My son is 7 1/2 months old, and loves his pacifier. We’ve never cared much and I started using it because of SIDs reduction. However, it’s becoming more of an issue lately with sleep and dependence. Should we just cold turkey him? I know he’s going to hate it, and it’s going to be a struggle, but I’d rather now than down the road in a year. How old was your LO when they came off the pacifier, and how did you do it??
8 weeks pregnant and a living kidney donor—what do you wish you had known?
Hi everyone! I’m currently eight weeks pregnant and donated one of my kidneys twelve years ago, in 2014. This is my first pregnancy since donating, and I’m hoping to learn from other living kidney donors who have gone through pregnancy—or anyone with relevant experience.
I will absolutely follow the guidance of my OB and kidney specialists, but I would really appreciate hearing about your real-life experiences:
I would love to hear positive stories as well as honest experiences about challenges. I’m not looking for Reddit to replace medical advice—I’m trying to educate myself, prepare good questions, and advocate for the healthiest possible pregnancy for both me and the baby.
Thank you so much for sharing anything you wish you had known at eight weeks. ❤️
I (41F) have been with my husband (38M) for 8 years, married for 5. We have a 2.5-year-old daughter. We live in the US.
Seven years ago, my husband lost his job, tried again, and was let go a second time. Since then, he hasn't worked. I became the sole breadwinner, bought our house and cars, handled investments, managed our life, and built our social network. My husband is genuinely the kindest man, cared for me, supported me. Over time, carrying everything created deep resentment. I felt less like his partner and more like a project manager for a grown adult.
Late last year, I suspected layoff rumors at my company. I begged my husband to step up and find work to take the pressure off, but nothing changed. Around that time, I reconnected with an old friend from back home. He is single, financially independent, has a 10-year-old child, and shares my desire to step away from corporate burnout to focus on family.
I was laid off in January. Shortly after, I traveled back to my home country with my daughter to help my father with medical issues and reconnect with this friend. We realized we had strong feelings for each other.
However, being together in person highlighted major real-world challenges:
Meanwhile, one of my closest confidante who i trusted deeply informed my husband about the relationship. He was devastated and angry, but now he is begging for one last chance and flying out to see me. I explained all the years of resentment, broken promises, and exhaustion I felt. He insists he will step up now, but I have zero trust left in his ability to provide or secure our daughter’s future.
On one hand, I have a husband I cared for, who now wants to try after years of inaction, but I am emotionally checked out and lack trust. On the other hand, I love a man who is responsible, financially secure, and deeply aligned with my values, but whose health condition and life commitments would require me to take on significant caretaking in a country I don't want to live in.
I feel stuck, exhausted, and terrified of making the wrong decision for my daughter and myself. How do I sort through this confusion and figure out my next step?
I have the Graco element lx travel system and yesterday when taking my son to his first pediatrician appointment i noticed his head was falling sideways in his car seat. I looked it up and am getting mixed things on if this is safe. It was giving me anxiety cause i know they can suffocate if their head falls forward. Any advice?
I could really use some opinions from other moms.. My 3yo stays with my mom during the day while my husband and I are at work. She has four kids of her own, two 8yos and two 12yos. They’ve been out of school for the summer, so she has basically had five kids at home almost every weekday. I have kept him home anytime I can take a day off, maybe one or two times a month in the last 4 months, plus a couple other days when they went out of town and then when he was sick. Then every other Friday my MIL keeps him. We do compensate her for keeping him weekly but admittedly its not nearly as much as we would have to pay at a normal daycare.
Lately my son has been screaming a lot over toys or annoyances. One of my 8yo siblings has a history of taking toys from him when they play together. Now it seems like my son sometimes starts screaming as soon as he comes near whatever he’s playing with, like before my brother has even actually tried to take it. Obviously I know screaming isn’t an appropriate way for him to handle it and I want to work with him on that but.. I'm not there during the day and we don't have other kids at home. So this does not happen when he's home.
Today when I picked him up, my mom seemed really quiet and irritated. When I asked if she was okay, she told me she’s tired of him screaming constantly. I feel horrible and worried that she’s getting to the point where she doesn’t want to keep him anymore.. At the same time, I’m wondering how much of this is because she has been overwhelmed having all five kids there over the summer. I also wonder if some of the interactions leading up to the screaming are being missed because nobody notices there’s a problem until my son is already yelling. A lot of times my mom will be on her computer and not nessicarily paying full attention to the kids..which is okay like everyone gets distracted/needs a break. However, my brother has taken toys from him before and is sometimes overall ignoring my son's wishes (I've seen my brother try to force my son to hug him even after my son says no..which is an attention thing I think almost like jealousy) I feel like my son may have gotten into this defensive habit where he assumes it’s about to happen again.
