Database out of sync with migrations

This is actually a good principle to follow.

I look at it this way - these migrations files are as much a part of your project code as your views, models, and forms files.

You wouldn’t go deleting or editing those files without consider the implications of doing that. You should treat your migration files with the same respect.

The fact that Django has created the migration files doesn’t make them any less critical to the proper operation of your system.