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.
sinclair-2
member
Re: Are all these ultrasounds really necessary????
Did you have a dating scan at 8-10 weeks? Or any other early scans, like an NT scan? If not, and if you aren't 100% certain of your ovulation date, I don't feel like it is at all weird for you to be measuring a week behind...you could have just ovulated later than day 14, which a lot of women, myself included, do pretty regularly.
Did the doctor notice anything else amiss other than simply measuring behind? by this late in the pregnancy, babies tend to grow at different rates, so dating by ultrasound isn't as accurate as it is early on. I would call the doctor/midwives and ask them what their specific concerns are that are causing them to want so many ultrasounds. if all they can come up with is "you're measuring a week behind" I'd find another doctor. But if there are other issues that they have seen red flags for, which is entirely possible, you should absolutely have the ultrasounds that they are requesting. You need to try to stay calm and ask a lot of questions so that you have the whole story here. Maybe bring your partner or a friend with you to ask the questions, if you don't think you can keep your thoughts together in the moment.
I really don't think reputable doctors have "agendas" or that they are "working the insurance company," but if you feel like this specific doctor is behaving that way I would suggest you get a second opinion elsewhere. Did they mention induction? You bring that up here, but if your baby is measuring behind and is otherwise healthy, I doubt that they're immediately jumping to induction...it seems to me that they'd want the baby to stay in there as long as possible unless there are other medical issues present. The only people I know that were induced prior to 41 weeks were induced for serious medical concerns.
Try to calm down, and get to the bottom of this as best you can. Your focus shouldn't be on avoiding induction and having an unmedicated birth right now - it should be on making sure there are no serious issues with you or your unborn baby that would cause medical professionals to want to closely monitor you. And if there are issues present, you should follow medical advice for dealing with them.
Go go ahead and ask, or get your second opinion, but be glad they are checking on you.
TW: Loss:
First one (1lb 3oz at 28 weeks) didn't make it because I was "low risk" and no one caught it. I wish I had more scans, they could have saved her.
Due to that, I had many scans for my 2nd. They caught it and took her out before it was too late (1lb 15oz at 30 weeks).
I understand you didn't want this kind of pregnancy, but really, it isn't as important as making sure baby is healthy. A second opinion is never a bad idea, but I doubt your dr is trying to get money, they've just seen things go badly before and just want to make sure this baby goes home with you.
From your post it sounds like you are mostly concerned about your birth plan. Your main concern right now should be on your baby. Please try and remember that a healthy baby trumps a natural and holistic birth plan. It is entirely possible they are seeing something that warrants weekly monitoring for your baby's sake. Maybe they are being overly cautious but it is the doctor's job to be thorough. God forbid something bad gets missed that could have been caught via ultrasound. Most doctors are not really interested in wasting their time and resources monitoring women who really don't need it.