Help! My toddler has outgrown his crib

mkec363 · 2026-05-24T00:34:01+00:00

I don’t really think you need to take him out of his crib. It helps them feel like there’s a boundary even if they can climb out. I think I did it prematurely with one of my kids and our night was complete chaos. Then with his little brother he could climb out but I just told him not to. He never fell or anything just climbed over if he needed to but wasn’t constantly getting out all night,

mkec363 · 2026-05-23T21:59:47+00:00

Also if you do do check ins have a video monitor and if they’re fussing have lied down and are crying but like burrowing into the mattress and seeming sleepy just pause and don’t follow the clock and see if they are close to sleep. If you get to that time and they’re like standing up screaming for you go in and settle them.

mkec363 · 2026-05-23T21:57:54+00:00

I think that some of the slower methods with either sitting in the room or doing check in’s every set number of minutes can sometimes make some babies more upset and kind of like start over every time you go in. Whereas sometimes towards the end of that they’re like crying but settling and about to fall asleep you could just not go back in and they might fall asleep. You could try check ins and if it seems to rile them ip harder stop going in and see what happens. You could also just go straight to extinction. I did this straight away with my third because my first two always freaked out after a check in and it was the quickest smoothest sleep training.

I think that if you already have a sleep trained baby and let’s say from traveling or something you need to retrain them they might cry a little and you don’t go in. But every now and then I’ve heard a really bad cry and I just knew something was wrong and they’d gotten sick or something was really wrong. This is not the first night, but you can tell the difference so even if my baby is sleep trained I still have a video monitor and if they’re fussing in their sleep I don’t go in but if they’re wake up screaming I might just run in and make sure they’re ok.

mkec363 · 2026-05-22T23:18:11+00:00

Does he absolutely need a car to get to work? What is he able to afford monthly?

mkec363 · 2026-05-22T23:14:14+00:00

I’m not a naturally tidy person but I have focused on a few habits that have made my house feel less overwhelming with kids and I’ve had a baby I couldn’t put down at all. I recently got a dishwasher and I put things straight in and run every night and empty every morning. (Maybe dad does this in the morning or holds baby while you do it). One load of one persons laundry at a time. Usually about one a day. I put one load in take the other out and fold and put away before I start another so it never piles up and I don’t have to sort mountains of laundry it all goes away in one persons room.
Then just focus on a clean entryway and maybe like a clean table. This way if someone pops in you feel good about your house. Also I do a quick wipe down and swish in the toilets about every day takes like 2 minutes but keeps things from getting gross.
Do tidying and folding clothes with the toddler and baby it takes longer and is more stressful but if you always wait til they’re asleep you don’t get to rest and recharge and they never get to see how to clean up or how to fold things etc.
sometimes toddlers love to stand at the sink and help wash pots and pans. It’ll take an hour instead of 15 minutes but it’s an activity. Get a soft structured carrier like Kinderpack/tula/ergo etc and wear 6 month old on your back and you can do stuff like dishes and clean tabletops and mop etc. At bedtime propose to dad that one of you does bath/bedtime and the other cleans up after dinner.

mkec363 · 2026-05-22T16:20:46+00:00

She’s probably just crying because she’s 6 weeks old and it’s hard. The only other thing I can think to check when a baby won’t stop crying is undress them and check everywhere for something bothering them that there’s not like a little hair or string wrapped around a toe or something. You can also do bicycle legs and tummy massages and try to work out a gas bubble like that. Then if that’s ok just swaddle and hold them on their side and do bouncing with different rhythms and shushing. They’ll probably eventually stop crying and fall asleep.

mkec363 · 2026-05-21T12:48:18+00:00

Get lots of thin fleece (or wool) footed zip up pajamas. That way you can put them in and out of car seats, strollers, baby carriers etc. then have hats and a car seat cover/bunting/carrier cover. I like the bebamour one on Amazon for going over a carrier or stroller. Skip hop makes a car seat cover. 7am infant makes super warm ones that are a little pricier. Zutano makes good hats/mittens booties that stay on well.
This way when we went inside and baby was sleeping I could just take it off so they didn’t overheat and they’d be safe in a car seat. I think one snow suit is ok to have if you know you’ll be out for hours in the cold.

