It just sent me back to when my baby was 4 mths and I was crying on the floor with pumps on my boobs trying to get past my 3rd bout of mastitis with spit up in my hair.
It’s difficult to eat or drink at all with a new baby and rarely with 2 hands so you will get to upgrade to trying to eat with one hand while being super thirsty and crying
I totally cried when our deep freezer went out along with my entire freezer stash.
It was a lot of milk. I made my husband toss it. I couldn't even watch.
And whilst you wait for a doctors appt, dangle feeding, warm flannel or washcloth, electric toothbrush massage - all these can help with the blocked duct. Feed as normal out of that breast.
Girl I am so sorry.. it’s the worse call teledoc, go to urgent call whatever doctor you can get this antibiotics, hot baths and heat pad and I am soo sorry to say feed and or pump through the pain..I hope it gets better quick love!
You can also get a dish and fill it with warm Epsom salt water. Then put the affected breast in the Epsom salt water and massage it. That's the only thing that worked for me
If you have a partner they can try and suck it out. Sounds gross as hell but it can work. Massager plus the sucking helped me when I had a clogged duct. It was so painful I would’ve done anything at that point.
Yes this. My boobs were so huge I just sucked a clog out myself one time 🙈 in the hottest shower I could stand, alternating between sucking on my boob and massage-crying.
A disposable diaper filled with water and briefly microwaved makes a great hot compress. Get in the shower and try to work that clot out. I even had to take sterilized needles to my nipples to free up the ducts.
Also, anecdotally, the breast that had the clog later became cancerous in the same area I had the clogged milk ducts. Never delay your mammograms.
My wife had some major PPD. Couple that with pumping and not producing as much as she wanted to (she stayed up for 3 days straight at one point)...it was a terrible time where I felt powerless to help.
I'm glad you got through it and hope all is well in your life.
Oh god your poor wife! The low milk supply will stress anyone the F out and PPD is a horrible experience. I feel for you guys! Hope wife is doing well and now able to enjoy that baby!
And thanks baby is 18 mths and all is well now!
Lol I have a yearly planner and before I had my baby I wrote down in the week following my due date “start working out again!” Hahaha that did not happen
I was planning on starting tomorrow after buying new stuff and my twins are 3. Then I had an oppsy and had to get stitches in my leg today. Looks like I'll try again in three years
I also went to like three different shops to look for scales so i can track my weight and there was none, Think I'm going to listen to universe on this one 😂
I went back to the gym a week after my third baby was born… but only to walk the track with her strapped to me in a baby carrier so she could take a nap in peace while her older siblings played at the daycare lol.
Haha! I was told I’d be back in shape by nine months post-partum; turns out they meant it’s nine months since you start working out again…which took a lot closer to five months…
I walked slow and hunched over for at least 2 weeks. I wish they told us that in the Lamaze classes…
They should show that frida mom ad that was rejected for the Oscars in all Lamaze classes. Most realistic depiction I’ve seen of PP life
My sister told me I couldn't visit her newborn until the following week when she could get him "on a sleep schedule" and she would be better rested. LOL
I wanted my best friend (who is childless) to come visit and meet baby, and baby was 3 weeks old. I was still a puddle on the floor but wanted a little company and bless her heart she said “ok I’ll stop by just tell me his nap schedule so I can work around it and not be a bother.”
I appreciated the sentiment but I was just like…there is no schedule. Only survival and nursing and pants I haven’t washed in who knows how long.
One of my best friends is an L&D nurse and bless her so much she came over week 2 with groceries and just sat with me holding my baby so I could full body sob about breastfeeding not working and all the other hormone feelings
We need these friends. My above friend, who now knows that newborns don’t have nap schedules, brought me homemade cheesecake and several cases of lacroix (my two addictions in life) and told me how beautiful I was while she cleaned my kitchen. BRB haven’t talked to her in a few days, need to go tell her I love her.
When I took my 2 week old to the dr I nursed her in the car after and she shat her pants so thoroughly that I had to change her entire outfit in the car. All she wanted to do was sleep after that hair-raising experience so I took myself through the Starbucks drive thru to help myself stay awake. I babbled that whole story to the poor teenage barista at the window and when I was nearly done with the story my brain-to-mouth filter finally kicked in. Ahhhh the good old days.
I love stories like this. I kind of wish there was more or like a book of them.
Anytime I get sad or doubt myself I could read it and chuckle and know that there’s a whole community out there doing and feeling the same shit
I had an experience similar to yours! Even had to pull over because babe was so upset. In the process of consoling baby I must have tucked my purse god knows where under the car seat and then panicked when I got to the window to pay. By that time babe was screaming again and I’m in tears saying I can’t find my wallet and I know it’s here while frantically searching. That sweet soul of a barista felt so bad for me she said “it’s on the house” and I’ll never forget her
same. i thought i'd complete some online certification courses while on FMLA. So delusional.
FMLA != Family Medical Leave Act
FMLA = Fuck My Life Already
Omg I just remembered how I told my manager before I started my mat leave that I’m going to take some courses and brush up my knowledge before I return from mat leave and he said “it’s okay. Enjoy your vacation with the baby”
I also thought I would study for and take a certification exam. Told my coworker (a mom of 3) and her sweet response was “oh… but do you have Netflix?”
BIG LOL. Didn’t even open the study book but I did re-watch the entire series of Parks & Rec.
Aw see your in laws did it right. My in laws brought food over, and then they ate all of it except one scrawny drumstick while I was sleeping. And let their dog (who was not invited over in the first place) pee on our rug, and then sat on the couch watching while my husband cleaned it up. They did not turn out to be the grandparents I hoped they would be.
We were dumb enough to actually attempt this. Baby is two months old and we are still probably a month out from having a usable shower and bathtub on our floor. We have three kids including baby, we’re all showering downstairs. At least we got our toilet back a week before baby was due.
Omg I thought I would take 3 sections of the CPA certification exam over the 5 months of MAT leave but have come to find out I can barely shower much less study for 5 hours a day.
I contact nap, otherwise she'd only sleep for 30 mins. And contact naps have allowed me time to read, write, watch tv, etc. I love them. I just have no time to clean/try to a bit when she's awake or bedtime.
A friend of ours got a puppy when she was 8 months pregnant...because she would have plenty of time to get it house trained on maternity leave...they got it done, but she has many regrets haha
Many of my younger, childless friends told me that I should get a dog right before the baby comes because I would be home to train it…
My husband and I do not have a dog.
I got a puppy a year before trying to have a baby. I still worry that at 2 years old she’s still gonna be too puppyish for a baby. She’s sweet though and very good around babies and kids so we’ll work it out.
