Hello, let me introduce myself first..
For the first 30 years of my life, everything was smooth and worry-free. I was my parents’ most beloved child, found my true love in college, and happily married him after graduation.
At work, I was my boss’s most valued employee. Whenever I was in charge of a project, colleagues would inevitably say, “Oh, then I’m totally at ease.” I was constantly named “Employee of the Year,” with generous bonuses every year.
Later, I started my own business. Within just three months, I had broken into the market and started making money. By the fifth month, I was earning twice my previous salary. Growth was steady month after month. Right when the business needed more hands, I serendipitously met an amazing partner, and the company reached a whole new level.
Really, it seemed like at every step, whatever I needed, a pair of hands would always place it right in front of me, just in time.
My Two Girls: Ellie & Mia
Meet Ellie, My Firstborn
In 2020, my husband and I decided to have a child. After trying for over a year, we finally got the news in 2021 that a little one was on the way. In 2022, we welcomed our first child, Ellie. She made me a mother.
She is utterly adorable—big eyes, rosy skin, chubby little hands. Every time I look at her, I can’t help but give her a kiss. She is pure joy, and I love her more each day.
But as a first-time mom, I faced unprecedented difficulties. The postpartum tearing wouldn’t heal, and the pain was excruciating. Clogged milk ducts made my breasts hard as rocks. The severe sleep deprivation… And what was even more crushing was that, with zero parenting experience, I was clueless when faced with her unexplained wailing, night terrors, refusal to nurse, constipation, diarrhea, fevers… I desperately searched online, longing for one accurate, truly useful answer!
It was during this time that I thought, once I make it through this “dark” path, I must leave a light on for other new moms.
And Then Came Mia
Ellie had just turned one when I got pregnant again. In 2024, we welcomed our second daughter, Mia.
Completely different from Ellie, Mia is a great eater and sleeper. Although she had her fussy moments in the first two months, starting almost from month three, she became super easygoing. She feeds on schedule, gradually sleeps through the night, loves her solid foods, and adapted quickly when I had to stop breastfeeding due to mastitis.
This made me realize just how vastly different babies can be! It made me even more determined to write about my experiences.
Why I Had to Start This Blog
The Catalyst: A Life Pivoted
After Mia was born, my business also began to decline sharply. I had no choice but to close it and become a full-time mom. My work no longer involves Excel and Word, but instead revolves around changing diapers, washing bottles, making baby food, and managing household chores…
This has been a monumental challenge for me. All my past achievements seem irrelevant now. Managing two young children has brought me a sense of frustration I’ve never known before.
The Daily Reality
They are always fighting over things. When one is in my arms, the other immediately demands to be held too. When I try to cook, Ellie wants me to read her a book. When I attempt to load the washing machine, Mia has a diaper blowout, and I must drop everything to change her…
By the time I finish all that, I see the cup of hot coffee on the table has gone cold again. And it’s not until evening that I remember, “Oh my goodness, the clothes are still in the hamper, unwashed!”
Of course, being a mom is filled with happiness, but that doesn’t negate how hard it is.
My Promise to You
Because I’ve walked this path myself, I won’t just tell you how joyful motherhood is, like many websites do. I want to share my real, unfiltered experiences so every new mom can find a “companion” here.
I want to tell you: you are not alone. What you’re going through, I’ve been there too. Your breakdowns, your helplessness, your moments of losing control—I’ve had them all. You don’t need to feel guilty. This is just a small, necessary stretch of the journey for every mom.
My Hope for This Space
I really want to share my parenting experiences—not just the warm, glowing moments, but to honestly document the pitfalls I’ve stumbled into, the tears I’ve shed, and the “survival wisdom” I’ve scraped together in utter exhaustion.
The Goal: A Mom’s Toolkit
I hope this blog becomes a “mom’s toolkit,” filled not with vague theories, but with:
- Practical Tips: Like how to quickly figure out why a baby is crying, tried-and-true methods for dealing with clogged ducts, or how to efficiently manage the daily grind with twins (or two under two) solo.
