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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Moms Share the Most 'Unhinged' Things They Did After Having a Baby
When Lauren Nolan gave birth to her first child, Charlie, six months ago, she remembers feeling a bit "unhinged." "Postpartum hormones really threw me for a loop," she tells "That combined with an emergency C-section recovery and first time baby ... it's all very overwhelming." So the Chicago-based content creator decided to start a conversation with her followers based on a popular trend. "Moms — tell me the most unhinged thing you did freshly postpartum," she wrote on an Instagram reel on April 19. "Not like 'I cried a lot,' or, 'I only wore pjs.' I'm talking 'unhinged.'" And oh baby, did her audience deliver. She still receives comments on the reel every day. Here are a selection of our favorite responses: "I walked to the coffee shop down the street and realized I was wearing only the baby in the carrier on top. No shirt. No bra. Just the baby." "I was holding my daughter and dropped the remote control on her head while nursing her by accident. I then cried and laid on the couch and dropped the remote control on my own head a few times to see how bad it hurt. 😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫" "I dreamt that I had twins. I woke up in a panic because I couldn't find the other baby. Legit was looking for it for a good 15 minutes before I realized I only had the one baby." "Dialed 911 in a panic because I saw on the monitor that someone was standing over my baby's crib in the middle of the night. It was me. I was the one standing over the crib. 😭🫠" "Took the dog to the vet to get his nails clipped. Was wearing an eye patch for postpartum Bell's palsy. Forgot the dog at home." 'I woke up in the middle of the night with my 1-week-old at the time and had forgotten what I named him and started crying. I had to wake my husband up to ask him.' "Woke up one night nursing, burping and then rocking baby to sleep. Was about to put him back in the bassinet only to realize baby is asleep in the bassinet and I was nursing and burping my phone." "Shaved my head. One of my kids came home from elementary with lice 10 days after birth. I just shaved everyone's head cause I couldn't handle hours of combing four children." "I cried all day long because my 3-day-old baby didn't have any friends 😂" Though the vast majority of the comments are lighthearted, some touched on more troubling emotions that can follow childbirth. So, how do you know if your unhinged postpartum moments are normal or something more worrisome? Dr. Catherine Birndorf, a reproductive psychiatrist and co-founder of The Motherhood Center, tells when to reach out to a trusted medical professional. "A rapid drop in hormones after childbirth can cause you to do things you normally wouldn't do, which can be unnerving. In fact, 80% of people who give birth experience 'baby blues' in the first two weeks," Birndorf shares. "But I'm surprised more people don't lose it." Baby blues are "a non-pathological state, not an illness like postpartum depression or postpartum anxiety," she explains. Most of the comments Birndorf saw on the Instagram reel fit into the baby blues category, but if moms continue feeling "overwhelmed, mad, guilty or helpless" for more than two weeks, she says it is time to seek help. Nolan, who experienced what she describes as the "normal" amount of unhinged behavior, says that she found a lot of validation in reading the comments and hopes other new moms do too. 'You just grew a human and birthed a human, and then are taking care of a human, and as much as your partner wants to understand and support you, there's no way of explaining that to someone else who hasn't been through it,' she says. "Of course we're all crying. Of course we're all struggling. We're sleep deprived. We're recovering," she adds. Reading other women's stories "made me feel a lot less alone. It reminded me that every new mom feels that way." This article was originally published on
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Should You Talk to Your Baby Like an Adult?
