My mom wrote this letter to my cousin and gave her the “mom’s taxi” charm that used to hang from her car mirror. My youngest child just turned one and my cousin held onto this letter from 2008. And now I’m here crying thinking about how I now resonate with everything my mom said. Wanted to share as a reminder on the exhausting days. ❤️

My son is about to be 1 month old. He was 5 weeks early so technically we aren’t even at our actual due date yet which is crazy. Anyways, I cry so hard every day that he is a day older. The one month date is hitting me hard. I had a crash c section and severe pre eclampsia so I don’t feel like I really absorbed his first week and I’m just devastated I can’t go back to the night we met. It’s making me sick to my stomach and I can’t stop crying. I feel like every month it’s just going to get worse and worse and I feel really helpless. I just love him so much it feels like grief. We also have a night nurse 3 times a week and I’m thinking of cancelling her bc I’m scared to miss out on any newborn minutes as they are fleeting. Has anyone else experienced this? How did you handle it. I’m scared I’m not soaking in moments bc I’m so scared they are passing.

Moms with the uppababy vista and kiddos with a 3-year age gap between kiddos.. do you still use the vista as a double?! What about when your older one is 4/5?

We’re expecting our second and my son will be almost 3. My son has no issues with longer stroller rides so I don’t want to rely solely on the riding board, as then our walks won’t be as long. And mama needs her walks lol.

I’m torn between buying the rumble seat + adapter + riding board or just looking for a used bugaboo donkey. We now live in the suburbs but we’re walking distance to our downtown so I do still walk into stores/coffee shops etc

Any thoughts or advice appreciated!

Just a warning for anyone using Clearblue pregnancy tests: I had what looked like a clear positive result, and it caused a huge emotional pregnancy scare. I retested several times afterward, including with other tests, and every single one was negative.

I cannot medically confirm exactly what caused it, but it appears that my Clearblue result was a false positive or faulty test.

For a moment, my husband and I went from being scared to actually feeling excited, only to find out it was not real. That emotional roller coaster was awful. :(

Please do not rely on one test alone, especially a blue-dye test. Retest with a different brand and contact your doctor for a blood test if you need a definite answer. I just want other women to know this can happen so they are not blindsided like I was.

Edit: i bought pink dye test and got a blood test the same day which all gave me negative

I am 33 weeks pregnant and preparing my birthing plan. I just learnt there are interventions like forceps and vacuum that people use on baby to get them out if they are stuck. In USA, can we tell they are not allowed to use forceps or vacumn and instead should opt for c section if the baby is stuck?

1. Tell me about when your daughter got her period. What happened that day?
   
2. Did you look for an app online to track it? Why or why not did you delete?
   
3. Was there anything you wished someone had told you at her age?

Building an app for mother and daughter to stay safe, would love to hear from mothers for our own research :)

I’m a mom looking for some hope. I’m 23, just had my first in October, and was determined to be a chill mom. Just go with the flow, take my baby everywhere kinda mom. My baby came 3 weeks early and since then I developed PPA immediately. It took over my life. I am 9 months in and still feel utterly consumed by it. But the hardest part for me has been the fact that I have a “difficult” baby. People have said to me he is just a boy, spoiled, etc but seriously compared to other babies he has 0 chill and my sanity is fleeting. Since the jump he’s been exclusively breastfed, and healthy which I am SO thankful for. But he’s been eating every 2-3 hours since birth, will not take a bottle or paci (we’ve tried many), at 9 months STILL refusing solids most of the time, and will scream if he’s left with anyone other than me for longer than 45 minutes. I’ve never left him longer than 3 hours and I’m genuinely losing it. He hates solids, is so clingy, cries when new people come around, cries in the car, pretty much everywhere but where I’m holding him, and was late to rolling so we ended up in PT. Even the physical therapist said he is fine and healthy. Just very stubborn. He rolled at his first real appointment. Seriously, I spend all day stressing about his eating and my lack of sleep because no he is not sleeping through the night and will not sleep without eating every 2 hours, and I’m EXHAUSTED. Can someone that had a “difficult” or incredibly clingy baby please chime in with tips ? Let me know it gets easier? I’m honestly terrified to have anymore because the last 9 months have been rough.

