Experts group

SustainableMama

I totally hear you on this!! It is a common challenge. 1 free resources that might be helpful is a coach I know that specializes in helping couples: https://www.lindleygentile.com/

WovenHWH

Great question—From a holistic and functional medicine perspective, bowel movements are a key indicator of how well your digestion, detoxification, hydration, nervous system, and overall metabolism are working together.
So, how often is "normal"? The general range is 1–3 times per day, ideally effortless, well-formed, and complete. Here is a great chart about what your poop is telling you: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/bristol-stool-scale#chart
Going less than once every 24–36 hours can be a sign of sluggish digestion or underlying imbalance (even if it's always been your “normal”).
More than 3 times daily, especially if loose or urgent, may indicate inflammation, food sensitivity, gut dysbiosis, or stress response.
Tips to Keep Things Moving:
Hydration is key: Aim for half your body weight in ounces of water daily. Warm lemon water in the morning can gently stimulate digestion.
Fiber diversity: Include a variety of fiber-rich foods: veggies, flax, chia, berries, beans, whole grains (if tolerated). Soluble and insoluble fiber help bulk and move stool.
Movement = movement. Regular exercise and walking stimulate intestinal motility.
Magnesium citrate or glycinate can relax the bowel and support regularity. Also, magnesium-rich foods (pumpkin seeds, leafy greens, avocado) help!
Relax to digest. Digestion is parasympathetic (rest & digest). Chronic stress, rushing meals, or eating on the go can shut things down. Try deep breathing before meals.
Support the microbiome. Fermented foods, prebiotics (like garlic, onions, asparagus), and possibly a probiotic can help balance gut flora and improve motility.
Tune in to food triggers. Dairy, gluten, sugar, or highly processed foods can contribute to sluggish or erratic bowels for some people.
Consistent routines. Try to eat meals at similar times and establish a daily “potty pause”—especially in the morning, to sync with your natural rhythm. And try not to miss you poop window.

If bowel patterns are outside the ideal range or changing without clear cause, it’s worth diving deeper. Hormones, thyroid function, gut flora, or food sensitivities can all play a role.

Amie Skwiat LPC

I am going to share something that helped me personally and something I share with my clients all the time... I remember when I first heard about the 5 Love Languages and honestly, I remember rolling my eyes lol.

That was until my relationship imploded and I had no idea why. So what did I do? I decided to actually read the book and I quickly understood why that relationship did not work out! (So thankful it didn't work out though lol)
The thing is, I didn't even truly understand my love language and what I actually needed. And this book helped a ton!

Fast forward the next relationship to the man who is now my husband...
This time I made sure I understand his love language and I had to help him understand mine. I know it sucks a little bit, but as women we actually have to teach our partners how to love us...because well, we are complicated and no one can read our minds haha

If you don’t know your love language, I highly encourage you to take The 5 Love Languages Quiz. It’s easy, insightful, and it can be a game changer when it comes to building stronger connections and relationships, not just with your significant other but also with friends and family. So, ask your partner to take the quiz as well so you both know exactly what each other needs!

I encourage a lot of women to do this and explain to their husbands what EXACTLY they are needing. Because I'm going to be real honest... MENS BRAINS DO NOT THINK LIKE THIS. They do not read between the lines and they do not get it unless told. I literally have to remind my husband about every two weeks that he needs to speak my love language (Quality Time) or he will quickly have a wife who will shut down.

Lastly, here is an example of how to explain it: "Husband, the way you need sex to feel loved is different for me. I need some quality time in order to feel loved. If I am not getting that from you, it feels a lot like you feel when you do not receive physical touch from me. I need my needs to be met in this way in order to want to meet your needs in return".
And then lay it out for him by stating exactly what we you need. If you he needs a gentle reminder every two weeks give it to him... hopefully at some point it becomes the way you guys operate together.

