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: Quick questions August
Last pregnancy I was cramping with no tightening during a NST and it registered as contractions. I'd had no idea that they could be so mild. Really more annoying than painful.
Charlotte born at 28w3d due to severe IUGR on 12.24.2012 Merry Christmas!
Missed M/C discovered 12.22.2014 at 8w1d measuring 6w3d
2015 was a year to test strength of both body and character, but it led us to this... BFP 01.26.2016 EDD 9.30.2016
im not having them this morning. I think there's 2 things - the duration is from the start of one to the start of the next and the frequency is the time between? Something like that. I should probably ask my doctor again or does anyone here know?
Download a contraction timer app and let it do the work for you. Basically, you hit the timer at the start and end of a contraction and the app will time the contraction as well as the time between. Good luck!
Bravado all the way. A little pricey but so worth it.
Also, sorry if this is a recent repeat! I'm positive we talked about this at some point, but I can't seem to word the search right to find it.
This is the kind of thing that seems overwhelming and is easy to overthink, but ends up coming pretty naturally once the baby is actually under your care.
I've never heard of peeing during delivery. I also wonder if everything is closed off from baby's head.
DH assumes I just don't like his family but I just uncomfortable with them being their without him. In the 2 years DH and I have lived in this house I think his mom and sister have been here 3 times total so it not like I am used to them being here anyway. I just don't know how I (I mean DH) will explain it to them.
BFP: 8/11/18 Due: 4/26/18
Having a new baby in the house for the first time puts you in a really vulnerable spot, and it's one of the times I generally advise you to accept help that is being offered. Yes, it's weird for someone else to fold your laundry and dig around your cleaning supplies, but if it's one less thing you have to do, then who really cares?
If you really couldn't stand them personally then that's another thing, but if it just feels weird because you don't see them often, then I would interpret it as a chance for them to maybe get a little closer to you. You'll want your kid to have a close relationship with grandparents and aunts and uncles anyway.
@KimmySchmidt I actually really like them BUT they both live very different lives from us. MIL is an all organic vegan who lives a sort of free spirit lifestyle. She can be a sometimes be a little confrontational about how we should be living our lives and how we should be eating. I would rather DH be there as a buffer at first to feel out how she will treat things that she doesn't agree with, like me sitting down eating some oreos. She also is not a big dog lover, and doesn't really like our dogs too much and likes to give advice on how we should do things with them (not sure if thats a precursor to being a grandparent) and it drives me crazy.
Overall I am sure it will be fine and I am overthinking it being around people that I don't know very well gives me panic attacks and I am just not ready for that plus a new baby.
BFP: 8/11/18 Due: 4/26/18
BFP: 8/11/18 Due: 4/26/18
BFP: 8/11/18 Due: 4/26/18