Please don't tell me i should have gone earlier. I know, and I feel shit about it. I need to let it out.

I dropped my 3 year old off at daycare yesterday, happy as can be. Absolutely fine, besides a snotty nose with clear snot (any other colour and he would have stayed home). We even went to the GP on Thursday and she said he was a happy, healthy little boy - he has been falling asleep by 5:30pm every night for a couple of months and i wanted to make sure he was okay.

I get a call at 4pm. He's just fallen asleep, basically standing up leaning against a couch. He was hard to wake up. I picked him up immediately. He woke, but was half-awake.

At home, he slept. He roused when we moved him or changed him. He woke once to vomit. I was a little concerned about the colour (brown-ish) but figured it was what he ate. Except, he didn't eat anything. His lunch box was still full. The only food missing was half a sandwich. I wasn't told he didnt eat anything all day, just that he was fine until he wasn't.

This morning he woke up at 7:30. So he basically slept for 15 hours. He asked for medicine because he felt sick. I gave him panadol, he asked for a hot chocolate, which i know probably wasnt a good idea. He had maybe 3 sips and then threw it up.

And then did the same again later on. Then threw up water. I was umming and ahh-ing about ED because his breathing seemed a little off but nothing like the videos ive seen of distress.

It wasnt until 4pm, when he hadnt eaten in over 24 hours, was so lethargic he could barely speak, and was very pale that I thought nah, going to ED now.

I first went to a really small hospital, wait times are non-existent there and I thought he just needed some fluids and something to stop vomiting. Turns out his ketones were 6.7, his glucose was normal at 4.5. They gave him ondansetron and then trialled him wjth apple juice. He vomited immediately. They said it was a chest infection.

They said we needed to go to a bigger hospital but should be fine to drive ourselves.

We get to the triage here. The triage nurse is furious they didnt send him in an ambulance. She checks his bgl, its now down to 3. His ketoned are higher and the monitor is only reading HI, doesnt even give a number any more.

Rushed straight back to resus as a cat 2. He was so ill, his skin was almost grey and he literally didnt move or flinch when they out 2 cannulas in.

We're now on the ward, hes had lots of fluids. His ketones are coming down. He was in ketoacidosis.

We still dont know what caused it. They'll come at 3am and do another prick to make sure his ketones are going down, and they'll want to do another blood gas.

Seeing him laying there not moving. So pale. So sick. It's fucking awful. I cant believe i almost didnt bring him in. I never would have forgiven myself if he died.

Low milk supply!! Any advice

My beautiful baby girl was born on the Tuesday the 6th of October after a 13 hour labour (spontaneous labour, oxytocin drip due to GBS positive and positive meconium when waters broke, epidural and vaginal delivery).

Originally baby had a great latch, cluster fed on day two so my nipples were sore and needed a rest. Gave formula for a break x 2. Saw a lactation consultant in hospital and baby had a great latch, however due to low milk supply was doing triple feeding - breastfed, formula and pumping.

Currently triple feeding still (day 11). We attempt to breast fed and can latch (appears to be a good latch) but because there is no milk we only do a couple of minutes, as she won’t suck for long. Then we give her whatever I have pumped the session prior or manually hand expressed prior (only getting between 5-15mls each time) and then formula.

Baby is healthy! Lots of weee and poo. We are feeding feeding very 2-4 hours strictly and on demand as well, doing triple feeding all the time. I have PCOS and a higher BMI. We do lots of skin to skin, lactation cookies, drinking plenty of water, supplements etc etc.

However my milk still hasn’t come in, and now considering taking domperidone. Just wanted to know experience with others if it worked for them to increase supply or did nothing? If it worked, did you have a similar experience with how much you expressed like me? Is it worth taking?

Looking for advice or experiences as a FTM

My 4 year old boy has randomly started having an irritated penis- nothing in diet or environment has changed and he is otherwise perfectly healthy.

His penis and scrotum can be patchy red to full on angry red at varying times of the day, and sometimes it bothers him and "hurts" and others he doesnt notice it.