Videos of caregivers chatting with babies as if they're adults are going viral and sparking conversation. Instead of relying on traditional 'baby talk,' some parents are choosing to speak to their infants in full sentences, ask thoughtful questions and use advanced vocabulary, even if the child can't yet understand. While it can lead to adorable response from children, the trend raises questions about whether this method is the best way to support a baby's language development and promote bonding. In February, podcaster Alex Hodges posted a video of herself 'updating' her infant daughter Tate on their evening plans as if she were a friend. The video received over 13 million views on Instagram, and many parents in the comments section shared how speaking to their child similarly seemed to benefit their language. 'Be careful ladies!!! I talked to my daughter like this from the day she was born. She started talking at 10 months old and now at almost 6 she has yet to take a breath!!' one user commented on the post. 'I literally have done this same thing with both of my kids (my husband calls it their play by play) and they talk SO much now and communicate so clearly it's the best thing ever ' added another. While some parents claim that adult-like conversations are helpful for a child's development, asked language experts whether this really is the case. Dr. Claire Vallotton, a professor at Michigan State University who specializes in early development of language, tells that engaging in "back and forth" conversations with babies can be a great way to teach them how to converse. Children 'often love this type of interaction' Vallotton says, and it can help create a connection between parent and child, which can encourage more communication. Speaking to babies like an adult can be helpful in teaching how to take turns in conversation, but it might not be the most helpful in teaching vocabulary, she says. Therefore, child-directed speech, popularly known as 'baby talk' is still important for children. 'You can have these lovely conversations back and forth with your child in that rhythmic way of introducing them to conversation,' she says. 'But don't neglect that they also need to hear child-directed speech, baby talk that will help them learn the sounds and vocabulary in their language.' Baby talk is a method of speech that adults naturally gravitate to when speaking to children, Vallotton says. It can entail raising the pitch of one's voice, exaggerating intonation and using a smaller vocabulary, according to Dr. Erika Hoff, an expert on language development and professor of psychology at Florida Atlantic University. 'It would sound ridiculous if you talked to an adult that way,' Hoff tells 'But there are actually quite a few studies that suggest it's helpful to babies.' Hoff says that while talking to your baby like an 'intelligent, patient conversational partner' can be helpful, there are several reasons not to overlook child-directed speech. Babies are more interested in baby talk than the 'monotone' way adults speak. Plus, shorter sentences can help them 'crack the code' of language, Hoff says. Vallotto agrees that baby talk is important for language development. 'It's really important to talk to children like they are children,' she says. There is a reason why caregivers feel compelled to use baby talk when talking to an infant, Vallotto adds. Babies are more likely to pay attention to it, and all adults, not just parents, naturally pick up on this positive response over time. 'It's something that parents intuitively do,' Vallotto says. 'You don't have to teach them to do it. They just naturally do it because babies reinforce that behavior.' While the way children pick up language from conversation can be complicated, both Hoff and Vallotton say that the most important thing to remember is simple: Just talk. Vallotton notes that parents are 'intuitive geniuses.' If they pay attention to their children, they make 'really good, intuitive decisions on how to engage their children in protoconversations," she says. Hoff says that it is helpful to engage children in conversation rather than a monologue because research shows that the best way to learn language is to practice it. But she agrees that the optimal way to talk to children comes naturally to parents. 'Don't stress it,' Hoff says. 'Just talk to your child." This article was originally published on
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Moms Share Their Most Unusual Tricks for Keeping Kids Safe
A mom asked TikTok for tips on keeping kids safe and the village showed up en masse. 'Some things are non-negotiable,' Paige Catherine Johnson, a mother of four, tells 'Tell me something you teach your kids to help keep them safe,' Johnson wrote as text in her TikTok video. 'I'm not talking about, 'Don't talk to strangers.' Give me the good stuff. Give me something unique that sticks with them and gives you peace of mind.' Moms divulged their tips on water safety, stranger danger, body autonomy and self-defense. Some were controversial (screaming curse words in public to fend off child abductors), others were psychological ('Adults never ask kids for help' and 'Don't be nice to people who creep you out'). There was advice on situational awareness (memorize a parent's outfit in case kids get lost in a crowd) and using code words to communicate covertly. Tips included: 'If someone asks you to keep a secret, you tell Mommy ASAP.' 'We have a code for when they're invited somewhere and maybe don't want to go. 'Did you clean the bathroom?' 'Yes' means they want to go and 'No' means they don't want to go and I step in and be the 'Bad Guy' who won't let them go play.' 'Take a picture of them before entering any crowded event: amusement park, aquarium, fair, etc. God forbid they go missing but if they do, you have an up-to-date picture, including the exact clothes they were wearing, for authorities.' 'I tell my daughter there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that a grown man will need your help with. Never, ever.' 'We use anatomically correct names for body parts and teach our kids that they can say no to family members who want a hug/kiss.' 'If you are lost or hurt, find a mom with kids. My oldest got hurt as a 22-year-old Marine while snorkeling ... he found a mom with kids and she had a first-aid kit and gave him a snack. Moms can fix anything.' ''No' is a full sentence. You don't have to explain yourself. You can just say 'No.'' 