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.
SJS622
member
Re: How soon will you wait for your next baby?
I think the general recommendation is 18 months because that's how long it takes your body to heal and go back to normal, vaginal or c-section.
My MIL got pregnant with BIL after DH after less than a year and she said while she is glad that they're close in age and she got all her pregnancies done with that recovering from the 2nd pregnancy after such a short time was really hard. Basically like recovering from 2.
Personally, DH and I have decided to wait til DD is around 2 to start trying again. We want them to be close but I could definitely not go through another pregnancy and child in only 6 months. I commend you for that!
Exactly what's bolded.
I'm planning to wait 2-3 years before TTC again but that's because I'm planning to go back to school. In normal circumstances I probably would have waited 2 years max.
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!
Peanut Butter and Jelly!
<a href="http://s568.photobucket.com/albums/ss122/AliceNP/?action=view
I was always advised a year before trying again. Though in most cases, earlier will be fine, it is the times when you have a uterine rupture (rare), etc. that may be linked to having a pregnancy too quickly. The uterus just needs time to heal the incision-
We are waiting until DS is two to TTC again. Not because of my previous C/S by any means- just because that is how we want our children spaced.
My Ovulation Chart
We're done. :-) My first two are 4y2m apart. DD2 will be 2y8m when baby is born.
I had planned to have all my kids 2 years apart, but that didn't work out for various reasons. I loved the 4 year age gap and actually wish DD2 was a bit older when I got pg again.
Charlotte Ella 07.16.10
Emmeline Grace 03.27.13
My first 3 are all 1.5 years apart (18 months and 19 months). I was not told that I had to wait at all. At my 6 week PP visit, my OB told me that if I was ready, I could get PG again whenever I wanted.
Now, that being said, after c-section #3 (my 3rd c-section in 3 years), she did tell me if I wanted a 4th to wait 1 year before trying.........but that's because she wanted to give my body time to heal after 3 c-sections.
Same, DS will be 2yr4mo when we TTC again
My Ob cleared me to ttc whenever I felt ready at my 6 week PP checkup. He said the majority of the healing was done at that point. He did let me know that there was a higher risk of uterine rupture but that was a rare complication regardless. My second pregnancy was easier than my first. My second c-section recovery was more difficult but that was due to complications afterwards which were completely unrelated to closely spaced pregnancies/births.
I'm sure this varies based on your age/overall health/how your delivery went so I would go with your Ob recommends. I would call back your ob and ask for further clarification on that recommendation--it might be his coined response to everyone or it may be for some reason you're not aware of that he thinks you should wait.
Warning: Not a happy story
My OB says wait for at least 6 months after your c-section to start trying again. You also need to make sure that you really rest and recover, if you plan on starting quickly.
My son was born in July 2011. I got pregnant again when he was 10 months old with my daughter. We didn't see any signs of complication during the pregnancy, but I went into pre-term labor in early December. They were able to slow it, but I ended up giving birth to my daughter via a 2nd c-section at 35 weeks 6 days. My uterus was in the process of rupturing at the incision point when they opened me up. My daughter only lived for 3 days; she died due to complications from being born pre-term. I really wish I had rested more or done anything that could have caused less stress on the incision point. It was the labor that caused it to thin out, I know, but I still feel like if I had rested more or waited longer we may not have lost her.
This time when they closed me, they double sutchered my uterus, which will make the scar line stronger and thicker. My doctor still thinks that we only need to wait 6 months before trying again, but I will be resting and avoiding anything that could strain the scar-line if I do get pregnant again.
DS1 - 7/2011, DD 12/2012, DS2 - 4/2014, MMC - 12/2015