Kate Xian

We should be grateful to cyclists who are powering their commutes with food instead of fossil fuels.

For a second I thought this was about autism but I realize it kind of applies to both 😫

I don't know if it's real and you probably don't want advice but if you did, I've recently heard some people claim their vitamin D levels get screwed up by being sick for too long when they've had labs for bad fatigue after?

I was admittedly dismissive that it would matter if I had the last name as my kid or not, but there have been a handful of times that it has utterly bamboozled an administrative process like I'm the first parent ever to do this.

I hate that I'm lying awake wondering if I'm going to have trouble vaccinating my kid(s).

It's unhinged that we have figured out how to prevent all sorts of horrible illnesses, but because evil people spread misinformation, we collectively don't.

I know EBF people who got sick and had to take medicine for a week requiring formula that week and it broke their souls. I felt so bad for how upset they were. There's no prize at the end for the "E" part. Harvard doesn't reserve your kid a slot because they never got a drop of formula.

But having grace for yourself and the understanding that things won't always be totally perfect makes it easier when you miss "goals" you've set. And it makes it easier when other caregivers don't follow your rules 100% too.

I feel like moderation with all things is good in parenting. Having rules that are unbreakable makes you feel like a terrible parent (100% breastmilk 0 formula under any circumstances) if you struggle to attain it.

They have so much power with so little regulation, so they can spout whatever pseudoscience they want. I've argued with some who cite their own personal authority to comment on everything medical with so much certainty. It gets predatory so fast

"Make lactating parents suffer at all costs" must be the secret lactivist mission statement.

Of course. There has to be some level of shaming no matter what. You can't be allowed to feel good about your parenting process!

Soooo toxic!

Oh totally understandable. I was trying to reply to a specific comment about wishing they were told a little from formula is fine. Double or triple feeding is absolute hell, especially with multiple. I didn't even try to nurse with my first, I pumped only and then did formula when I got tired of it.

So many studies show that a little pre-lactation supplementation at the beginning can actually improve breastfeeding outcomes. Babies thrive on it anyway, but if the lactivists really cared, they'd encourage it!

I did a search and they are all like scientists and climate activists.

Internet gremlins love nothing more than catching a parent, bonus points if it's a femme-presenting parent, being "lazy." The glee apparent in the judgement is staggering sometimes. If you're not sacrificing 100% of yourself 24/7, why did you even have children????

Mine was full of energy at 6, good to know 8 might be what it takes for some peace 😆

Dang working breeds!!!

Sanitization is not the same as sterilization, and unless you are in a complex medical situation, sanitization is sufficient for babies. Sterilization would also be tricky to achieve at home.

I'm sure this bird flu situation will be improved by a huge increase in the number of amateur urban chicken farmers.

Salad + salad chopper?

Oh goodness I thought we were talking about immigration for a moment there

I guess to anyone else with ADHD and unfinished projects, just remember how much George R. R. Martin is struggling to finish his series. Like at least your abandoned knitting project isn't causing angst to literally millions of nerds.

I'm full of rage over this "immigration blitz" happening in Chicago while being in awe of this community for how it is resisting.

You should see the computers we used in Mission control. My car has more sophisticated computational power.

So smol and starving, of course it's not a crime. Anyone who said so is basically Javert.

Lmao it's so true though

I had to recently take apart a bathroom fixture to replace the cartridge, it was hard-won information 😅

This is different than how it works heating up air, where setting a thermostat to 72 when you want it to be 72 is the same as setting it to 90 and then stopping it when it hits 72. Broadly, it doesn't make a difference with some exceptions.

This. The cartridge mixes but moving the cold water out of the hot pipe is what makes it possible to be warm. Turn all the way hot and then mix down to preference.

Hilarious typo, *cavalry