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.
laciegregory
member
Re: When can I start cereal in the bottle?
*BFP #1- 11/12/12, m/c 11/16/12 @ 6 weeks
*BFP #2- 1/23/13 EDD 10/4/13
*Emma Rose: 10/8/13
*BFP #3- EDD 03/9/16
March '16 December Siggy Challenge- Favorite Christmas Movie/Quote
Thanks for the opinions. I do believe my daughter slept longer because she wasn't hungry for a mid-night feeding. On the other hand the comment by 'elmoali' makes sense to me about the caloric value.
And yes, there are some up-tight mommies on here. Stop attacking each other.
DD2 8.22.13
MMC 1.4.17 at 16w
Expecting #3, EDD 1.29.18
Like I said before, people have different opinions on how to raise their children. The original post was specifically asking about cereal in bottles. Of course EVERYONE has heard NOT to do it. I don't think it was asked SHOULD it be done, it was asked WHEN. So the select few people who don't agree with it should just move on to your "why isn't my baby sleeping all night" posts, or better yet GO READ A DAMN BOOK!
Are you illiterate? I specifically said all of you who dont agree with the cereal in the bottle to "Go read a damn book!" I mean clearly that's where all of you get your information and how all of you raise your children.
Did you not just say some pedis recommend cereal in bottles?? It's not that they DONT recommend it anymore, just in particular situations. So in that case if it is SO HORRIBLE AND DEADLY (how some of you mamas react) then they wouldn't recommend it AT ALL, in any situation.
Lol. Y'all are so easy to get stirred up. Really makes my spare time (while my cereal fed baby is sleeping so peacefully) really entertaining!! Bash on bitches!
Your sole responsibility is to feed them when they beg, that's right beg, to be fed. Instead, because it was an **inconvenience** to you, you decided to put a zero calorie filler in the bottle. Your kid is not getting proper nutrition this way.
Think of the nutrients for healthy development that you are depriving your child of when you fill their stomach with rice cereal instead of more feedings that would have value. Really, unless your baby has reflux there is NO good reason to put a choking hazard in the bottle.
I usually say live & let live on feeding choices. However, this is an actual hazard for your baby. You need more education. Good luck to you & really, I hope you will listen.
LFAF Summer 2016 Awards:
1 oz- 1 hr
1 oz- 1 hr
1 oz- 1 hr
1 oz- 1 hr= 4 oz every 4 hours!! WOW! She IS getting the SAME nutritional value to every 4 hours as she would every hour!!!! Who would have thought it?!?!
@ftm201309, You are trying to come up with excuses for being a neglectful parent. I am truly appalled. It makes me so sad to think about all they ways you will most likely continue to neglect your child for the rest of it's life. Poor baby has done nothing to deserve it.
Your child should be getting more ounces of pure formula or breast milk if she's still hungry, not being filled with empty rice cereal filler. You are literally depriving her of the correct calories, fat, proteins, carbs and vitamins she needs to thrive. What part of this don't you understand? And I don't believe for one nanosecond you're an RN.
You don't have to believe me. I have the diploma, the money, and the knowledge to prove it. I don't have to explain myself to a bunch of strangers, and will continue to do what works best for me and my baby. I could really care less about all of your opinions and find them quite entertaining.
Anywho, I'm about to go sleep my peaceful 8-12 hours while my neglected, cereal fed baby sleeps. Feel free to bash on throughout the night. I look forward to reading all the comments in the morning while I sip my coffee after a full nights sleep!
You are a disgusting and vile person. I wish I could cuddle that baby and give it the love it deserves.
Please dear god, please be mud.
And the probiotics fixed that problem. Actually haven't had to use gas drops in weeks now. Thanks for your concern though
i bet you could tell me what its like to be so inconvenienced by your baby, that you would give her something she isnt supposed to have just so you dont have to deal with her.
Now tgat being said my grandma gave her 4 kids cereal starting at a month. My mom gave her 4 kids cereal... I think it's a more old school practice.
Not my thing though.
You are an embarrassment to first time mothers like myself. It's ignorance like yours that makes us look bad and uneducated.
My daughter is almost 12 weeks old and started sleeping through the night around 10 weeks. Want to know my secret? She started it on her own, when she was ready. Want to know what we did before that? We got up with her every time and would have gladly continued doing so had she not started STTN. Honestly, I miss those middle of the night feedings where her and I got some extra special bonding time.
I could never, ever imagine trying to fill her with something just so I could get more sleep. Would more sleep be nice? Of course. But I knew that when we had a baby, sleep was a sacrifice we would be making.
And you might be doing what works best for you - but you are doing a great disservice to your child by underfeeding her. I wonder what your pedi thinks.
I don't really care what my pedi thinks. Also, if you had been a good stalker you would have seen that at 2 weeks old( had not started cereal then) she stayed constipated, which causes gas and tummy issues. So actually the cereal WAS NOT the problem. You should really get your shit straight before you come up with your ignorant assumptions. Thanks
Oh. How precious!!!! I LOVE toy story! Maybe I'll get the chance to be one of you lovely ladies nurse one day
Sweetie, I'm not angry at all!!!!! I'm amused