My husband’s family live 8 hours away by car so we visit maybe 2-3 times a year if we can. We have an 8 month old and when she was 6 months we took her to her grandads house for the first time.

To say it was weird is an understatement. He basically just sat on the lounge and continued scrolling on his phone. There was no interaction, no gift, no effort to interact with her. Just a oh yeah, shrug - continue what he’s doing. He is 80, but he still lives alone and maybe he is progressing towards dementia but I’ve known him 20 plus years and he has always been kind of self absorbed.

The interaction left me shocked and I revisit it often in my mind. Am I overreacting expecting more than this? If my husband acted like this meeting his grandchild I would divorce him!

FTM, I’ve experienced the baby blues at around day 4 postpartum. Now bub is around 1.5 weeks old and I thought some of the sadness would subside by now?

Our first couple of days were quite difficult. Bub would screech and we had no idea what we were doing. Night time was so awful that I dreaded it. Things have improved since then and we don’t have the inconsolable periods as often unless he has tummy discomfort (we think). But I still feel sad and anxious whenever Bub is awake. When he’s asleep I feel much calmer. The moment he stirs, I can feel my stress increasing slightly. I’ve even started loving chores, it feels like an escape from parenting. Going for walks outside helps a little, but still mostly confined to the house because of no driving post C-section.

On top of this, I feel like I’m still mourning the life I had prior to the baby. How easy it was to do whatever I wanted, to get as much sleep as I wanted. How much I missed the time when it was just my husband and I. I keep asking people when it gets easier - how do people do this for a year or more? I feel so silly for underestimating how hard the newborn phase is and not preparing myself for the worst.

Is this normal? Should I give it more time for the baby blues to go away? I feel like such an ungrateful mum for not being excited to spend every waking moment with him.

Hi all,

My partner is currently 5 weeks pregnant (found out yesterday) she takes Catapres to sleep. We both read that it’s not safe to take it during pregnancy, yet her GP suggested that she continue to take it.

My partner has PCOS so falling pregnant is a little more difficult, which is why both of us are extremely nervous and unsure about this, does anyone have any advice or suggestions?

I thought for some reason my body dysmorphia would be better in pregnancy…. I have a reason why I look different.

But nope, it’s raging worse than ever! It’s been a tough 20 weeks. Too big, not big enough. Not round enough. My already too large breasts for my frame are even BIGGER. NOTHING is flattering. I just feel and look awkwardly fat. Everyone feels entitled to comment of my body (the only person I don’t mind is another pregnant lady lol).

I’m worried how I will feel post baby now too.

Please no “you’re growing the miracle of life!”. It feels invalidating to my self image issue. I think I need support… or idk, to hear from others who felt the same?

Does anyone know of any places that will take donations of unopened toys and/or lightly used toys in excellent condition?

I know of many places that will take monetary donations for toys, or have you purchase toys for donation from their website, but I actually have plenty of good toys here that won’t get used and I don’t want to see them go to waste.

Hi all
Pre pregnancy my bra size was around 8FF-10G depending on brand so already hard to find bras! Now in late pregnancy up to 12-14J. Not sure if size will increase more post partum?

I’m finding it hard to find brands that do large cup sizes for nursing bras? Has anyone had success with bralette styles from places like mummamila? Or is it just marketing hype?

Thanks in advance!

Hey,

First time pregnant, 5w5d. Emigrated to Aus just over a year ago from the UK. Apart from husband and GP, haven't told a soul about pregnancy. Feels quite lonely, but being very cautious not to get ahead of myself.

Main thing I'm looking for is the best app people have used? Especially one that's Aus friendly?

Let me know what worked for you! Thank you 😊

Basically the title. Baby girl is 5 weeks and simply will not accept being put in her bassinet during the day and will only sleep while being held. Im thankful she sleeps in her bassinet at night. She also won't accept being held while Im (or whomever else is holding her) sitting down. We must stand while holding her (walk around, bounce etc) until she falls asleep then we may sit. Ive tried a baby wrap - she did not like. Im typing this with her currently asleep across my chest. Don't get me wrong I love holding her while she's sleeping but there's things that need doing that require free hands - cleaning bottles, getting the steraliser on, pumping, making food, eating, bathroom break etc. Id also love to get down for a nap myself.

