What is the one thing that you are overly cautious about with LO?
We know that for some of us it's the sun exposure, some it's the car safety, some it's food due to allergies. What is your one thing that you are overly cautious about?
Healthy foods (make sure she eats fruits, veggies, and a protein source each day... very, very limited sweets)...
and making sure she's breathing and well while she sleeps (lost a cousin to SIDS and it has been an overwhelming fear of mine - even to this day... she STTN but I check on her multiple times)
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Germs on shopping carts. I am a nut when it comes to putting him in them (even with a cover).
Germs in general. I try to make sure she gets exposure but I am so grossed out and since I get sick easily I worry that she will, too. Thankfully she's been super healthy and rarely gets sick compared to lots of other babies her age. But I am always wanting to wash her hands.
Germs, and choking. Like PP said I still cut her food into small pieces...I only have this fear because my younger sister choked when she was little and I remember how frantic my mother was.
I honestly don't think I'm overly cautious about anything. Obviously I follow all the rules when it comes to car seats, but I'm not super crazy about it. I don't make DS wait 3 days in between new foods anymore, and he's had all the potential allergens (peanut butter, strawberries, etc.). DH is definitely more cautious than I am, but neither of us is particularly crazy about anything.
And smoking..my MIL smokes. She had my DD for one night while I was in the hospital having my DS and when we picked her up on our way home from the hospital my DD's jacket reeked of smoke. I was LIVID. She normally doesn't smoke in the house or even that often (maybe 4 times a day?) but she had to have with that smell. Even that small exposure gets me worked up!
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I guess if I had to pick one, it would be carseat safety. I also worry about them drowning (in the bathtub, pool, etc) and according to my family (and sometimes DH), I worry too much about making sure I make healthy food/drink choices for them (although compared to TB, I'm slacking in that department. Go figure. ).
Pretty much anything that involves their safety, I am overly cautious about - walking near a road, SIDS (when younger), cutting food up so that it is not a choking hazard, etc.
Logan David 03.27.08
Jacob Riley 05.18.09
{Member since 2007}
I honestly don't think I'm overly cautious about anything. Obviously I follow all the rules when it comes to car seats, but I'm not super crazy about it. I don't make DS wait 3 days in between new foods anymore, and he's had all the potential allergens (peanut butter, strawberries, etc.). DH is definitely more cautious than I am, but neither of us is particularly crazy about anything.
I'm a pretty big stickler about holding my hand when we walk through parking lots. He loves cars but has no idea that they have the potential to hurt him yet. I also insist on good behavior and don't tolerate tantrums and the like. But germs, sun, etc, I don't worry too much about. I make sure that his life is safe (the car seat is installed properly, I cut his choke-y foods into small pieces, I do my best to keep him safe) but I don't overdo any of it.
And smoking..my MIL smokes. She had my DD for one night while I was in the hospital having my DS and when we picked her up on our way home from the hospital my DD's jacket reeked of smoke. I was LIVID. She normally doesn't smoke in the house or even that often (maybe 4 times a day?) but she had to have with that smell. Even that small exposure gets me worked up!
I am a nut about people smoking around my kid too. It doesn't help that almost everyone on DH's side of the family smoked. We used to stay at FIL's house often and in the 16 months that DD has been alive, we have never once spent the night there. It's becuase he smoked in his house and I'm not ok with it. He thinks since he smoked in the car with his kids with the windows rolled up and they turned out fine that my kid will too.
But the worst is checking him while he is sleeping. I always checked before I went to bed, but after my m/c, I have felt a lot more panicky. It comes and goes, but sometimes I have to peek in on him like three yimes during a two hour nap.
And smoking..my MIL smokes. She had my DD for one night while I was in the hospital having my DS and when we picked her up on our way home from the hospital my DD's jacket reeked of smoke. I was LIVID. She normally doesn't smoke in the house or even that often (maybe 4 times a day?) but she had to have with that smell. Even that small exposure gets me worked up!
I am a nut about people smoking around my kid too. It doesn't help that almost everyone on DH's side of the family smoked. We used to stay at FIL's house often and in the 16 months that DD has been alive, we have never once spent the night there. It's becuase he smoked in his house and I'm not ok with it. He thinks since he smoked in the car with his kids with the windows rolled up and they turned out fine that my kid will too.
