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.
caribbeanmama-2
member
Re: Symptoms - Week of 11/14
Other than that, I have a bit of nausea throughout the day, but that's not too bad yet, but my boobs hurt something fierce!
**TW**
Testing with RE October 2016
BFP 11/5/2016 ~ EDD 7/19/2016
So strange. My first pregnancy I didn't feel symptoms into well into my 7th week.
"In a household of sensible jackets and haircuts there was this, well, what can I call her - nature thing. With her elfin eyes, her purple T-shirts and her eternally bare feet." -About Time
I keep having a sharp pain on my left side. I've had it a little on the right, but mostly on the left. It feels like something is being pinched or squeezed. It hasn't been happening as often the last couple days as it was last week. Anyone else? I've not had any bleeding, so I haven't been too worried. I'm going to mention it to the NP when I go to my first appointment this week.
ETA: diarrhea and gas today! Fun fun
Our Angel: EDD: 05/11/17. MC at 6 weeks
Baby #2- EDD: 07/18/17
Ive been wanting all the carbs, and I've been pretty exhausted - in bed by 9:30, but up by 5 or 6 which is kind of annoying.
Me (K)-27 DH (T)-30
2 Rainbow DDs L-10/26/10 and A-03/27/14
2 Angels- 10/26/09 and 02/03/15
Surprise BFP on 10/25/16!!! Baby Firecracker is due on 07/02/17!
I'm 6w6d, nauseous, tired, my boobs hurt (which makes nursing super fun), and I'm crazy moody. I'm also pretty sure I'm going to go broke from giving into my wild food cravings.
[spoiler]
Me: 28 Him: 30
Married: 11/15/14
TTC: 02/2016
IF DX: MFI (low count & morphology) & mild PCOS
June 2016 BFP - MC @8w2d
August 2016 BFP - MC @6w1d
June 2017 - 50 mg Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI = BFP 7/6/17!!
Beta #1 = 422 (14dpo), Beta #2 = 810, prog - 12.3 (16dpo), Beta #3 = 5023, prog - 18.9 (20dpo)
[/spoiler]
New though in the last few days has been *TMI WARNING* discharge. I have been relatively dry since conception. It has only been in the last few days that things are happening. First it was just some regular discharge we all see throughout our regular cycle, but then over the weekend and even today, there has been clear... globs. Ugh, so gross, sorry. But the globs remind me of egg white discharge during the fertile window, except that it's just a little bit more. I kind of panicked yesterday when I wiped after I peed and had a nickle-sized glob -- I googled like a mad woman and it appears that there's nothing to worry about unless the glob is a color other than clear. Anyway, another question for the doc. Just something new that took me by surprise.
Married: Oct 2015
TTC #1: Sept 2016
BFP: 10/19/16 ~ blighted ovum ~ D&C 11/23/16
BFP: 3/24/17
TTC #2: July 2018
BFP: 8/26/18
BFP #1: 5/16
MMC at 8 weeks: 6/16
BFP #2: 10/16
Sweet baby boy arrived 7/7/17!
I haven't been put off by foods yet and I wouldn't say aversions. I just generally don't crave anything. I used to be a huge snacker after dinner but now I'm just like "meh" and don't really eat much in the evenings. I'll want to eat but don't really care for anything I can think of.
Met: 08/2001 ~ Dating: 07/2004 ~ Engaged: 11/2009 ~ Married: 06/2011
TTC: Since 09/16 ~ BFP 10/28/16 ~ EDD 7/5/17
Team Pink * Canadian Bumpie
My boobs hurt like crazy and feel really heavy when I wake up that I have to get up slowly lol
I am either cold or hot - no in between
A little bit more moody
Either tired and want to nap or can't sleep - no in between
Married: 06-2024
TTC #1: Since November 2015
Restarted TTC "count" Oct. 2016
due to previous issues.
***TW***
BFP: 11/4/2016
BFP: 07/17/2024
@saphiresweetie88 we sound so similar! I am totally in the exhausted or can't sleep camp and it makes sitting at a desk all day so hard!
Also, funny slip today - I was at my desk speaking with another co-worker when all of a sudden the smell of cooking meat (turns out it was bacon) SMACKS me in the face. Apparently I made a very ugly face and was like "what is that?!" my coworker looked at me like umm...I think someone heated up a breakfast sandwich... get it together self! ha
[spoiler]
Me: 28 Him: 30
Married: 11/15/14
TTC: 02/2016
IF DX: MFI (low count & morphology) & mild PCOS
June 2016 BFP - MC @8w2d
August 2016 BFP - MC @6w1d
June 2017 - 50 mg Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI = BFP 7/6/17!!
Beta #1 = 422 (14dpo), Beta #2 = 810, prog - 12.3 (16dpo), Beta #3 = 5023, prog - 18.9 (20dpo)
[/spoiler]
Married: 06-2024
TTC #1: Since November 2015
Restarted TTC "count" Oct. 2016
due to previous issues.
***TW***
BFP: 11/4/2016
BFP: 07/17/2024
my happy boy
To top it all off I have a serious headache today which I think is allergies/sinus related, ugh.
~~ married 8.11.07
~~ DD1 1.16.11 ~~ DD2 1.3.14 ~~
~~ BFP3 12.22.15 MMC 2.29.16 @ 13 weeks ~~
~~ 2 D&Cs (3.1.16 and 3.10.16) for MMC
~~ BFP4 10.27.16 MMC 1.23.17 @ 16 weeks ~~ D&E 1.26.17 ~~
Other than that my symptoms are pretty normal/mild. I'm hungry all the time. Sore boobs and back. Exhausted. Most of my bloat has gone down and the vitamins have kicked in to stop my constant almost migraine. Yay!
Age 35, H 34
Married 5/09
Pregnancy #1, IUI, MMC, D&C Feb 2012
Pregnancy #2,IUI, MMC, D&C July 2012
Pregnancy #3 IUI, BFP 10/25/12 - Two heartbeats on the U/S!
Twin Girls! C (6/24/13) and E (6/24/13-5/20/15)
Surprise BFP! 10/23/16, EDD 7/2/17
~~ married 8.11.07
~~ DD1 1.16.11 ~~ DD2 1.3.14 ~~
~~ BFP3 12.22.15 MMC 2.29.16 @ 13 weeks ~~
~~ 2 D&Cs (3.1.16 and 3.10.16) for MMC
~~ BFP4 10.27.16 MMC 1.23.17 @ 16 weeks ~~ D&E 1.26.17 ~~
Married: 06-2024
TTC #1: Since November 2015
Restarted TTC "count" Oct. 2016
due to previous issues.
***TW***
BFP: 11/4/2016
BFP: 07/17/2024
I have a feeling hiding this from work is going to be rough. The lab at my dr.'s office closes at 4:30 and I get off at 4 but can't get there in time. My last class is at 3:30 and I don't have an after school duty unless somebody is absent so my principal is generally nice about letting you leave early. Well I left early Thursday and just asked to leave early again tomorrow. Only way it might not be suspicious: principal was out Thursday so I asked the assistant principal and for tomorrow I asked the principal. Let's hope they don't compare notes.