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Backpack diaper bags are a really nice solution for carrying around your baby’s (and your) stuff. They’re great for babywearing and for the stroller — and you could even hand this one to your husband or partner without too much embarrassment on their end, because it’s not like it’s a frilly, floral bag. Still, I think it’s really cute and I love the military green. It has bottle pockets and stroller straps and comes with a changing pad. Both the black and the green are on sale at Amazon — they’re $209 and $154, respectively, from $350. The black is also available at Nordstrom for the same price. MILLY Backpack Diaper Bag Psst: Looking for more info about nursing clothes for working moms, or tips for pumping at the office? We’ve got them both… This post contains affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!Sales of note for 4.18.24
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And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!
- If you’re a working parent of an infant with low sleep needs, how do you function at work when you’re in the throes of baby’s sleep regression?
- Should I cut my childcare down to 12 hours a month if I work from home?
- Will my baby have speech delays if we raise her bilingual?
- Has anyone given birth in a teaching hospital?
- My child eats everything, and my friends’ kids do not – how should I handle? In general, what is the best way to handle when your child has some skill/ability and your friend’s child doesn’t have that skill/ability?
- ADHD moms, give me your tips to help with things like behavior in the classroom, attention to detail, etc?
- I think I suffer from mom rage…
- My husband and kids are gone this weekend – how should I enjoy my free time?
- I’m struggling to be compassionate with a SAHM friend who complains she doesn’t have enough hours of childcare.
- If you exclusively formula fed, what tips do you have for in the hospital and coming home?
- Could I take my 4-yo and 8-yo on a 7-8 day trip to Paris, Lyon, and Madrid?
Cookie Harpy (CPA Lady) says
It’s hard to believe that a year has gone by, but the daycare cookie swap was today. I got break n bakes this year. I didn’t scream at my husband. I’m in a much better place overall than I was this time last year. A lot can change in a year, and I just thought I should take a moment to be grateful for many positive changes.
Anonanonanon says
Glad this year was better, and thank you for reminding me I have to get a gift for the “gift swap” at the daycare my son goes to after-school care with. Sigh.
Jen says
Got a preschool email begging for more cookie swap volunteers this AM (parents bring in cookies, volunteers mix and match and package, cookies go home wiht all teachers/staff– it’s a really nice tradition). They reminded us that cookies can be “homemade or lovingly bought” :)
I caved and will be doing spritz cookies, which I’m on deck to make for family christmas eve anyway. What’s another 3 dozen when you have an industrial mixer and a cookie gun? Send help.
PregLawyer says
Ha, I totally bought cookies for the expressly “homemade” daycare cookie exchange. I mean, it’s ridiculous! It’s daycare, so we all work. I proudly displayed my cookies in the box I bought them in, price tag and all.
anon says
That’s exactly the kind of pushback needed on these types of events, IMO. I just … didn’t participate. The old me would’ve been guilt-ridden, but current me is OK with slacking in this area.
Rainbow Hair says
I like this update :)
I don’t know how this happened, but I was stressing about how I wanted to bake something for my work’s dessert potluck WITH kiddo, but because of Hanukkah celebrations and how I had to make a green bean dish for an event Husband isn’t going to… and Husband was like, “oh, I’ll cook the green beans to take to your ladies’ event. Just send me a recipe.” Dream come true.
Now I have to figure out how to make “rainbow brownies” because reality never got in the way of a kid’s baking requests.
anon says
Chocolate frosting with rainbow sprinkles!
NewMomAnon says
There is a box cake mix for a rainbow cake – it tastes awful but it exists….I think it’s from one of those TV cake personalities? You could also do a brownie “layer cake” thing with different color frosting between the brownie layers.
Or do what my mom did the year she was going to make a “rabbit cake” at Easter and failed – she made a regular sheet cake and then put a bunny figurine on top. You could totally put a toy rainbow on top of a pan of regular frosted brownies.
Rainbow Hair says
Ha!
I think what I’m going to do is chocolate cheesecake brownies, and separate the cheesecake part in sixths and color it and then swirl the colors a bit?
rosie says
Sounds awesome :)
I like the smitten kitchen cheesecake brownie recipe if you’re looking for one.
BTanon says
Not suggesting that you actually make these, but any chance your kid is actually requesting “Rainbow Cookies” aka Venetians?
Something like this — http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rainbow-cookies-recipe-2109791
Meiqi says
This is one time where I’m actually thankful for the kids in my son’s school that are allergic to everything under the sun- no cookie exchanges! That said, my son has been begging me to make cookies and I’ve been wanting to make the chocolate chip tahini cookies from David Lebovitz’s site. I will try to make them this weekend. If it doesn’t happen, I’m not stressing. If it does, I’ll bring some for the teachers.
Anonanonanon says
Thanks everyone who weighed in on the adult diapers for post-partum discussion yesterday. I looked into what the “fancy depends” everyone referenced could be, and went with depends “sillhouette”. Most of the reviews on amazon were from women who used them after giving birth so hopefully I’m on the right track. I feel a lot better knowing they’re on their way (along with dermoplast and tucks of course!)
Momata says
I so wish I’d gotten those with my deliveries!! Good luck to you.
Em says
Yes, those are the ones I used! I only needed them for about a week, and then was able to switch to regular pads, but it was so nice to not feel like I was wearing an actual diaper for that week. Also, I would suggest buying the ice packs that are actually designed for postpartum healing. They fit and worked so much better than anything the hospital gave me.