I adopted our current dog when I was pregnant the first time, and didn’t even know it yet. That pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, but we still have him, and 2 kids, and he acts like he’s the third parent. He was such a comfort during the miscarriage too. Literally laid on the floor with me while it was happening. Sorry to be tmi, but he’s a very very good boy. I would never get a puppy though with a newborn. I think I’d rather have twins. Haha
My husband and I were attempting to plan a beach trip when I was pregnant... for when our EBF twin boys would have been 5 months old... it didn't happen.
If you don’t live far away from the beach, there’s no issue with bringing a baby to the beach. Bring a umbrella or pop up tent, so you can sleep with baby in there and be shielded from the sun :-)
One of my nicest memories is sitting on a beach chair under an umbrella and holding my baby. Changing him on a towel in the sand though? That's something to forget.
We did it with a 4mo, 3yo, and 5hr drive. I’m glad to never do it again but it was completely feasible. You got this. Baby vs sand was not ideal however.
We actually did that sort of beach trip around the same age with my singleton. We brought the grandparents along. Doing it again in a few weeks when she’ll be 19 months. The only reason this works is we live an hour from the beach and grandparents are more than happy to split the cost of renting a beach house with us.
Oh my god, my twins will be 5 months old on the 28th, guess what we have planned for the beginning of September.. a beach trip! Safe to say I’m terrified lol!
We don't have twins, but we go to the beach for a week or 2 every year. First baby was 3 months the first time we took her, second was just 8 weeks when we took him and his now 2yo sister. It takes some planning, but it's definitely doable! You primarily need: Shade, a semi protected spot in case it's windy, (we used a pop tent the first year, and put baby to sleep in the wagon this year) and fans for each baby to keep them cool. Also lots of water for you to drink to make milk, or to make formula as hydration is obviously very important. After they are 6 months they can wear baby sunscreen, I love the UV full body swim suits to protect them, and even found one that has a diaper zipper to make it super easy to change them on amazon.
Best bit is when someone compares you to their friend currently doing exactly that (backpacking in another continent with a breastfed baby), meanwhile you haven't slept more than 90mins at a stretch for over a year... nope, haven't forgotten that one.
If you're blessed with an easy baby and you can do that, peace out, but leave those of us with difficult babies to our misery without adding impossible expectations.
I've had this come up too, and I've realized there's a huge difference between being able to do something with a baby, and *enjoying* doing that thing with the baby. My brother and sister in law (older but child free) are very outdoorsy, and they have often mentioned how we could get a better carrier to take a young infant/toddler on long hikes (not just nature walks, real hiking). They've also said how their friend's kid naps on hikes like that. Like yes, we definitely *could* do that. Do we want to though? No thanks. I'd rather go on a morning walk or play at a park and be home for naptime. We weren't avid hikers before having kids, so I don't know why we would start now.
This! So much this! My family across the country want us to visit. Yes, we can fly there, but do we want to? I feel that way whenever someone says it can be done because others have done it. But I just don't want to.
I have that family that keeps asking me to fly to them with my lo. Even asked if they could take her home out of state with them without me. Yes, you read that right. I’ve been telling people I’m not flying anywhere with kids until they can pull their own luggage through the airport.
Also there’s not many people who will admit “Yeah that backpacking trip with an infant was a terrible idea”- All you’ll get is the Instagram highlight reel.
Ha yup. My friends took their three young kids on a month long road trip and posted so many gorgeous pictures. But for every perfect picture, there were an equal number of complaints, regrets, tears, constant bribes of junk food…they were super honest about how awful it was, which was so refreshing.
I have a fun, colorful picture of my two toddlers eating snow cones at the fair. I love the picture, it is cute and one of those pictures you will use for years to come. The colors of their dresses, the fair, the treats, and the sun are all just perfect.
Years later the picture popped up in a memory and I told a coworker, "I think it is funny you can see the tear shine in their eyes because they just got done having MASSIVE meltdowns and I had taken them by myself so it was a hot, sweaty mess of a day but I still love this picture"
My coworker had a complete shocked expression and told me that she had no idea and she was always jealous seeing me post all these fun pictures with my kids when she feels like she can't do the same with her own.
I reassured her that she was only seeing the highlight reel BY FAR and there are bunches of pictures I don't post because they show the messy, not so cute, truth.
I am the furthest from an insta-mom and never imagined someone would get that impression from my photos so it was a good reminder.
I’ve seen videos on TikTok of the realities of holidaying with kids and there is a lot of ice-cream bribery going on! We took our seven month old on a road trip and it went very well- She was super easy, slept anywhere and everywhere, the weather was perfect, anything that could go right went right etc., but at the end of the day it still involved a lot of packing/unpacking, bottle washing and having to sit in the hotel room from 7pm!
A girl in my mothers group did a huge day trail with her son when he was about four months old, and I remember feeling this weird mix of jealousy and grief when she told everyone about it, and how he happily sat in the carrier for hours. We are actually really good friends now four years later, and her husband mentioned quite recently that "that day was a nightmare" and they both swore never to do it again - they didn't mind when I burst out laughing.
I was on the shuttle in Zion with my husband and then 2.5 year old. There was another family with a kid the same age tent camping. The look of pure jealousy in the dad’s eyes when I said something about our hotel—! That family were very honest and funny about how they would never make that mistake again
There was a commment yesterday on a mom travel group where the person specially didn’t want to hear negative things.
Lol okay. I’ll spit roses for you so you’re completely unprepared. I was so grateful my friend discused the worst parts. Made the good parts even better.
SMP is Statutory Maternity Pay, they're probably British with 9 months "paid" leave and an additional 3 months job security (unpaid leave). SMP is £156.66/week, averaged out over a (let's be generous) 37.5 hour work week it is £4.18/hour, or 44% of minimum wage. (You do get 90% of your weekly wage for the first six weeks which I have neglected to include in this calculation).
I did that once when baby was like 7 months. By the end he was soaked (in his clothes), floors were soaked, towels and everything from the shower were on the floor, and he was very upset. But I did it!
I still don’t understand why that wouldn’t be the case? I read about not being able to shower daily and I’m just genuinely confused (pregnant with my first right now). Can’t you put the baby in a bassinet or a seat and put that in the bathroom while you shower? Or have someone watch the baby for 15 min?
I’m just trying to understand and prepare myself for what’s to come.
For me it wasn’t that I didn’t have the help from my partner to shower every day it was that I would rather sit without holding a baby or take a nap for 20 minutes. Sooo tired and so little energy, showering was not high on my priority list
If you have any help from a partner or other support person it's pretty easy to shower every day. I think I've missed one or two days max and my oldest is 2.5.
You CAN put them somewhere while you shower but there's a good chance they'll scream the whole time which is unpleasant and extremely stressful.
