Articles & Expert Guides on Adoption, Fostering & Surrogacy

Medically-reviewed expert guides, tips, real-life stories, and articles on Adoption, Fostering & Surrogacy

Nesting 101: How to Prep for Baby (Without Losing Your Mind)

Phoebe Corcoran

What is a Surrogate? All You Need to Know

Cassidy Parker

What is Gotcha Day in Adoption?

Team Peanut

From the community

Can baby mamas be friends?

My son has an older brother from his biodad. Biodad has never had contact with my son. One thing lead to another though and the other child's mother and I got in contact and are planning a meeting for the boys. Biodad has no idea any of this has happened. Biodad also hasnt had contact with the other child in about 2 years. Just thoughts, opinions, anyone been through something similar?
Edit-Thank you all! Have definitely been feeling somewhat weird about it because we never met before but now know it can be a good thing definitely helps. I can't wait for them to meet. My son has been asking for a brother and I can now happily tell him he has one. That just happens to be 13. Im sorry for yall that fight/have issues with the other baby mamas. Sadly some women rather be stuck on the men, when the kid is the one who really matters. They're the ones that end up getting hurt and missing out.

37 weeks. Collecting colostrum?

I’m 37 weeks tomorrow.

Have you started collecting colostrum yet? If so how’s it going and do you have any tips? ❤️

The hardest part about having no village

We hear moms talk all the time about not having a village and how parenting is just awful without having support. But I think the worse part about not having a village is watching my kid have no friends. I remember growing up and having cousins to play with, and my parents friends kids. There were always people around. But my kid, he has no one. I had kids late in life so the friends I had when I was pregnant all had kids much older than mine. My brothers kids are much older than mine. Now, those same friends dont talk to me anymore. Even if they did, their older kids probably wouldn't want to play with mine. Its hard watching my child be so desperate for friends that he latches onto whatever kid at the park he can find. He instantly calls them his friend, even if they are being mean to him. His "friends" are his stuffed animals. Thats who he has to play with. I've tried making mom friends with moms who have kids the same age, and it never works out. I've talked to moms at the park, even exchanged numbers and nothing. I dont really care that i have no friends. But my heart hurts for my son. We even had another baby just so he would have one constant kid to play with. But it took us longer than we wanted to get pregnant, and his brother is still a baby so hes not much fun yet. He's in school now, so I thought maybe he would make friends there, but when I try to talk to moms of his classmates to maybe set up playdates, I dont get anywhere there either. I dont know what I wanted to come from this post, just sharing my thoughts I guess. Maybe other moms can relate.

This is for my moms with 2+ kids only!

I need advice. I'm 4 and a half months PP and have recently been having feelings about wanting to try for our second because i've always wanted my kids close in age, and being a mom is just the best thing i've ever done with my life. However, i keep having thoughts that my son will feel left out or he'll feel abandoned or feel like he's not getting as much attention, and the thought of that alone breaks my heart and makes me hesitate on having another. I don't know what to do. How did your first born adjust to having a sibling?

Delivery with a child

Soo I’m expecting again after 10 years ( welp ) unplanned……. My daughter really wants to be In the room. I keep telling her she doesn’t and it might be too much for her as she gets squirmy with watching needles, or blood in movies etc. I’ve found a few educational videos online to show her what it looks like to give birth and all the stuff that comes out with baby and after. She still insists on being In the room. Has anyone gone through this with their child with this much of an age gap? What did you do? If you allowed them, how did it go?

Struggling

I really hate my babies’ dad more and more, so much I’m finding it hard to want to stay alive and we live together. The only thing keeping me is not wanting my babies raised by him. 😭😭😭

Why do people tell people who don’t want kids to have them?

Don’t get me wrong, I love my baby with all my heart. He was a ‘by chance’ baby, I had the copper coil when I got pregnant and had previously thought I never wanted kids. But I love him with all my heart and there is nothing in the world I wouldn’t do for him! He turned a career driven woman into a mum who just wants to be there for him as a SAHM.

But this shit is hard! And while I wouldn’t change a thing now….i still know that my life prior was so much easier. I didn’t know this love, so I wasn’t missing this love. It’s something that people who aren’t parents and don’t want to be could never comprehend. Therefore….my brother for example, really doesn’t want kids! But recently got in a new relationship. I told him don’t do it 😂 it’s hard! But most parents tell others who don’t want kids to do it. Can I ask why? Have they forgotten how easy life was before?

Help

So when my time comes to give birth I don’t have anyone to watch my toddler. I’m not sure what to do in this situation knowing toddlers aren’t allowed in the delivery room.

'I don't see your baby enough'

Anyone else so OVER hearing digs about not seeing their baby enough?! It's the MIL, it's my own grandparents, it's extended family. Yet when you do bring baby to see them, it's in their completely unbaby friendly home and they just sit there watching and saying ooh watch him on that corner, watch that door etc.
It is stressful enough having a very active 10 month old without receiving pressure from other people.
I think it's hard (but amazing) being a mum and really wish people understood that you don't need another voice in your ear telling you what to do