Anonanonanon says
oooo do you have any info on brand or anything? The chemical packs the hospital gave me last time were not very hepful, since they didn’t absorb anything
Pogo says
I just got the CVS brad of “peri-pads”. Cool and absorbent!
Em says
I bought these. One order was plenty.
https://www.amazon.com/Medline-MDS148055-Deluxe-Perineal-Adhesive/dp/B01N6PAYO7/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1513095106&sr=8-3&keywords=perineal+ice+packs
Pogo says
I didn’t see the discussion but that’s what I used and liked them much more than the hospital-provided pads & mesh undies.
Also, I only needed them the first week and then really only needed regular pads. I bought tons of extra long overnight super thick ones and didn’t use them. Everyone is different but I went from adult diaper levels to “day 5 of my period” levels overnight and stayed there for about 2.5 more weeks. And that was it. I had such minor spotting by week 3.5 that I went to the beach and wore a bikini. So, there is a light at the end of the tunnel! It’s not all bad! You will feel normal again!
Anonanonanon says
Thanks! Yea, I mostly want them for while I’m in the hospital. My first birth experience I HATED the fact I kept leaking blood (and didn’t have a washer available to wash my nightgowns etc.) and it made me feel trapped in the hospital bed and hate having guests visit (because I didn’t want to get up to even pee in front of them because what if there’s blood on my nightgown)
Momata says
How do you all back up your photos? I have the 50 GB iCl0ud option and have exceeded that. I also have Am@zon Pr!me’s “unlimited” photo backup but apparently “Live” photos count as movies and aren’t backed up. (I’ve turned off “Live” which makes me sad, but this doesn’t solve the problem of backing up my movies.) I post my favorites to an App!e photostream so I guess they’re saved there forever, but I’m wondering if I’m missing another obvious solution. TIA!
CHJ says
Google Photos! Unlimited free storage, plus the iPhone app will backup all of the photos on your phone automatically. It also saves videos, although I’m not sure about “live” photos.
MSJ says
+1 although it’s not unlimited. I think around 15GB for photos + email + docs. Autobackup from phone may not count towards this limit but real camera uploads do.
I recently caved and purchased additional storage from google because I find it reliable and easy to use. They also started offering simple photo books
NewMomAnon says
I use Dropbox – I paid for the additional storage and auto-upload all my videos from my phone. It isn’t a lot of money.
EB0220 says
Tell me the SAHMs won’t hate me!! We were at the bus stop this morning and chatting with the other parents (me, my husband and three SAHMs). One was saying that she might go back to work when her youngest goes to kindergarten next year, and I said something like I thought that paying for childcare was worth it to keep my skills fresh and help future earnings. I was totally not trying to offend anyone but now I’m worried that I did. I am happy with my decision to work but totally understand the decision to stay at home too. Ugh. I am SO used to socializing with fellow working parents at daycare friend birthday parties that I think I put my foot in my mouth. Hopefully I’m just being neurotic and they don’t hate me. Thanks for letting me vent, fellow working moms.
TK says
No advice, but I can imagine this being me in a couple of years. I don’t know any SAHM moms – I work with moms, I see moms at daycare – once Little TK starts kindergarten in a few years I am going to intentionally / unintentionally say all kinds of wrong and offensive things. (‘Oh, you can’t imagine ‘someone else’ watching your kids? Well I can’t imagine being completely dependent upon my husband and raising my son to think that women should be happy to cook and clean for free.’ Blech – it’s going to get ugly.) There’s not much that can be done here. Be super friendly and nice at the bus stop tomorrow and hopefully it will all just blow over.
Clementine says
I find being considerate and sensitive to the feelings of SAHMs EXHAUSTING. Dude, they don’t think twice about the things they say to me (I swear), but I am very careful to acknowledge that they ‘have a real job too!’ and be respectful in my comments.
It. Is. EXHAUSTING.
See also: pretending that people whose spouses go away for two days ‘understand’ what it’s like to have a spouse who travels for work for months at a time.
The amount of my mental energy that I expend not being a raging b is kind of shocking.
EB0220 says
Yeah, I think this is part of my problem. I have exactly the amount of energy I need to get sh*t done at work and home, and not much left over for managing other people…
Anon in NYC says
Eh, you’re fine. Sure, maybe they thought you were a bit rude but just continue to be your usual polite and friendly self and I’m sure it will be fine in the end. People are accidentally rude all the time.
Anonymous says
I think you could just say what you wrote to the other mom tomorrow – “I realized later that what I said may have been hurtful, and I apologize if it was. I am happy with my decision to work but totally understand the decision to stay at home too. It’s tricky either way. Women are criticized no matter what they choose and I don’t want to be part of the problem.”
EB0220 says
Good idea!
Pogo says
I think it goes both ways, I’m sure plenty of SAHMs have said things to you that they didn’t really mean in a harsh way but it might have come off like that. I wouldn’t worry about it.
EB0220 says
Yes, definitely. It’s a good reminder to let that stuff roll off my back too.
Anon says
i have this foot in mouth problem sometimes. i would just apologize briefly tomorrow at the bus stop. say that you were just trying to make conversation and that you think it’s great if continues staying home or if she decides to head back to work, you can share the working mom tips
NewMomAnon says
I have started assuming that if I offend someone, they can be an adult and tell me, and then I can address it in the moment. I don’t preemptively apologize anymore unless I say something out of anger or regret saying something. Probably not what Ms. Manners would recommend, but it is what it is.
