Maternity Monday: Nursing Jersey Top

Why is “maternity and nursing” such a huge category? Aren’t most pregnant women done nursing their previous children?

When I was growing up, my mom and a lot of the moms I knew stayed home and identified as stay at home moms. Now, I’m one of just a couple moms in my daughter’s kindergarten class that works 9-5, but I’d say almost nobody identifies as or introduces themselves as a stay at home mom. Some of the women definitely work, just with different schedules (teachers, nurses) but there are a lot of fitness instructors, freelancer writers, photographers, artists, realtors and, yes, quite a few people who are “in sales” (aka MLMs). I’ll admit I judge the MLMs but otherwise I’m not trying to disparage these professions – I have friends that work full-time and earn a living at selling houses or photography. But from talking to these women and looking at some of their business pages I’m skeptical they’re really working in the sense most working people use that term – they are stay at home moms who have a side gig that brings in a little money. Which is fine! I think staying home with your kids is a perfectly valid choice, if you want to do it (and most of these women have kids younger than 5, so I can’t imagine anyone would think they’re sitting around doing nothing all day). But it seems like they can’t just admit to being stay at home moms, they have to insist they have Real Careers. I’ve heard more than a couple disparaging comments about the handful of women who actually cop to being stay at home moms (many of whom do a ton of volunteer work and/or have other major responsibilities like caring for an elderly parent). And of course, they’re judgy of working moms too, because other people are “raising their kids.” It feels like the only “right” way to be a mom these days is to be home every afternoon after school with your kids but also have some kind of paying side gig so you’re not a “load” on your husband. Has anyone else noticed this? It just all feels so much more competitive and exhausting than when we were kids.

Could someone please tell me the name of the sleep book that tells parents how to deal with their own night wakings after they sleep trained their baby (ok, toddler)? We maybe, finally(?), for the 3rd or 4th time post-illness, have got our LO sleeping through the night. My husband and I however, are still waking up. Sometimes she legitimately is calling out in her sleep but other times I just wake up for no reason. I’ve seen a book recommended on this site that talks about it but I can’t seem to find it! TIA!

For those that celebrate Easter, at what age did you start doing Easter baskets? My LO is not even a year old so I’m wondering if it’s even necessary. For those that do, what sort of things do you put in them?

Does anyone have an IKEA sniglar crib? Can it be turned into a toddler bed? Pinterest suggests the side will come off but can’t see structurally how that would work. My plan is to keep baby CB contained for as long as possible and we have a daybed to use as a big kid bed but it feels awfully high for a little one.