I feel the same about the smoking thing. Infact it's caused a HUGE rift between me and the ILs. Kinda sad that they think their smoking is a higher priority than seeing DD. But that's their choice, I guess. Just sad to see their priorities that way.
Germs and food. Germs because he ends up in the hospital every time he gets even a common cold. Our most current time was spent in the PICU and it scared the crap out of me.
Otherwise, I am just a hover parent depending on the situation. Tonight, we were at my BIL/SIL's house for a BBQ and they had numerous bowls of trail mix (nuts, raisins, m&ms) sitting all over their house. DS is allergic to nuts so I was terrified that he would eat/touch one or find a nut on the floor. I literally hovered over him the entire time. I wouldn't be such a cautious parent if it weren't for his health issues/food allergies.
And smoking..my MIL smokes. She had my DD for one night while I was in the hospital having my DS and when we picked her up on our way home from the hospital my DD's jacket reeked of smoke. I was LIVID. She normally doesn't smoke in the house or even that often (maybe 4 times a day?) but she had to have with that smell. Even that small exposure gets me worked up!
I am a nut about people smoking around my kid too. It doesn't help that almost everyone on DH's side of the family smoked. We used to stay at FIL's house often and in the 16 months that DD has been alive, we have never once spent the night there. It's becuase he smoked in his house and I'm not ok with it. He thinks since he smoked in the car with his kids with the windows rolled up and they turned out fine that my kid will too.
I feel the same about the smoking thing. Infact it's caused a HUGE rift between me and the ILs. Kinda sad that they think their smoking is a higher priority than seeing DD. But that's their choice, I guess. Just sad to see their priorities that way.
Yup that's how FIL is too. He thinks we are crazy for being concerned about it. When I was pregnant and we stayed there for Thanksgiving we asked them to not smoke in the house. The second I went to bed they started smoking and I could smell it through the vents (which made me sick to my stomach just from the smell). The next morning there was a haze in the house from the smoke. That's the last time we spent the night. FIL doesn't seem to care if we never come over becuase we should "lighten up" about it.
Car seat safety. I'm completely, irrationally terrified of getting into a horrible car accident. I deal with that by making sure I've made the absolute safest choices regarding car seats, proper usage, ERF. I'm a freak-o about it.
Probably food issues. DS is dairy, soy, & wheat intolerant. While it won't cause a life-threatening reaction having any one can make him very crabby and sick. I do my best to make sure he avoids them all.
I feel the same about the smoking thing. Infact it's caused a HUGE rift between me and the ILs. Kinda sad that they think their smoking is a higher priority than seeing DD. But that's their choice, I guess. Just sad to see their priorities that way.
Yup that's how FIL is too. He thinks we are crazy for being concerned about it. When I was pregnant and we stayed there for Thanksgiving we asked them to not smoke in the house. The second I went to bed they started smoking and I could smell it through the vents (which made me sick to my stomach just from the smell). The next morning there was a haze in the house from the smoke. That's the last time we spent the night. FIL doesn't seem to care if we never come over becuase we should "lighten up" about it.
My DH gets the 2nd hand smoke thing, but he doesn't quite believe me about the 3rd hand smoke...yet. I believe the hype about it and I'm trying to get him around to my side. I really love my MIL and we do get along, but I think she's been smoking more recently. My DD doesn't like to be held so the 3rd hand smoke isn't as much of a threat to her, but my MIL is ALL over my DS.
My MIL is not nearly as bad as you guys have it. I couldn't imagine waking up to a smoky house. I know what it's like because my paternal grandmother smoked 3-4 packs a day, in her house. It was disgusting.
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we use carseats, cut up food, sit next to the tub when she bathes, use sunscreen, check on her before I go to bed, etc....but really I am not a worry wort. I'm pretty easy going...
Hmm ... I check on them at least once after they've gone to bed at night and make sure they're still breathing, but I'm not really obsessive about it. I'm probably a little paranoid about them getting hit by cars or us getting in a car accident. They'll be RFing for a while!!
I'm somewhat cautious about food, but I have an epi-pen to back that up.
But we did ERF until he was 21 months old. That would definately would have been my #1 thing. The only reason we flipped DS was because he outgrew the RF limits on his car seat. I am still sometimes nervous in the car with him but its getting better.
