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: Not eating before c/s? I don't think I can!
Personally there's nothing I could eat that would last me 10 hours... I'm on team hungry girl with you
I found out around 10am I was having a c/s at 5pm (breech). I had actually not had breakfast in my rush to get to my appointment, and had been sitting in the waiting room pondering what I was going to eat after the appointment... so sad... So yes, I was super hungry, but nerves and excitement dulled it a little for me.
And actually the latest research shows that being "NPO (nothing to eat or drink) after midnight" for most surgeries is excessive, and that 6-8 hours of fasting is sufficient, and water even up to 2 hours prior is fine. Obviously practice has not caught up to research. It's a massive CYA, as it's easier to enforce nothing after midnight that to trust patients to, you know, competently assist in the management of their own care. I'm definitely not saying ignore your doc's rules, but you can always ask about it at your next appointment.
I'm having the same issue. I guess I was spoiled and didn't know it with my first two c-sections. My surgeries were both done at 8am and I didn't really have a problem with the no food after midnight. This time I got my paperwork and it's scheduled for 3pm (and I'm hoping and praying I don't get bumped later if any emergencies happen) and it says I can't eat after midnight. WHAT??????? I am going to have a serious problem with that. On top of the fact that I am pretty sure I have GD again this time around, so it's not like I can seriously pig out right before midnight in hopes that it would tie me over until 3pm.
I was going to talk to my OB about it at my next appt. Like PP said, I'm sure it's fine if it's more like 6-8 hours, they just say midnight to CTA and don't trust some patients to be able to stick to to that.
I threw up during my unplanned c-section, so I will be listening to whatever the doctor tells me next time.
I've had 3 scheduled c-sections, and I've never had anything after midnight and I've been okay. I don't think it's a big deal though.
BUT, I'm not getting up eating at all hours of the night.........
I'm going to have my 4th c-section this week, and don't anticipate a problem. At my hospital, if it's a scheduled c-section and you've eaten, they WILL make you wait 6 hours. That's not worth it for me, so I'll just fast.
GL!
So, they make you wait six hours? Six hours is what current research is saying is reasonable. That's a big difference from 11 hours which is what the OP was told.
I would talk to your OB as this seems unreasonable for a pregnant woman. Really for any person, but especially a pregnant one.
Yes, they will make you wait 6 hours from the time you're eaten. So, let's say your c-section is scheduled for 8am, and you had something to eat at 6am. The earliest your c-section would be is 12 noon..........I, personally, would hate to be just "hanging out" at the hospital for another 4 hours.........
I don't know. I'm usually asleep at night normally, so I don't think it's a big deal to not eat during the night (after midnight).
And trust me, I'm a total "foodie" and I love food, but I can do this for one day......
I don't know. It just seems over the top. I had an unplanned c/s. I'd eaten a fairly big lunch and half a granola bar at some point after that. They gave me a side eye, but still did the c/s and it was fine.
It just really seems excessive, especially since in all likelihood you end up hanging out at the hospital anyway. I know my sister did. Hurry up and get to the hospital. Your baby is breech and your fluid is low! Oh, well, we are busy. Just hang out and get comfortable.
Yeah...it would definitely be something I'd fine tune with my OB.
During my first delivery, I went in the hospital at 3pm on a Friday. I didnt eat until Sunday afternoon since I was in labor for quite a while before my eventual c-section. After a while you stop being hungry because your body adjusts. I was also to eat popsicles and jell-o though. Maybe share your concerns with your OB and see what he says? He may say just 6 hours prior to your surgery and the 12pm rule is just a standard since most people aren't getting up in the middle of the night to eat.
bfp#4 3/19/2014 edd 12/1/2014 please let this be the one!
beta @ 5w0d = 12,026! u/s 4/22/14 @ 8w1d it's twins!
You'll be fine! We had to be there at 8 for a 10 am surgery. I had a really nice dinner with my family the night before (caprese paninis, not that it matters) and that there was so much going on it was the last thing I was thinking about. I really didn't feel like eating until that evening and I think I had like sherbert and apple juice. I thought of it as a jump start on my post partum diet -- ha!
Uh, thanks?
The reason I asked is because it seems crazy to have to wait 11 hours to eat, when I'm 39 weeks pregnant. I would be fine with 6-8 hours, that's what I was expecting.
The paperwork they gave me is a generic list of rules that just says "no food after midnight the night before surgery". I know that they schedule the first surgery of the day to arrive at 7am, and the 2nd to arrive at 9:30 am. So, the first person only has to fast for 7-8 hours before surgery, but the 2nd person has to fast for 9-10 hours? Seems absurd to me. And as every single other responder has noted, it seems like a long time to them too.
Also, I ate a few hours before my first c/s and was fine. And I asked the nurse if I could eat as soon as I got into the long-term recovery room, which was about 3 hours after surgery. I definetly didn't pass gas before then, and it wasn't "days", I was 3 hours post c/s.
I didn't have to wait until I passed gas. my c/section was at midnight and I ate my liquid meal around lunch time the next day. I was soooo ready because I had not eaten since the midnight before that! I think the nurse felt sorry for me and let me eat quicker than most are allowed.