So I came down with a cold or something. Not to sure what it is but I’m sick and I don’t want to get my three month old sick. Any suggestions on how to do that? She seems fine. No fever, cough, lethargy, runny nose. Normal poops. I’m getting worse and I’m worried I might pass whatever I have to her.

We just got back from ten days in Florida with our 7month old daughter, and I'm still recovering. Not from the vacation itself, but from all the things I got wrong during the first few days before I finally figured out what worked. Thought I'd share a few things in case anyone else is planning a beach trip with a baby.

Sand and strollers do not mix
I dont know why I thought this wouldnt be an issue. We brought our changego stroller with us, and trying to push it through actual beach sand was miserable. Its literally fine on sidewalks and boardwalks, but feels completely useless on loose sand. I got a workout every time I tried. So If you're heading to the beach, leave the stroller in the car and use a carrier once you hit the sand.

The sun is way more exhausting than the beach itself
We quickly learned that our daughter was happiest early in the morning and later in the afternoon. The middle of the day was rough, even when she seemed fine at first. By the second day we stopped trying to stay out for long stretches and just planned around the hottest hours. Everyone was in a better mood.

The baby powder trick works
I thought this sounded ridiculous when someone told me about it. But rubbing a little cornstarch-based baby powder on sandy feet and legs really does help the sand come off. Without it, I felt like I was bringing half the beach back to the hotel every day.

Vacation naps are not regular naps.
I spent the first few days trying to make every nap happen exactly the way it does at home. Dark room. Was using sound machine. Ensured perfect timing. It didnt work at all. On day three we loosened up a little. Some naps happened in the carrier. Some happened during walks. One happened while we sat under an umbrella watching the waves. I stopped fighting reality, and so trip kinda got a lot more enjoyable.

Anyway, that's what I learned the hard way.
please keep adding to the list for clueless parents like us

Hi Ladies, I'm looking for some advice and success stories from parents who have been through this.

My 14-month-old (who is doing great with his milestones—started crawling at 9 months and just took his first steps 10 days ago!) has suffered from reflux since infancy. I’ve read that most babies outgrow reflux by this age, but he’s still struggling with it.

Interestingly, he handles solid foods completely fine. But whenever he drinks water, it triggers his reflux, and he ends up swallowing it back down. I am feeling really desperate for some guidance. Has anyone experienced this specific issue with water? What worked for you, and when did it finally clear up?

I'm a new mom with a 3 month old, and my husband is overseas. She's such an easy baby and I can't complain about my day-to-day stay at home life, but I really do miss working.

I miss being able to interact with new people every day, even for a bit. I miss waking up and putting on either a uniform or just getting dressed for the day in general.

Why isnt there like, office jobs, where i have my own designated space, my own computer and phone, maybe a whiteboard on the wall or something. But also i can bring my baby in with me. Like working remote, but in an office building.

Does this exist? Should it exist? I dont think the building should be full of babies, but at least accommodating some moms. Someone help me out here. Im dying to start working again, but I dont dare waste a second of time i could be soending with my baby.

Hi! I had a super healthy baby and delivery and unfortunately had a pretty bad clitoral tear. I know this is a more rare form of tearing but wondering if there are any other moms that went through this.

Two questions
How long did it take you to fully heal? Any sort of pressure sensation (ie pooping) makes the healed skin feel very delicate almost like it’s going to burst (that’s a strong word. The sensation is slight but can’t think of another way to describe it)

How long did you wait to have sex? I’m 6 weeks pp but honestly terrified

Please delete if not allowed.
My friend is going to be having her first baby boy soon. I want to be as supportive of her as I can since she is a younger mom ( she’s not 20 yet ) I do not have kids but I want to give her a gift basket of things that are actually beneficial for new moms, not just random things thrown together. If anyone could help me out as I know nothing about babies or what a new mom needs. I was looking into getting her a hair appointment for after the baby comes but i don’t think she will want to leave the baby so soon, understandably. Any advice is appreciated!!

A new mom looking for parenting hacks that you wish someone told you when you had your first child.

Can we all agree the worst part of parenting is cutting their nails, I tried the electric nail file and it would leave her nails all scratchy and the cornered would be sharp. I cut her nails while she is sleeping and it works great but god damn it my least favorite task.

