u/AWinkWithBothEyes

We are super grateful to have received newborn cloth diapers that are all in ones, which are super easy! We got them as hand me downs and they were all pristine, but now I’ve started washing and they’re getting yellow poop stains that I just can’t get out :(

We wash off the diapers right away, and use Dreft detergent. We EBF and I heard that should be easy to clean so what am I doing wrong? Should we add vinegar or is there a pre-wash spray to help with staining?

(TW: loss, infertility)

After delaying our wedding due to Covid, my husband and I were finally able to start family planning in 2023. We were over the moon when our first try was a success …until 6 weeks later when it was diagnosed as a blighted ovum (anembryonic pregnancy). We were disappointed but hopeful we’d have success again soon… but then a year went by, and then another.
By December 2025, I decided my New Year’s resolution would be to start IVF. If nothing else, I wanted more tests, more answers - just to do something instead of the agonizing monthly cycle of hope followed by failure.

Our insurance didn’t cover IVF, though it did cover some preliminary testing. We agreed to save for at least one egg retrieval and transfer. We didn’t want to pursue IUI - we felt it would just delay things based on the posts on Reddit - so we dove straight into IVF. Very glad we did. 

We were quoted around $27k, but that didn’t include medications or additional appointments. In reality, it came closer to $40k. The timeline was also much longer than the expected 2 months - closer to 6 months with all the testing, waiting for the right cycle timing, and prep.

All of our tests came back “normal.” No obvious issues, no explanation. Just… unexplained infertility.

Then we started the retrieval process. I’m not squeamish about needles or medical procedures, but the sheer number of daily injections was overwhelming. And honestly, those ended up being the easy needles.

Monitoring meant early morning bloodwork on a first-come-first-serve basis, which still feels wild to me. I was often the first car in the lot because otherwise you could be waiting for hours - or even get turned away. My husband came with me every time, grabbing coffee and breakfast, keeping me grounded. He’s been my champion through all of this.

Eventually, I was cleared for the trigger shot - administered at home, with a very intimidating needle. We watched the instructional video at least ten times before doing it. It still amazes me how much of this process happens at home with just instructions and a video.

Retrieval day was also my first time under anesthesia. I was nervous but hopeful.

They retrieved 29 eggs! I was ecstatic (egg - static, ha ha). Even knowing attrition was coming, I started thinking maybe we’d have extras to freeze, maybe even donate.

Then the numbers came in:

29 retrieved

19 fertilized

6 made it to blastocyst stage

Not as many as I’d hoped, but still solid.
We chose to do a fresh transfer with one “beautiful” day 5 embryo, skipping genetic testing for that one to move things along. Then came the two - week wait… along with progesterone suppositories, which are exactly as unpleasant as everyone says.

A few days before my beta, I started bleeding. Progesterone is supposed to prevent that, so I knew already that it hadn’t worked.

The clinic had me continue meds and come in anyway. I understood why - but I knew my body. The test confirmed it: negative.

We had already sent the remaining embryos for PGT - A testing (genetic screening), so we waited for results.

That was the real gut punch.

We had:

Three day 5 embryos

Two day 6 embryos

One day 7 embryo

Only one euploid (genetically normal) embryo… and it was the day 7.

The rest were aneuploid. The only other possibility was one inconclusive day 5 that needed retesting.

Most clinics don’t even keep day 7 embryos due to lower success rates, with day 5 having live birth rates of 69% and day 7s only at 36%. But that one little embryo was all we had.

My husband and I spent hours driving and talking it through. We decided to transfer it. If it failed, we’d try naturally again while saving for another retrieval. It wouldn’t be easy - we’d had job and housing changes - but we weren’t ready to give up.

So we gave our “7” a chance.

This time, I insisted on progesterone in oil injections. I ended up doing both injections and suppositories - a belt and suspenders method more popular in Europe that I’d researched. More meds, more bruises, more giant needles. I got very used to doing injections anywhere, even improvising clean spaces on the backs of toilet tanks in public bathrooms when needed.

Then we waited again but this time, I didn’t feel hopeful. I felt numb. Just going through the motions, expecting the same outcome.

Then the call came.

Not a doctor like last time - a PA, and she sounded genuinely excited. My levels looked great.
It worked!

I sheepishly put down the bottle of whiskey I had ready to crack open for bad news.

Even then, we were cautious. With IVF - and especially a day 7 embryo - nothing feels guaranteed. But week by week, appointment by appointment… everything progressed normally. I don’t think it fully sank in until the third trimester that this might actually happen. 

Ironically, pregnancy itself was relatively easy compared to IVF. Minimal nausea, manageable symptoms. After everything, I finally got to just exist in it.

Our little embryo - our “Survivor 7” - was a fighter from the start!