JayJay says
Ugh. Today was one-of-those-mornings where my four-year old just didn’t listen to a word I said, moved slowly (we have to be at daycare by 7 so they can take my older son to kinder), and fought back against everything I said. I ended up telling him, while we were in the car, that he needed to think harder about making good choices, or else Santa wasn’t coming to our house this year. Which then made my older son cry. DH has been out of town since Sunday morning and won’t be back until Friday.
The Mom Guilt is real today, you guys. I feel awful.
anon says
Ugh, that is the worst feeling. I’m feeling awful because I was pretty short with one of my kids this morning, who was whining and griping for no reason. DH had the day off and was sleeping in, and I was on morning duty alone with two slow-poke kids, and I just couldn’t deal. When I dropped him off at school this morning, he wouldn’t hug me or say goodbye because I had been “too mean.” Sigh.
The best we can do is apologize tonight and move on.
JayJay says
Exactly. I always make sure to tell my kids I love them when I drop them off, even on the worst mornings. I hope they remember that.
Kiddo's mom says
Ugh, that sucks. Look at it this way: It’s OK to for your kids to see that you are human and experience frustration. It’s OK for them to see that their choices to be difficult lead to you being frustrated with them. And it’s really good for them to see you apologize and own your mistakes when you react poorly. The whole process is not fun for anyone, but it’s a good learning experience for all of you. Hope you have a better day tomorrow!
Rainbow Hair says
Uuugh, commiseration. Yesterday driving home from work/preschool, Kiddo was driving. me. crazy. with very particular “tell me a story” requests and I did an intentionally cr@ppy job of telling the story she was demanding, and then she said, “You’re using a mean voice and it makes me cry!” and cried. And I was indeed using a mean voice and I felt like a monster but also like …maybe don’t be so impossible, kid? Anyway, I tried to make it a teaching thing. “When you tell me I tell the story wrong, I can get really frustrated. But I’m sorry I used that mean voice. I will try not to do it again. I don’t ever want to make you cry.” It’s hard.
Maddie Ross says
Ha! I threatened the same thing last night to my 4 year old during bathtime after a horrible daycare pickup/dinner hour without my H being home. I was honestly surprised that it had as little meaning to her as it did. Massive commiseration. 4 year olds are hard. And the holidays have made it a bit harder. Mine is totally full of herself (and cookies and treats and the “Christmas spirit”… or something like that).
Meiqi says
With my 2 and 3 year old toddlers, Santa isn’t really a concept yet, but I frequently threaten to call the pizza delivery guy and tell him to never come to our house again. It works, but is not so upsetting that they cry.
So tired says
I am struggling with being tired and having low energy in the evenings, especially from 6:00-8:00. If I stop to sit down, I am sleepy. Then I seem to get a second wind after the kids are in bed. I go to bed around 9:30 and get up around 4-45-5:00 a.m. to work out. I realize the answer is probably “get more sleep!” but I’m curious how other people handle evening sleepiness. Exercise gives me a boost in the morning, but it’s not doing much for my energy levels the rest of the day.
Sarabeth says
I don’t exercise during the week. And I used to be an exercise fiend. Now I run (with jogging stroller) on the weekends, and walk to work and back. Sleep is more important to me.
Anonanonanon says
This is probably not super helpful… but I do not sit down until my son is in bed (he goes to bed around 7:30). I do not change out of my work clothes, I don’t allow myself to sit down anywhere but one of the hard dining room chairs, until that “second shift” part of my day is over. Because once I do, I’m not getting up. I’ll keep moving by wiping down a bathroom, swiffering the floor, etc. Once I sit down I’m basically done, you’re not getting much else out of me.
Anonanonanon says
Also, before I was pregnant, I would have a coffee around 2 or 3 pm. I needed the caffeine more for my evening at home activities than I did for work
Pogo says
+1 to not sitting down! I remember reading that tip on here once.
Although I do change out of my work clothes because I have an infant. It’s not the comfy clothes that zap the life out of me, it’s the sitting.
Momata says
Third to “don’t sit down” — what I rebrand as “just keep swimming.” I will sit on the floor to play with the kids, and sit on a hard dining chair to eat dinner with them, but I will not sit on a couch until they are in bed. If I do, the sleepiness overtakes me. I also have a coffee around 2pm.
AwayEmily says
I’m the opposite of Anonanonanon — I desperately need to change out of my work clothes in order to get through the evening. I often don’t even bother with jeans — just go straight to pajamas. The feeling of putting on something super soft and loungey (Target is killing it lately with its loungewear, btw) is pretty good at powering me through the next few hours.
We also have bedtime at 7pm, even though it means my daughter gets up really early (6ish), because I’d much rather spend quality time with her in the AM than in the evenings when I’m exhausted (and to be honest she’s in a better mood in the morning, too).
Other suggestion: what about dropping workouts down to 2x or 3x a week (but maybe upping the intensity) and sleeping in a bit for the other days?
anon says
Changing into soft clothing is a non-negotiable in my routine. Especially in the winter! I hear you on the morning workouts. I’ve started making Thursday my sleep-in day, but maybe I should drop my Tuesday workout, too. I could always add one on the weekend. Doing it everyday has been an essential part of building and maintaining a routine, so dropping it feels like a slippery slope to just not doing anything at all! (I have failed so many times to implement evening workouts.)
Redux says
Try giving yourself a kid-friendly workout in the evenings for an energy boost. I find the evenings that we have a dance party or play freeze tag or some other physical game I feel much more energetic than the evenings we just slog through the routine.
Anon. says
How old are your kids? If under 1 or 2, you should have some blood tests run. I was basically collapsing at 6 and was found to be extremely B12 deficient. Doing much better with supplements of b12. Not to jump to a medical solution, just don’t rule it out.