When he was teeny tiny, it was SIDS. Oh my, I don't think I slept well for the first 6 months of his life. I was CONSTANTLY up checking on him and he was even in our bedroom for the first 6 months because I knew that it was supposed to help prevent SIDS. I was a freak about it.
Oh I did think of one thing. Probably has to be me watching my LO, especially in public. LIke, I see little kids at the park just running free so far away from their parents**(coughmySILcough** and it just drives me crazy. If DS wants to explore, thats fine but I want to be there with him.
Now if we are in a gated area (like the kiddie playground) then I will just let him play. But outside of that, no.
For me, it's kidnapping. I'm always checking our doors are locked, locking the door behind me when putting DS into the car, hovering over him in public, etc. I'm sort of pleased when DS has fits in public because I think the "bad guys" would prefer a more well-behaved child. ;-)
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I'm ridiculous about cutting his food into tiny pieces so he can't choke.
I am also ridiculously cautious about his interaction with my dogs. They are not allowed near him unless I am in the room right next to them. I have the sweetest dogs on the planet, and they love him to death. I'm 99% sure they would never try to bite him, but I don't want to be put in the position where I might be proven wrong. They are also much bigger than him and he could be hurt accidentally if he was knocked over or stepped on, not to mention excited head-butting.
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Sunscreen. Yup, I'm that parent. I have really fair skin and when I was tanning in my younger days, I started noticing weird brown patches on my face after tanning. Since then, I lather up in sunscreen and don't tan. My kids will be lathered up, too.
Schedules. I'm much better about this since DD has gotten older, but she naps, eats, sleeps same time every day. If we are out, I'm more relaxed about it, but for the most part, we stick to it.
When she was younger, definitely germs. She was born 5 weeks early, and although she didn't have any health problems, I was overly concerned about it.
And smoking..my MIL smokes. She had my DD for one night while I was in the hospital having my DS and when we picked her up on our way home from the hospital my DD's jacket reeked of smoke. I was LIVID. She normally doesn't smoke in the house or even that often (maybe 4 times a day?) but she had to have with that smell. Even that small exposure gets me worked up!
I am a nut about people smoking around my kid too. It doesn't help that almost everyone on DH's side of the family smoked. We used to stay at FIL's house often and in the 16 months that DD has been alive, we have never once spent the night there. It's becuase he smoked in his house and I'm not ok with it. He thinks since he smoked in the car with his kids with the windows rolled up and they turned out fine that my kid will too.
I feel the same about the smoking thing. Infact it's caused a HUGE rift between me and the ILs. Kinda sad that they think their smoking is a higher priority than seeing DD. But that's their choice, I guess. Just sad to see their priorities that way.
Yup that's how FIL is too. He thinks we are crazy for being concerned about it. When I was pregnant and we stayed there for Thanksgiving we asked them to not smoke in the house. The second I went to bed they started smoking and I could smell it through the vents (which made me sick to my stomach just from the smell). The next morning there was a haze in the house from the smoke. That's the last time we spent the night. FIL doesn't seem to care if we never come over becuase we should "lighten up" about it.
I think that would be one of the main things I go crazy about. I hate smoking to begin with in general. Just about EVERYONE around me smokes and some even get annoyed/angry/b!tchy because I ask not to smoke around DD. I have been having to stay with my mother for a while before we move overseas and she has even mentioned once (after we got into an argument so apparently its a grudge type thing) but anyways she said "I can't even smoke in my own house or car" that really pissed me off because I know she couldn't care less, she smoked around all 4 of her kids and my nephews but she WILL NOT around my DD I won't stand for it. I appreciate her letting us stay here for a while, but honestly there are other places I could go, I think she knows that but she wants to spend as much time with DD as possible before the move but if that's the case she should respect DD enough not to smoke around her.
we use carseats, cut up food, sit next to the tub when she bathes, use sunscreen, check on her before I go to bed, etc....but really I am not a worry wort. I'm pretty easy going...
Same here. I'm appropriately cautious, but I'm just not a worrier.