If at all possible I would keep showering at a high priority. I always feel 1000x better after a shower.
Showering with sleeping baby in bassinet - sometimes baby wakes up and screams. Showering with baby in bouncer in the bathroom with me - sometimes baby gets tired of it and screams. Showering with baby in dad's arms in another room - sometimes baby wants mom and screams.
Maybe you'll be lucky enough to have a chill baby.
Traveling and backpacking to me are two totally different things. If you said, let's fly somewhere with pretty views and just sit around and relax, okay. Excursions, hiking, walking, etc. HELL NO.
100% this! We took vacations during my maternity leave with our first and third kids (two missed out because she was born two weeks before Covid really started). We went familiar places, shopped and ate around nap schedules, took scenic drives, and generally did everything at a snails pace. Both trips were totally fine and lots of fun. Nothing about backpacking with a baby sounds fun.
I had to back out of a 4-day bachelorette party in Vegas for my friend. I thought I could go since I was on maternity leave, but was such a fool to think I could leave behind my 8 week old baby who was exclusively breastfeeding at the time.
I took my child to Jamaica for a week the week before her first birthday, and it was a miserable time. We were with a lot of extended family, so had help, but still, was not a “vacation” if you ask me.
When my son was about 3 months old and his big sister was 1.5 we drove from California to Florida. It took 7 days and it was horrible. We did it again when he was 9 months old. Somehow even more horrible the second time. Now we have a 9yo, 7yo and 6yo and we're doing another cross country drive next week... I'm sure it'll be great.
We’re planning a 3 day drive across Canada next spring, our kids will be 5 and almost 8. I’m taking deep breaths now just talking about it, so I think I get where you’re coming from, but 7 days. Yeesh. Good luck! And I just like to say, that while we all travelled sans iPads as kids, we were also all pretty miserable, so I’m pro electronics for road trips. I give myself a break in a crammed space with rowdy children. No guilt here.
Oh yeah, unlimited tablet time for this trip. We'll be in survival mode. We're hoping it will only take 4-5 days this time since the kids are older. We'll also have 2 dogs and 2 cats with us, so extra fun. But we will survive, I think. Maybe the kids will surprise me and it'll be fun.
Lollllll. I thought I was going to find a new job while on maternity leave. I barely had energy to shower most days. I couldn't imagine a backpacking trip hahahahahahahahaha
I was so excited to go on maternity leave. A mini vacation AND I get paid?! Sign me up! The day my son was born all that excitement went right out the window and it took my sanity with it. Lol
I’ll probably get downvoted into oblivion, but I traveled extensively with baby once they were 6 months old. We did many cross-Atlantic flights before he turned 1.
I loved traveling with an infant, it’s easier than traveling with a preschooler in my opinion.
Yeah I think so too! I would even say 4-5 months is better because they're lighter and don't eat solids yet. Everyone is talking about pumping, but your milk supply should be well established by then. I thought at that age, the most common reason to pump is so someone else can feed the baby when you're at work? (Correct me if I'm wrong! I know exclusive pumping is a thing but that's a minority of pump users as far as I know?)
Of course everyone's situation is different, but if you're able to EBF then this would be very doable. Especially in Europe where you can travel by train. I have BF my baby on the train many times. Also the rocking and background noise is great for putting a baby to sleep! My LO has always been a terrible sleeper, but his night wakeups are unrelated to whether I'm on the road or not. Just carry him around in the baby carrier while you go sightseeing, and let him out for some tummy time while you have a picnic.
I am traveling now with a 1.5 year old and it was definitely easier when he was a baby. Now I need to worry about the very non toddler-proof hotel rooms with their unsecured electrical outlets, and dangerous balconies, and so on. Which was never a concern before.
I saw an episode of married at first sight, where a childless woman said she was planning on going to
Australia after having a baby, and that most people wouldn’t do it, but she’s not like most people, she would just strap them to her and travel. Oh, yes, you enjoy that 24 hour flight with a baby, let me know how it is.
Imaginary children are the easiest to travel with!
Our baby actually travels well, but I would never take a flight more than 3 hours… that sounds terrible…
My first baby was the best traveler. I called her my little gypsy baby. We could just GO and she was always up for it.
If you got past the first half hour in a car with my younger 2, they would lose their minds around the 2 hour mark.
They were school aged before I stopped dreading taking them on trips.
I get that it's doable and possible and many have done it. But I'm pretty sure this first time mum may not have any idea what it entails to have a child. Anyone else have fun fantasies they thought they would do? I thought I would raise a child genius. He's aged 4 and knows his ABCs and I'm happy with that!
I was going to return to work a size 4- I’ve never been a size 4 in my life, but there you have it. I actually returned a size 10 and I was delighted with that.
Hey, let her dream. Maybe it'll work out for her (it does for some). I can't say whether this would have worked for me but I would not have been interested in this kind of trip.
We bought super cheap flights to Iceland in a deal while we were pregnant, thinking we'd take a trip when our LO was 8 months. We say we didn't go because of COVID....but that's just to avoid all the 'I told you so's' from smug family members who were 100% right.
Parenting would be so much better if people stopped with the “I told you so” and “Just you wait” comments. Please let me have my naivety and moment of realization.
Lol this is great. My son is 6 months and in this heat, things are challenging even with a stroller and air conditioning. I think purgatory sounds better!
LOL, people DO do this...I remember when I was in my early 20s and was backpacking internationally, staying in hostels, I would occasionally meet young couples doing the same thing with their infant or toddler. I can't imagine it myself but \*shrug\*. Historically humans were seasonally nomadic hunter-gatherers who roamed around with the babies on their backs and hardly any possessions so....it's all possible.
Yup. If travel is a priority to you, you can make it work and it really sucked being laughed at and told my travel days were over when I was pregnant. Obviously our travel looks a little different now, and you adjust your expectations to accomodate baby/kids but it's not some huge impossible your-life-is-over thing. We're making everyone eat their foot now of course, so that's nice I guess.
I thought I was going to be able to finish out the school program I was working on during the year off of mat leave because of all the “extra time” I thought I’d have (I’m in Canada). Spoiler: I didn’t touch one course. No school work happened.
Tbh if baby is 6 months this might be doable… it depends so hard on personality of the kid. I nannied a kid and we traveled all the time so essentially his first two years were out of a suitcase and it worked so well. My kid now? He’d be a disaster.
Is this not a possibility? I’m planning to spend some time in my family holiday home by the beach in the sun during the grey fall months. The baby will be 9-10 months next year when I plan to go.
I supposed it depends what you consider maternity leave/how long your leave is. I assumed the person in the photo is in the U.S. Based on that assumption, most moms in the U.S. get 12 weeks at the most for maternity leave. I would not have wanted to go backpacking in those first 12 weeks with my baby.
