About

Hi, I'm Reid.

I'm a working mom of two (Forest and Cove), married to Ron, and I built this site because the volume of advice out there is insane.

Some of it is brilliant. Some of it is loud. A lot of it is just people repeating things they heard on the internet - confidently, and often incorrectly.

I wanted one cohesive place to capture everything we learned, found helpful, or wish we'd known sooner. What started as a small project turned into a full-blown outlet for my OCD (hah). I'll continue to add to it as I think of things.

What you should know about me:

  • I'm not a medical professional. I'm a mom who did a lot of research and kept good notes.
  • I'm neurotic about organization. Hence the lists. Hence this site.
  • I value data over panic. Emily Oster is my north star for cutting through noise.
  • I care about aesthetics. "Least offensive looking" is a real selection criterion for me.
  • I change my mind. I had "no epidural" energy. Then I had an epidural and recommend it. We also changed our minds about formula and pacifiers.
  • I'm worthless on no sleep. So I took the sleep category very personally.

My philosophy

Trust your instincts.

You know your baby better than the internet does. The research can inform your decisions, but it can't make them for you.

Be kind to yourself.

This is one of the most humbling experiences there is. You're learning a new job with no training, no sleep, and a body that's been through a major physical event. The bar is lower than you think.

Be kind to other parents.

Everyone is doing their best with the information they have and the resources they've got. Different choices aren't wrong choices.

Data over panic.

Make decisions based on clinical studies, not rumors or headlines. Sign up for Emily Oster's Parent Data. It will save your sanity.

Humans evolve.

I'll tell you when I change my mind. That's not weakness - that's learning. If your identity depends on never changing your mind, parenting will humble you quickly.

What this site is

  • A personal resource that I'm sharing publicly
  • The competent friend with taste and receipts
  • One family's experience, documented honestly
  • Research-backed where possible, opinion-based where not
  • Updated when we learn something new

What this site is not

  • Medical advice
  • A performative lifestyle feed
  • A fear-mongering safety blog
  • A one-true-way parenting cult
  • Gospel

How this started

The journey into pregnancy, parenthood, and motherhood is a wild one. Ron and I have been - and continue to be - so lucky to have received an incredible amount of support in the form of advice, tips, tricks, and thoughtful recommendations. We've also learned a ton through trial and error.

There's so much information to sort through at every stage, and I found myself wanting to create one cohesive place to capture everything. It started as a Google Doc for friends. Then it became a PDF. Now it's this.

Becoming a parent has been the most rewarding - and most challenging - thing I've ever done. I hope this resource helps take a bit of the guesswork out of it for you, and maybe even helps you enjoy the experience just a little more.

Get in touch

Have a question? Found something that doesn't work anymore? Have a resource you think should be included?

Email me at: hello@reidsbabybreakdown.com

A note on recommendations

I only include things I've actually used and believe in. I don't accept paid placements or sponsored content. If something has an affiliate link, it's disclosed - but the recommendation came first, the affiliate relationship came after.

If this resource takes even 5% of the guesswork off your plate, I'll call it a win.

Love, Reid