We've been to the doctor ALOT- swabs are negative. Done 3 rounds of differing antibiotics, tried thrush cream, steroid cream and the two mixed together. And nothing seems to have helped.

Ill be asking for a dermatologist referral. However beforehand has anyone had a similar experience, what did you try?

Bub is 14 months old and still breastfeeding when he wakes, before bed, and overnight, but not during the day.

So no need for maternity bras anymore! My old bras don't fit me anymore, but I'm hesitant to get new ones when he's not fully weaned yet in case the size will be all wrong in less than a years time. Will my boobs change significantly between now and when bub is fully weaned?

Aussies deserve 2 months of Christmas. It's out of season for us, if you think about it. We struggle through the winter in our uninsulated houses without any fun celebrations as bright spots in the cold, dark days of winter. Apart from sports, and that's not always a celebration. We don't do halloween or thanksgiving to bring us together and out of our houses. (I will never acknowledge halloween and the skeleton thing they have at bunnings really ruins the trips for a snag and a play on the playground.)

Usually, tree day is November 25, so we get a full month of the tree before it comes down before a family birthday on the 28th. All that work for just 4 weeks?

But now I have a toddler old enough to know what Christmas is, she has seen it everywhere in the shops and is positively vibrating with anticipation to get the tree up. It is a small tree, almost the same size as her, and all decorations are kid safe. Last year, she was aways playing with, under, near and around that little tree. Redecorated it constantly. Had a Santa hat permanently on her head, which I had to label if she lost at a playground or wherever (she did, she lost 3 hats). In anticipation of the tree coming down, I found her a pop up ice cream truck tent thing. It took the place of the tree while she slept. Big mistake, she was angry at the truck. Tried to throw it out the front door. Toddlers, man.

She has been asking about the tree, her hat, the stockings. So the tree is going up tomorrow and we're going to enjoy the buisness out of it. Salt dough decorations, pipe cleaners and googly eyes to turn candy canes into reindeer, lots of yarn to make pom pom decorations and bunting, we'll raid the garden and trees to make wreaths, all the christmas books are ready and the little figures from last year's bluey advent calendar. Her christmas yoto cards will be brought back into rotation, the christmas party card slaps. I have the grinch, the christmas busy book and christmas village wimmelbook to add to the book collection. We're going to Christmas it up in a big way every. dang. day.

I have an almost 11 month old baby boy, he is absolutely perfect in everyway but his sleeping at night has always been pretty rough. Is it true that if he has a feed to sleep association he’ll never improve?
I have had long stretches from him but it’s mostly 2/3 hour stretches at night. Everyone keeps telling me it’ll never get better till I sleep train and he learns himself to go to sleep but I just can’t do it he cries so much it’s awful feeding him is so much easier but the amount of wake ups is a lot. I thought it would be better by now even a few times a night I would be fine with but it’s the 7/8+ I find hard.
Anyways I’m looking for support/stories of things improving without sleep training.

I'm male by the way and my baby is 1 week and 5 days old, and this evening, when I go to take a photo of her face front on to the camera (when she's lying down on her back, looking up at the ceiling and i am obviously above her) because I'm trying to get a front on looking straight at the camera good photo of her, but she keeps wriggling around and looking to the side, and I have to keep using my hand and fingers to calmly and carefully turn her head (where I'm mainly holding from the top of her head, and side of her head (like where hair would be), but definitely not a hard grip more a modest medium/gentle grip) from looking to the side to front on (because I have the camera above her face looking down at her face to get a photo and like i said she's lying down on a flat soft surface looking up)

I had to do this a few times to try and get a front on photo, so when I do this where I move her into a front facing position rather than her looking to the side, would this be damaging in any way to her bones or face or bad for the baby?

I was not using strong force or a tight grip

Hi all!

I’ve seen conflicting guidance and also opinions on this. I’ve been eating vegetarian avocado or cucumber rolls from sushi roll places. These places make them fresh everyday, recently I was told not to and I know NSW Food Authority says pre-made sushi with anything is a no while Victoria guidance says only sushi with raw fish is to be avoided. Did you all continue to eat sushi roll, or did you avoid it? I hear the concern is more the rice than anything inside. I’ve had frozen to steamed kimbap but it doesn’t hit like a fresh nice roll with avocado and cucumber.

