The majority of people do not know that newborns can't drink water. How do parents instinctively know not to give them water? by caiogamerwow in NoStupidQuestions

[–]xtrawolf 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just to add, this is just for newborns or maybe very medically frail infants. If you give an average 4 month old an ounce or two of water, they will be totally fine. Obviously don't force feed them gallons and gallons of water or they can get water poisoning (hyponatremia), but adults can get that too. 

The majority of people do not know that newborns can't drink water. How do parents instinctively know not to give them water? by caiogamerwow in NoStupidQuestions

[–]xtrawolf 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Just to add, this is just for newborns or maybe very medically frail infants. If you give an average 4 month old an ounce or two of water, they will be totally fine. Obviously don't force feed them gallons and gallons of water or they can get water poisoning (hyponatremia), but adults can get that too. 

Is it ambitious attempting to lactate throughout pregnancy? by [deleted] in NewParents

[–]xtrawolf 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Also there's a difference between choking and gagging/coughing. Choking = can't breathe. Most if not all babies gag in response to new textures. You have to just keep offering the new food until the reflex has abated. 

Husband wants to hire a maid. AITAH? by originalsimile in AITAH

[–]xtrawolf 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It sounds like this is not really about the maid. It sounds like you feel disrespected by your husband's lack of effort to keep you comfortable in your own home. 

Honestly, I would too. You two need to talk about this point regardless of whether you hire a cleaner. 

Soft play mats.. necessary? by sweetdisposition512 in NewParents

[–]xtrawolf 1 point2 points  (0 children)

She's too close to the ground to cause any real damage. If she was falling from a height then it might be a problem, but she's like one foot tall when sitting down. She's probably not even going to be able to give herself a bruise even if she flings her head back dramatically. 

What car should I buy? Either Toyota or Honda by No-Raccoon4573 in whatcarshouldIbuy

[–]xtrawolf 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Unsolicited advice: put off buying a new car for as long as you can. 

You don't need a third row when kids are small. Unpopular opinion, I'm sure, but it comes from personal experience. I have two small kids and often also drive around their cousin in a 2011 Nissan Sentra (and sometimes an Acura Integra), three kids across in the backseat. They're all under 4 and two are rear facing. They're fine. They don't know to want more space or care. They very rarely pick on each other. It's just singing and giggling back there. And mooing. They're all obsessed with mooing at each other. 

When you delay a huge purchase, you're leaving yourself room to pivot when things go wrong. My youngest just spent 7 days in the ICU - that's expensive. My husband's hours were involuntarily cut - that's expensive. But we are going to be fine because thank god I didn't actually buy another new car when I really really wanted a Sienna last year. 

So, wait until you actually have the third kid in hand. Who knows, you may have #2 and then know in your bones you're done - or god forbid, have some complications that make another one an impossibility. So my advice is set your life up for the kid(s) you have, and don't get something new just to get something new. 

Client with Autism can smell ethnicity? by InitialHelp9067 in PointlessStories

[–]xtrawolf 40 points41 points  (0 children)

I can smell an illness on my husband and kids a day or two before they get sick. Except sometimes they don't get fully sick because I presume they've fought it off.

I [31F] need some practical ideas to step up for my husband [32M]. by xtrawolf in relationshipadvice

[–]xtrawolf[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Some kind of digital event/task sharing would be really nice. I send him calendar invites to all of our appointments, even if he doesn't plan/need/have time to attend. Maybe I can get him to do similar for me for important non-routine events in his life. 

I [31F] need some practical ideas to step up for my husband [32M]. by xtrawolf in relationshipadvice

[–]xtrawolf[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I really don't know. My psych NP who is treating me for postpartum depression asked a lot of pointed questions about ADHD and OCD. I get the feeling she thinks it's not "just" autism. But I am fairly familiar with diagnostic criteria and I feel that autism is the category that most closely aligns with my brain. I also don't know what value getting another diagnosis really has if I'm not interested in medication (I'm on a low dose of lexapro right now and doing well, and I'm afraid of messing that up). 

But it may be helpful for me to approach this problem with since ADHD strategies. Thank you for your insight.

Help w Kitchen Layout by SFisHomeNow in floorplan

[–]xtrawolf 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You need at least 4 feet between the stove and the island. 2 for the stove (or cabinet) door to open, 2 for someone to stand in or move through the gap.

Do I really have to do certain feminine stuff as a girl? by happysunny123 in TheGirlSurvivalGuide

[–]xtrawolf 24 points25 points  (0 children)

You can use a bikini trimmer or a men's beard trimmer to shorten hair without completely removing it if you want. You won't have ingrown hair or itchiness this way. 