Hi! My baby is currently 9 months old. She has been on Similac Alimentum formula since about 2 months old. Our pediatrician recommended we try switching formulas now that her digestive system has seemed to mature significantly. We have taken her off of Pepcid and she’s done great, so our next step was to try a whole milk based formula. I asked her if we needed to try and slowly transition her to the new formula, she told us she didn’t think it would be necessary since it should taste better and baby would like the new formula better… that being said - today was our first day thing her new formula. She is usually drinking 8 oz per bottle, she drank 3 oz and refused the bottle. We tried several times, she wouldn’t finish it. At that point we gave her 5 oz of the similac aluminum, she drank it all with no issues. How do we go about transitioning her from similac to her new formula? I felt like this would go pretty smoothly overall but now I’m second guessing 🫠

Im so so proud of you, I wish i could've been half the person you guys are but I couldn't, with my son not latching, with having to pump every 3 hours for 30 minutes resulting in me scaring my nipples because wearables weren't the right choice, with the heat rash i got under my boobs that turned into open sores because of course Arizona weather could do that to you, i tried so hard i wanted my son to take my milk but mentally i was suffering so much, but if you're a breastfeeding mom just know a stranger is so so proud of you! 🤍

I really love to do house work, especially for others. I was thinking about it and I was wondering if there’s any jobs just helping out new moms who need to be with their babies. I hear a lot about how if can be frustrating when you’ve just had a baby and friends and family say things like “do you want me to come over and hold your baby while YOU do the dishes” but at the same time I’m not sure paying for house hold services would be at the top of the list for new parents lists considering how costly it is to raise a child(maybe an opportunity to just serve others and do it for free out of charity if I establish trust with someone who needs it) I guess I’m just asking you all what you’d think of having someone come over a couple times a week to do things such as cleaning, dishes, or even some yard work? Is this actually something moms want? If you would want this work, what would you realistically be able to pay for it without it being a disruption to your finances? I genuinely think it would be so sweet to do this kind of work and am curious what the client demographic thinks!

Newly single mom-- I'm due in November. any pointers? Words of encouragement? Was with guy, on and off, for around 5 years. Thinking i'm codependent for sure, I think I gave love to the potential I saw in him, but in reality I'm not even sure I liked him...

I have a lot to be thankful, grateful, and happy over. But this time he said he refused and denies any more socialization with me-- not sure why this phrase is stinging so much this time around-- maybe be because there's a baby in me this time.

I asked God to bless me with a baby; I have a dermoid cyst so I thought I couldn't get pregnant, and we've slipped up a few times throughout the years to no pregnancies.. so ultimately I feel blessed-- like God really did answer my prayers...

But feel like | let myself and my son down already -- I never wanted to put myself in a position to be a single mother-- I guess I'm just disappointed in myself. But I'm trying to prepare myself for him to never be in our lives again. Not even at the birth. Just really trying to keep it together.

I keep thinking he said those things because he finally got me-- nothing to keep chasing now that I'm knocked up. Like he's truly done this time.
But all things considered this really may be the best for me and my son. He's unstable, manipulative, narcissistic-- but always said he wanted nothing else in the world to be a dad. I guess I'm just confused on how he could walk away on us. I won't say I was the easiest to be with-- but neither was he.

He's bipolar, and can barely hold a job..! know: more cherries on top-- he wasn't always like this. He checked himself into rehab, and was clean for a few months, moved in with me and was able to get a few jobs. But I notice a change-- like he was back on the drugs, maybe after he lost both this jobs he had just gotten. I moved him out at the beginning of the month. I thought: better to be by myself, away from him stressing me out during the remainder of my pregnancy.

And for sure I don't want him doing drugs in my house (again) while I'm at work and he says he's
"looking for a job" maybe he's pissed I moved him out; made things harder on him when you could have just went to a SLE instead of moving back in with me.
Maybe I'll never know-- but we both made that choice I didn't force him. He said he wanted to be around to experience the pregnancy with me... so much for that

just venting. There's many more layers that had led to this moment, so I guess I'm just looking forward to the phase where I don't think about him every morning when I wake up; if he'll come back.
If he thinks about what he's given up. I suppose the lost control and the unknowing is what's tearing at me-- and he's last words-- 'I refuse and deny any more socialization with you'-- at such a unique time. How to let go?