'How to use the emergency dial on a locked phone.' 'If you're ever in trouble, yell 'Mom!' even if Mom isn't around. This will get the attention of all Mamas.' 'Validate their feelings and teach them to trust their gut.' 'No second locations — you fight like hell. Whatever they do to you in public, it's going to be way worse in private.' 'All three of my daughters do Jiu-Jitsu.' 'I taught them our address in a song. We used the tune of 'Mary Had a Little Lamb.'' 'I tell my kids that if they ever find anything that's ... shaped like a pill, they can bring it to me and I'll give them a piece of candy.' 'If you can't see me, I can't see you.' 'We have a phrase if they're out and need me to come and get them. They asked me if I've 'fed the gecko.' We do not have a gecko.' One TikTok user commented, 'This thread is the village.' Johnson tells that safety is always on her mind, with four children, ages 7, 4, 2, and 5 months. Pediatrician Dr. Heather Felton weighed in on some of the most commonly given tips. According to Felton, a pediatrician in Louisville, Kentucky, the mom in the comments is absolutely correct that children should know how to identify their anatomy using correct words. 'This way, we're all communicating clearly,' Felton tells 'You can then explain which body parts are private.' She adds, 'When I do exams, I always ask the child for permission and explain the reason for the exam.' Many TikTok commenters recommended the 'High-Five Rule.' One wrote, 'I saw a video where the parents make their toddler give a high-five to Mom or Dad before getting in the pool and I think that's such a smart way to make sure your toddler doesn't sneak into the pool alone.' Felton says the routine makes parents aware before kids enter the water, adding that gated fences around backyard pools and early swim lessons are other barriers to drowning. 'Drowning doesn't look like what we're trained to believe in TV and movies,' says Felton. 'It's very quick and very quiet. People think it's splashing and calling for help but that requires your head to be above water — and that's not what drowning is. It's silent and below the surface, so it can be really difficult to detect.' Felton recommends that caregivers download a wearable tag called 'Water Watcher Card' from the website of Safe Kids Worldwide. 'A Water Watcher is a responsible adult who agrees to watch the kids in the water without distractions and wear a Water Watcher card,' reads the website. 'After a certain amount of time (such as 15-minutes), the Water Watcher card is passed to another adult, who is responsible for the active supervision.' Establishing a secret code word with your child cultivates trust, whether it communicates 'I don't want a playdate today' or 'Can you come pick me up?' 'It means, 'Mom, I need an out,'' explains Felton. A secret word can take the pressure off kids who aren't comfortable saying, 'No' to friends. Felton recommends a gentler alternative to a 'curfew.' 'A 'leave time' means you don't have to be home by 10 p.m. but you do have to leave by 9:30 p.m.,' says Felton. 'That might encourage teens to not stay until the last minute and then race home.' This article was originally published on
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Woman Gives Hilarious Math Lesson on Mom Libido ... and Angers Men
After a day spent cuddling, carrying, consoling, and serving as a human jungle gym, many mothers reach bedtime feeling 'touched out," physically and emotionally depleted from constant contact. Their partners often don't share that sensation. On average, men think about sex 19 times a day. Recently, Maddie Muhs, who has two toddlers, did moms everywhere a service by breaking down the elusive formula behind maternal libido for their partners' benefit. Here's the breakdown: (Hours of Sleep + Number of Real Meals Eaten While Seated) x Partner Support ÷ Number of Annoying Comments He Made — Number of Times Touched by Children = Mom Libido. Muhs, a talent agent in Houston, Texas, walks through an example: If mom got eight hours of sleep and ate three full meals, and her partner handled both school pickup and bath time but irritated her twice, 'then we have to subtract the 1000 times that she was touched today,' Muhs explains. 'Does anyone know what the answer is?' She delivers the verdict: 'Not an (expletive) chance.' Muhs says her husband, Darren Schmidt, 42, had no notes, but teased that she was going to 'piss off a lot of men.' 'And I did,' she tells with a laugh. Muhs says that the pressure to 'bounce back' after having a baby goes beyond losing weight or slipping into pre-pregnancy jeans. Women are also expected to be sexually available just as they were before. Hormones also play a significant role for women. 'Am I ovulating? Am I in my luteal phase? What part of my cycle am I in? That affects our drive,' Muhs explains. "But male hormones are wired one way: It's always sex, sex, sex.' The comments section on Muhs post quickly filled with messages from both women and men, with many of the latter suggesting that she's asking to be cheated on. "Yes!!! I just sent this to my husband!" "Don't get married and have kids if you refuse to meet your husband's needs. Definition of a trap right there. No love in your relationship." "Women using this as an excuse to not have sex with their husband but also doesn't want their husband having sex with anyone else." "breastfeeding minus 1,000,000." "I have one little one, but when she is clingy, she is CLINGY and then here comes hubby wanting hugs and kisses and all the touches too…. Like can I please have my body back?!" "I'm an engineer, I can confirm this formula is right." "Forgot to minus the number of times children said 'mom.'" "Divided by the number of minutes your husband sits on the toilet during the chaos that is dinner, bath time and bedtime routine. Maybe that would get them off the pot." "You wanna be divorced?" Muhs says she and Schmidt have open lines of communication, and he fully understands where she's coming from. 'Darren thought the video was really funny. After he watched it, he said, 'You actually missed a couple of (variables),'' she recalls. 'I'm lucky to be with someone who gets it!'" This article was originally published on