SIDS - I know the chances are slim, but I don't want my boys to be one of them and take all necessary precautions. I never let my first DS sleep with a loose blanket until he was 2.5 yrs, instead he slept in Halo sleepsacks. Same will be true for DS2. No pillows, soft toys, or bumpers either. And fans are a must.
the only think i'm crazy about is the cars eat thing b/c of how fvcking dangerous people can be in cars.
i'm also really healthy and prefer to eat local, organic foods with no genetic modification (or as little as possible when it comes to produce), no hormones, no excessive antibiotics, no pesticides, etc. but i was like that long before i had dd and that's just sort of how we live now.
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Re: Poll: Overly cautious.
Healthy foods (make sure she eats fruits, veggies, and a protein source each day... very, very limited sweets)...
and making sure she's breathing and well while she sleeps (lost a cousin to SIDS and it has been an overwhelming fear of mine - even to this day... she STTN but I check on her multiple times)
Germs in general. I try to make sure she gets exposure but I am so grossed out and since I get sick easily I worry that she will, too. Thankfully she's been super healthy and rarely gets sick compared to lots of other babies her age. But I am always wanting to wash her hands.
Sun exposure.
Other than that, nothing really.
Though I did flip my sh!t at DH yesterday for giving DS a whole grape.
But seriously, we're both *very* lax people and don't get worked up about much at all.
Car seats for sure.
And smoking..my MIL smokes. She had my DD for one night while I was in the hospital having my DS and when we picked her up on our way home from the hospital my DD's jacket reeked of smoke. I was LIVID. She normally doesn't smoke in the house or even that often (maybe 4 times a day?) but she had to have with that smell. Even that small exposure gets me worked up!
This is what I was thinking
I guess if I had to pick one, it would be carseat safety. I also worry about them drowning (in the bathtub, pool, etc) and according to my family (and sometimes DH), I worry too much about making sure I make healthy food/drink choices for them (although compared to TB, I'm slacking in that department. Go figure. ).
Pretty much anything that involves their safety, I am overly cautious about - walking near a road, SIDS (when younger), cutting food up so that it is not a choking hazard, etc.
Logan David 03.27.08
Jacob Riley 05.18.09
{Member since 2007}
I am in the same boat as you.
I am a nut about people smoking around my kid too. It doesn't help that almost everyone on DH's side of the family smoked. We used to stay at FIL's house often and in the 16 months that DD has been alive, we have never once spent the night there. It's becuase he smoked in his house and I'm not ok with it. He thinks since he smoked in the car with his kids with the windows rolled up and they turned out fine that my kid will too.
ummmmm everything!
But the worst is checking him while he is sleeping. I always checked before I went to bed, but after my m/c, I have felt a lot more panicky. It comes and goes, but sometimes I have to peek in on him like three yimes during a two hour nap.
violet (01.06.2011) & colt (09.27.08)
expecting surprise baby no.3 may 3rd
Germs and food. Germs because he ends up in the hospital every time he gets even a common cold. Our most current time was spent in the PICU and it scared the crap out of me.
Otherwise, I am just a hover parent depending on the situation. Tonight, we were at my BIL/SIL's house for a BBQ and they had numerous bowls of trail mix (nuts, raisins, m&ms) sitting all over their house. DS is allergic to nuts so I was terrified that he would eat/touch one or find a nut on the floor. I literally hovered over him the entire time. I wouldn't be such a cautious parent if it weren't for his health issues/food allergies.
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Yup that's how FIL is too. He thinks we are crazy for being concerned about it. When I was pregnant and we stayed there for Thanksgiving we asked them to not smoke in the house. The second I went to bed they started smoking and I could smell it through the vents (which made me sick to my stomach just from the smell). The next morning there was a haze in the house from the smoke. That's the last time we spent the night. FIL doesn't seem to care if we never come over becuase we should "lighten up" about it.
Car seat safety. I'm completely, irrationally terrified of getting into a horrible car accident. I deal with that by making sure I've made the absolute safest choices regarding car seats, proper usage, ERF. I'm a freak-o about it.
Probably food issues. DS is dairy, soy, & wheat intolerant. While it won't cause a life-threatening reaction having any one can make him very crabby and sick. I do my best to make sure he avoids them all.
Me too! Smoking, and car seats for sure.