EB0220 says
I find it SUPER important to have some water and a little protein on my evening commute. I also often put on some music when we get home to bring the energy level up. I don’t sit down either until I’m done with chores after the kids are in bed.
Lyssa says
My son turns 5 this weekend, and for some reason, we’re having a Chuck E Cheese party. It will be 5 kids his age (counting him), 2 2-year olds (his sister and anther kid’s brother), and an 8 year old (cousin), plus 12 adults (4 grandparents, 8 parents counting us).
How do we handle present-opening? The grandparents tend to be really generous. I know that a lot of kids aren’t opening at all at the parties, but I’m not sure I love that. Maybe just open the friends/non-family presents there, and invite the grandparents (and one aunt/uncle/cousin family) over the house after? (One set of grandparents are staying over anyway, but the other would definitely be upset if they don’t get to watch him open their presents.) (I can do that without feeding people, right? I’m buying pizza for everyone at the party, of course.)
Any other tips for this whole shebang?
Anonymous says
This varies so much. I’ve been to like 40 kids birthday parties in the last two years and there was only gift opening at 2 of them. We’ve always done grandparent gift opening at our house on day of actual birthday. If the party if the same day as actual birthday, I would just invite them to come over for coffee afterwards (grandparents + cousins) and open at home. Would literally only put on a pot of coffee and invite anyone to help themselves to leftover birthday cake (mostly so I don’t eat all the cake myself).
mascot says
This is a good way to handle it. I don’t think I’ve been to a party where presents are actually opened. Once everyone arrives, the parents usually round up the gifts and put them in the car. Also, it’s a bit of pain to keep up with the present parts once they are unwrapped, especially in an open environment like that.
Anonanonanon says
^this. I’ve never been to a kid’s party where the gifts are opened at the party. I’d invite the family over for a post-party get together at the house. I don’t think you’re obligated to feed them, but maybe a pot of coffee and a store bought coffee cake or something would be nice
SC says
+1 to inviting the grandparents over afterwards. This is what my in-laws do with my nephew. Actually, I think the grandparents watch him open ALL the presents, not just the ones from them, but YMMV.
Jen says
We’ve never been to a “kid party” where the presents are opened. Can you visit with grandparents before or after and have kiddo open those presents in front of grandparents? Or do it after the guests leave (you can just go elsewhere at Chuck E Cheese, right? like to a main area?).
Definitely don’t make parents of kid guests and kid guests sit through present opening.
Anonymous says
Srsly. I just want to GTFO of Chuck E cheese. Please open our super-thoughtful gift at home and thank you for having us as guests!
Sarabeth says
Solidarity. I had none of the exacerbating factors (husband home and helping, no deadline to get to daycare) but my four year old drove me absolutely nuts this morning and I was definitely not my best self by the end.
Sarabeth says
To JayJay, obviously – after my one and only comment got rejected because I was “posting comments too quickly,” it got out of order.
Rainbow Hair says
Side note – “posting too quickly” is SO FRUSTRATING and it always happens with my first post in like a week.
JayJay says
Thank you! That describes it perfectly – I was not my best self. I expect more of me.
AnonMom says
How do I become a more calm person? I am the type of hyper person to the point that some nights my husband tells me to calm down. I often make our already super active son more hyper. I realize that this is all due to genetics and the pace of my lifestyle. But how do I calm down? I admire women who speak in a low voice and get things done without people around them even noticing they are getting things done. The stuff will get done regardless if I run around like a crazy person. Did any of you made the change? If so, what helped?
Anonymous says
I get like this if I don’t get enough exercise. I find regular exercise is crucial if you’re stuck at a desk all week. A run on the treadmill once or twice a week is enough for me. DH is the same way, he goes for a 2 hour run every Saturday morning and it makes a huge difference to his stress level.
Anon in NYC says
What do you mean by hyper/calm? Are you frantic, stressed out, high strung? Or are you just really high energy and excitable?
AnonMom says
Both!
Anon in NYC says
Perhaps for the latter, you can channel your energy into a task like cleaning the bathroom or kitchen or go to the gym. Or even 20 minutes of yoga in your bedroom with the door closed.
As for the former, if you’re stressed, a few things that help me are making lists (it’s satisfying to cross to-do items off) and delegating tasks to my husband. Like, my husband does the laundry and I never have to think about it. Also, recognizing that my own mom was often a self-created martyr growing up, I am mindful to not be like that.
AwayEmily says
But also — I bet you are pretty awesome just the way you are, AnonMom. My husband is super high energy and gets our toddler SO SO riled up, and I am pretty low-intensity in general. I actually think it’s a great pairing — our daughter knows that she can go to Dada for SUPER FUN and to Mama for some quiet time. I don’t think there’s anything inherently good about being calm, it’s just another way of being in the world. Many of the high-energy people I know (even the ones who run around like headless chickens when doing tasks) are also the most generous, fun, and capable people I know.
AIMS says
I dont know that you need to change, but if you want to change I think the answer is just lots of practice. We are all creatures of habit so we all revert to our defaults. Personally I find it easier to be calm at work, with my other people around (not my mom or closest friends though) and in a crisis. I also never freak out if someone else is freaking out or may start to. In situations where I want to remain calm but am at home in a minor stress situation with only my nearest and dearest who won’t judge me, I just try to pretend I’m in another situation/environment where I am super calm, unflappable AIMS. It mostly works out and is easier the more I do it.
anne-on says
Holiday rant – the ONE present that got delayed by amazon is of course the one that needs to go to school on Thursday. This donation is run by the Firefighters/EMTs and kids LOVE being able to load them into the back of the ambulance/fire trucks so it is kind of a big deal. Paying extra to have something sent overnight it is.
