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.
Re: caster oil....please help
I've heard some nasty things about using castor oil, for the record. However, I've heard mixing it in orange juice is a possibility.
Thought about trying acupuncture? I'd personally try that route before I went to the castor oil. A lot can happen in 7 days!!!! (hugs)
thanks papagena
Im getting my a$$ handed to me on 3rd tri
Joy of joys. How different the rules are for some VBACers...
I was in the same situation you are in now. My Dr. told me to try this as a last resort or a RCS would be best.
I drank it not once, but twice (2 nights in a row). The first time it didn't do anything, the second time I drank it mixed with Lemonade and lots of ice. It's disgusting so I would pinch my nose to get it down w/out gagging. It did work as it was supposed to but never put me into labor.
Good luck, and I hope it works for you.
Yikes! Just looked over on the 3rd tri board... not pretty. I did a quick google search and found this:
https://www.birthingnaturally.net/cn/technique/castor.html
there is a recipe for a float (sounds yummy) -
2oz. of oil with a cup of ice cream and 8oz. of coke... kind of like a root beer float
Good luck on everything. I hope that you get a vbac
thanks for the kind responses here! I guess those on the 3rd tri are in attack mode today.
*here's hoping and praying!*
TTC #1 Cycle 14 - IUI#1=BFN, IUI#2=BFP | TTC #2 Cycle 8=BFP!!
Oh man that post pissed me off. All those chicks flaming you who clearly don't know sh!t about VBAC or the restrictions that most doctors place on VBAC mothers.
grrrrrr
Trevor Calvin 12.10.07 7:26pm 7lbs2.5oz 19.75in
Emerson Claire 07.07.11 11:34am 7lbs7oz 20.5 in
I hope it works for you. I have never tried it, but sometimes wish I had.
The post was mean, but not worth getting into the middle of. Most of the women on these boards are first time moms and won't really know how they feel about everything until they actually go through it. Some of them will love their c/s and some of them will be joining us over here in another year or so, asking for advice on castor oil.
They are also not understanding that you have TWO two year olds and a 4year old and are adding a third. A surgery is not ideal for you.
Good Luck! Please keep us posted.
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)
Butting in from another board, but I did take castor oil to induce my labor with DS.
Personally I would only take it as a last resort. If I had to do it again, I would choose a pit induced labor because my experience was horrible. As a VBAC I understand that a pit induction is often not an option.
I had terrible diarrhea, intestinal cramps, contractions that were right on top of each other (so frequent that the lady at the check in though I might deliver right in front of her) and vomiting. My DS also passed meconium.
Some words of advice. Take the castor oil in the morning, do not take it at night. If it works you will likely be up all night on the toilet. Have pedialyte on hand, drink this instead of water, the diarrhea will mess up your electrolytes and your body may not be able to properly absorb the water that you drink. Dehydration can make labor much more painful (and can stress the baby causing meconium), pedialyte should help to prevent this.
Also, castor oil only works if your body is ready to go into labor. If it is not you will likely get some (maybe all) of the nasty side effects, but no labor.
Thomas ~ 07/07/2008 ~ 8 lbs, 5 oz
What's in my camera bag: Nikon D5000, Kit Lens 18-55mm, 55-200mm, 35mm 1.8G, 50mm 1.8G, 85mm 1.8G, Tamron 28-75mm, SB 600 Speedlight
Global Developmental Delay consisting of a receptive language delay and self help skills delay