My DH gets the 2nd hand smoke thing, but he doesn't quite believe me about the 3rd hand smoke...yet. I believe the hype about it and I'm trying to get him around to my side. I really love my MIL and we do get along, but I think she's been smoking more recently. My DD doesn't like to be held so the 3rd hand smoke isn't as much of a threat to her, but my MIL is ALL over my DS.
My MIL is not nearly as bad as you guys have it. I couldn't imagine waking up to a smoky house. I know what it's like because my paternal grandmother smoked 3-4 packs a day, in her house. It was disgusting.
nothing...
we use carseats, cut up food, sit next to the tub when she bathes, use sunscreen, check on her before I go to bed, etc....but really I am not a worry wort. I'm pretty easy going...
Choking
Smoking
Sleeping
Let's try this again...
Hmm ... I check on them at least once after they've gone to bed at night and make sure they're still breathing, but I'm not really obsessive about it. I'm probably a little paranoid about them getting hit by cars or us getting in a car accident. They'll be RFing for a while!!
I'm somewhat cautious about food, but I have an epi-pen to back that up.
Now, not really anything..
But we did ERF until he was 21 months old. That would definately would have been my #1 thing. The only reason we flipped DS was because he outgrew the RF limits on his car seat. I am still sometimes nervous in the car with him but its getting better.
When he was teeny tiny, it was SIDS. Oh my, I don't think I slept well for the first 6 months of his life. I was CONSTANTLY up checking on him and he was even in our bedroom for the first 6 months because I knew that it was supposed to help prevent SIDS. I was a freak about it.
Oh I did think of one thing. Probably has to be me watching my LO, especially in public. LIke, I see little kids at the park just running free so far away from their parents**(coughmySILcough** and it just drives me crazy. If DS wants to explore, thats fine but I want to be there with him.
Now if we are in a gated area (like the kiddie playground) then I will just let him play. But outside of that, no.
Sort of a helicopter parent, right here.
I'm ridiculous about cutting his food into tiny pieces so he can't choke.
I am also ridiculously cautious about his interaction with my dogs. They are not allowed near him unless I am in the room right next to them. I have the sweetest dogs on the planet, and they love him to death. I'm 99% sure they would never try to bite him, but I don't want to be put in the position where I might be proven wrong. They are also much bigger than him and he could be hurt accidentally if he was knocked over or stepped on, not to mention excited head-butting.
Food/diet. I feed my kids (and myself and my husband) extremely well. I'm fairly militant about HFCS and transfat, balanced diets, etc.
Along those same lines, chemical exposure in general. Plastics, we have organic mattresses, etc.
Sunscreen. Yup, I'm that parent. I have really fair skin and when I was tanning in my younger days, I started noticing weird brown patches on my face after tanning. Since then, I lather up in sunscreen and don't tan. My kids will be lathered up, too.
Schedules. I'm much better about this since DD has gotten older, but she naps, eats, sleeps same time every day. If we are out, I'm more relaxed about it, but for the most part, we stick to it.
When she was younger, definitely germs. She was born 5 weeks early, and although she didn't have any health problems, I was overly concerned about it.
I think that would be one of the main things I go crazy about. I hate smoking to begin with in general. Just about EVERYONE around me smokes and some even get annoyed/angry/b!tchy because I ask not to smoke around DD. I have been having to stay with my mother for a while before we move overseas and she has even mentioned once (after we got into an argument so apparently its a grudge type thing) but anyways she said "I can't even smoke in my own house or car" that really pissed me off because I know she couldn't care less, she smoked around all 4 of her kids and my nephews but she WILL NOT around my DD I won't stand for it. I appreciate her letting us stay here for a while, but honestly there are other places I could go, I think she knows that but she wants to spend as much time with DD as possible before the move but if that's the case she should respect DD enough not to smoke around her.
sunscreen. I am a sunscreen nazi with him. Which is funny, because I never use it myself.
I am also a germaphobe about shopping carts. We never leave home without our cover.
Same here. I'm appropriately cautious, but I'm just not a worrier.
- Eating healthy
- Sun exposure
- Germs
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the only think i'm crazy about is the cars eat thing b/c of how fvcking dangerous people can be in cars.
i'm also really healthy and prefer to eat local, organic foods with no genetic modification (or as little as possible when it comes to produce), no hormones, no excessive antibiotics, no pesticides, etc. but i was like that long before i had dd and that's just sort of how we live now.