I am also NOT looking forward to my son being off all next week while my husband and I are still working and having to hide in my office and ignore the (very cute and sweet) requests to play/read/bake/go to the museum with him and his sitter. Counting down the days to the holiday break, and mainlining cookies in the interim.
Legally Brunette says
Thanks to everyone who chimed in yesterday with nut-free food ideas! Really appreciate it.
Another question: what type of kitchen appliance does one buy to make sweet potato “chips”? I need something that will slice the sweet potato extremely thin. Is this what a mandoline is for? Any suggestions on one you love, or another appliance that does this? Thanks!
Anon in NYC says
yes, that’s what a mandoline is for! I think you can also use a spiralizer for this too, if that would have greater use in your kitchen. And I think you could probably use one of the blades that comes with a food processor for this too – I’ve used it to shred brussel sprouts, but never sweet potatoes.
Tfor22 says
I meant to chime in yesterday, sorry! My guy likes smartdogs, which you can serve in chunks, in mac-n-cheese, or in a bun. I realize that makes it sounds like we do a lot of processed food at our house!
Legally Brunette says
Thanks guys! Mandoline purchased. :)
Zika says
Someone asked this over on the regular site and Friday and I’ve been wondering about it (there were a lot of rude, unhelpful responses). What’s the deal with Zika now? The CDC lifted the travel advisory for pregnant women traveling to South Florida and some other areas as well. Anyone talked to a doctor about this?
Anonanonanon says
Zika is still present in the US in that people are acquiring it in areas where it’s endemic, but there’s no local transmission at this time. AKA there’s people with Zika in almost every state (last time I looked at case counts for work I want to say around 5,000 people in the US had it?), but there’s no evidence you can get it from a mosquito in the US at this time.
Since south florida is not on the list, a provider would likely not recommend you for Zika testing etc. based off of travel to South Florida.
Anonanonanon says
However, it should be noted that the CDC is still recommending that you take personal protective actions to avoid mosquito bites if you travel to areas that formerly had a travel advisory. While they believe the risk to be extremely low, this is new territory so they advise exercising caution.
I went to miami beach pregnant this summer, wore bug spray, and didn’t encounter a single mosquito.
Zika says
Thank you! Very helpful!
Anon says
my doctor’s office is more conservative (as am I), so they said to wait until a place has been Zika free for 6 months to go and that if you visit a place with Zika to wait 6 months to TTC. i’m currently pregnant and every time I go to the doctor they ask about my travel in the past year. i think their view is that there are already so many unknowns/risks in pregnancy, that it seems unnecessary to take extra risks. That is my personal view as well regarding pregnancy, though it is not how I live my life. I got on a plane the week after 9/11, haven’t really felt like I shouldn’t travel to Western Europe due to potential threats, etc. but when it comes to my pregnancy I’ve been much more conservative. This might be in part due to the fact that it took us quite a while to conceive and I previously had a miscarriage, so I think it makes me more risk averse.
Anon says
Talk to me about overnight diapers. My 9 month old (15 lbs – he’s a little guy) recently started soaking through his size 3 Honest co diapers at night. I change them right before he goes to bed.
I stopped using cloth diapers on him at night several months ago for this reason. We have Alva baby cloth diapers and I was doubling up on the inserts but it still wasn’t cutting it. I’m open to going back to cloth diapers if I could find one that will hold all night (~10 hours). I’m also happy to hear what paper diaper brands you use at night. TIA!
AwayEmily says
We use Bambos as our overnight diapers. They’re not technically overnights but they seem to hold a LOT.
Pogo says
+1, plus the sizing seems generous. LO is almost 16 pounds and we use Size 3 Bambos at night.
Pogo says
Wanted to add we cloth diaper during the day, too, but night time the Bambos just seem so much more absorbent.
Anonymous says
We found Pampers Swaddlers the best for our twin boys but I know some people prefer huggies for boys. You could cloth diaper during the day and just use the Swaddlers at night.
Anonymous says
I hear huggies are better for boys, but i used pampers overnights for my daughter and they were amazing. Size up, get the Overnight variety, and you’ll be good to go.
Em says
Until my son was around 20 months I just sized up his diapers at night and never had any issues with leaking (we use Pampers). He started leaking badly every night around 20 months, though, so I (1) bought dedicated overnight diapers (still Pampers), (2) sized up in the overnight diapers, (3) cut off liquids an hour before bed, (4) change him right before he goes to bed, and (5) point his p*nis down (the leaking was always at the top of the diaper). He sleeps 11-13 hours at night and this combo has completely eliminated leaks.
GCA says
I also have a skinny boy who lost all chunkiness when he started crawling. We cloth diapered in the daytime and used Huggies at night.
October says
Cloth diaper nerd, here. I’m not super familiar with Alva baby, but are the inserts microfiber or bamboo/glorified microfiber? If so, those definitely would not hold overnight. Look for natural fiber diapers – hemp, especially. We love the Thirsties Natural All in One and the Thirsties natural fitted under a cover. Those have been bulletproof on my toddler. You can also easily add a cotton or hemp doubler for more absorbency. As another idea, when we travel and use disposables, I put a cloth diaper cover over the diaper to help contain leaks.
OP says
Alva is a knock off of Bumgenius, I think. They’re microfiber inserts, so it’s good to know it’s not just him. I’ll probably grab some Pampers overnights to try and order some Thirsties. Thanks for the tips, everyone!
