u/legumesfini

Does anyone have recommendations for the easiest baby shoes to get on? My 14 month old is walking everywhere and I’ve got her a couple of pairs of trainers from Next but they’re SO hard to get on. I was looking at those duckies ones but heard that they’re actually not good for baby feet and also that they drop ship from China and up the prices. I also ordered some from Clark’s but the customer service was terrible and by the time they arrived she had already outgrown them 😅

Hi all - I’m a journalist for BBC Radio 4 and we’re doing a piece today on the costs of being a bridesmaid as new stats out today show a quarter of women asked consider turning down the role due to high costs. I myself have been a bridesmaid four times and it has pretty much drained my bank account each time! I was wondering if any bridesmaids on this sub would consider sending me a voice note just breaking down the costs involved and how much it’s set them back? DM me if so. Thank you ☺️

This is long, pls forgive me!

My husband was a smoker for 15 odd years (might be a bit longer/shorter than that). I never got involved with or made any requests about him stopping until I got pregnant last year and said when by the time baby is born I want you to stop smoking, he agreed. I thought he would start cutting down or stop gradually while I was pregnant but he didn’t and just quit cold turkey pretty much when I gave birth.

He’s been chewing nicotine gum and it seemed to be working until around 4 or 5 months ago when I started to smell smoke on him and noticed things like him going to the bathroom as soon as he got in and immediately turning the tap on and staying there a long time. I confronted him once and he told me he’d just been with smokers at work. The second time I pretty much caught him just as he’d come back in from smoking so he had to own up. I tried to be as supportive as possible and give him grace and asked what I can do to help/what support he needs but he said it’s just willpower and he’ll be fine. I also said at the time he can’t lie to me again and has to talk to me if he’s struggling, which he agreed to.

Things seemed to go back to how they were for a while but now I’m noticing the same thing again - disappearing outside for longer periods of time, washing the minute he gets in from work and spending lots of time in the bathroom. I don’t know if I’m going crazy or if he has relapsed again, but for me I’m just so hurt by this betrayal of trust for a second time. I know I need to confront him about it again and I do plan to, but I’d really appreciate some advice from people here on the best way to go about it and what other support I can help him find.

To add, he is also dealing with depression/anxiety but is now on meds for that. So I know there is a lot going on and I’m trying so hard to be supportive and not judge and give him grace. But I’m also hurting from lies and the fact that he promised our baby wouldn’t grow up around smoke. I feel like our baby’s health and him being as healthy as possible to be around our baby longer should be enough motivation to keep going with the quitting but I realise I say that from a place of privilege as someone who hasn’t smoked or been addicted to anything. Thank you for reading ❤️

Edit to add: UK based

I’m 11 months postpartum and I still feel like I look pregnant. I’ve been dieting madly ever since I stopped breastfeeding at 7 months and I have lost weight but I still have this belly bulge at the top which makes me look huge. I have been doing diastasis recti exercises and I go on 1-2 hour long walks every day (pretty much the only exercise I can do with the baby) but I’m still at least 2-3 sizes bigger than I was pre baby. I still can’t get my wedding ring back on my finger that I had to take off when I was pregnant because I’m still so big. Is there any light at the end of the tunnel? A friend of mine said she had to get a tummy tuck because there was no other solution but I can’t afford that. I have my sister’s wedding in six weeks and am just so bummed out about how I’m going to look on the day and in all the photos. I know we’re all meant to focus on our bodies did an amazing thing blah blah blah but when you look in the mirror and hate it then repeating that mantra doesn’t help! Sorry for the rant. Hormonal and annoyed 😅