Like..should I sort out the funds to put him in a drop off daycare temporarily just to give everyone a break and see how he does in a different environment? School is also about to start back, so things will probably be different in a few weeks too though... The rate for that would also be like 5x what we currently pay so it'd be cutting into our budget for other bills (workable but not permanently so).
I have a good relationship with my parents, and we dont really ever butt heads over much. I want to talk to her about all of this without making her feel like I’m blaming her or her kids, and without either of us getting upset. I also don’t want my son spending his days somewhere that feels tense or where everyone is frustrated with him. I just dont know what to do...is there something more i can do to help? He just turned 3..its not like we can sit down and have much of a conversation about it.
Tomorrow my son has a pediatrician appointment. His doctor told me a month ago to get rid of his pacifier because it’s affecting his teeth but I still haven’t. I made a few attempts but ultimately end up choosing sleep (for us both). He turned two not even two months ago so I thought I had til more like 2.5 when he’d have a better understanding of saying goodbye to it. His doctor is good but her bedside manner is not and I know she’ll be direct/short with me about not listening to her. I have an unreasonable need to please people and am dreading fessing up. What’s the best way to express my issues? I’m a solo parent and sometimes just have to choose the easier option for my sanity. Also, don’t their teeth usually adjust on their own once the paci is gone as long as they’re under 3? I made one attempt cold turkey and one attempt by dipping it in vinegar but he didn’t even notice the taste 😔. I’ve read that cutting a hole is a safety hazard, and I don’t think he’s old enough to understand the Binky Fairy attempt or burying it outside.
so my baby was in the Nicu for the first week, so I was pumping and storing. I froze everything. i decided that I should start defrosting and feeding her the oldest milk because it has things that are good for her and I want her to get that. I changed yesterday and I noticed last night and today she’s been crying a lot which she never does and having stomach pain. I tried looking it up online, but it says this can’t be the cause. Has anyone had any experience like this? For reference she is four weeks old tomorrow.
Is it normal if my newly 8 week old only sleeps and eats ,she wakes up just to eat and then goes back to sleep she was usually very awake a couple weeks ago now she’s just so tired and she doesn’t have a fever or anything and still has frequent wet diapers and poo
i’m only using the app Pregnancy+ pls recommend me some cute apps to see baby growth and sizes🥰🥰🥰🥰❤️❤️❤️
I’m currently 31 weeks pregnant. I have a 2 year old daughter that I love so so much. When I was pregnant with her I didn’t think I could love her. She was conceived thru SA. But I love her so much and I’m upsetting myself right now because I don’t think I can love another child as much as I love her. I’ll never abuse or neglect my new baby and won’t show favoritism but I know deep down my daughter is who I love. I don’t know if I’m able to love them both. I know myself to only be able to do one thing at a time in life.
I want my unborn baby and don’t want to give him up. I know I’ll spoil him just as much and won’t treat them any different. But how do I get myself to love him just as much as I love my daughter. I don’t want to fake it. I want to actually feel it. I feel guilty for my daughter because she’s not going to be the only baby anymore. She’s also autistic and has a speech delay. She’s learning words but doesn’t pronounce them properly but speaks in her baby language still.
Is this normal to feel guilty for not keeping her as the only baby? Part of me wants to keep both but a bigger part of me only wants it to be me and her. I sometimes think to myself I’ll love him the same way I learned to love her. But I really don’t know. When I was pregnant with her I learned to love her close to the end of my pregnancy. I’m currently the same week I was with her where I learned to love her and I’m not feeling it with him. I’m just not. I want to and I feel bad because he didn’t ask to be here. But what do I do?
Do the feelings change?
My 6yo and 3yo boys were taking a bath together last night. My husband was in the bathroom next door giving our 5mo a bath. I was downstairs cleaning up dinner and doing dishes/listening to kids in the tub. Suddenly my husband starts yelling for me to come upstairs and for my 3yo to get out of the tub. My husband states he saw (from behind) my 3yo bending over with his face on my other son’s privates. He did not see exactly what happened.
I took my 3yo aside first and privately asked him if he touched his brother’s peni$. He said yes. I asked if he touched them with his mouth. He said no. I obviously told him he’s not allowed to touch other people’s privates etc. Next I went into the bathroom where my 6yo was and sure enough he was laying on his back, legs spread with an erection. I had him get out of the tub and get dressed, then I asked him about it. He said his brother touched him with his chin, not his mouth or his hands. Again, I don’t know the context or how it happened. He usually cries and freaks out when he gets in trouble but was totally silent this time. I really emphasized that this is not okay, and that he knows better, and that he should not have allowed for his brother to do that and he should have stopped him when he touched him inappropriately.