Moms Solo says
Huggies overnight a size up from daytime size works for my 10-month-old. He leaks through everything else at night. If I could night wean him probably wouldn’t be an issue but alas.
J says
We use the Pampers Baby Dry for our 2 year old daughter. She sleeps on her tummy and was constantly leaking. Then I discovered Sposie diaper boosters. They’re a miracle for us. She’s leaked through maybe once since then, and I think we just didn’t position the booster high enough.
J says
We’ve also started limiting post-dinner drinks to a small drink of water right before bed.
Maddie Ross says
I was not impressed with Honest Co. diapers. Yes, they are cute, but I found them to leak. Pampers cruisers have worked well for us. Also try sizing up.
lsw says
We switched to Seventh Generation overnights and they have worked awesomely. We tried using these inserts that are like women’s pads, but they ended up irritating our son’s skin.
lala says
We updated our Honest subscription to include 2 packs of overnight a size up and 4 packs of regular. I have never had issues with their overnight diapers leaking.
GCA says
Extreme jetlag rant: we got back from Asia on Thursday and are going on night 5 of h3ll (worse now that we have to work – toddler does not sleep from about 1am-5am, is actually hungry in the middle of the night and understandably so because his body thinks it’s lunchtime, etc.) Help me remember this too shall pass…
Anonymous says
It will get better! Try a bottle/sippy of whole milk at night – enough to take the edge off the hunger. Allow books in bed for them to ‘read’ while you go back to bed. Lots of daylight/time outside in the daytime will help reset the clock.
Anonymous says
Try a spoonful of peanut butter right at bedtime.
anon says
Can a three-year-old be really manipulative? My kid used to be such a good listener and rule-follower, now she gets into these funks where she’ll throw a tantrum over any little thing to get what she wants. Last night, DH was giving her one cookie for dessert and she turned up the crying and DH gave up and gave her two. I was able to talk to her about sharing and she very kindly gave me her second cookie. DH thinks that she is a master manipulator and wants to get a rise out of us. I am not so sure, I think she is trying to push boundaries to see what will happen and we just need to be consistent in our response.
We have just had a super hard run recently, sick on and off for two months, night terrors, travel, and a newborn. I need to believe that my three-year-old isn’t evil and that this will pass.
Anonanonanon says
I don’t think it’s manipulative in that they’re “bad people” (I mean, they’re three), but they are manipulative in that they’re experimenting with how to manipulate/control the people and world around them. I found 3 to be very tough for this reason. I don’t think a three year old does it to “get a rise” or to torture their parents (though it feels like it), it’s more “OK I did X with mommy and got Y result, if I do X with daddy will I also get Y result, or will Z happen?” then on to “OK I did X with mommy at home, and Y happened. If I do X with mommy at the grocery store, will Y also happen?” then repeat with the other parent, or other change in environment, etc.
anon says
YES. Three-year-olds are tiny behavioral scientists.
Anonymous says
I actually really hate when parents refer to little kids as “manipulative”, which I think is a term that should be reserved for adults. She’s 3, so yes, pushing boundaries.
Anonymous says
This. Toddlers/Preschoolers are not intentionally manipulative like adults can be. They push their boundaries again and again and again trying to understand where the boundaries are and how it works to be a little person moving around in this adult world.
Also, your kid actually gave you back the second cookie? If anyone is manipulative in that scenario it’s DH. He let her have a second cookie and then you took it away from her? That’s a lot for a three year old to handle. Consistency is super important at that age. How is she supposed to know if she can ask for second cookie or not next time? And if you’re three and you want a second cookie, of course when you’re told no, it is upsetting. As adult we often forget how hard it is to not get to chose what you will have for supper.
anon says
She’s pushing boundaries, which is completely normal for a 3-year-old. HOWEVER, giving into the cookie tantrum wasn’t great. It completely sucks and makes life harder in the short term, but once you’ve said no, you have to stick to it.
Three-year-olds are super hard!
NewMomAnon says
Oh, that’s a lot for an adult to adapt to, I’m sure your three year old is struggling! That sounds like a kiddo who is stressed and doesn’t know how to express the actual issue. It will pass, just like every phase in childhood; your job is to ride it out, let your kiddo know that her big feelings won’t destroy her relationships with you and husband, and keep open a channel for kiddo to talk when she’s ready.
Have you ever listened to the Janet Lansbury podcast? There was one episode (maybe “Help Me Stop Yelling at My Child”) about a three year old struggling with the birth of a new baby, and mom was struggling with naughty behavior. There was one part when the host said something like, “this toddler’s outbursts are normal, and it sounds like she is adapting beautifully,” and I think I exhaled for the first time in weeks. Highly recommend.
Anonymous says
We don’t use this backpack specifically, but I do love my diaper bag backpack. We got it at REI, somewhere between a 20 and 30 liter pack, I believe. Since it’s a regular backpack, DH has no problems wearing it around.
NewMomAnon says
Sigh. Kiddo was a mess at dinner last night; I made her a favorite meal (cheese ravioli) except that the ravioli was “too big,” so she cried. I realized that she should have some protein so offered a couple options (salmon, peanut butter or leftover steak). She chose the steak and then gagged on it and demanded peanut butter. I said no, she had to eat the choices on the table. Tears. She wanted chocolate and I said the only path to chocolate was to eat her dinner. Tears. Rinse, repeat.