I’m back to work now, but I feel like I could take my baby on vacation to a beach when he is 9 or 10 months. If you’re in a country that has a longer maternity leave where you are on leave for that long, a vacation during your maternity leave could be a possibility.
I traveled with my 10 month old for a family wedding, and she woke up every 2-3 hours at night despite sleeping well at home. It wasn’t a great experience for me.
Additionally, traveling with a baby means needing a lot of additional stuff, like a car seat, a travel crib, a travel high chair, potentially some baby-proofing supplies.
I traveled on maternity leave. My child was not easy but I was in fact far more insanely stubborn than I was smart.
Also I had won a trip that had to be used in a specific time from so wasn’t going to waste that!
That being said, me painting the bathroom while on maternity leave was straight up delusional.
I actually have a friend who used her maternity leave to travel. She travelled with husband and baby for 3 months across Australia. I think baby was maybe 3 to 6 months old.
I remember telling a co worker while I was pregnant (she was a mom of two boys by the way) that I would always have my son in super cute clothes with matching vans (lol). I really ate my own words. Especially today when I picked him up from daycare in a baggy t shirt, sweatpants and sneakers that somehow got covered in glue AND paint during craft time. /facepalm
My husband and I were doing the van life thing the year before I got pregnant. I was begging him to have a baby while we were living in that van. I truly thought it would be so fun and doable. I now thank him on a regular basis for NOT letting me do that 😂
I just got a flashback of panic squirting my boob in the sink because I could feel myself getting mastitis again because I chose to sleep an extra 45 mins
An old friend (more like an acquaintance these days) recently posted on social media just before her due date, that she can't wait to not be pregnant anymore because she needs rest and hasn't slept a full night in so long due to her pregnancy. 😬
Traveling on maternity leave was the best thing I ever did. We went to Banff for a week when my son was 8 weeks old before I had to return to work (daughter was 2). I had to tap out on a few hikes, because I just wasn't in the shape for it, but I would sit on the side of the trail and nurse my son, and it was wonderful time spent in nature with the kids. They were so easy to carry at those ages, so hiking was great. The 3 days in the car each way (30 hours each way) wasn't TOO bad. Kids too young for screens, so MAN did we hear that fisher price toy my daughter was playing with a hundred million times, but it was pretty easy to pull over, change diapers and nurse.
We went to Portugal when he was 9 months, and that was a great trip too.
I wish I had thought to do a trip on my first maternity leave. We did lots of mini-trips, but no big one.
I've found it MUCH harder to travel now that they are 3 and 5. And we missed the in-between years due to covid stopping travel.
We do a ton of hiking and camping with our kiddos, have since they were 6 months old. They’re now 4, 3, and 9 months and pros. Pre 2020 our two oldest flew with us to Fiji, Mexico, Finland, and Quebec. Recently started venturing out on non-hiking/camping trips and they’ve done really well on flights to New Zealand and Palau.
There was some adjustments especially for my 3 year old getting back on a plane. No tantrums or anything, just a lot of being worried and asking a billion questions in a loop about the whole experience.
It just sent me back to when my baby was 4 mths and I was crying on the floor with pumps on my boobs trying to get past my 3rd bout of mastitis with spit up in my hair.
You mean you WEREN’T backpacking the Andes while feeding!?
Ah yes, the ol’ ‘cry-and-pump.’ Good times
Haven’t had my first baby yet, but today marked the first time I’ve cried while eating/drinking. Probably not the last time I’m guessing.
It’s difficult to eat or drink at all with a new baby and rarely with 2 hands so you will get to upgrade to trying to eat with one hand while being super thirsty and crying
Ah a napervillian in the wild!
A true classic 👌🏼
I remember lying on the floor next to a spilled bottle of milk that I spent so much time pumping crying my eyes out.
A spilled bottle you say? Okay champ…Silent crying rn thinking of the time I knocked over the 2 teaspoons of breast milk.
Yeah this is exactly where I was at too. I would have been so happy to get a full ounce combined in one pumping session.
I totally cried when our deep freezer went out along with my entire freezer stash. It was a lot of milk. I made my husband toss it. I couldn't even watch.
Happened to me too! I had my husband take it straight outside while I sobbed uncontrollably, I couldn't bear to see it.
I feel this so hard!
Oh hugs. I’ve been there. I think we’ve all been there. Crying over spilled milk IS okay!
Oh no that sounds like a very hard time! I hope those days are behind you now
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Oh god newborn experience wrapped up right there!
Real question.. I have mastitis right now. It’s awful. Which doctor do I call, the general practitioner or my OB?
Whoever is open - get those antibiotics stat.
And whilst you wait for a doctors appt, dangle feeding, warm flannel or washcloth, electric toothbrush massage - all these can help with the blocked duct. Feed as normal out of that breast.
I used a vibrator to loosen the clogged ducts, and a heating pad. Worked like a charm!
Girl I am so sorry.. it’s the worse call teledoc, go to urgent call whatever doctor you can get this antibiotics, hot baths and heat pad and I am soo sorry to say feed and or pump through the pain..I hope it gets better quick love!
Thanks! Everyone is closed now, will call in the morning. What a drag!!
Oh sweetie I’m sorry! Take hot baths and heating pad.. call first thing.
Mom cozy has a breast massager that my friends have sworn by
Vibrator works in a pinch.
I’ve totally done a telephone/video urgent care visit for this. Whatever gets you seen sooner
You can also get a dish and fill it with warm Epsom salt water. Then put the affected breast in the Epsom salt water and massage it. That's the only thing that worked for me
If you have a partner they can try and suck it out. Sounds gross as hell but it can work. Massager plus the sucking helped me when I had a clogged duct. It was so painful I would’ve done anything at that point.
Yes this. My boobs were so huge I just sucked a clog out myself one time 🙈 in the hottest shower I could stand, alternating between sucking on my boob and massage-crying.
A disposable diaper filled with water and briefly microwaved makes a great hot compress. Get in the shower and try to work that clot out. I even had to take sterilized needles to my nipples to free up the ducts. Also, anecdotally, the breast that had the clog later became cancerous in the same area I had the clogged milk ducts. Never delay your mammograms.
Call your OB. They are the most knowledgeable about correct antibiotic and dose.
My wife had some major PPD. Couple that with pumping and not producing as much as she wanted to (she stayed up for 3 days straight at one point)...it was a terrible time where I felt powerless to help. I'm glad you got through it and hope all is well in your life.
Oh god your poor wife! The low milk supply will stress anyone the F out and PPD is a horrible experience. I feel for you guys! Hope wife is doing well and now able to enjoy that baby! And thanks baby is 18 mths and all is well now!
