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.
Re: New Moms - Weekly June 13-20 Updates, Issues, Accomplishments
I really think that he has a good latch going on. I hope I'm not wrong! He has started pulling off suddenly and that hurts like crazy! I think it's too early to introduce the concept of "NO" lol.
Breastmilk is sweet and tastes better to babies than formula. He will go back to breastmilk.
Cracked nipples: I've got them. it's getting worse, too, so I'm looking up LLL meetings. Lansinoh is helping. I was using just breast milk and coconut oil but the Lansinoh plus breast milk seems to work faster. Letdown is super painful but after that, it goes ok. I will detach and relatch him 4-5 times if needed. Fortunately I have a patient (but voracious) baby.
Would love to stay updated on the cracked nipple journeys you are all facing. It's tolerable but not comfortable, so am loving your tips!
Ugh.
I think my spit up issues are kind of resolving. You ladies gave some good tips! I also noticed a difference with what I eat. Seems like I'll have to cut back on dairy and chocolate
Anyway I wanted to share a few things for the breastfeeding moms out there.
I found a recipe for lactation cookies that work! I noticed an increase in my pumping output after I nursed the LO!
Here's a link in case anyone's interested and likes peanut butter or oatmeal cookies
https://www.handandtheheart.com/2013/10/peanut-butter-oatmeal-lactation-cookies.html?m=1
I think the key ingredients are rolled oats and Brewers yeast. So if I ever have oatmeal in the morning I'll add a couple of teaspoons of brewers yeast to it.
Also, remember all that talk about red raspberry leaf tea? Well if you have any leftover keep drinking it! The tea helps with lactation!
https://www.livestrong.com/article/381906-red-raspberry-leaves-during-pregnancy-and-while-breastfeeding/#page=2
And for breastfeeding troubleshooting I found a great app called Breastfeeding Solutions. It's an interactive guide and created by a lactation consultant.
Hope this helps! I remember how hard it was when I first started so I just wanted to share some info in case anyone needs it.
Bedtime routine is, as expected, not really sinking in, but we're sticking to it just for our own peace of mind. She only lasts about 20 minutes before she wants to be up again, but after it's "bedtime" we keep her in the dark and quiet even if we're up with her. She may not really know the difference yet, but it'll sink in eventually!
Here is the link:https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007TIM8A6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1434359130&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX200_QL40&keywords=boobease&dpPl=1&dpID=414bo-f6zrL&ref=plSrch
I've had no cracks since doing the breast milk and sliding his bottom lip out while he's sucking. I didn't notice but when he latches he sucks it in and now even latching doesn't hurt. Thank goodness!
I love hearing everyone's BF stories. It helps a lot knowing I'm not alone on this journey (DH tries but he doesn't have blobs).
This! I have only pumped/supplemented for the last 36 hours. It's hurts too much to let him latch and stay latched. LC says he was latching great, but it hurt THE WHOLE TIME. But, pumping and feeding is already becoming exhausting and I can't see this lasting long. I hate that I'm feeling guilty about it; I never even attempted to bf my first two and never felt an ounce of guilt about that but now that I've tried it I feel like a big disappointment not working out.
@devyns2nd Thanks, I will check the lower lip - his upper lip is out.
This is so hard!!! It's starting to get me down. My nipples just constantly tingle and hurt.
I have a nearly constant tingle too. But it doesn't hurt when he latched after the first minute or so. Until he keeps the suction and pulls off. Anyone know how to break that habit? It's mainly when he is going to poot so I try to anticipate it but don't always.
I'm seriously beginning to get concerned about my milk production. I nurse on demand but I can't help but question if babe is getting enough. I pumped after I nursed today and got 1oz from left boob and less an half from right. I'm almost a month pp, babe is still small (came early). Advice?
@LaurenAnn0405 I can't speak for bottle back to breast but I can say that my LO has no preference when it comes to breast milk or formula - as far as I can tell! I exclusively pump and if my supply runs out we will supplement with formula. He doesn't seem to mind.
hoodoll82 - I need to listen to your advice and just make the call already. I feel like I'm torturing myself.
Does anyone remember which store garanimals comes from ? Walmart right?
:-\"
It's normal to get 1/2 to 2oz per pump session after nursing. You're not always going to pump exactly what your LO is getting. It's like getting the leftovers.
Here's a couple links to check out. Hope it eases your mind a bit.
https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/pumping_decrease/
This link here has a milk calculator. It gives an estimate of how much milk the LO needs during the day.
https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/
Relatedly, has anyone else had a clogged tear duct in their LO? Apparently it's common and not a big deal but looks awful and that's what we have going on right now. I feel like the worst mom even though it suddenly appeared and we are going to the doc first thing tomorrow.