Love Language Quiz: https://5lovelanguages.com/quizzes

Hope this helps

JoplingNutrition

1)Hard boiled egg + muffins + yogurt pouch + fruit + pretzels
2)Kodiak cake muffin cup + fruit + cheese stick + cheddar bunnies
3)Cheese, salami or pepporoni and crackers, cucumbers and carrots and ranch, z bar, fruit snacks
4) Sunbutter and jam sandwich, cheese cubes, yogurt, popcorn, fruit
5) Ants on a log with peanut butter or sunbutter and raisins, apple slices, kids protein bar, chomps stick, pretzels

JoplingNutrition

Pinch of Yum 5 ingredient banana chocolate muffins highly recommend as a snack option (made with oats and dates and can add some ground flax to bump up the fiber some more), add ground flaxseed or chia seeds to smoothies, Nature valley muffin bars, whole grain waffles with peanut butter and berries, popcorn, whole grain cereals with 3+ grams a fiber per serving

FeedingFamilies

Fruit! Bananas, Apples with skin on, Pears with skin on, Berries (especially berries with seeds like Raspberry, Blackberry, Strawberry)
Add Peanut butter and you have an additional 1.5 grams!
Anything with oatmeal, healthy oatmeal cookies, yummy oatmeal balls!
Popcorn!
Carrots and snap peas!
Seeds like sunflower or pumpkin!

JeanneReillyRDN

One of my favorite meal planning tools is Prep Dish. It's an affordable subscription and they send a variety of menus to choose from each week depending on your needs: super fast prep, low carb, paleo, gluten free, etc. The shopping lists are laid out by section in the grocery store, so it makes that part super fast & simple. The menus are designed by a Registered Dietitian & chef, and once you get into the flow of taking 1-2 hours, once a week, to do your prep, meals on a weeknight take only 15-20 mins to put together & be ready to serve! Check them out here: https://ai282.isrefer.com/go/lpof15/rp1131/

JeanneReillyRDN

Here to echo what everyone else has suggested and add: prioritize getting help with what feels hardest for you and what fits into your budget. Sometimes baby is a great sleeper, so a night nurse isn't the greatest pain point. Finding a "Mother's Helper" who is willing to be part of the family and get involved with any type of task you need help with (not JUST childcare) is such a gift. If you end up going this route, don't be afraid to be VERY specific in your job description when you are posting online or sharing with your community about the type of person you need. Ex. Some mother's helpers may not want to help with laundry, but if that's one of your pain points, make sure you include that in your job description so the applicants you get know up front everything you are looking for. Finally, as someone who was in a mother's helper role throughout grad school, it was very helpful to know what my duties were and what they were not. Ex: I did dishes, but I did not scrub toilets - they had a house cleaner for that. Hope this helps and happy to be a resource if you need help with how to find the right person for your family!

bwdtravel

Hi @AhMummy!! Family trips are my favorite In Mexico it's hard to beat Mayakoba or Punta Mita with kids. July will be hot! @Purple-Animal has a great thought with the Mountains. There are lots of family friendly dude ranches in Montana and Wyoming that my clients love! My favorite little mountain town in Colorado is Crested Butte. I'm happy to help either of you with more info anytime! brynne@kjtravel.com

FeedingFamilies

Hi! All the responses are amazing and great ideas!
Figuring out easy, affordable meals the whole family can enjoy is a struggle for most. A couple of tips I give to every family:
Automatize: 2 options, make the same meal every Monday, or every other Monday, then do the same method for every or her night. Build in easier meals for harder/crazier nights! Or choose a protein for each night and then Base the meal off that. This allows you to mix it up more but still takes a lot of the mental labor out of it!
Frozen food is your friend! Frozen food, especially fruits and veggies are such a great option bc they are frozen at their peak nutritionally. Frozen allows you to use just the amount you need, no waste, no spoiling! It also means you can use a larger variety of fruits and veggies which is awesome and makes sure everyone is happy!
I highly recommend crockpot, air fryers, slow cookers, sheet pan meals! Anything that makes life easier and means you are having a home cooked meal over fast food, is a win!!
Batch cooking is a great way to make life easier. This has already been mentioned but cooking a lot of protein at one time and then using it in several meals through out the week will help tremendously. If you think of your fridge like a mini chipolte, subway, or CAVA, where everyone in the family can choose their toppings for whatever meal you decide that night, everyone will be happy! Think about making rice bowls, pasta bowls, personalized pizzas, tacos, quesadillas, or salads. Everything that goes in or on this types of meals can be prepped and stored and then use later, it's just about adding the right spices or sauce for that meal!
Hope this helps. It will feel like a lot to think about at first but once you get your weekly grocery figured out, you will save time and money!

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