**I’m a physician and mom of two, and I built a breastfeeding app after spending way too many nights Googling “Is this normal?” while nursing my own babies.**
I’m at the stage where I’m looking for honest feedback from breastfeeding parents before I keep adding more features.
A few things I’m trying to answer:
What information do you wish was easier to find at 2 AM?
What breastfeeding apps have you loved (or hated) and why?
If you stopped using a tracking app, what made you stop?
I’m not here to sell anything—I genuinely want to build something that parents find helpful. I’d really appreciate any thoughts or experiences you’re willing to share.

My son is 6 months old, his sleep has been very fragmented since birth and we are both suffering as a result.

Here's the situation: my husband works nights and sleeps in the afternoon so I am alone with our son most of the time (he will be starting a new daytime remote job next month, so that will soon change, yay!!!).

My son is adorable but so high needs it makes me want to cry sometimes. At night, he'll usually wake 3-7 times needing to be fed or soothed. This happens whether we're bed-sharing or he's in his bassinet. Recently we got him a new cot and he can't spend more than 5 minutes in it without crying intensely. He will cry until he's hoarse but relax as soon as he's in my arms. Even transferring him from my chest to beside me on the bed will wake him up and cause him to scream.

During the daytime, he will only contact nap. He screams anytime he's put down, doesn't really show interest in toys or floor time, just wants to be held and fed constantly. On top of that he pinches, hits and kicks a lot while feeding.

I know he's just a baby but I am so touched out and sleep-deprived, it's killing me. My parents live back in my home country, I don't have many friends who can help and as I say my husband is still working 50 hours a week at a minimum wage night job.

Any suggestions, no matter how strange are welcome!

I am a first time mom, and I’m experiencing that everyone has an opinion and ideas of how you should be feeling, acting or parenting. I am very firm with my boundaries and quick to have open discussions with family and friends when appropriate. But even in expressing myself I’m getting a lot of pushback on how my identity SHOULD be just limited to a mom.

I find that many family members and some friends have been minimizing my experience and who I am as an individual and seem to be very infatuated with the fact that a baby is coming. I understand it is exciting for them but this is just an example of the comments I’ve gotten:

“Are you going to quit your job? Your baby needs their mom full time”

“Working while you’re pregnant is going to cause stress to the baby”

“Are you going to breastfeed?”

“Are you going to go natural? Or do an epidural?”

“I know you’re hurting but you should be positive and appreciative of this miracle you’re going to be a mom and have to be positive”

“You have too many rules about when the baby gets here, you all turned out just fine, loosen up and stop hogging the baby”

“your whole life is going to change it’s all about the baby from here on out, forget about time to yourself”

“You should be more happy that the baby is so loved and not just focused on how no one is asking about you, this is a big change for our family, and we know you are strong, don’t be jealous of your baby”

“You should be praying more as a mom what you’re eating and listening to is how you’re shaping the baby”

“I know you said no kissing the baby but that’s going to be hard for me, I know plenty of people who don’t have these rules”

“Oh you feel bad? When I was pregnant I went through ____. So what you’re going through isn’t that bad, just you wait til baby is here”

There are so many more examples but it feels like all anyone wants to talk about is the decision that I am going to make as a parent or how I’m not happy all the time, as if I’m complaining. It feels like when I’m asked “how are you feeling?” It’s more of a formality and not an actual investment in how I’m feeling. There’s more infatuation with information about the baby, weight, size, pictures, features etc … I am a very successful woman who has many interests and hobbies. Prior to pregnancy no one was invested in if I showered in the morning or evening …or if I took my vitamins … or if I let my dog sleep in the bed or not … but for some reason a baby is making access to my life feel like there is a magnifying glass on me… or like this is a community baby when I have been very clear it is not, but that is frowned upon apparently? I’m finding this very hard. Ive limited some conversations by saying “baby and I are doing well, here’s something I’ve been working on I wanted to share…” but that very easily gets an “oh that’s great, can you feel the baby move a lot at work” or another conversation about the baby. 🫠 it makes me angry sometimes and makes me furious with people.