I know that my 6yo knows this is wrong because at recess last year, a fellow kindergartener flashed his privates to him. My son immediately informed a teacher and we had a long discussion about body safety etc.
My 6yo is not in trouble. I had a good conversation again with both of them about body safety, privately. I do this often. Which I guess is why I’m so surprised this occurred? They hardly ever even take baths together but it was getting late and the baby needed a bath too, so we let them go together. Usually my 6yo showers by himself.
Would this concern you? Is this developmentally appropriate? I called my mom for advice and in typical fashion she freaked the hell out and thinks my kids shouldn’t share a room (we are planning on them sharing a room soon). Please be kind with your responses. Thanks.
I'm a new mother to a 3 month old baby. I was wondering how some of you manage finances in regard to the baby? Does your husband/partner buy clothes or any other items for the baby or do you as the mother typically do that? I find myself carrying the financial weight often by having to buy groceries, things for the baby, and the household, on top of almost all the household bills . Is that normal? I don't mind doing it, but it can be a lot of pressure . How do you all have a balance of finances and decide who pays for what? My husband is getting his doctorate so he works part time since school takes up a lot of time.
I’m 8 months postpartum and I feel so lonely tonight.
I keep seeing posts/advice about postpartum loneliness that say things like “ask someone to watch the baby,” “get a break,” “take time for yourself,” etc. And I realize that’s not what I’m looking for at all.
I don’t want a break from my baby. I love being with her. I want my baby. I want my family.
I want people in our lives who actually want to be part of our lives. I want my family to come over and see her. I want cousins and aunts and friends who are excited about her. I want people to celebrate her milestones with us. I want to go for coffee with another mom and our babies. I want people who will text me because they want to know how we are doing, not because they need something.
My husband is actually wonderful and helps me a lot. He’s very involved and he also can’t say no when someone needs help. But I’m realizing that one person can’t be my entire village. I need more people.
And the hardest part is that I’m always the person who shows up for everyone else.
Nobody showed up for us. I no longer have my parents so that’s why I helped my sister so much and got nothing back.
When my sister had her baby, I was there constantly helping. Now my sister-in-law just had a newborn and we’ve gone over to help with their house and their toddler. And I genuinely don’t regret helping them. I can’t see someone struggling and just walk away. That’s just who I am.
But sometimes I come home and think:
Who shows up for me?
Nobody has helped us
I’m still only 8 months postpartum.I’m still exhausted. I still need support too. And lately I’ve realized how much it hurts that I seem to have people around me who need me, but not many people who simply want to be there for me.
My baby’s baptism is also in two weeks, and I think that’s what finally broke me tonight. I’m watching my family make huge efforts and fuss over other people’s events, while I feel like I’m struggling to organize my daughter’s baptism largely on my own. My dad’s family is all a plane ride away, so they can’t really be there either.
And I know this probably sounds ridiculous to some people because it’s just a baptism, but it’s not really about the baptism.
I think I just desperately wanted to look around that day and see my people surrounding my baby.
I wanted to feel like “Look at all these people who love her. Look at all these people who love us.”
Instead I’m sitting on my couch at 3 AM crying because I feel like I don’t have that.
I’m not looking for advice about getting a break from my baby. I’m not looking to complain about my husband—he’s actually doing a lot. I just want a family/village.
I want to know I’m not the only mom who feels this way.
Did anyone else feel this lonely around 8 months postpartum? Did you eventually find your people? ❤️
I’m only 5 days PP, but PP depression is already kicking in. I have 2 toddlers, both are very dependent with me. When I was still pregnant, I already told them that once the baby is out, they’ll be sleeping with their dad on the other room. I am co-sleeping with the newborn. Every night they will stay in my and the baby’s room, asking if they could sleep with us. They cannot because they are both very active, keeps on jumping everywhere and are very playful. I feel so guilty because as much as I want as to be altogether in one room, I can’t let them now that the baby is still too small. Now I’m crying because I forced them to go and sleep in the other room.