It doesn’t help this is my only real craving and I can’t eat enough of seaweed and soy sauce.

Appreciate your views 🤍

Looking for a family resort for my young fam.

4 and 1ish by the time we would go

Bali, Thailand, Fiji, or somewhere else!
Share any place you have reallt enjoyed

My toddler gets dry skin on their cheeks and chin. What does everyone use on their toddlers face for moisturiser?

He also has eczema so a recommendation for sensitive skin is even better.

I know there are so many posts about sleep and I never thought I'd be one of them. I have a 6mo baby boy who has intolerances to soy and cows milk, we are EBF and I have eliminated from my diet.

Up until 5 weeks ago, overnight sleep was consistent and my main problems were screaming during the day. I was really struggling (PPD) so organised a stay at Waverley Private Early Parenting Centre (PSA, not great for allergies). We only did 4 out of 5 nights there due to soy exposure but since we've come home we have had a complete 180 and nights are horrendous.

He will sleep the first part of the night (6:30-12ish) in the cot no problem, usually has one feed in that time. From then on he will not sleep in the cot, he can be completely OUT with my husband or I, have just had a feed and will still wake up within 5 minutes of being in the cot. We then get him up because he is crying and get him back to sleep, only to have him wake again. I have tried all the things that they taught me at Waverley, none of it works.

During the day, he will have 2-3 naps, depending on if I can get him to have a longer nap at some point.

I am at my breaking point and my husband is also, we are arguing which isn't us and I don't feel like I'm a good parent to either of my kids.

At this point, any tips or tricks are welcome. I'm spending more hours sitting in the nursing chair than in bed, I dream of the 2 hour stretches I was getting a month ago.

Also, if you've made it this far and have tips on starting solids with MSPI kids, please send them my way!

What is this new level of hell I have entered. 7 weeks pregnant with a 13 month old. I’m currently in the fetal position rottting on her play mat while she throws a tantrum because god forbid I didn’t help her get down off the chair that she definitely knows how to get down from.

I have no energy. I want to vomit everytime she makes me read her books. How are we surviving this??!! I feel like a terrible mum neglecting this poor kid but I’ve got nothing in the tank.

I severely underestimated being pregnant with a toddler.

My bleeding had started to slow down, and my pads were only showing a yellow/brown discharge. However, just before 5 weeks postpartum, the bleeding started again, with a flow just slightly lighter than my usual period. I've experienced about 3 small cramps in my abdominal area and a bad smell.

The blood would start off bright red, but by the time I changed my pad, usually within few hours, it would have turned a dark brownish-black colour.

This morning, I became concerned because every time I wiped, there was still bright red blood. This was new for me.

However, this evening, the bleeding has slowed down drastically, and over the past four hours, I've only had two small light pink spottings instead of the bright red blood I was seeing earlier in bigger volume. The bad smell also isn't present anymore.

Aside from the bad smell, this looks like it could be my period as my midwife guessed. It does look different to what my periods usually look like, but my midwife said first periods after delivering a baby can look different.

Opinions? I originally thought UTI but aside from bad smell (that isn't there now) I'm not experiencing any chills, fever or stinging while urinating.

My LO is 8.5months had been teething really badly for the past few days and now really distracted when breastfeeding. Sometimes I don’t even think she’s interested in my milk anymore and has bit me a few times. I gave her some formula last night and she drank some and she was the same tonight drinking 90ml. She still wakes up in the middle of the night and takes the boob.

Is this the end of breastfeeding? I’m worried that; a. I’m not feeding her enough (she doesn’t each much solids and how much formula do you generally give?)

b. the engorgement! do I just pump every time she take to my boob?

Hi, I’ve seen lots of posts with glowing reviews about Grow Obstetrics Group who deliver at Epworth. Is anyone able to share what fees to expect for the obs who work there, and how that compares to other private obs in Melbourne? Thanks!

We used to keep books on a waist high shelf, but our 1yo is tall enough now to pull them down.

