Partner Going Back to Work

Hello! I'm 8 weeks pp and my partner is going back to work on Tuesday, he was only due to have a month off but I suffered from post partum depression so he took an extra month off to support me (I know I'm very lucky to have had him around for so long!). I'm feeling so anxious about it, he's a nurse so does 2 12 hour shifts a week and 2 8 hour shifts which is filling me with worry about of I can cope all day with the baby, I'm feeling a little better after starting medication and growing in confidence but I still haven't really took him anywhere on my own that wasn't just a walk around the park to get a coffee, I know they're are lots of groups in my area but I have this fear he will just scream and everyone will look at me as if I can't soothe my baby, I'm just after any tips to make the first week a bit more bearable on my own?

in our community

Pre school

My Mum and sister are constantly asking me when my son is starting nursery. Do any other SAHMs constantly have family pressuring them to put their child in nursery? My son is 3 and a half and we are both happy with our little routine and he said he doesn’t want to go to nursery. Plus I want to make the most of our time together before he goes to school 🥺 Pros and cons to nursery? Will he struggle at school if he doesn’t go to a pre school first? We go on trips and to play groups so it’s not like he’s not social and he’s very clever for his age already knows the alphabet and can count etc.

what age do you think is appropriate for a child to be allowed to plug stuff into an electrical outlet on their own?

think like plugging in a lamp or a phone charger, etc.

Going it alone

I don't really know how to explain how much I'm struggling right now.

I had an emergency C-section and since coming home I've been trying to recover while looking after my newborn on my own.

The sleep deprivation has been brutal. I'm exhausted all the time I'm still dealing with physical pain and I'm trying to keep up with feeding, bottles, nappies, washing, the house and everything else that doesn't stop just because you're struggling.

My babys dad has left and come back repeatedly since I fell pregnant.

Since having the baby there have been more occasions where he has walked out, blocked me or disappeared, leaving me to deal with everything alone.

The relationship is now over and I'm trying to come to terms with that while simultaneously caring for a tiny baby.

The hardest part is that I loved him. I'm not just dealing with the practical reality of being left I'm grieving the person I thought I was going to raise my baby with and the family life I thought we were going to have.

I don't have family support to fall back on.

There isn't anyone who can just pop round, take the baby for an hour, make me something to eat, help with the house or sit with me when I've had a horrendous night.

I've reached a point where I'm completely overwhelmed.

I've had days where I've barely eaten struggled to drink enough and felt like I'm just surviving from one feed to the next.

People tell me I'm strong and that I can do it, but honestly, I don't want to have to be strong all the time.

I want help. I want someone to look after me for a change.

I absolutely adore my baby and I'm so grateful for him but doing this alone wasn't the plan.

I'm sharing this because I really need some mum-to-mum support. I just want to talk to people who understand what it feels like to be struggling and feel like you're carrying everything alone.

Feeling Frustrated!!!!!!

I have two children. My mam keeps making comments like “you’re sticking to the rule book, you’re supposed to let all that go with your second”

By the ‘rule book’ she means safe sleep guidelines, bottle prep, weaning at 6 months etc. I kept my oldests cot empty, made bottles as he needed them and started solids at 6 months exactly, never had any problems and so we’ve done exactly the same for my second and for some reason it’s very triggering for her. Recently my youngest has had a cold and the vapour rub we have is 6 months+ my youngest is only 4 months so we’ve not been able to use it. She’s constantly on at me “he’s the same size as some 6 months old he’ll be fine” and when i refused she throws the same “you’re supposed to be more relaxed with your second one it won’t do him any harm”

I’ve told her countless times to keep her useless opinions to herself. Why would I not follow safety and health guidelines? Why is she almost putting pressure on me not to? ITS SO ANNOYING

Relationship after baby

My partner has never taken responsibility in an argument before or really apologised it’s always sorry but you made me etc sorry but it was your fault because xyz
Now the arguments have went next level last time he called me names such as fat pig/dog we overcame that, but again he has proceeded to do the same he’s called me pig, fat, I weigh as much as a man, wouldn’t be able to find someone like this but he can. He also said he should have cheated on me whilst he had the chance. He went on to throw stuff at me and I threw something back which means I started it. He thinks it’s acceptable to push me and me not retaliate if I do, it makes it my fault.
I never name called him first but after he called me them names I did call him names back and after he pushed me I did retaliate.

When your family members or, trusted friends babysit your child(ren). Do they respect your boundaries?

To elaborate,
- If you have a baby/toddler that they put your child for a nap when needed/scheduale.
- They feed your children at the times when they would expect to eat (respect your childs meal times e.g. 12pm & 4pm)
- They don't give your child(ren) sweets/pop if they're not allowed those things.
- If your daytime potty trained child, still wears a nappy for bed, that they put a nappy on them.
- The list is endless to whatever your boundaries are for your child(ren).