PS, I co-sleep with all my babies in their newborn stage. (And even co-slept with the toddlers up until before I gave birth to the 3rd) This way, I can attend to their needs immediately.
i (19f) dont shave, my armpits included. theres no particular reason i just dont understand why bother with it. it doesnt affect my hygiene. and i dont talk about it at all. its not really like a personality trait as it can be for other people i just find that it would be contradicting for me to call out the patriarchy and actively contributing to it. (this isnt intended to be hateful towards women who do, these topics require much more discussion than a simple reddit post.) and my mom keeps commenting on it, everytime i show her my outfit, i see her look at it and than she makes a comment. i have never in my life intentionally made a comment about someones body as it is a sensitive topic for me. today i showed her my dress for a wedding we are supposed to attend tomorrow and the first thing she said was to shave it, i told her no it doesnt matter and she went on to say that its disgusting and it makes her feel dirty, i told her she doesnt have a right to comment let alone tell someone what to do with their bodies, ig she got offended and saw it as an attack on her right on me as my mother. for the rest of the day she continued to give me the silent treatment. when i asked her why she wasnt talking to me she told me that shes sensitive about body hair(which i know) and that it shouldnt be hard for me to do something so small for her. she went on to tell me that i basically disgust her and i wouldnt be coming to the wedding if i didnt shave. i told her that what she was doing is very disrespectful and she said because we were a family she gets to comment on these things. i have told her multiple times that i dont want comments. after many more comments she finished by saying that she wants space between us because of this. she said and i quote there are certain beauty norms that we follow and if im not to follow them i should give her some space.
i just feel this is ridicoulus?? its almost funny. i mean i dont know what do you guys think?
edit: she got me to do laser hair removal multiple times but not on my armpits since breast cancer runs in the family and shaving is too hard for my mediterrenean genes so my only option is waxing and i absolutely hate it, she got me to forcibly wax (literally me running around in my underwear, crying my eyes out as she held me down and told the wax lady to do it) since i was 11 i think and i hated it ever since.
Hi everyone! We’re planning our daughter's first trip to New York CIty, and she’ll be 7. I would love all of your recommendations for making it feel extra magical and special for her! We will be staying in Times Square because that is where my husband will be for work.
I’m especially looking for the classic, girl, old school NYC experiences for kids rather than just typical tourist things to do. I have things like the American Girl Doll store, FAO, Eloise at the Plaza, Central Park, and looking for more ideas. Pretty tea rooms, bows, ballet, all the girly things! Department stores? Which dessert places should we go to?? What would make NYC special for a little girl? We also want to do a Broadway show. WHich one? I am thinking Lion King is at the top.
A few things I’d especially love recommendations for:
If you’ve taken a daughter, granddaughter, niece, or little girl around NYC at this age, what did she love the most? And are there any experiences you would specifically skip with a 7 year old?
Basically, I’m hoping to create the ultimate magical first NYC trip for a 7 year old girl and would be so grateful for your favorite recommendations! 🎀🗽💕
Hello! I am reaching out I’m currently a stay at home mom with an 8 month old son in the East Madison area. Im wondering if anyone might happen to know if there are any positions hiring part time or potentially full time, or if there might be any gig work type jobs that I could do either with LO or without.
I currently have my bachelors in environmental studies but it’s been difficult finding anything in my field. I did work in non profit before so that could be a possibility same with some campaign work. I’d prefer to find something I could do and still be with him if possible but open to suggestions, just figure I would see if anyone happened to know of anything.
Thank you!
Sorry just a quick post but oldest teenager has been asking me if once the game is released in November I think if he could get it BUT! looking into it is pretty clearly a 18+ game, and he is not 18 yet. Due to the mature content I am thinking no, but he said he could pay with his own money he made over the summer if I get it for him, so would it be right?
I've played roblox and minecraft with him, i've offered to keep playing those games with him but he seems excited about gta 6, despite me even offering to play those games as an alternative, I am also somewhat leaning to allowing it because I feel proud that he is using his own money. At the same time I don't know much about video games, so if there's any parents that do would there be even any harm in allowing him to play a mature 18+ rated game?
Hello all,
My 5 year old sons second day of kindergarten was today and at pick up I was informed by his teacher he had a really bad day. He was having meltdowns that were inconsolable by the teacher, teacher’s aides and the principal. They were so bad other kids were covering their ears. He was being unsafe with play-doh and scissors and that’s when the meltdowns started. His teacher said yesterday he had a couple of hiccups but they were able to move on. He’s never went to daycare or preK so this is his very first time ever. He does have meltdowns often and we think he’s ADHD (we’re going to get him evaluated). What can I do? How I calm him down is usually by holding him which I know they aren’t allowed to do. Sometimes we can talk him down but not always. I told them to call me tomorrow if they have issues. I just don’t know what to do. He didn’t get good sleep at all last night so that could’ve contributed also. He also won’t eat his lunch I packed him and I tell him he needs to eat when the other kids eat so he’s not hungry and he just hasn’t. Maybe that’s why he’s cranky as well. Please help, any support or advice?