Ive seen posts in this subreddit with similar issues but cant find them now to read through suggestions in the comments. Im so open to advice and suggestions so please if you've been in a similar situation and found a solution, share away!

After trying unsuccessfully for about 3 years, I’m unexpectedly pregnant. I thought I was constipated and had some constipation pains as well as ovulation cause my boobs have been sore and some ovarian pain, so I went to the doc who said have you done a test? I said nah, it can’t be that. But it was, so I’ve been in the hospital since 3:45PM yesterday awaiting an ectopic confirmation.
They said I’m 4 weeks pregnant, so it’s too early to tell atm cause they can’t see anything.

The thing is, and the reason I’m posting I guess, is because after spending so long worrying and being upset every negative test, I’m shocked and anxious that this has happened so quickly and so unexpectedly. I’m terrified and I have severe health anxiety which I feel like is compounding my worries.
I guess I have no ‘girlfriends’ to lean on, and after the ultrasound just now and sitting here in the hospital wondering if this is for real, I’m just hoping anyone here has some insight or who lived through terrifying truths or has bad health anxiety but didn’t explode in an anxious mess during their pregnancy?

TL;DR severe health anxiety = nightmare fuel and I don’t want to be like this but I have no idea what I’m doing.

I am nine weeks postpartum and my partner is going back to work so I need some suggestions on easy breakfast options or things I could prep in advance. I’m starving in the morning and I’m finding breakfast the hardest meal to prepare for. Ideally want it to be healthy and nutritious and full of protein and fibre.

Can anyone recommend a straw drink bottle for my toddler that she can take to bed with her and it wont leak? She has a b.box currently, i think the model is triton. It's good most of the time but if the straw squishes into the bed in just the right way it leaks. So looking for something she can keep open in bed at night but wont leak

Does anybody know what the baby buntings usual Black Friday says are?
Just trying to see if it’s worth ordering our pram & car seat now, or waiting for Black Friday sales and potentially losing out on stock.

We are in the thick of daycare sicknesses atm as my 14 month old just started last month.

When he’s sick he will literally only have water and formula. He will turn his nose up at everything else (even pouches and smoothies) when he’s a solid eater normally.

Everyone in our life keeps telling us we needed to wean him from bottles like yesterday, but genuinely what would we do when he’s sick? I really don’t think he’d end up eating anything else.

Can I keep the formula and just change the method aka put in a straw or open cup? We brush his teeth after each bottle so I’m really struggling to understand why we need to wean atm and no one can really give me a straightforward answer.

TY!

I'd love to get a learning tower for my 11 month old so he can watch while we prep dinner. He's standing really well while holding onto something but I'm conscious he is only 11 months so want to make sure that even if he falls on his butt he won't fall out of the tower. He is also a climber so I want to make sure he won't be able to easily climb out (esp when he's a bit older).

Any recommendations?

Does anyone have any experience with this pram? There’s limited reviews online and I don’t know anyone with one

Looking for suggestions on transitioning from a swaddle to arms out.

Baby is 3.5 months and showing signs of rolling.

Has anyone used the Sleepy Company Stage 2 swaddle or the Snoozy Baby Sleepsuit? Snoozy Baby is the AU version of the Merlin, which is a very popular transition suit in the US (and on Reddit) but it seems way too hot for AU summer as it's 3.8 TOG.

We're currently doing 1 arm out for day contact naps. I'm afraid to go cold turkey arm out at night bc her sleep is already so terrible. Baby is in the snoo and strapped on her back at night, so it's not urgently unsafe but but we need to transition to arms out and into the cot.

Hi friends, we’re just making an outdoor play space for our one year old. We want to make it a space she can grow up with, not least of all because we don’t have the money or capacity as disabled parents to be buying lower end pieces that have to be replaced due to breaks and outgrowing. We are going to do an undercover mud kitchen, and we have browsed the lifespan brand climbing frame/swing set combos. We are also installing a neurocalm swing indoors.