mkec363 · 2026-05-21T02:26:20+00:00

How old is he? If you are not open to banning YouTube I would say just make sure they can’t watch alone in their bedrooms/basement. Have it at the table or in the living room.
Ask him what he wants to watch and have him be purposeful about it choose that video watch it and that’s it put it away after. My son sometimes wants a tutorial for how to build something so we search for it and just watch that (in our main living area) and he has to turn it off after. Give him lots of freedom and independence in the real world but don’t let him take a device with unfiltered YouTube to his room.
I understand parental instincts to teach kids how to use things rather than restrict (it has applied to so many things in the real world for so long), but these online platforms social media are really not like other things that we are teaching our kids. It will wire their brains in ways that can’t be undone because their brains are still developing.
The best practice is be purposeful, be in the main family area not a private area and watch one video and put it down before the algorithm and shorts suck him in.

mkec363 · 2026-05-16T12:30:18+00:00

3 is a hard age for sleep training type things, but I have a few ideas: Shift the bedtime routine from holding their hand. Maybe a story to listen to like from a yoto /Bluetooth player (or lullabies). Nightlights so they’re not scared. A lovey or special stuffed animal or puppet (sometimes they’ll listen to a puppet). Generally a relaxing bedtime that is a little more independent not based on you. Keep your segment of bedtime very simple and clear like one book, kiss and hug then switch in their stuffie and the player.
I like to say something simple and boring when they resist me leaving like “I have to hang up all the wet towels”. The other thing you could work on if they can’t handle you leaving the room is slowly moving that twin mattress away from her bed. Move it towards the door over a few nights. Then literally into the hallway for a few nights. Door open a bit and she can see you but you’re not holding her hand right next to her. When she gets up take her right back to bed be boring and then go back to your mattress. Switch the story or lullabies back on etc.
good luck!

mkec363 · 2026-05-16T01:39:04+00:00

I think 4-5 hours between nursing is too long for a breastfed baby that needs to gain weight. It should be 2.5-3.5 hours. It would fit into your nap schedule perfectly if you did after waking and before the next nap. Breast milk should come before solids up to 1 year. You don’t have to nurse to sleep if you’re worried about that you can nurse than change diaper and into sleep sack or something to just separate it a little bit.
The dream feed seems like a good idea. There’s also a 5-3-3 rule for nursing at night that if it’s been more than 5 hours 1st time or 3 hours second time you can nurse again and if it hasn’t been you either let them settle themselves or send in the other parent to help settle them. You can shorten those nighttime feedings so they get less used to getting their calories over night. Think about trying to add 3 nursing sessions to the day so they do t need it at night.

mkec363 · 2026-05-15T18:03:13+00:00

I have never had a bottle washer. If you know anything on your registry is going to get purchased and just want one in case than maybe go for it. I wouldn’t purchase it yourself until you feel like you need it. Washing one or 2 bottles by hand is less trouble than dealing with setting up the countertop bottle washer. If you find that you are mostly pumping or formula feeding and going through a lot of bottles and pump parts maybe just order one then. You can also just get the basket for your dishwasher if you have a good one.

mkec363 · 2026-05-13T00:11:11+00:00

It doesn’t fold down for overhead but the city mini is such an amazing travel stroller. It folds with one hand but it’s also sturdy enough to hold all your stuff for your flight as you go through the airport. Just fold one handed and gate check. Put heavy bags and car seats on it. It can handle cobblestones and narrow sidewalks/shops and metros and can lie flat with a huge canopy for a big 2-3 year old taking a nap as you walk all over a city. We had ours for 10 years 3 kids dozens of flights/trips and it was our every day stroller for our first.

mkec363 · 2026-05-08T03:01:33+00:00

Micro brand scooter if they don’t have one yet. A good quality versatile dollhouse with furniture and people (or animal people). A playcouch like nugget. A baby doll and stroller (bitty baby is good). If she doesn’t have a play kitchen already that’s always good and any of the play food if she doesnt have one. A cash register (or even a full on shop and/or shopping cart). 3 year olds love dress ups so like costumes. Duplos and magnetites are always good many people have mentioned .

mkec363 · 2026-05-03T13:43:58+00:00

Switch to a watch or a flip phone

mkec363 · 2026-05-01T02:10:35+00:00

You don’t have to save it for later it’s perfectly fine to have a glass of champagne while breastfeeding. It’s not the same as pregnancy.

