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.
adiaz132003
member
Re: Baby Sleep Questions
He's been out of the swaddle for a long time since he prefers to have his arms free and the startle reflex doesn't wake him up (we noticed that since Day 1). I use sleepsacks during naptime and at night. You could try that and keep his arms in it rather than putting them through the arm holes? They tend to be loose enough to not bother the breathing for reflux so I'd think keeping the arms in might work. I imagine there are sleepsacks out there that don't have arm holes but I haven't checked.
They say to stop swaddling once they start rolling over for safety reasons.
anyone one have any experience with the zippity zip? I saw it on shark tank and am interested.
May be a good solution for Preston @adiaz132003 since it's not tight on the chest- can't vouch for it personally but looks interesting!
Baby #2 Due 3/7/20
https://www.sleepingbaby.com/collections/zipadee-zip
Oh I've heard of these.
Side note: I used to worry about the pacifier because I didn't want to have to keep putting it back in. For this nap I did a half swaddle (very loose with an arm out) and put him down with the pacifier. 5 min later the cries started but I had just heard of something called protest cries vs emotional or "I actually need you" cries and let him go for a few minutes as I was typing the above comment and he suddenly just stopped and fell asleep. He's never done that and maybe because at first cry I'd go put it back. I always let him fuss a little and make noise but I had never heard of a protest cry before cause I assumed a cry means they have passed the point of no return. Anyone find this protest cry thing to be accurate?
I don't think it's unusual cause if I didn't have an alarm/baby I would wake up at different times too. I actually try not to let Preston sleep past 8:30 cause he's on a kinda sorta schedule which has made bedtime easier although since his naps have been weird he now goes to bed anytime between 7:30-9 depending on when his last nap was. Last night we were out all day so he got a ton of sleep and wouldn't go down for his evening nap at 5 which would give us an 8pm bedtime. He fell asleep in his rocker for a twenty min catnap at around 6 and didn't get tired till almost 8.
I really wouldn't worry much about it all, they usually fall out once they reach a deep sleep. At some point, I used to put multiple pacifiers in DS's crib and he would put them back in himself. When he was 12 months I got rid of them and he only cried for a few minutes on night 1 and it was forgotten right away.
Eta: Is "nursing to sleep" defined as letting them fall asleep at the breast or is it simply a feeding before a nap even if LO is awake and eyes open before the nap?
Preston did this for a couple weeks where between the hours of 5:30 and 8 he would fuss. I would feed hi. If he was hungry then put him down just like I do at night. As long as his eyes were not open and he wasn't crying, I let him stay there but I would go in every now and then and reassure I was there by putting a hand on him but not talk to him. Now he will still fuss a little but doesn't wake up until around 8-8:30