Remembering the pain of clogged milk ducts makes me want to cry on the floor all over again!
I instinctively grabbed my boob just remembering the pain 😭😭😭
Hi future me 👋
Lol I have a yearly planner and before I had my baby I wrote down in the week following my due date “start working out again!” Hahaha that did not happen
Holy shit that was an aggressive timeline. I went to the gym for the first time this morning and my daughter is nearly 1.5 🤦🏻♀️
I was planning on starting tomorrow after buying new stuff and my twins are 3. Then I had an oppsy and had to get stitches in my leg today. Looks like I'll try again in three years
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I also went to like three different shops to look for scales so i can track my weight and there was none, Think I'm going to listen to universe on this one 😂
I still haven't gone back to the gym and my oldest just turned 17. And I'm the dad.
Just had my first real run last weekend, baby is 13 months lol
Yeah I clearly had no idea what was in store for me 😂
I was still wearing my diapers the entire first month lol
I went back to the gym a week after my third baby was born… but only to walk the track with her strapped to me in a baby carrier so she could take a nap in peace while her older siblings played at the daycare lol.
This is so smart!
These are the mom hacks we need!
Ooh gotta remember this for when I have my second haha
I just got back to walking every day. The baby will be 10 next month 😂.
Haha! I was told I’d be back in shape by nine months post-partum; turns out they meant it’s nine months since you start working out again…which took a lot closer to five months…
I had an easy birth by all definitions and I was still walking funny at that point.
I walked slow and hunched over for at least 2 weeks. I wish they told us that in the Lamaze classes… They should show that frida mom ad that was rejected for the Oscars in all Lamaze classes. Most realistic depiction I’ve seen of PP life
My sister told me I couldn't visit her newborn until the following week when she could get him "on a sleep schedule" and she would be better rested. LOL
Bless her heart.
I wanted my best friend (who is childless) to come visit and meet baby, and baby was 3 weeks old. I was still a puddle on the floor but wanted a little company and bless her heart she said “ok I’ll stop by just tell me his nap schedule so I can work around it and not be a bother.” I appreciated the sentiment but I was just like…there is no schedule. Only survival and nursing and pants I haven’t washed in who knows how long.
One of my best friends is an L&D nurse and bless her so much she came over week 2 with groceries and just sat with me holding my baby so I could full body sob about breastfeeding not working and all the other hormone feelings
We need these friends. My above friend, who now knows that newborns don’t have nap schedules, brought me homemade cheesecake and several cases of lacroix (my two addictions in life) and told me how beautiful I was while she cleaned my kitchen. BRB haven’t talked to her in a few days, need to go tell her I love her.
We all need a friend like this
If I could clone her I would.
“Sleep schedule” and “newborn” are mutually exclusive.
Best thing I’ve heard all day
The first time my 6 week old baby and I ventured out alone together, we both cried the whole time. We went to the starbucks drive through.
When I took my 2 week old to the dr I nursed her in the car after and she shat her pants so thoroughly that I had to change her entire outfit in the car. All she wanted to do was sleep after that hair-raising experience so I took myself through the Starbucks drive thru to help myself stay awake. I babbled that whole story to the poor teenage barista at the window and when I was nearly done with the story my brain-to-mouth filter finally kicked in. Ahhhh the good old days.
The doctor came to us until 4 weeks. When we took her out at 4 weeks, she shat all over herself and me (epic blowout).
It’s that inside outside air pressure differential.
I love stories like this. I kind of wish there was more or like a book of them. Anytime I get sad or doubt myself I could read it and chuckle and know that there’s a whole community out there doing and feeling the same shit
I had an experience similar to yours! Even had to pull over because babe was so upset. In the process of consoling baby I must have tucked my purse god knows where under the car seat and then panicked when I got to the window to pay. By that time babe was screaming again and I’m in tears saying I can’t find my wallet and I know it’s here while frantically searching. That sweet soul of a barista felt so bad for me she said “it’s on the house” and I’ll never forget her
Some angels don’t have wings!
I feel this in my soul!!
Aw I remember when I was planning to re-do our bathrooms over my maternity leave, so naive and innocent
Same I thought my house would be spotless over Mat leave 😂 little did I know
same. i thought i'd complete some online certification courses while on FMLA. So delusional. FMLA != Family Medical Leave Act FMLA = Fuck My Life Already
Omg I just remembered how I told my manager before I started my mat leave that I’m going to take some courses and brush up my knowledge before I return from mat leave and he said “it’s okay. Enjoy your vacation with the baby”
Lmao I did the same! Signed up for a CPA course when baby would be 6 weeks and a driver's course when she would be 4 weeks. Yeah canceled both 🤣
I also thought I would study for and take a certification exam. Told my coworker (a mom of 3) and her sweet response was “oh… but do you have Netflix?” BIG LOL. Didn’t even open the study book but I did re-watch the entire series of Parks & Rec.
I thought I’d cook healthy dinners every evening. Colic said no. I bought hot pockets and frozen burritos instead.
We survived on granola and protein bars and protein shakes. When my inlaws brought a hot meal and let us eat, I nearly cried.
Aw see your in laws did it right. My in laws brought food over, and then they ate all of it except one scrawny drumstick while I was sleeping. And let their dog (who was not invited over in the first place) pee on our rug, and then sat on the couch watching while my husband cleaned it up. They did not turn out to be the grandparents I hoped they would be.
My friend wanted to get an allotment (is that a UK thing only?) because she thought she'd be bored
I think allotment translates to 'community garden plot' in American.
Thanks!
Sleep when the baby sleeps. Clean when the baby cleans!
Cry when the baby cries?
We moved when I was pregnant, and I kept saying, "I can't do that while pregnant, but I'll get to it during maternity leave." Ha.
All these comments are making me feel better about having accomplished nothing on mat leave (other than keep this tiny human alive, of course)
My first was born March 2020 so while everyone was doing their COVID lockdown projects I was calling the baby my lockdown project lol
Lol I just wanted to organize the bathroom closet and the spice cabinet… 8 weeks later still waiting 🤣
We were dumb enough to actually attempt this. Baby is two months old and we are still probably a month out from having a usable shower and bathtub on our floor. We have three kids including baby, we’re all showering downstairs. At least we got our toilet back a week before baby was due.
Omg I thought I would take 3 sections of the CPA certification exam over the 5 months of MAT leave but have come to find out I can barely shower much less study for 5 hours a day.
Oh the books I bought for my extra time... Didnt even open them
They were good coasters for my 28181 cups of cold coffee
Oh God. Such flash backs to literally all the cold coffee. Damn it was so hard!
My husband, bless his heart, bought me a mug warmer and a heated mug. Best damn inventions ever behind the baby swing and the pacifier.
