s/o What important things have you learned here

[heygrey]

Everything, my failures as a parent would be much greater if I wasn't obsessively reading here.

The biggest probably? What to expect in the first few weeks of newborn-hood. I didn't love every minute of it, but I new it was all normal.

[meij]

The 2-3-4 sleep schedule. I'd never heard of it and would still be missing morning naps if it weren't for this-that first nap comes much earlier than I would have thought.

[cherry1111]

Probably the not wearing a coat in the car seat thing.

That lactation cookies existed.

[Deleted]

Coats in the carseat. People here do that all the time (and to some extent I can't fault them. It's freakin' cold here. They think they're doing the right thing/have the best of intentions). Even my pedi didn't know about this.

I am also a lot braver with food/more chill about "OMG they only ate a piece of cheese and a Kix today!" than most of my friends. I've learned it's a phase. They'll make it up later. Let it go. I also get comments from my friends about how I let my kids eat pretty much anything from the start and that's a trick I learned here and to some extent credit it to why both my kids are fairly adventerous eaters.

And that I should have banned damned Calliou from the first day she saw it. I have a tolerance for most kid things and was all, "Meh. How bad can it be!". Bad. Really Bad. Lesson learned.

[spk926]

I learned that you shouldn't let a newborn sleep with a hat on due to an increased SIDS risk. I thought DD was cold so I would swaddle her and then put on one of those cotton beanie hats before someone said something on here. I had no idea!

[brooklyn]

That you can pull onesies down during shituations

[stacyb1983]

I forgot a lot of baby stuff in the 4 years between kids. This place is full of useful info. I got lots of helpful car seat info when I was shopping for H's new booster. You guys helped me finally make a decision on kindergarten for H.

[brooklyn]

Oh yeah, and I learned about Hanna Andersson and Mini Boden here lol

[smock]

This place has ironically made me spend more money than I would have. Because of MMM/GBCN I've bought: a RNP, the Fischer Price Kick and Play Piano, a bunch of SwaddleDesigns stuff because someone posted about the 50% off sale . . . Oh, and my AE jeggings arrived in the mail yesterday.

The good news is that I LOVE all these things.

[narockshard]

The car seat on top of the cart thing.

So many great BFing tips and support, even though I just never had the supply to EBF. And the support for formula feeding.

I'm sure there is more...

[stacyb1983]

Dec 16, 2014 9:43:40 GMT -5 brooklyn said:

Oh yeah, and I learned about Hanna Andersson and Mini Boden here lol

These things have not been helpful to my wallet. The star wars HA pjs are too cute. I can't help myself.

www.hannaandersson.com/pdp.aspx?from=SRCH&styleid=43153&simg=43153_990&mwc=990

[smock]

I've also learned a TON of amazing reference websites, like troublesome tots, kelly mom, lucie's list, and wholesome baby food. I probably visit one of these sites daily to figure out what the hell I'm supposed to be doing.

[narockshard]

Dec 16, 2014 9:54:57 GMT -5 smock said:

I've also learned a TON of amazing reference websites, like troublesome tots, kelly mom, lucie's list, and wholesome baby food. I probably visit one of these sites daily to figure out what the hell I'm supposed to be doing.

Ah yes, this has been key for me as well!

[countthestars]

Most of my information about car seat safety (puffy coats, strap placement, rear facing info) and most of my information on breastfeeding. I would have quit after 2 days if it weren't for reading here about it getting better.

[Deleted]

Dec 16, 2014 9:45:03 GMT -5 smock said:

This place has ironically made me spend more money than I would have. Because of MMM/GBCN I've bought: a RNP, the Fischer Price Kick and Play Piano, a bunch of SwaddleDesigns stuff because someone posted about the 50% off sale . . . Oh, and my AE jeggings arrived in the mail yesterday.

The good news is that I LOVE all these things.

I would agree with this. I don't jump on every trend that appears here, but when I do I know it's been well loved, used and researched before I got to it so I trust it more and love it. 

I also get great toy recs here. Stuff I didn't even know existed.

[Deleted]

Well I've definitely saved $$ on a lot of things, which ultimately led me to purchase more things...

I also got a lot questions about BF'ing answered that seemed silly, but were stressful for me. It's helpful to have people reassure you that you are not (entirely) crazy.

[Deleted]

Honestly, I couldn't even tell you what specifically I learned here. The vast majority of all parenting things I know were either first learned here or confirmed here lol.

Oh, but one I specifically remember from last week is the "one finger touch" that someone suggested in supergreen's tree post. I have implemented that with J and had great success. He likes to experiment with different fingers as the one that touches but it's working great lol.

[VillainV]

Lots of things about breastfeeding, and also that combo feeding is OKAY! It seems like our pedi and community in general sees BFing as all or nothing.

[undecidedowl]

Pretty much everything I know related to parenting I learned here. It's amazing when I think about how much this place impacts my quality of life...and bank account.

[undecidedowl]

Dec 16, 2014 9:37:59 GMT -5 @simpledog said:

Oh. I have said this before but I knew zero about BFing. Like I thought everyone stopped at 3 months and used formula. The first time I saw someone I knew (friend of a coworker) BF I was in college.

I had actually never seen someone breastfeed in person before I had DS1. I went on to nurse him until 2.5 yo. I learned so much of what helped us be successful from here.

[thebreakfastclub]

I learned about overnight diapers, and also that some babies really are latch refusers. I thought I was the only one.

I also feel very different than most people here, to be honest. I don't care as much about the same things and I did a lot of things differently.

I also now know that I have a super easy baby, LOL.

[bowies]

Everything.

[glitzy07]

No coats in the carseat. Extended rear-facing.

Lots about BFing (and pumping), especially battling oversupply issues. I was the first in my group of friends to do any sort of nursing past 6 weeks, and most had the opposite problem of not enough supply.

The little bit that I know about babywearing.

[robyn]

So many things!! I truly felt so much more prepared for this craziness that is motherhood thanks to this board and all of the awesome things I've learned. Rear facing until 2; the RNP; the kick and play piano which DD loves; pretty much everything about breast feeding, pumping, supply issues, etc.; the carseat on top of the cart; coats in the car seat; proper placement and installation of the car seat, plus the importance of the fit in the carseat; and I'm sure about a million other things. This place is such an amazing resource.

[hski2349]

I learned about the nose frida and coats in carseats. Both things that are extremely important.

[arebee]

Everything.

Seriously. I would be so lost if I hadn't lurked here.

The biggest thing that I have taken away from here is an appreciation for DD. She is/was a super easy baby if not for this place I would either think that all babies were this easy or that I was the best parent ever . On the flip side of that I have a learned an appreciation or maybe more respect for other mothers (i am not sure if I am phrasing that right). Not all babies are the same. Just because something worked for us doesn't mean it works for everyone.

[gibbinator]

Proper placement of the carseat chest clip and an infant bucket seat doesn't need a base.

[rugbywife]

That all mothers/parents have tons of questions. So I am not a dolt.

[jenn248]

The importance of post-partum Colace.

[Deleted]

Who Taylor Swift is.