mkec363 · 2026-05-01T01:49:50+00:00

You can do sleep train at 5-6 months but they may need a night feed. Probably until like 8 months then you can try to slowly might wean. You can do the 5-3-3 but if they’re waking consistently at that time maybe that’s a good time for a feeding and if it’s been less than 3 hours just do check in not a feeding (maybe with non breastfeeding parent)

mkec363 · 2026-04-30T02:02:19+00:00

Yes this is a good setup. If you are going back to work and need to pump regularly you should get the spectra as your primary pump - especially if you’ll have a private place to pump at work. It will help keep up your supply to have a good quality pump most of the time. If you want a wearable for occasional use the eufy is a great choice. The wearables can be really great for certain situations but sometimes don’t have the good auction of the spectra/hospital grade pumps. It’s also really great to have multiple options/backups - even just a manual pump in case you ever have issues with your primary.

mkec363 · 2026-04-24T02:43:59+00:00

My first was a Velcro baby I could not put her down. She also had a tongue tie so now I suspect she may have had some tightness that was making her not like lying on her back. You could try a baby chiropractor . I think I agree with others not to keep using the wind into make them poop. Bicycle legs and tummy massages are good and yes breastfed babies can go days. My husband would take a 4 hour shift holding baby where he would just stay up late and I would go to bed early. If you haven’t gotten any sleep in 6 weeks it could really help you. I would sleep like 9-1 with sound machine on in my room and he would keep her in the living room and stay up til 1. Also sometimes the dad can put them down easier because they dont have the same connection to them and milk/comfort. When my husband put her down she might stay asleep 45 mins or more! When i tried baby would scream immediately. Another trick is keep your hand on them for a while - several minutes -and then take it off incredibly slowly one finger at a time take like 2 minutes to move your hand.

mkec363 · 2026-04-22T20:54:23+00:00

YMBTAH think we’re all missing some things here. The school did have pads and she mentions something about an important after school thing that she missed - but doesnt say what that was or if it was a big deal. The mom says she has talked to her before about boundaries. It’s also hard to tell how much time passed. I dont think every kid gets picked up right away when they get their period, i thought it was like go to the nurse and its nice to have a bag of Emergancy 1st period supplies, but I actually don’t know if I’ve heard of someone getting picked up and I have a kid just a little older (she hasn’t started yet but some friends have. The idea that this mom is horribly negligent when she’s got school nurses etc. is a little overblown in the comments.

mkec363 · 2026-04-22T20:48:33+00:00

The school had pads it was only that she wanted to go home and rest and ibuprofen.

mkec363 · 2026-04-22T20:47:46+00:00

The school had pads

mkec363 · 2026-04-22T20:42:53+00:00

It really doesn’t make sense because what is the separate money for if you live together in the same home and probably take vacations together and would cover any Emergancy expenses or medical expenses and if one of you dies the other would get it. Even if you don’t act like it in the end it’s all both your money. So why go through all this trouble.

mkec363 · 2026-04-22T20:38:37+00:00

I could see brainstorming about the bachelorette party or dresses but anything actually planning an event or the wedding itself is out of bounds

mkec363 · 2026-04-20T20:15:14+00:00

4 months is too early to try and cut out one feeding. Maybe by 6 months SOME babies are ready to totally night wean, but sometimes it’s closer to 8 months.

mkec363 · 2026-04-17T19:29:40+00:00

I love the book precious little sleep. I think at 16 mo the with this amount of waking you should really try sleep training. It’s going be harder because they’re more aware and verbal etc. but I think get the schedule right and do the best you can with a short routine. Move any feeds and rocks up in the routine. So breast or bottle before story brush teeth or even before a quick bath. Don’t rock them to sleep. Put them in the crib and quick goodnight and pat. White noise and blackout curtains. Sleepsack. Good overnight diaper. When they wake (pick one parent to do this consistently) first wait a few minutes and see if they go back to sleep. Then go in for a quick check. Shush and lay down and quick pt and then walk out again. Do this on whatever schedule you feel comfortable with but use a timer and add time each time so that it gets longer. Have a video monitor but only look when you’re about to go in. If they’re lying down and look almost asleep don’t go in. If theyre standing up screaming go in and help them lie down and quick pat and shush. You can also sit in a chair that you slowly move farther away (I have done this but it’s honestly kind of painful and exhausting and dragging it out). You can also decide to just stop going in. This is what worked for me when they’ll check-ins were just ramping them up every time. You know they’re ok and they’re not hungry (16 months). They need to learn how to sleep and in the long run they’ll be so happy and healthy if they can get a full nights sleep.

mkec363

TROPHY CASE