This morning it was the same thing; she asked for two things for breakfast and neither one was right, so she asked for a different thing. I said no, we eat the food in front of us. Tears. She was cold. Tears. I offered a sweatshirt. Tears. I put the wrong socks on her feet. Tears. Wrong shoes on her feet. Tears. Tears at daycare drop off. We went through a whole box of tissues this morning.
All of this is so out of character for her. She can negotiate for hours, but almost never cries. Strep is going around her school and I’m almost hoping that she has it so we have an easy explanation….
Jen says
strep, sleep deprivation/overexcitement…several of my daughter’s preschool friends are just on another planet recently and i’m assuming mine is next. Two had to leave ballet the other day because they just.could.not.deal. There were a few in tears at preschool dropoff this morning (there are never tears).
Did you guys get snow? Mine were EXHAUSTED from playing this weekend.
Anonymous says
Oh also – I just bought Llama Llama Holiday Drama which my daughter loved. I think she’s overwhelmed trying to think about the holidays, because she knows she’ll celebrate with me and separately with her dad.
Anonymous says
Either that, or she’s just making sure you’re still there for her when she has BIG FEELINGS and that you still have boundaries with her. My LO is like this after a weekend with her dad (we’re divorced) – I chalk it up to 1- she missed me, 2- she doesn’t really have rules at daddy’s house, which can be scary for a kid, and 3- she wished i was there to comfort her for any tears/disagreements/frustrations she had over the weekend so she is now inventing problems (overreacting to any minor inconvenience) so that I *can* comfort her and help her work through it. It’s exhausting, for sure, but she is so much better when I just stand firm and let her work through her feelings.
NewMomAnon says
Yes, this is often a part of it – she comes home from dad’s (where she does have rules; his fiance is amazing and brings a lot of stability and consistency), and has a little freak out where she realizes that she has missed me and is hurt that I was gone and that I’ve done things without her, but can’t articulate all of that.
NewMomAnon says
And the verdict is – strep. At least it can be cured with antibiotics.
Anonymous says
Oh no! So glad you have an answer though.
Placenta Previa says
Can y’all please regale me with your stories about placenta previa resolving itself? I’m 20 weeks pregnant with #2 and at my ultrasound this morning, my doctor told me that my placenta is low. It’s not previa yet, but she seemed concerned. I’m not super concerned about the previa piece since I’m going to have a c-section (had one with #1 and my doctor doesn’t do VBACs) but she totally freaked me out by bringing up placenta accreta and the possibility of a hysterectomy. She kept saying “that is really unlikely and a lot of things need to go wrong to get to that point,” but seriously lady – why even freak out a hormonal pregnant lady by talking about a hysterectomy?? So please share your positive stores about it resolving or not being a big deal – I’m trying not to panic right now!
PinkKeyboard says
I can’t help with previa… but I had accreta and the OB literally scraped the thing out of my uterus. But still have my uterus!
Pogo says
I’m surprised by how big of a deal they made just with low lying. I had full on previa from 10w until maybe 20 or 24w? and then it was just low lying. I don’t think it fully cleared up until 28w (I remember because I was so excited to get to run again, but by that point I was huge!)
When are they bringing you back for u/s? I went pretty often to check on the placenta. They could tell which why it was going as the baby grew and in my case, it was moving out of the way. But you need a few u/s in a row to determine this. I felt more comfortable knowing it was on its way to resolving, though it did take longer than I would have liked.
Moms Solo says
I was diagnosed early with full previa by my first OB and remained decidedly stressed for an entire trimester. My second OB told me they shouldn’t have even diagnosed me that early, and it was a non-issue by the end. Even if it’s low, my understanding is that as the uterus expands, it become less and less of an issue.
EB0220 says
I had partial previa with my 2nd early on, and it had moved completely out of the way by the beginning of the 3rd trimester. My sister had a similar experience as well.
Anonymous says
Positive story here :) With my first, at the 20 week ultrasound the dr noticed the placenta was low and had me come back at 30ish weeks for a follow up. By the second ultrasound it resolved on its own and I went on to deliver with no issues.
Rainbow Hair says
I’m a little afraid this will out me as a terrible mom but… Kiddo (almost 3) is obsessed with nail polish. I paint her fingers with quick dry stuff and her tooties with whatever. She smudges even the quick dry but not too terribly.
I was thinking it would be super super fun to take her for a mani pedi (and that she might sit under a blowing machine long enough for them to dry?). I’ve seen moms getting manicures with their kids who are like ten. Can you take someone who is basically still a baby? Should I just keep doing them at home?
Anonymous says
I think this is totally a thing, and if you’re near a major metropolitan area, there are plenty of salons that offer mani/pedis for the under-5 crowd.
NewMomAnon says
The salon I used to go to has a special kids’ chair (Hello Kitty!) for kids under 5. Totally a thing.
CPA Lady says
Can I come sit by you in the bad mom’s club? I cried actual tears the first time I painted my kid’s nails because I was so excited and she was so excited. If you take your kid and she does okay, let me know so I can do it too.
EP-er says
I polish my daughters toes & fingers when she asks. I took her for her first/only pedicure for her 4th birthday when we were staying at a resort which had a kids salon. She loved it and sat so still and felt so important sitting there. I don’t really have issues with that…. but I do feel weird about putting her hair in curlers.
I had my hair in sponge curlers every Saturday night for church on Sunday, and for every holiday. So I started putting rollers in my daughter’s hair for Christmas, when she had enough hair, maybe when she was 3? And then I thought, What message am I sending? Is her straight hair not good enough? Am I teaching her to give in to the American Beauty Complex? But what is wrong with temporary curls? I do it to my hair. What about lip balm? I have no answers. Raising kids is hard.
