u/Gaerfinn

My son is newly 17 months old and we’ve been doing lazy EC since he was 4 months old. We had varying degrees of success with a peak around 10 months old (when we’d catch about 5 pees a day and poop almost every day), then when he started walking things definitely got worse but we always managed to at least keep the first pee of the morning in the potty. During this past month he’s become a lot more interested in the potty. Only sometimes do we catch more than one or two pees but he asks to sit on it a lot and has started announcing when he’s peeing or pooping - not yet with enough notice to make it to the potty but still! He’s aware of when he goes most of the time. He’s also resisting wearing a diaper quite a lot.

I’m thinking he might be ready for a week or so of more intensive “training” to wrap things up but I am hesitating because we have travel coming up and the first week that is completely free from engagements would be in about a month. I was told not to make any changes at all during his 18th month of life, so should I wait even longer? I’m afraid of missing this window of interest on his part. Would you guys wait two months or cancel/delay our trip and potty train now?

Edit to add: he’s been dry for nights and naps for 2/3 months already.

I have a 16 month old and I’m 6 weeks pregnant with my second. I intend to continue nursing my first for as long as he likes, but at night it has become quite painful. So I decided to night wean and keep nursing by day only. WELL. He has adapted ok. I am staying awake for 3-5 hours every single night unable to fall back asleep without the sweet relaxing hormones produced by nursing. It’s been 10 days and I feel like I’m hanging by a thread. I contacted my GP and I’m waiting for an answer. In the meantime, any advice or experiences? Is there ANYTHING I can take while pregnant? I kinda want to go back to nursing if not, even though it hurts like a bitch because I simply cannot deal with this level of sleep deprivation anymore. How much longer will this last?

I am trying to decide where to go next after we fully outgrow our current carrier. I’m looking for a full buckle carrier. I already have a meh dai and want something quicker for out and about. I’ve read quite a few past posts on this subject and I see the LennyPreschool gets recommended a lot, but I’d like to get opinions on whether it’s likely to be a good fit for us, so let me give you the deets!

my son is now 15 months old, about 83cm tall. I’m unsure about his weight, he was 10kg six months ago at his last pediatric check up. He feels VERY heavy to me for sure. We have been using an Oscha Bairn since he was 4 months old and I have really loved it. However he is now way too heavy for it. I get lower back pain in 10 minutes front carrying and when back carrying I can resist 30 minutes AT MOST but it starts becoming uncomfortable in the shoulders and stomach well before then. The panel is still an acceptable-ish height (it sits on his shoulder blades) but this carrier is simply not supportive enough for us anymore, unfortunately. I use it every single day for naps, quick errands, ups and downs, chores… I just can’t take walks with it anymore. So I want something that I could use in any situation to fully replace it.

I like the apron-style, but I suspect the thin waistband is the reason it’s not very supportive - correct me if I’m wrong. So I know Happy Baby and Integra make toddler carriers but I’m afraid I would find them not supportive enough. If anyone has one of them please let me know your experience!

I have tried a Tula and really hate that hard waistband, it hurts immediately. So Tula toddler is not an option for us.

I have also tried a Belenka 4ever and it’s not bad. Bulky and very hot but for sure more supportive than the Bairn. I didn’t love it like I loved my Bairn but I guess I could live with something like that. But I would like something that would last us until the end of our babywearing days. So back to the LennyPreschool, is the waistband hard like Tula or padded but soft? Is it very hot to wear? We live in Italy, if it’s not super hot I’d prefer that. not the top priority though.

I’m thinking of buying a second hand Onbuhimo because I am planning on having a second child soon and my first is still being worn everyday. Back carrying without the waist strap is very attractive during pregnancy. Unfortunately the two places that rent carriers and wraps near me don’t have Onbuhimos so I’m gonna have to just wait for a good opportunity and buy one. There’s currently two opportunities with good prices, a Fidella one and a LennyLamb. Anyone that has either tried both or even one of those two want to give their opinion? How did you find it?

When my first was born I got a rocking chair, like many of us did, and I’ve used it every single day since (14 months in now). My partner did not want a bulky chair so I got a small one and regretted it very much, because I can’t even rest my head and it’s pretty uncomfortable for long contact naps. For this reason I’ve always fantasized about replacing it with a proper one when we have our second. Now I have the opportunity of a second hand chair but I’m wondering - how much did you use the chair with your second actually? Because with our first I’m still using it but only like a half hour a day. I imagine I won’t be able to do long contact naps on it with a second when the time comes (hopefully next year), since my first will also be around. So maybe it’s not even worth replacing at this point?

I have read Katy Bowman’s Whole Body Barefoot and I understand the importance of taking it slow and doing the exercises and stretches. However with a small child I have limited time for dedicated exercise and I feel that just with the bit here and there it would take literally ages to transition. How bad would it be to start transitioning by using barefoot shoes (or going barefoot when possible) for a limited amount of time everyday plus stretches here and there, then gradually wear the shoes more and more when I feel ready? The prospect of months of exercise only is very discouraging. How did you all do it?

edit: thank you everyone for replying! You definitely encouraged me to go for it and listen to my body :) will let you know how it goes!

I’m looking for opinions and lived experience to decide how to space my kids.

I was always of the opinion that a bigger age gap (5-6 years) would be ideal. You get lots of time with your first when they need you most (0-3) and they are grown enough and able to understand better that the little one has different and sometimes non-deferrable needs when they arrive.

Now that I have my first, though, I find that maybe I would like to have three, which makes that big an age gap a bit tricky, as I am 30. My son is 13 months and I must be honest, I kinda already want to do it again but I will not before he’s three because I really believe he needs me 100% for this span. He is not in daycare and will go to preschool when he’s 3 and a half years old. I was thinking I’d have the second when he’s in preschool so I’d get at least a half day of one on one time with the youngest, but then I realized he’s probably going to be sick all the time that first year. Right?

I know I can’t give the second the same quality of care I’m giving my first, but I’d like to do my best so I need good enough conditions.

So my options are:

- About 3 year age gap, roughly first six months with both at home, then 1st goes to preschool and start bringing illness home when little one is about 6 months

- 3 and a half age gap, when first has just started preschool, so technically we’d be having a few hours of time without him immediately but not sure how often he’s going to be sick and inevitably get the newborn sick

- roughly 4 years age gap, 1st one will have almost completed his first year of preschool and hopefully be less sick, but it’s a longer gap so having a third is possible in another four years, but maybe a bit more difficult

Questions for you guys:

How often was your kid sick the first year of preschool or daycare (whichever they did first)?

What age gap did you go for and how did it work out for you?