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.
Meggypoo821
member
Re: After C-section questions
I alternated between heavy and light bleeding for about 5 weeks. Then I had light bleeding/spotting for another week. I primarily breastfeed and AF hasn't shown up yet.
The nurse had told me that my steri-strips would come off in the shower, but she also said that if they didn't that I could remove them. I removed them around 2 weeks PP. The removal didn't hurt at all, but it took a while for the residue to go away.
With my first, I bled for a solid 6 weeks. I had staples for that one, so I can't say about the strips.
This time around I have the strips, so we shall see what happens.
Married October 16th, 2010
TTC #1 since October 2010
1st BFP 1-12-11
MC'd 1-22-11
2nd BFP 2-15-11
Our Wee One....**KENNEDY JO** born 10/3/11@ 36weeks via Csection
My BFP Chart
Labor Buddy to **MRS.ATCH** Welcome Quinn 11-5-11**
I had a c-section almost 2 weeks ago and I am still bleeding. Some days it's heavier than others. Even throughout the day I go from barely anything to heavier. I assume it's all normal.
I still have the steri strips on. I, too, was told they'd fall off around 2 weeks. Most of them are peeling off at the bottom, but not at the top. With my first I think they started falling off after 2.5 weeks. I agree with pp, that the residue stays on a lot longer.
Just let the steri strips come off on their own, unless your Dr tells you you can pull them off. I'm sure they will come off soon.
My doc did a great job of ''cleaning me up'' before closing me up so the heaviest bleeding was done before I left the hospital but I still bled lightly (almost enough to downgrade to panti-liner) for about a month.
I was glued together, and I was to remove the bandage within a day to two.
I don't remember exactly, but with both of mine I bled for over a month (I think both were closer to the 6 week mark). There's no "should" as far as how long it lasts - it's just whenever your body finishes those internal repairs.
GSx1 - 05/13/2013
GSx2 for T&B - EDD 6/21/2015 - They're having a GIRL!
You can bleed for up to 6 weeks.
I've had 4 c-sections, so the steri-strips have come off at different times. This time the OB pulled them off at my 2 week PP visit.
I bled for about 2 weeks after. Some days it was heavy and some days it was like nothing.
I don't remember having any tape over my stitches. They gave me some pads to put over them until I felt comfortable without them.
As for the strips, they put them on me after they took out my staples, and told me to soak them in a bath to help them come off. I think they stayed on for a really long time, too. I'd call the nurse's line or wait until the next time you go in.
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)
I bleed for 9 weeks. Just when I thought it was done it started again...sucked!!
As for the strips I pulled my off after about 2 weeks.
DS born via unplanned C-section at 40w6d
I bled very lightly for a couple weeks. Then it stopped, then it came back for another week, so I thought it might be my period returning. But then it kept starting and stopping until week 6. At that time, I had my 6 week checkup, and I went back on birth control, which cleared it up right away (not that I'm advocating to go back on the pill, since it can mess up your milk supply if you are nursing/pumping).
As for the tape... I think I left mine on for a few weeks... the ones on the edge of my incision started to peel away, so I removed those, then waited a few more days until I was tired of having the rest on, so I pulled them off. I think if your scar is healing well and not inflamed, they don't need to be there anymore (but I'm not a doctor!)