He ended up frank breech, perfectly wedged under my ribs and very comfortable there, so we scheduled a C-section. Honestly, very on brand for our science baby to need medical help at every stage lol. 

Thankfully the surgery went fantastic and my recovery has been easy, but even if it hadn’t I wouldn’t have cared because my little 7 did so much for me it’s only fair I return the favor. 

Now he’s born! Happy and healthy and more wanted than ever! Now he can contribute to the data and maybe convince others to save their 7s and give them the chance to be here in this world. 

Oh and that one day 5 that was unknown? We got it retested to see if we wanted to keep it frozen for another year and guess what? Also euploid! So our guy 7 might have a two day older sibling out there ;) 

It was a wild ride and certainly not one I ever thought I’d have to go through, but I would do it again in a heartbeat just to have my lil guy in my arms at last. To those still fighting through infertility, hang in there - you never know when your luck will turn at last. 

I was thinking about this since my mom always says I never get car sick or motion sick because she took me out on the boat as early as possible. The motion of the waves trained my inner ear early on, and sure enough I’ve never had any issues. Didn’t even get terribly nauseous during first trimester though that might just be luck.

Here I am staring at my lil one who is a champion Snoo-zer and already sleeping in 3 hour stretches at 11 days old. He loves the sway and motion more than the noise. I’m wondering if that’ll help him with motion sickness?

We still plan on taking him out on the boat though!😉

Best items that I’ve found I use practically everyday. Might’ve let some out but these are the lifesavers from the first week. And let me tell you that I either had these things in advance but thought I wouldn’t use them right away, or I panic ordered them when I realized I would need them much sooner.
Things I thought I would have weeks to figure out I ended up having hours! Even with all my prep in the months before there just so much dependent on the baby you have. Thank goodness for YouTube…

Here we go, my must-have list of baby items:

Mamazing nursing chair, practically living in it! Bought a heat pad to add since that’s the only function it lacks.

Snoo, bought second hand and after a deep clean it works wonders for my lil one - though your own mileage may vary, I would start a cult to worship this thing. It’s like a third caregiver all night.

Lasinoh breast pads, in bulk. My milk came in gangbusters and I leaked through my nursing bra pads on day 1 home.

Motherlove nipple cream x3 bring to the hospital! Your nips will still feel like they’re on fire but at least they won’t look like it.

Ladybug haakaa for letdown to save my bras and gain a bit of bottle filler. I had the regular haakaa but these are nicer to tuck into the bra and feel less like a cow being milked.

Zomee wearable pump to help with oversupply, just 3 min of pump prior to breastfeeding to avoid a “fire hose”. I had one bad day of my poor guy not being able to latch, and my spectra was too strong but luckily these gentler wearables have been quick and easy for anytime pumping. Very easy to quickly clean!

Zipper swaddle sacks x6 to contain a fussy squirmy baby during night feed. We have Velcro ones too but the zipper is just 100% easier. Keeps baby from putting his hands in his mouth instead of my nipple….

Dr browns slow Flo bottles for paced feeding 2x a night. No nipple confusion or preference. Still goes right back to the boob no issues!

This one I NEVER see on lists - Babytrend snap n go foldable universal infant car seat carrier. We have two types of car seat and a smaller sedan - this thing is so easy and quick to use, no need for a pricey travel system or changing the entire thing out to match bases. Just set the car seat on top and off you go! I don’t understand why this doesn’t seem more popular than it is. Also super affordable!

Baby brezza but only because we don’t have a dish washer.

Giant water cup with straw. Also a huge container of benefiber…. IYKYK

Disposable dishes and cutlery - for the first month just don’t stress about washing. Eat and chuck it out. Disposable coffee cups too! They’ll insulate so it stays hot but then there’s not piles of cups building up as you find yourself tripling your caffeine intake.

New phone. I held onto an old, slowly dying phone with limited storage. It was 100% worth it to get a brand new fully ready phone with storage aplenty for all the videos and photos! I think I’m up to a thousand just in the first week! I never have to worry about it draining battery too fast or not handling the apps needed for baby.

Huckleberry app! Even in the fugue state of hospital recovery, this app kept us on track and easily able to spot trends so we could start scheduling around baby’s needs. Absolute brain saver! No need to worry which boob was last or how much pee vs poop, it’s all logged and then easily summarized for peace of mind.
There might be other options out there but I really like this one. Even keeps a little countdown timer on your Home Screen so you can quickly guess how much free time you have before the next feeding!

There you go! All my fave MVP items. Hope this helps you out or gives you ideas.

Also bonus thought:
We ended up putting the changing table in the bathroom and one of the huge benefits of that is we have a heater and vent. Turning on the heat a few minutes before a change, and then the white noise of the vent, makes changing times sooo much smoother. Baby hates being changed but won’t panic cry if he’s at least warm and soothed. I highly recommend this option if you have it, rather than changing in a nursery or bedroom