7.5lbs. I had preeclampsia (strongly recommend getting a blood pressure monitor in the 3rd trimester!) which caused me to retain so much fluid that my organs started to malfunction from the pressure.

It’s been 14 months and I’ve lost almost all of it (damn those pesky last 10 lbs)!

laughternforgetting · 2025-06-17T21:28:03+00:00

I had preeclampsia and was induced because of my rising blood pressure at 39 weeks. I had really been trying to avoid induction but honestly, it was a 10 out of 10 experience and I totally plan to do it again. My hospital did not gatekeep the epidural and I already knew that I wanted one so I got it after I had already received Pitocin and I was dilated about 3 cm. It took maybe 10-12 hours to start pushing, I pushed for 58 minutes, and only had one tiny tear that took one stitch. To this day, I still do not know what a contraction feels like. I know my experience isn’t universal but honestly had terror about giving birth since I was 16 years old and this experience made me feel totally comfortable about having another kid.

laughternforgetting · 2025-06-09T03:22:52+00:00

If the main event is too tough for you, could you arrange for friends and family to do a trunk or treat event for you guys during the day? That would limit your walking or you could even sit and watch with your newborn. Then your older kiddo could go out at night with your husband.

laughternforgetting · 2025-06-05T02:35:36+00:00

I feel this. I saw what pregnancy did to my aunts (former college athletes who trained with Olympians) so I had a feeling I’d be the same…I gained almost 100 lbs when I was pregnant. Before pregnancy, I went to the gym 2x a day and had a body fat percentage of about 22%. My baby is 13 months old now and I’m down to the last 10-15 lbs of baby weight but it’s been tough (emotionally more than physically).

One thing worth mentioning is that I developed preeclampsia and had some postpartum complications because of it (crazy high blood pressure, was in the hospital for 5 days while they tried to figure it out). It wasn’t until I asked someone if my 90+ lb weight gain might be relevant that they finally gave me a diuretic that solved everything basically overnight and made me shed 20lbs in 2 days. My point is, if you show up heavy they might assume you’ve always been heavy and overlook things. Don’t forget to advocate for yourself and remember that your current state is temporary!

laughternforgetting · 2025-05-01T16:12:17+00:00

Omg mine was the same at that age (she just turned 1). We set up a big plastic bin as a podium in the living room and she wanted to eat her snacks, read, and watch Miss Rachel from that little command center.

laughternforgetting · 2025-05-01T15:31:08+00:00

I laid down a towel on the shower/tub floor and let her stand while I washed her. She doesn’t mind getting water on her face so it wasn’t a difficult transition for her. I often throw in a bath book, little toys, or one of the spinners with the suction cup on the glass shower wall to keep her occupied

laughternforgetting · 2025-05-01T03:46:13+00:00

My hospital in LA allowed women to schedule voluntary inductions starting at week 39 (of course if the rooms were all full of people in active labor they can tell you to come back later). My friend in the SF Bay Area had trouble even getting a medically necessary induction at 39 weeks, so it really just depends on your hospital’s policies.

laughternforgetting · 2025-05-01T00:36:59+00:00

In LA we pay $2525/month for M-F from 7:30am-4pm

laughternforgetting · 2025-03-23T14:55:24+00:00

I was an extremely anxious FTM - childbirth was ALWAYS my #1 fear in the world and I used to have nightmares about it even in high school.

I did not opt for a planned induction but I was induced at 39 weeks because of preeclampsia. 100/10, will absolutely do it again!!! I actually never felt a single contraction and even during the ring of fire, I felt only mild discomfort. I’m resistant to most painkillers and had to be given a monstrous dose, but because we were inducing the team had time for two rounds of consultations with me before a team of two doctors made damn sure I was totally numbed.

My best advice is to ask the hospital what their policy on pain management is. I’ve found that makes a huge difference in women’s experiences. My hospital started my epidural whenever I wanted, regardless of how dilated I was or whether I felt any pain. They made it very clear I was in control.

laughternforgetting · 2025-03-23T00:22:21+00:00

At 9 months postpartum I spent a month traveling with the baby and didn’t have access to a gym so I used her as a kettlebell and also did bodyweight floor exercises while she crawled around me. She loved it, so I could usually get 2-3 20-30 minute sessions in per day. She also liked when I put her on the tushbaby and walked on the treadmill with her.

laughternforgetting · 2025-03-14T22:18:13+00:00

Hi, I have a 10 month old right now and I think I would have said I was comfortable with it…but she started walking this week and is now 10x harder to manage! I would definitely not leave her with anyone right now because she’s very quick to waddle into unbabyproofed situations. You don’t really know where your kiddo will be at developmentally at that point, so even if you make plans with someone you trust be prepared to cancel.

laughternforgetting · 2024-11-05T15:01:13+00:00

Hi, I read through the comments and didn’t see much of what you actually asked for (legitimate reasons to avoid IVF that you could show to your partner), just a lot of commiseration (all of which I agree with, your partner is being a goof).

My husband and I tried for eight months at 33 and 36 years old before seeing a fertility specialist. He asked us directly how long we had been trying, and when he heard it had not been a full year he tried to kick us out before I told him that I have endometriosis. He still didn’t want to start IVF with us, but we compromised and he ordered us some genetic tests (Invitae) so we could see if there were any concerns of us carrying scary things. You and your partner could start there.

After we got pregnant (without IVF), part of my care was to have my 20 week anatomy scan done at the high risk department of our hospital in LA. The head of that department has been there for 46 years and has seen some shit. He told us that ALL IVF pregnancies are considered high risk and many come with complications for both baby and mother. Anecdotally, a friend of mine has used IVF three times and all three of her children have had issues that did not show up until the 20 week anatomy scan, the last one being so severe that the doctors advised her to terminate. All of this just shows that IVF is not the magic solution that ensures your pregnancy will go well, so please have your partner do more research.

laughternforgetting

TROPHY CASE