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.
Baby-Boo
member
Re: Adding rice cereal
https://kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/solids-sleep/
https://kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/delay-solids/
At the end of this page are some soothing techniques instead of offering more in bottle -
https://kellymom.com/parenting/parenting-faq/fussy-evening/
That being said, nope, wouldn't do it. The AAP specifically says to never put anything in a bottle besides BM or formula. Unfortunately your MIL is working with very outdated information.
Also, 6-7 oz is a ton of BM to be supplying for each feeding. Most BF babies will never take more than 4-5 oz at a time. The composition of BM changes as baby gets older so the amount of oz should not change. Here is an excerpt from kellymom about cereal in bottles:
A little more about feeding baby cereal from a bottle…
Doctors and other experts recommend that you never give baby cereal in a bottle unless recommended by baby’s doctor for a specific medical condition. Here are some of their reasons:
It is a choking hazard.
The cereal takes away from the amount of milk in the bottle (adds carbohydrates and dilutes the nutrient density), and baby may not get adequate milk volume for proper growth and development.
Baby is being given a higher concentration of calories without being able to regulate her own intake. This can lead to weight problems in the future.
Try to soothe other ways first. My LO is almost 12 months and when he took bottles he topped out at 4 oz. DC said he was still hungry, but I made sure they were using paced feedings, we had slowest nipple and they were not going to feed him any time his hands went to his mouth and he cried. It worked out great.
BM changes as baby gets older. The calorie intake increases so the amount of oz will not. Here are some good links.
https://breastfeedingusa.org/content/article/breast-versus-bottle-how-much-milk-should-baby-take
https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/
**DD1 - 7/9/98**
**DS - 11/9/00**
**DD2 - 4/30/13**
My LO is turning one tomorrow, and still wakes up 2-4(bad night) times a night. He nurses 6 ish times during the day, eats three meals and a snack before bed. Doesn't matter what is in his belly. He's just not ready yet.
Yes, it sucks. But this too shall pass.
I agree with others about no cereal in bottles. But just wanted to let you know that my LO drank only breastmilk (both nursing and pumped) and around 5 months she went to 5oz, and then 6 months she went to 6oz in her bottles. So it is possible for babies to be on the far ends of the "normal range" for amount of BM to take at a time.
I had an oversupply issue, so I think LO just got used to big servings. She was always fed on demand, so never forced to finish bottles etc., and I think she turned out fine.
Also, 4months is a classic time for sleeping problems and maybe LO is also going through a growthspurt where they would clusterfeed if you were nursing-- so I agree with other suggestions to also offer smaller bottles more frequently for a few days in case it is a growth spurt.
diagnosed with unexplained infertility, regular cycles
Baby #1: ttc naturally for 3 years, 6 yr old daughter
Baby #2: ttc naturally for 2 years, 2 yr old son
Baby #3: ttc naturally since August 2016