Redux says
I feel the saaaaaaame. I like painting my toes and paint my 3-year old’s at home and she loves it too. But am I opening up the gates to her feeling like she’s not good enough just the way she is? Or that girls have to do certain things to be “pretty” that boys don’t have to do? Obviously, right now it’s just fun but this gender oppressive bs starts somewhere.
Anonymous says
I just try to convey the choice aspect of it. So I don’t always have nail polish on my nails because I don’t ‘have to’ – sometimes I want to and sometimes I don’t. Same with a great hairstyle vs. mom bun. The gender oppressive piece only starts when it’s like ‘I’m only pretty when…’ or ‘I can’t leave the house unless…’
Rainbow Hair says
I appreciate the thoughts here!
Something a friend told me that I’ve been trying to implement is being aware of the difference between “fancy” and “beautiful.” So when Kiddo wakes up in the morning in her footie jammies with her hair in her face, she’s beautiful. She’s always beautiful. (Since I am her doting mom, I think this is a billion percent true.) BUT sometimes it’s fun to do makeup/clothes/hair things that make us feel ~fancy~! Like how I like to put eyeshadow on my eyes in different colors, that’s fancy! Or sparkles on our nails, fancy!
Helpfully, her dad offered to have his nails painted, and he’s very tolerant of her putting sparkly blush all over his hairy legs, so I hope she doesn’t get too many gender-essentialist messages… gosh I hope she’s going to come out ok.
And yeah, I try to emphasize the choice thing too.
GCA says
I like this distinction!
Also, as I was getting my son (2.5) ready for school a while back, he turns to me and beams, ‘I’m beautiful!’ Yes. Yes you are, kiddo. Would that all children could retain that kind of confidence.
EP-er says
Thanks for this! I love framing it as “fancy” instead of “beautiful.” That a wonderful way of thinking about my issues with it.
Jen says
We use Piggy Polish (basically wash-off nail polish) and I think I did her nails first at age…2.5? For Easter.
We talk about it as art. Like, she has 4-5 colors and we mix up the colors and sometimes do one hand one color and the other hand a different color. Sometimes we do color patterns. She’s 4.5 now and I haven’t taken her to get a mani simply because IT IS MY TIME FOR PEACE AND QUIET. I don’t plan to have the kids creeping in on that any time soon.
To her, nail polish is the same as a crazy hairbow, sparkily tights, or fun socks. I let her wear chapstick (clear). She has a few lipglosses (clear, but look colored) that she has as party favors and I put them in the medicine cabinet so she forgot about them. If she sees/asks, I let her put it on, no big deal. She never really does though.
Momata says
I occasionally take my daughter with me to get a pedicure, because then it means I’m not missing out on time with her for something frivolous for me. She sits on my lap and dangles her feet in the water – it’s actually a really nice snuggle time, and we can read books and talk. The technician usually acts thrilled to soap up her little feet, give her a light massage, and paint her toes for a nominal extra fee (and generous extra tip). We definitely file this under “a fun bonding activity” and “fancy.”
Mrs. Jones says
I regularly take my 7 y-o son with me for pedicures. We both like vegging out in the comfy chairs, we both like colorful toenails! He prob had his first pedi at age 3, but I can’t remember now.
Redux says
Anyone have any favorite home workout vids or apps? I am finally ready to get back to working out (littlest just turned 1!) but in the depths of winter I am just not able to go out to the gym. It’s too snowy/cold/dark and I need something I can actually stick with. We live in a tiny apartment so something that doesn’t require space/equipment is ideal. Or, if you have a basic home workout routine, please share!
Placenta Previa says
I’ve used Beachbody and Bikini Body Guide, both with great success. They do involve a certain amount of jumping so might be difficult in an apartment if you have downstairs neighbors. My favorite at-home workout is barre (I used Pure Barre on demand – $15/month) which is low impact and requires almost no equipment (just a ball and a mat). It’s also quiet and can be done in a very small space.
Anon in NYC says
I’ve used Bikini Body Guide too (you can find a free PDF of at least part of the exercises online — or just download the app). I agree about the jumping – I can’t do it at home anymore because we moved and have creaky floors and downstairs neighbors!
I’ve just started using this app called Aaptiv which offers coach-guided programs at different intensity levels for running, strength training, yoga, stretching, meditation, etc. I’ve tried some of their running programs and strength training (good), one stretching program (fine), and am planning to try their yoga stuff soon. Some of their strength training classes are bodyweight only, although some pre-suppose that you have access to weights.
Anon says
Blogilates. Love her daily compilations.
Legally Brunette says
Fitness Blender! Love it so much and it’s FREE to boot. Over 500 videos available. I have been doing it about 3-4 times a week in the last few months and see a huge difference.
Anonymous says
+1 – try one of their FB30 programs “for busy people” – 30 minute workouts 5 days a week. Videos are all free but you can pay to have them give you a schedule of them. Totally worth it IMO.
anon8 says
Fitness Blender, PopSugar Fitness and Blogilates are my favorite YouTube channels.
Moms Solo says
Doyogawithme dot com. And Jillian Michaels.
Msj says
Yoga With Adriene on YouTube!
GCA says
I like Blogilates, but sometimes I have to do it with the sound off because her voice is just a wee bit too grating…
Kind of random, but google MYRTLS for running and you’ll find a bunch of running-specific strength exercises for hips and glutes. When I’m short on time I do those, add a few sets of planks and push-ups, and consider my workout done for the day.