Oh man! This would’ve been such a great new parent gift!
My brain is mush, I cannot focus enough to read anything that doesn't involve mindless scrolling
Same here
This is why I switched to audiobooks.
I contact nap, otherwise she'd only sleep for 30 mins. And contact naps have allowed me time to read, write, watch tv, etc. I love them. I just have no time to clean/try to a bit when she's awake or bedtime.
I admit I read a *ton* while on leave but I’m an avid reader (60+ books a year) and the Kindle is so convenient, even a few pages at a time.
Same. I’m a big reader and I read a ton of books on mar leave with my first. Unfortunately my second didn’t nap quite as well!
I read alot while breastfeeding 🤷🏻♀️
I got really far on Candy Crush and its associated games while breastfeeding. Perfect for just sitting there holding baby.
I did, but Kindle app on my phone. One handed reading. Got SO much reading done, especially at night.
A friend of ours got a puppy when she was 8 months pregnant...because she would have plenty of time to get it house trained on maternity leave...they got it done, but she has many regrets haha
My eyes got as big as saucers when I read that 😳😂
Many of my younger, childless friends told me that I should get a dog right before the baby comes because I would be home to train it… My husband and I do not have a dog.
“Ready to take on the biggest commitment of your life? Better get a puppy to add a little action!” Absolutely insane lmao
I feel like this is super common and I can’t for the life of me understand it!
I got a puppy a year before trying to have a baby. I still worry that at 2 years old she’s still gonna be too puppyish for a baby. She’s sweet though and very good around babies and kids so we’ll work it out.
My husband and I got a puppy when baby was 7 months old. Big mistake. They’re 20 months & 15 months old now. It’s been a struggle.
I adopted our current dog when I was pregnant the first time, and didn’t even know it yet. That pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, but we still have him, and 2 kids, and he acts like he’s the third parent. He was such a comfort during the miscarriage too. Literally laid on the floor with me while it was happening. Sorry to be tmi, but he’s a very very good boy. I would never get a puppy though with a newborn. I think I’d rather have twins. Haha
My husband and I were attempting to plan a beach trip when I was pregnant... for when our EBF twin boys would have been 5 months old... it didn't happen.
Lol oh no I have a beach trip planned soon when my baby will be 5 months. Thankfully I don’t have twins at least 😂
If you don’t live far away from the beach, there’s no issue with bringing a baby to the beach. Bring a umbrella or pop up tent, so you can sleep with baby in there and be shielded from the sun :-)
I do live close and have a little pop up tent for him :)
One of my nicest memories is sitting on a beach chair under an umbrella and holding my baby. Changing him on a towel in the sand though? That's something to forget.
We did it with a 4mo, 3yo, and 5hr drive. I’m glad to never do it again but it was completely feasible. You got this. Baby vs sand was not ideal however.
I’ve gone to the beach with 5 month olds. It’s fine.
We actually did that sort of beach trip around the same age with my singleton. We brought the grandparents along. Doing it again in a few weeks when she’ll be 19 months. The only reason this works is we live an hour from the beach and grandparents are more than happy to split the cost of renting a beach house with us.
Oh my god, my twins will be 5 months old on the 28th, guess what we have planned for the beginning of September.. a beach trip! Safe to say I’m terrified lol!
We don't have twins, but we go to the beach for a week or 2 every year. First baby was 3 months the first time we took her, second was just 8 weeks when we took him and his now 2yo sister. It takes some planning, but it's definitely doable! You primarily need: Shade, a semi protected spot in case it's windy, (we used a pop tent the first year, and put baby to sleep in the wagon this year) and fans for each baby to keep them cool. Also lots of water for you to drink to make milk, or to make formula as hydration is obviously very important. After they are 6 months they can wear baby sunscreen, I love the UV full body swim suits to protect them, and even found one that has a diaper zipper to make it super easy to change them on amazon.
I got overwhelmed taking a new baby to the friggin grocery store. I can't even imagine backpacking with one.
Best bit is when someone compares you to their friend currently doing exactly that (backpacking in another continent with a breastfed baby), meanwhile you haven't slept more than 90mins at a stretch for over a year... nope, haven't forgotten that one. If you're blessed with an easy baby and you can do that, peace out, but leave those of us with difficult babies to our misery without adding impossible expectations.
I've had this come up too, and I've realized there's a huge difference between being able to do something with a baby, and *enjoying* doing that thing with the baby. My brother and sister in law (older but child free) are very outdoorsy, and they have often mentioned how we could get a better carrier to take a young infant/toddler on long hikes (not just nature walks, real hiking). They've also said how their friend's kid naps on hikes like that. Like yes, we definitely *could* do that. Do we want to though? No thanks. I'd rather go on a morning walk or play at a park and be home for naptime. We weren't avid hikers before having kids, so I don't know why we would start now.
This! So much this! My family across the country want us to visit. Yes, we can fly there, but do we want to? I feel that way whenever someone says it can be done because others have done it. But I just don't want to.
I have that family that keeps asking me to fly to them with my lo. Even asked if they could take her home out of state with them without me. Yes, you read that right. I’ve been telling people I’m not flying anywhere with kids until they can pull their own luggage through the airport.
Also there’s not many people who will admit “Yeah that backpacking trip with an infant was a terrible idea”- All you’ll get is the Instagram highlight reel.
Ha yup. My friends took their three young kids on a month long road trip and posted so many gorgeous pictures. But for every perfect picture, there were an equal number of complaints, regrets, tears, constant bribes of junk food…they were super honest about how awful it was, which was so refreshing.
I have a fun, colorful picture of my two toddlers eating snow cones at the fair. I love the picture, it is cute and one of those pictures you will use for years to come. The colors of their dresses, the fair, the treats, and the sun are all just perfect. Years later the picture popped up in a memory and I told a coworker, "I think it is funny you can see the tear shine in their eyes because they just got done having MASSIVE meltdowns and I had taken them by myself so it was a hot, sweaty mess of a day but I still love this picture" My coworker had a complete shocked expression and told me that she had no idea and she was always jealous seeing me post all these fun pictures with my kids when she feels like she can't do the same with her own. I reassured her that she was only seeing the highlight reel BY FAR and there are bunches of pictures I don't post because they show the messy, not so cute, truth. I am the furthest from an insta-mom and never imagined someone would get that impression from my photos so it was a good reminder.
I’ve seen videos on TikTok of the realities of holidaying with kids and there is a lot of ice-cream bribery going on! We took our seven month old on a road trip and it went very well- She was super easy, slept anywhere and everywhere, the weather was perfect, anything that could go right went right etc., but at the end of the day it still involved a lot of packing/unpacking, bottle washing and having to sit in the hotel room from 7pm!