- Pitfall Avoidance Guides: Sharing the baby products I regret buying the most, and those “game-changer” parenting hacks. Letting you know which parenting anxieties you can let go of, and which principles are worth holding onto.
- A Community for Moms: I hope my stories connect me with more moms like you. We can cheer each other on in the comments, share our own tricks, turning the storms we face alone into a journey we walk together.
The Bigger Vision
My previous career taught me to analyze data, solve problems, and optimize processes. Now, I’m applying all those skills to this new “position” of Mom. I want to prove that a mom’s value is absolutely not confined to the home. The mindset, resilience, and creativity we built in our careers can shine just as brightly—perhaps even brighter—in this more complex, long-term “project” of raising humans, and can even be transformed into a force that helps others.
My hope is simple: that every mom who opens this blog can let out a sigh of relief and say, “So it’s not just me.” Then, she can find a bit of practical info, a dose of comforting solidarity, and return to her sweet, chaotic mom-life with a little more confidence and a little less weight on her shoulders.
This road? Let’s walk it together.
ESTH2000
member
Re: How does your toddler poop? not joking...
LO #1 - 1 unmedicated/self-monitored IUI w/ donor sperm.
LO #2 - 1 m/c, 2 BFNs, 4th IUI worked (unmedicated/self-monitored with new donor sperm).
Life is beautiful!
K has been very regular since birth, going multiple times a day. I've seen her poop sitting down and standing up. She doesn't seem to care.
I'm sorry she's having constipation issues, poor thing.
guess I can throw that theory out the window...ugh
things are getting better but still have to use miralax and I want so desperately not to rely on it...
thanks ladies!
Lately she's been pooping at nap time in her crib, so I haven't been able to actually see her go. But before, I could tell she was pooping because she'd 1) freeze and get this far off look in her eyes... like she was concentrating, and 2) she bend forward slightly at the waist while standing.
Other times, she just poops sitting in our laps while reading a book or something. Now warning on those because we're not really looking at her, kwim?
We've been successful on the potty only a couple times. No tricks, just timing. I'm trying every day before nap but it's not happening. I'm going to try an earlier nap today and see if we can catch potty time after nap.
We do make sounds... I'll say, "how do you go potty?" and then do the gross sound like I'm holding my breath and bearing down, "eeeeee!" She thinks it's funny and will repeat it. I was trying to get her to associate that feeling of bearing down with going potty... but I'm not sure if it's caught on.
she does the same thing too and we also do the sounds ..she repeats but basically thinks its funny...
at one time she would bend forward holding on to the portable potty or I would squat down holding on to the potty ..she would do the same and would go but suddenly she stop doing that and just cries if I try to show her to squat..its like she is scared
Total score: 6 pregnancies, 5 losses, 2 amazing blessings that I'm thankful for every single day.
I have a niece with constipation issues (she is 9) and she has had these problems since she was a young baby. She has a fear of going potty now and is seeing several specialists. She has been in and out of the hospital for this.
I think if your daughter is having large bowel movements, it more than likely hurts her to go and she probably doesn't want to. Do not stop the miralax until she gets over that fear.
Penny squats to go...Reed just does it when/however he wants.
Neither of my kids have constipation issues but just from my experiences with my niece...it is awful.
It is going to be a trial and error thing for you...but her doctors have given us some good advice. The bowel is most active 20 minutes after eating so that is a good time to go sit on the toilet or on the potty. Some kids respond really well to a reward system...if she does, then reward her for even sitting.
I am not saying that she should be potty trained by now (Reed is no where near trained) but just thinking ahead to when you do train. If she has constipation issues, it can be tough.
We have the stand alone potty and stool for the actual potty. She used to be good at sitting on the stand alone but now wants nothing to do with it. She will sit at the real potty but usually nothing happens....
Looks like the position may not have anything to do with it but for her it certainly does help get things moving..thanks!
Standing up-- he has constipation issues though too.
So far he's afraid of his potty. Whenever I asked him if he wants to sit on it he says "NO!"
He's obsessed with flushing the real toilet, though.
thanks! I may try just putting her on the potty 20 min after eating...this kid does not fall for any reward system..booooo...