Simple Farmhouse Life, Ep. 319: “What I Don’t Stress About Anymore as a Mom of Nine + More Q&A”

Host: Lisa Bass
Release Date: December 9, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Lisa Bass—author, homesteader, and now mother of nine—answers listener questions about motherhood, natural living, and family routines. Drawing on nearly two decades of parenting experience, she shares her evolved approach to managing anxiety about toxins, her confidence with baby routines, and practical strategies for sleep and bedtime in a large family. With candor and humor, Lisa offers insights meant to encourage moms to worry less, enjoy more, and trust themselves as parents.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. House Update and Interior Design Plans

(02:14-08:11)

• Current Build Progress: After a slight pause due to window delays, work on the family’s new “old house” is moving forward with insulation and drywall.
• Interior Design: Lisa discusses the anticipation and challenge of waiting to select interior details and colors. She plans to consult friend Ann (@storied_interiors) to help achieve the “relaxed country/collected” style she admires.
• Advice for Home Builders: Avoid stressing about finishes (paint, faucets) too early—focus instead on foundational decisions first.

2. Motherhood Anxiety: Letting Go of Worry About Toxins

(08:12-16:53)

• Listener Question: A mom struggling with anxieties around toxins (lead, PFAS, EMF, tick bites, etc.) wonders how Lisa keeps perspective.
• Lisa’s Take:
  • Early in her motherhood journey (pre-smartphones/internet), she relied on books and advice from local, real-life mothers.
  • Many modern worries were simply unknown then: “When I was a young mom, we didn’t have...I didn’t know about PFAS, tick bites… I didn’t even feel like I worried about that until many years later, probably because we heard so much about it online.” (13:32)
  • She’s found that practical living—and a little “survivor bias”—ultimately trumps excessive worry: “I think ultimately you do the best that you can. And worrying doesn’t add… what does it say in the Bible, a cubit to your stature or a minute to your life…?” (12:34)
  • For things that can’t be controlled (tick bites, exposures out of the home), she uses the 80/20 rule: strive to eat and live well most of the time, but don’t let occasional exposure steal joy or cause guilt.
  • Encourages seeking wisdom humbly from older moms—realizing that many online anxieties may not matter much in the long run: “A lot of it just probably will make almost no difference.” (15:11)
  • She controls what she can at home (cooking from scratch, unscented products), but lets go of the rest.

3. Woven Baby Wraps & Tongue/Lip Ties

(19:58-33:46)

• Using Woven Wraps:

  • Lisa uses the “front wrap cross carry” for nearly all her babies, favoring wovens over stretchy wraps because of their adjustability and support.
  • Practical reasons for babywearing: “Babies don’t like to be put down...I think most people, it’s a struggle to get, you know, cooking done, laundry done, playing with the other kids, getting other kids dressed... The wrap takes care of all of that.” (22:13)
  • Notes that older siblings also help hold the baby, but the wrap is indispensable for household management.
  • Recommends new parents not to be discouraged if it feels awkward at first, and assures that wraps soften with washing and practice.

• Tongue & Lip Ties:

  • Four out of nine children had ties; she followed her midwives’ recommendations for simple in-home snipping after a difficult laser/stretching experience with the first.
  • Stresses that issues like tongue tie aren’t always the mother’s “fault”—resist blaming yourself for everything.
  • Breastfeeding was painful for the first two weeks for most kids, resolving after that regardless of tie. “Tongue tie or not, the first two weeks is very painful and then after that it’s no big deal. So that’s been my experience.” (33:39)

4. Newborns: Sleep, Wake Windows, and Co-sleeping

(36:03-44:00)

• Intuitive Parenting Over Rigid Schedules:

  • Lisa pays no attention to wake windows, doesn’t track feedings, and never wakes a baby to nurse after the newborn phase unless advised medically.
  • “I don’t pay any attention to wake windows. I never wake a baby to nurse… Just put them in the wrap when they’re tired. If they’re fussy, just nurse.” (36:21)
  • New parents should not stress about “messing up” their baby’s sleep for life—Lisa’s confidence has grown with each child.

• Co-sleeping:

  • Not recommended officially, but Lisa is comfortable with it and finds newborn life is “easy, truly” when she co-sleeps and babywears.
  • Transition to crib/bassinet starts between 6–9 months, depending on the baby’s temperament and sleep cues.
  • When sleep training around one year, Lisa underscores the importance of consistency: “If you do it one or two nights, it’s done… if you go back and forth, it makes it even harder.” (44:00)
  • Older children are not traumatized by sleep training, in her experience: “They seem very emotionally regulated… confident, happy and connected.” (44:32)

5. On Buying Non-Organic Foods

(46:47)

• Lisa aims for organic but isn’t above buying non-organic in a pinch—for produce, she chooses local or Azure Standard when possible but will use Walmart if needed. She doesn’t stress about foods like Haagen-Dazs ice cream even though they aren’t organic.

6. Efficient Bedtime Routine for Multiple Littles

(47:18-54:11)

• Routine:
  • Bedtime is managed in groups; the oldest four are mostly independent, while younger four (8, 6, 4, 2) have a routine involving stories and help from both parents.
  • She refuses to spend hours on bedtime or lie with each child until asleep: “I’m not willing for bedtime routine to take hours. I don’t think it’s necessary.” (52:27)
  • Children are expected to stay in their beds after the routine; Lisa believes learning to self-soothe is good for both parent and child.
  • Reassurance for moms feeling pressured by modern expectations: “I think moms these days feel really guilty about that… I don’t think that was a thing back in the day.” (54:11)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Worrying doesn’t add… a cubit to your stature or a minute to your life.” (12:34)
• “There’s just so much to worry about these days and a lot of it just probably will make almost no difference.” (15:11)
• “If you have any older mothers around you… ask if they had any advice… you’ll find that there’s just so much to worry about these days and a lot of it just probably will make almost no difference.” (14:39)
• “Babies don’t like to be put down… I think that’s why babies demand to be held. It’s because they need it.” (22:13)
• “If you do it one or two nights, it’s done. They sleep through the night after that. Whereas if you go back and forth, it makes it even harder… it causes more crying, more stress.” (44:00)
• “You don’t have to blame yourself for literally everything… If they’re a toddler, that’s just normal.” (29:31)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:14 – House update & design plans
• 08:11 – Q&A introduction, cultural shift in motherhood anxieties
• 10:04 – Perspective on toxins/anxiety as an experienced mom
• 19:58 – Babywraps: woven vs. stretchy, practical usage, tutorial tips
• 26:46 – Lip/tongue ties: experiences, guilt culture, advice
• 36:03 – Newborn rhythms: co-sleeping, wake windows, sleep intuition
• 44:00 – Lisa’s sleep training philosophy
• 46:47 – Organic vs. non-organic foods: realistic approach
• 47:18 – Bedtime for multiples: routine, expectations, and boundaries

Tone & Takeaways

Lisa’s advice is gentle, practical, and rooted in lived experience, with reassurance for moms tempted to worry about every detail. She balances a commitment to natural living and healthy routines with a realistic, non-perfectionistic approach—always advocating for less anxiety, more trust in maternal intuition, and the importance of enjoying family life.

Useful for:

• Moms overwhelmed by conflicting parenting advice or toxin panic
• Parents seeking gentle but structured home routines for sleep and bedtime
• Anyone interested in practical home management strategies for large families
• Those curious about transitioning from rigid parenting practices to more confident, intuitive approaches