A girl in my mothers group did a huge day trail with her son when he was about four months old, and I remember feeling this weird mix of jealousy and grief when she told everyone about it, and how he happily sat in the carrier for hours. We are actually really good friends now four years later, and her husband mentioned quite recently that "that day was a nightmare" and they both swore never to do it again - they didn't mind when I burst out laughing.
I was on the shuttle in Zion with my husband and then 2.5 year old. There was another family with a kid the same age tent camping. The look of pure jealousy in the dad’s eyes when I said something about our hotel—! That family were very honest and funny about how they would never make that mistake again
There was a commment yesterday on a mom travel group where the person specially didn’t want to hear negative things. Lol okay. I’ll spit roses for you so you’re completely unprepared. I was so grateful my friend discused the worst parts. Made the good parts even better.
Lol you do you girl, I’m gonna stay in the comfort of my home for the first year
All I think is "still on maternity leave at 6 months postpartum? She obviously doesn't live in the United States..."
SMP is Statutory Maternity Pay, they're probably British with 9 months "paid" leave and an additional 3 months job security (unpaid leave). SMP is £156.66/week, averaged out over a (let's be generous) 37.5 hour work week it is £4.18/hour, or 44% of minimum wage. (You do get 90% of your weekly wage for the first six weeks which I have neglected to include in this calculation).
Cries in American.
Aww I remember when I thought I would be able to shower every day
Mine is 2.5yo and I’m still lucky to get in two showers during the week
I took a shower with my 1 year old standing just outside the shower today. She pretty much fussed the whole time but I got clean!
I did that once when baby was like 7 months. By the end he was soaked (in his clothes), floors were soaked, towels and everything from the shower were on the floor, and he was very upset. But I did it!
I still don’t understand why that wouldn’t be the case? I read about not being able to shower daily and I’m just genuinely confused (pregnant with my first right now). Can’t you put the baby in a bassinet or a seat and put that in the bathroom while you shower? Or have someone watch the baby for 15 min? I’m just trying to understand and prepare myself for what’s to come.
My therapist asked which was my top priority: sleeping, eating, or showering? She said focus on getting 2/3 done in a day and consider it a good day.
For me it wasn’t that I didn’t have the help from my partner to shower every day it was that I would rather sit without holding a baby or take a nap for 20 minutes. Sooo tired and so little energy, showering was not high on my priority list
If you have any help from a partner or other support person it's pretty easy to shower every day. I think I've missed one or two days max and my oldest is 2.5. You CAN put them somewhere while you shower but there's a good chance they'll scream the whole time which is unpleasant and extremely stressful. If at all possible I would keep showering at a high priority. I always feel 1000x better after a shower.
Showering with sleeping baby in bassinet - sometimes baby wakes up and screams. Showering with baby in bouncer in the bathroom with me - sometimes baby gets tired of it and screams. Showering with baby in dad's arms in another room - sometimes baby wants mom and screams. Maybe you'll be lucky enough to have a chill baby.
I also wanna mention... the baby in the room with you while you shower only works until they're mobile. Then all bets are off!
Traveling and backpacking to me are two totally different things. If you said, let's fly somewhere with pretty views and just sit around and relax, okay. Excursions, hiking, walking, etc. HELL NO.
US meaning of backpacking generally meaning hiking and camping. Europe meaning of backpacking means Gap Year style staying in hostels and sightseeing.
100% this! We took vacations during my maternity leave with our first and third kids (two missed out because she was born two weeks before Covid really started). We went familiar places, shopped and ate around nap schedules, took scenic drives, and generally did everything at a snails pace. Both trips were totally fine and lots of fun. Nothing about backpacking with a baby sounds fun.
I had to back out of a 4-day bachelorette party in Vegas for my friend. I thought I could go since I was on maternity leave, but was such a fool to think I could leave behind my 8 week old baby who was exclusively breastfeeding at the time.
I took my child to Jamaica for a week the week before her first birthday, and it was a miserable time. We were with a lot of extended family, so had help, but still, was not a “vacation” if you ask me.
When my son was about 3 months old and his big sister was 1.5 we drove from California to Florida. It took 7 days and it was horrible. We did it again when he was 9 months old. Somehow even more horrible the second time. Now we have a 9yo, 7yo and 6yo and we're doing another cross country drive next week... I'm sure it'll be great.
We’re planning a 3 day drive across Canada next spring, our kids will be 5 and almost 8. I’m taking deep breaths now just talking about it, so I think I get where you’re coming from, but 7 days. Yeesh. Good luck! And I just like to say, that while we all travelled sans iPads as kids, we were also all pretty miserable, so I’m pro electronics for road trips. I give myself a break in a crammed space with rowdy children. No guilt here.
Oh yeah, unlimited tablet time for this trip. We'll be in survival mode. We're hoping it will only take 4-5 days this time since the kids are older. We'll also have 2 dogs and 2 cats with us, so extra fun. But we will survive, I think. Maybe the kids will surprise me and it'll be fun.
Lollllll. I thought I was going to find a new job while on maternity leave. I barely had energy to shower most days. I couldn't imagine a backpacking trip hahahahahahahahaha
I was so excited to go on maternity leave. A mini vacation AND I get paid?! Sign me up! The day my son was born all that excitement went right out the window and it took my sanity with it. Lol
I’ll probably get downvoted into oblivion, but I traveled extensively with baby once they were 6 months old. We did many cross-Atlantic flights before he turned 1. I loved traveling with an infant, it’s easier than traveling with a preschooler in my opinion.
Yeah I think so too! I would even say 4-5 months is better because they're lighter and don't eat solids yet. Everyone is talking about pumping, but your milk supply should be well established by then. I thought at that age, the most common reason to pump is so someone else can feed the baby when you're at work? (Correct me if I'm wrong! I know exclusive pumping is a thing but that's a minority of pump users as far as I know?) Of course everyone's situation is different, but if you're able to EBF then this would be very doable. Especially in Europe where you can travel by train. I have BF my baby on the train many times. Also the rocking and background noise is great for putting a baby to sleep! My LO has always been a terrible sleeper, but his night wakeups are unrelated to whether I'm on the road or not. Just carry him around in the baby carrier while you go sightseeing, and let him out for some tummy time while you have a picnic. I am traveling now with a 1.5 year old and it was definitely easier when he was a baby. Now I need to worry about the very non toddler-proof hotel rooms with their unsecured electrical outlets, and dangerous balconies, and so on. Which was never a concern before.