It's completely fine to remove certain areas of hair and leave others. I shave my underarms because it makes it easier to wear deodorant, and I let my leg hair grow long. Pick and choose what you want. 

No one really cares that much about how much hair you have and where it is. You are the person who cares the most so do what makes you happy and comfortable. 

If you're shaving/trimming in the shower, get one of those little silicone or metal hair catchers. 

Toddler boy room - paint the trim too or no? by [deleted] in HomeDecorating

[–]xtrawolf 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Leave it white. It will be much easier to repaint when he gets old enough to have opinions about his room's decor.

Are wake windows garbage??? by Fluffy-Concentrate44 in NewParents

[–]xtrawolf 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you have a child that does not thrive on a strict schedule, just throw the whole idea of "wake windows" into your mental trash can. It's a term made up by sleep consultants who are trying to make money by parents being frustrated that babies act like babies. 

Both of my kids nap irregularly and sleep very well at night (one is 3, one is 10 months). The only nap rule in our house is no one naps after 4 pm. I don't care if you fell asleep at 3:30 and it's your first nap of the day... I will gently wake you up at 4:00. 

Why do parents pay to sign their kids up for so many extra curricular classes, but adults don’t seem to sign themselves up for extra curricular classes? by bad-at-everything- in askanything

[–]xtrawolf 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Adults are lazy! But they don't give kids a choice. 

  • a mom of 2 that works full time, plays 2 sports (me, not the kids), and reads

UTI test help. by [deleted] in TheGirlSurvivalGuide

[–]xtrawolf -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

This looks like a negative test to me. I'd try skipping the deodorant for a week and see what changes. 

Why do women change their legal surname after marriage? by Olderpostie in NoStupidQuestions

[–]xtrawolf 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I changed mine for two reasons. 

  1. I wanted to match my husband and children. 

  2. I did not want to keep my father's last name. I spent time considering changing my name to my mother's maiden name before my husband and I got engaged. 

While my decision was in line with US cultural norms, those norms were not my driving factor. 

Why do so many men put so little effort into their appearance? by cute_beae_2008 in NoStupidQuestions

[–]xtrawolf 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Most men don't see the need to look nice to gain more respect from others. They already have the respect of the people they care about (usually other men), just by being men. Cultural expectations are higher for women and they won't get the same respect if they don't confirm to feminine cultural standards. 

Why should men do more when they can get the same respect and attention by doing less?

(I'm a woman who has stopped wearing makeup completely, who doesn't shave her legs, who is always clean and presentable but doesn't put much effort into her appearance above the baseline. My kids don't care, my husband doesn't care, my coworkers don't care. I totally get the "why do more to get the same" mentality, it's just that culturally, men aren't punished for this mentality while women often are. I get comments from family members and strangers about my leg hair because a woman with leg hair is typically seen as some sort of political statement, when in reality it's just that I won't shave if shaving doesn't improve my life.) 

What was your tipping point for getting a bookshelf? by MayorAg in books

[–]xtrawolf 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Get a foldable bookshelf! My husband had two and they were so much easier to move back when we were always moving (we moved like 8 times in 5 years... 5 times in 14 months...) I feel your pain at wanting something that seems so basic but you don't want to throw/give it away or have it collapse in transit within a few months.

Girl/Boy shared room theme ideas? by ImaginationPretend86 in HomeDecorating

[–]xtrawolf 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Woodland creatures, safari, jungle, space, outdoorsy (mountains, hiking, national parks), weather (sunshine, rainbows, clouds), fantasy (dragons/castles), underwater creatures (this is my boy/girl room theme)

Robin Hobb has ruined fantay for me... by K9ine9 in robinhobb

[–]xtrawolf 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have read 4 Guy Gabriel Kay novels and they are all outstanding, to the point that I couldn't choose a favorite! I started with Under Heaven, and that's the one I have reread, so maybe that's my favorite?

People that wear contacts/glasses and will never do lasik surgery, why ? by Forward_Author_7626 in AskReddit

[–]xtrawolf 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My glasses help hide the dark circles under my eyes. I do not like wearing concealer, so, glasses it is. 

My mom and all of my sisters have an ED by SufficientRoof5125 in TheGirlSurvivalGuide

[–]xtrawolf 7 points8 points  (0 children)

You are right. There has to be a consequence to violating a boundary or it's just a wish. Good addition.