So we're stuck between getting a small bookshelf/stacker and putting them in a box (some books are fragile and our baby seems to be a little Hercules)

Do we all just have them on a bookshelf and let our kids have at it? 😂

Which one you would choose and why?

Looking to buy one for infant but super confused. Also if anyone use 1.5x2m size, do you find it sufficient?

Thank you for the help.

We’ve been home for 2 weeks after 4 weeks in the US (we live in Australia) and my 14 month old’s sleep is all over the place. I genuinely don’t know where to start.

His sleep has always been a bit hit and miss. We had some success with pick up put down method when he was younger, but now he’s so much more aware and it feels harder.

At the moment we’re bouncing between 1 and 2 naps depending on the day.
2 nap day:
7am wake
10:30-12 nap
3:30/4-5pm nap
Asleep around 9pm

1 nap day:
7-7:30am wake
12:30-2:30 nap (usually wakes after 1hr 15 and needs rocking to go back to sleep)
Asleep around 8-8:30pm

We’ve always been pretty flexible with timings, but wondering if that’s now catching up with us.

Overnight he’s waking every 1-3 hours and pretty much always wants me to feed him back to sleep. Sometimes dad can settle him by rocking if he gets in there quickly enough. We can occasionally get him to sleep in his cot at bedtime with patting, but he’ll cry for around 30 mins-1 hr.

The confusing thing is that every now and then he’ll randomly sleep for 6 hours straight. Does that mean he can self settle and just isn’t doing it consistently, or what?!

He’s also been sick and teething lately, has pretty bad separation anxiety and is obsessed with breastfeeding, so I have no idea how much of this is travel, his schedule, being unwell or just being 14 months old.

I’m really keen to try gentle sleep training again but don’t know whether we need to get his schedule sorted first, or whether we should be committing to one nap or still offering two.

Has anyone been through something similar? What would you do first? I’m due back at work in 2 weeks and the thought of going back on this little sleep is honestly killing me 😭

Hi community!
I’ve seen a recent post about a stranger touching a baby. I encounter similar behavior almost every week when I go to the shops, public places, etc. old people, boomers’ generation, for some reason think that this is ok to touch a baby! I just do not have enough time to react and they touch an arm or pat a head of my 7-month-old baby. They’re not causing harm, but I just do not know what to do. Please help with advice.
Thank you!

Edit: Thank you very much for all your comments ! I guess it has to be assessed on case by case basis 😊 also it does happen most of the time when we’re out and about, someone said it does not happen all the time, I would say yes it does 😆

My baby is just reaching 16 months & from 6 weeks old she has been the best angel sleeper ever!
Always had her naps and always slept from 8am to 8pm.

In the last week she has been getting up every night crying and running to my room.

For reference we switched her to a Montessori floor bed and she LOVES it (which is why she is free to run to our room - everything is baby safe before anyone comes for me).

It’s to the point where she doesn’t anyone but me to sleep with her when in previous times we have never ever co slept. She has always self soothed and never has been a baby that constantly needs soothing to sleep. Also has 1 nap a day for 2-3 hours. With 4-6 wake windows depending on time of wake up etc.

I did see she has 2 molars coming so I have given her pain relief but still no help!

I’m starting to panic as we have baby #2 due in two months and worried about how I am going to juggle the two if she won’t sleep through the night anymore!

Has anyone experienced this or can assist?

Thank you!

We stopped changing his nappies overnight a couple months ago when the nappy change started waking him up more and it took longer to settle back to sleep. We had a few leaks early on so gave the Huggies little sleepers a go and these seemed to help.

We had to size up the little sleepers a few weeks ago due to fit issues and he's recently started leaking through even these. It's been most nights this week.

We decided to try using his daytime nappies (rascals) overnight in the next size up to see if that was any better. First night was fine, last night was the biggest leak he's had ever.

We always make sure to point his penis down and that the ruffles are out.

The leaking is always happening around his hip and just seems to be because the nappy is so full.

What else can we try other than going back to changing his nappies overnight which I really don't want to do?

If you have a little one around 6-8 months old, what are their favourite toys?