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.
Beta #4 172,080!!!
Re: WWD? OB in call list concern.
I lack a filter, so I would definitely bring it up. I would think that this would be something they would have known about earlier, and it should have been common courtesy to let their patients know! I would want to know more about the MD who could potentially be delivering me, if I've never seen him! GL-- FX babies make their debut during the week!
***SIGGY WARNING***
Our Story
Me- 35, mild hypothyroidism
DH- 29, low count due to a chromosomal abnormality, only option is IVF/ICSI with PGD.
Married 5/13
TTC since 8/13
IVF/ICSI #1 ER 9/14 - 14R, 6M, 6F, 5 blasts off to PGD- 1 normal female, 2 balanced males
FET 12/8 of 2 frosties - 1 male/1 female - stick babies stick!
Beta #1 10dp5dt 444! Beta #2 14dp5dt 2,340! U/S 1/5-- TWINS!!! EDD 8/26/15
"You'll never see the rainbow if you can't survive the storm"
I'm not sure it would matter...meaning even if you bring it up it may not change anything. My singleton was delivered by a doctor that I had never met, I really liked her. My OB had been on call that weekend and so there was another oncall for the week. My OB office has an OB on call for the weekend, then there is another oncall for weekdays after hours. So unless I delivered on a normal business day between normal business hours or my OB was oncall, I would've seen an oncall. I am fine with this but I know lots of ladies IRL that are not okay with that policy. With the twins, my doctor did not make it to the delivery of the first (she was delivered by a nurse) but she made it in time for the second delivery (and she brought along the doctor that delivered my first).
I don't think you should worry too much - just make sure you know what your issues are and can relay them to the nurse and doctor (for example, with my singleton I had an extra lobe on my placenta and knew that the doctor delivering most likely wouldn't know that. So when the placenta was delivered she checked it for an extra lobe before stitching me up).
Married to Lee since 9/2/2000
Momma to Hais November 2002 and Carter April 2010 (with use of fertility treatments)
Cancer Survivor
Age: 35 TTC since 2005, MFI & DOR
IVF #1 Sep '11 - canceled poor response
IVF #2 Nov '11 8R/8M/4F 3dt x2 - chemical
IVF #3 April '12 11R/6M/4F 3dt x2 - m/c
FET #1 Aug 2012 3dt x2 - BFN
**new RE**
IVF #4 Jan '13 BFN 11R/6M/6F 5dt x2 - BFN
IVF #5 July '13 16R/10M/10F 5dt x2 + 1 frostie
9dp5dt Beta 1 = 344!! 16dp5dt. Beta 2 = 4822 7wk u/s= 2 heartbeats!
Twin girls! 3/6/14
Tell the babies to wait until after the weekend. At least that's what my OB told me when I raised concerns about her going away Labor Day weekend (when I was 37 weeks).
No harm bringing it up, but if your body was signaling that labor was pending in the next 2 weeks, your OB would probably have already discussed contingency plans with you. If not, then it's most likely that you'll go into labor while your OB is around. Also, at 36 weeks, if you're not showing signs that labor is coming, don't be surprised if your OB discusses scheduling a CS.
Besides, from what I've heard, for a vag birth, the OB only shows up for the pushing, at which point, you won't care who it is. Unless the back-up OB got his/her MD from a cereal box, you'll be in good hands. You have enough to stress about, don't worry about this one.
My only concern with a OB from another practice I have never met is that I am having a vaginal birth. I know my OB's don't have a problem turning baby B if she flips after A is out. If Baby A flips it is a automatic c section, but at my last growth scan at 36 weeks both were still head down.
I am not going to sweat it. I am goung to ask some questions tomorrow, but not going to worry any longer. I will post a update after my OB appt.