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.
hcbrowne
member
*grumble* 
Re: post discharge meds
My OB prescribed 30 tablets (1 tab every 4 hours as needed) of Vicodin, which I alternated with ibuprofen. I used less than half of the prescription. I took it more at night than during the day.
My OB was off on the day that I was discharged, so a PA stopped by to see me instead. My OB did see me the other days that I was in the hospital.
I was prescribed enough percocet and ibuprophen to last a few weeks. I took them as directed,alternating the percocet and ibuprophen. I didn't finish the percocet but I did finish up the ibuprophen. The ibuprophen helps with the swelling which takes care of most of the pain.
If you are still in pain and out of medication then I would talk with your doctor.
Really? My OB prescribes 30 pills. I've never actually taken them though.......
I would talk to your OB.......
I was only given enough for about a week with no refills.
BFP #1 2-8-09 Natural M/C 6w1d 2-19-09
BFP #2 5-28-09 C/P 6-1-09
BFP #3 10-30-10 Natural M/C 12-8-10
BFP #4 1-16-12 EDD 9-18-12 Stick baby stick!!
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)
I only used OTC tylenol and naproxen (Aleve) after I left the hospital, so when you run out of prescribed meds, alternate tylenol and an anti-inflammatory like aleve or ibuprofen every four hours. Also, you can usually safely double the recommended amount on the OTC box (I do it, but you might not want to take my word for it).
ETA: of course, you could always call your doc for an Rx but I don't think prescription meds/narcotics are usually necessary.
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!
I was discharged Sat and will run out of Percocet tomorrow (30 pills taken 1or2 every 4 hours). I've tried to only take 1 at a time, but occasionally have done 2 at a time along with the prescribed ibuprofen. I'm calling to see about getting more tomorrow. This is my second CS and healing has been much more painful this time around. My incision is more painful and I'm very stiff. I don't think I even finished the Percocet I was prescribed last time.
Mom to Carter (6), and Calianne (1).
Proud VBAC, natural birth, breastfeeding, cloth diapering momma!
My doctor gave me 20 percocet. For the first few days, advil did NOTHING for the pain. I was initially worried 20 wouldn't be enough - if I wanted to remain pain free, I'd have to take a percocet every 4-6 hours, so I really only had 3-5 days worth. I asked my doctor what to do if I ran out and was still in pain, but she said "take more advil".. ugh..
So basically I've been taking 1 or 2 percocet a day because I'm paranoid about running out. I feel great on the percocet - basically can get around, change diapers, cook, clean, etc. When I'm off the percocet I'm in a fair amount of pain - enough to bring me to tears. I've been trying to get by on a combination of advil + tylenol when I'm off the percocet, and it seems to help a little to take the edge off.
The pain management issue has been annoying for me and I'm not sure if I'm going to do a RCS next time. I hate feeling like crap a lot of the time and not enjoying my time with my baby as much as I should!