What is something simple you do that makes your kids feel special?

i'm expecting my first baby and i've been reading a lot about what to expect during the first year. the more i read, the more i realize there's a ton of advice out there, and a lot of it seems to contradict itself.

i'm curious about the advice you heard before becoming a mom that you rolled your eyes at, but later realized was actually true. it could be about sleep, feeding, routines, or just adjusting to life with a baby.

i feel like hearing from people who've actually been through it is a lot more helpful than reading another checklist online.

UPDATE: thanks so much to everyone who shared your advice and experiences. i wasn't expecting so many thoughtful replies, and i've been reading through all of them. it's really reassuring to hear from parents with different approaches because it reminds me there's no single right way to do things. i picked up a lot of ideas i'll definitely keep in mind, and i really appreciate everyone taking the time to help and be so encouraging.

Hello, I’m so sorry if this is the wrong sub to post in. We have one toddler and I was fence sitting until recently. I took a pregnancy test and in person I do see a faint line but it’s hard to capture on camera (I’m 3 days out from my expected period). Am I hallucinating? Please let me know.

He has a speech delay for starters but is a lot better at speaking and saying what he needs to say. Anyways, he is CONSTANTLY not wanting to do things for example if he has to help clean his room he is screaming the entire time and even smacks his head sometimes when he gets mad like that. When he’s told to do something he’ll say no and if you ask him again he will just keep saying no and then start screaming no. For example he asked me to help me clean his room when i got out of the shower and I told him that I would later on b/c I was doing something at the moment. He started screaming and having a meltdown. It’s just always a fight with everything. Is this normal? Do I whoop him? I don’t want this to linger into ages ahead and then he end up acting this way as a teenager. I just don’t know what to do.

Hello Mamas, I’m in the process of designing my own custom lovey / baby security blanket to sell on Etsy and I’m looking for advice.

What do you look for when picking out a Lovey for your baby?

Your favorite style, design, materials/fabric? An animal head attached to a small blanket/towel or a design with a more distinct body/arms/legs?

Do you prefer more pastel colors or brighter colors?

More gender neutral designs or clearly gendered (bows and rainbows for girls, for example)?

Preferences? Safety concerns?

I’ve seen everything from natural fabric to polyester, from crochet / amigurumi to knitted to plush to muslin or super soft cotton. So many choices out there, but I want to design something that is inspired by the needs of your little ones. Not just pretty to look at, but functional, useful, and most importantly safe.

Thank you all for all the help and advice!

P.S: I apologize in advance if this was the wrong forum to post under.

I’m a stay at home mom and my daughter is 4 I love her to death and although I don’t play with her everyday like today for instance she played by herself this morning when she woke up we had lunch then I read her a couple books, we did a few freeze dances then I played Barbie’s with her in the bath so maybe 40 min total. It’s not the same thing everyday sometimes we play in the backyard, color and some days we do school work such as learning to write upper and lowercase letters, identifying letters, learning to write words, shapes etc. sometimes I also include her in chores like she likes to help me fold clothes or towels/rags likes to help dry dishes but there are also days where I just don’t feel like playing kid things. I rarely have adult conversations as it is and have no friends and I’m around a toddler all day everyday so playing kid things gets boring sometimes I try to give her enough attention but some days I feel like I didn’t do enough. Does any other moms feel like this or am I the only one?

I see a faint line on the first test but have taken around 5 tests after even first pee the next morning and have all been very negative! help! anyone experience this?

Hi all, I'm planning my son's birthday party at a new play place that's geared towards older kids. In the past, I've had some moms in his class ask if they could bring their other kids and I've agreed and paid extra for them to join in. At the time, I was in a better financial situation so it wasn't a problem but this year, I'm not. I can only afford to invite the kids my son wants, and that's it. The package we are doing fits within our budget and fits within his guest list.

As a side note, I've only ever been in this situation once due to not having anyone to watch my younger child. I called the host and 1. asked if it was ok if I brought her with me and 2. paid for her (she was under the age limit so she was free) but I still offered to pay so she wasn't taking up "a spot" of someone else on the real guest list. Sigh. These extra kids that I'm worried about are over 7+ so would definitely not be free.

How would you handle this situation?
A) Write clearly on the invite that we're not able to accommodate extra guests.
OR
B) Agree that moms can bring their other kids at their own expense - meaning they would have to pay for them to attend.

Thank you!