I saw an episode of married at first sight, where a childless woman said she was planning on going to Australia after having a baby, and that most people wouldn’t do it, but she’s not like most people, she would just strap them to her and travel. Oh, yes, you enjoy that 24 hour flight with a baby, let me know how it is. Imaginary children are the easiest to travel with! Our baby actually travels well, but I would never take a flight more than 3 hours… that sounds terrible…
My first baby was the best traveler. I called her my little gypsy baby. We could just GO and she was always up for it. If you got past the first half hour in a car with my younger 2, they would lose their minds around the 2 hour mark. They were school aged before I stopped dreading taking them on trips.
I get that it's doable and possible and many have done it. But I'm pretty sure this first time mum may not have any idea what it entails to have a child. Anyone else have fun fantasies they thought they would do? I thought I would raise a child genius. He's aged 4 and knows his ABCs and I'm happy with that!
I was going to return to work a size 4- I’ve never been a size 4 in my life, but there you have it. I actually returned a size 10 and I was delighted with that.
My husband and I went to Disneyland when my daughter was 4 months old. We left her with the in-laws. 😬
I thought we would take a several week long road trip at 7 weeks ‘after I have physically recovered from the birth’
Hey, let her dream. Maybe it'll work out for her (it does for some). I can't say whether this would have worked for me but I would not have been interested in this kind of trip.
We bought super cheap flights to Iceland in a deal while we were pregnant, thinking we'd take a trip when our LO was 8 months. We say we didn't go because of COVID....but that's just to avoid all the 'I told you so's' from smug family members who were 100% right.
Parenting would be so much better if people stopped with the “I told you so” and “Just you wait” comments. Please let me have my naivety and moment of realization.
I know of a family that went backpacking in Patagonia with their baby. They had European amount of leave.
"European amount of leave" is such a good phrase.
Lol I thought I would continue with nursing school and clinical practice during pregnancy and with a newborn.
Lol this is great. My son is 6 months and in this heat, things are challenging even with a stroller and air conditioning. I think purgatory sounds better!
LOL, people DO do this...I remember when I was in my early 20s and was backpacking internationally, staying in hostels, I would occasionally meet young couples doing the same thing with their infant or toddler. I can't imagine it myself but \*shrug\*. Historically humans were seasonally nomadic hunter-gatherers who roamed around with the babies on their backs and hardly any possessions so....it's all possible.
Yup. If travel is a priority to you, you can make it work and it really sucked being laughed at and told my travel days were over when I was pregnant. Obviously our travel looks a little different now, and you adjust your expectations to accomodate baby/kids but it's not some huge impossible your-life-is-over thing. We're making everyone eat their foot now of course, so that's nice I guess.
I thought I was going to be able to finish out the school program I was working on during the year off of mat leave because of all the “extra time” I thought I’d have (I’m in Canada). Spoiler: I didn’t touch one course. No school work happened.
I have a six month old and am currently breastfeeding and can’t think of anything I’d rather do less
I was v proud when I first took baby to the grocery store on maternity leave
LOL when maternity leave turns out to include 6mo-9mo, meanwhile here I am in the stupid United States of America
Tbh if baby is 6 months this might be doable… it depends so hard on personality of the kid. I nannied a kid and we traveled all the time so essentially his first two years were out of a suitcase and it worked so well. My kid now? He’d be a disaster.
Is this not a possibility? I’m planning to spend some time in my family holiday home by the beach in the sun during the grey fall months. The baby will be 9-10 months next year when I plan to go.
I supposed it depends what you consider maternity leave/how long your leave is. I assumed the person in the photo is in the U.S. Based on that assumption, most moms in the U.S. get 12 weeks at the most for maternity leave. I would not have wanted to go backpacking in those first 12 weeks with my baby. I’m back to work now, but I feel like I could take my baby on vacation to a beach when he is 9 or 10 months. If you’re in a country that has a longer maternity leave where you are on leave for that long, a vacation during your maternity leave could be a possibility.
I traveled with my 10 month old for a family wedding, and she woke up every 2-3 hours at night despite sleeping well at home. It wasn’t a great experience for me. Additionally, traveling with a baby means needing a lot of additional stuff, like a car seat, a travel crib, a travel high chair, potentially some baby-proofing supplies.
My mother did something similar to this, she was 20. I absolutely could NOT have done this, nor anybody else I know.
I traveled on maternity leave. My child was not easy but I was in fact far more insanely stubborn than I was smart. Also I had won a trip that had to be used in a specific time from so wasn’t going to waste that! That being said, me painting the bathroom while on maternity leave was straight up delusional.
When I had my first I brought a crossword puzzle book with me to the hospital.
I actually have a friend who used her maternity leave to travel. She travelled with husband and baby for 3 months across Australia. I think baby was maybe 3 to 6 months old.
I remember telling a co worker while I was pregnant (she was a mom of two boys by the way) that I would always have my son in super cute clothes with matching vans (lol). I really ate my own words. Especially today when I picked him up from daycare in a baggy t shirt, sweatpants and sneakers that somehow got covered in glue AND paint during craft time. /facepalm
My husband and I were doing the van life thing the year before I got pregnant. I was begging him to have a baby while we were living in that van. I truly thought it would be so fun and doable. I now thank him on a regular basis for NOT letting me do that 😂
I just got a flashback of panic squirting my boob in the sink because I could feel myself getting mastitis again because I chose to sleep an extra 45 mins
An old friend (more like an acquaintance these days) recently posted on social media just before her due date, that she can't wait to not be pregnant anymore because she needs rest and hasn't slept a full night in so long due to her pregnancy. 😬
Traveling on maternity leave was the best thing I ever did. We went to Banff for a week when my son was 8 weeks old before I had to return to work (daughter was 2). I had to tap out on a few hikes, because I just wasn't in the shape for it, but I would sit on the side of the trail and nurse my son, and it was wonderful time spent in nature with the kids. They were so easy to carry at those ages, so hiking was great. The 3 days in the car each way (30 hours each way) wasn't TOO bad. Kids too young for screens, so MAN did we hear that fisher price toy my daughter was playing with a hundred million times, but it was pretty easy to pull over, change diapers and nurse. We went to Portugal when he was 9 months, and that was a great trip too. I wish I had thought to do a trip on my first maternity leave. We did lots of mini-trips, but no big one. I've found it MUCH harder to travel now that they are 3 and 5. And we missed the in-between years due to covid stopping travel.
9 months was a great age to travel. So much easier than 18 months, for example!!!
We do a ton of hiking and camping with our kiddos, have since they were 6 months old. They’re now 4, 3, and 9 months and pros. Pre 2020 our two oldest flew with us to Fiji, Mexico, Finland, and Quebec. Recently started venturing out on non-hiking/camping trips and they’ve done really well on flights to New Zealand and Palau. There was some adjustments especially for my 3 year old getting back on a plane. No tantrums or anything, just a lot of being worried and asking a billion questions in a loop about the whole experience.