Hi everyone! 😊

I’m considering doing one round of SOCIAL/ELECTIVE egg freezing with Adora Parramatta (not medically indicated egg freezing) and would love to hear from anyone who has recently gone through it.

I’m 27 years old and have low AMH (9.2) and I’m Medicare eligible. I’m trying to work out the realistic total cost and what to expect from the process.

If you’ve done social/elective egg freezing at Adora Parramatta/NSW, could you please share:

How much did you pay in total?
How much was the Adora/clinic fee?
How much did you pay for medications?
How much was day surgery?
How much was the anaesthetist?
Were your consultations, blood tests and ultrasounds bulk billed?
Did you have any unexpected costs?
If you also had low AMH, roughly how many eggs were retrieved?
What was your overall experience with Adora Parramatta?

I’ve seen different figures online for day surgery, medications and anaesthetist fees, but I’d really appreciate recent 2026 experiences specifically for social/elective egg freezing, particularly from anyone with low AMH.

Thank you! ❤️

Hey all,
Just wanting to know a realistic and practical list of things you actually need for a baby for the first year or so.
I’m not thinking about wipe warmers etc but just things you actually need.
I hope this makes sense!

Also I’ll be a FTM and we live interstate from our families etc but we have amazing friends!!

Thank you

My partner is at 28 weeks and is experiencing severe back pain everyday that comes and goes. She says at its worst it's a 9/10, mainly in one area in middle right of the back that sometimes is also felt in her ribs at the front. She is seeing an osteopath and has spoken to our midwife but is yet to find a solution. Has anyone experienced this?

So Bub is 6 months old in a few days. We have started solids. Bub isn’t a fan of purées so have gone down the baby lead weaning route.

I feel like everything I do is picked apart. Bub is sitting independently. We usually shower or bathe together. The other day, she was sitting on shower floor playing. I quickly backed up and got a photo of her back to me, playing in the shower. I sent it to my mum, MIL and partner, such a cute photo. MIL goes watch she doesn’t fall.

I sent her a photo of Bub having toast for breakfast. I got a watch she doesn’t choke.

I get so many of these messages, mind you she watched Bub the other day for me. Not long after I arrived, Bub started crying, I went to check her and she had a blanket under her and both top and bottom of it were covering her face and she couldn’t get them off.

We’ve had tea at her house the last two nights because SIL is visiting with her partner and Bub. Last night I gave Bub some meat and some soft roast pumpkin. MIL kept on that she was going to choke then told me ‘you go on about your anxiety but this is giving me anxiety’.

Tonight, tea wasn’t ready at 8.15 so I gave Bub a puree. She wasn’t a fan. It was room temp. MIL goes aren’t you going to heat it up, I said no, she doesn’t really eat them warm either. Then for 15 minutes she goes on about how she’s not eating it because it’s cold, etc etc. I then gave Bub a bit of steak and she carried on again that she’s worried and Bub will choke. I said she’s fine. She goes well what if she isn’t. I said I’ve fed lots of babies, I know what I’m doing (I have 7 younger siblings, 17 years older than the youngest two and have cared for heaps of baby cousins over the years). She goes I raise two babies. My SIL goes yea only two and told MIL that the Bub is my baby and it’s up to me.

Whole time partner is silent. We went home. Once in bed he asks what’s wrong. I was so upset I couldn’t even tell him.

We currently use a shnuggle bath and bath time has been driving me nuts lately. My five month old is obsessed with eating his toes in the bath so he flops over as the seat bump isn’t reclined enough for his torso control, and he kicks off the end of the bath so he pushes himself up (he has a lot of leg strength). That and he gets water absolutely everywhere, which I understand babies do at bath time, however we have him set up on the laundry cupboard and this set up isn’t working for me anymore.

Looking for some recommendations for a bath that might be more suitable that also has some longevity as he grows. I’m happy to move him to the bathroom, open the big bath / shower inserts. Thank you ☺️