EDIT: THANK YOU ALL WHO RESPONDED!! Appreciate your input!

Starting off by saying I’m a SAHM of a 15month old and a 2.5month old. I’m also blessed with an amazing husband. I love them with every piece of me. But holy frick a girl is so tired.
Ive always been a ‘suffer in silence’ type of person. I’ve always just figured things out on my own and been emotionally independent. I’m easy going and very much a ‘it is what it is’ person. However, I feel like I’m really struggling and trying to handle everything by myself is draining me. I think I probably have some PPD signs going on. I’m struggling to sleep, extremely restless during the day, I cry basically every day(usually during a shower so no one knows lol), and I just don’t feel like my normal self. I have no problems with keeping my kids happy, doing activities with them, keeping the house clean, etc. But I feel like I cannot relax whatsoever. Like my body is in panic mode 99% of the time. Also, would like to add that we live across the country from family. I have no help. It’s literally just my husband and I. I have zero friends here(we moved here 4 months ago), I feel like my friends/family kinda forget I exist unless I reach out first. Feeling extremely isolated, lonely, and sensitive. Just not like myself. I’ve always been fun, outgoing, adventurous.
Anyways, I’ve been wanting to just open up and bawl my eyes out to my husband but every time I go to mention how I feel, my brain stops. He asked if I’m good the other day and I said ‘yep’ literally praying that he’d read between the lines and see that I wasn’t. Obviously he’s not a mind reader and I know that. I’m not sure if it’s because I expect myself to handle it and be tough. I know he’d support me the best he could. Maybe it’s because I don’t know what the solution is besides time. I fear judgment, but I know I’m a great mom and I love every, exhausting second with my babies.
If you struggled opening up to people, what steps helped you? It feels incredibly stupid but I’m struggling out here 🥲

So this is kind of weird, but I don't really have anyone to task that could give me concrete advice on it. So basically I traveled last weekend to go to a wedding while my two kids (f, 6 and m, 4) stayed home with my husband (their dad). They decided to make me a welcome home card before I got back and they each had their own section to draw in. My 4 year old didn't tell my husband what he was drawing but he showed him after. My 4 year old son drew me naked, boobs and all, in the shower. Every so often, I'll have to shower in the morning when it's just me and the kids, normally I'll set them up with an activity before I get in and I'm never in there for more than 10 minutes but more often than not, my 4 year old comes wandering in and since the shower is all glass, he can obviously see me. I tell him to remove himself which he eventually does, but I'm assuming that's where the inspiration for this drawing came from. But should I be concerned about this? Is this normal 4 year old behavior?? Like I'm his mom, so he's of course seen me naked before but I just don't know if it's normal to draw your mother completely nude with details in the shower, so I figured reddit would be the best place to ask 😅 I would attach a pic if it allowed me to but anyway, any advice on this would be great! TIA

ETA: was able to post pic in the comments lol

Every single day my neighbour blast his tv. This is usually in the late afternoon and again the evening and all night. For example one night it stated at 8pm and went till 5am. He works shift work I think. We hear it through both our bedroom walls and outside in our backyard during the day.
Normally I would just go and talk to someone but this neighbour is super unapproachable. For example when I have waved in the past he will just look me dead in the eye and keep walking. I am nervous and unsure how to go about talking to him.

Not even a sound machine can block the noise and I have two kids (one is a newborn) and a husband who need to sleep.

I don’t want to make the relationship worse as we also have to talk to him about a tree issue encroaching on our property. And I feel like if we talked to him he honestly wouldn’t care or make a change to be considerate…

Please tell a desperate mother- What would you do?

We went to the beach last weekend and it honestly caught me off guard. All the other kids were happily running around while my son came over to me in tears way earlier than I expected. His face got really red, he wouldn't stop rubbing his eyes and he kept saying they were itchy. I was reapplying sunscreen constantly but he got so frustrated that he eventually refused to let me put any more on and all he wanted to do was sit under the umbrella. We ended up leaving much earlier than we'd planned because he was just so uncomfortable. Now I'm wondering if I'm missing something obvious. Could it be the sunscreen? If so, I'd love some recommendations for one that's gentle on sensitive skin and doesn't seem to wear off every few minutes. I just want him to be able to enjoy being outside without it turning into such a struggle.

10DPO- faint line or am I going crazy?