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: *Introductions!*
Edited: Reworded. I do apologize to those that saw it originally and I'm so sorry if you may have gotten upset.
I didn't think I would be back here any time soon. I was involved on the September 2013 board when I was pregnant with my son. I got my second BFP yesterday and I was surprised to say the least. My due date is Feb. 27, 2018
I am 28 (I'll be 29 on Wednesday!) and I am currently a mental health therapist and I work with children and teens. My husband is 33 and he is a restaurant manager. We live just outside Phoenix Arizona.
I am excited to be here and get to know all of you
DS Born: 09/06/2013
BFP #2: 06/23/2017
Due Date: 02/27/2018
After my first intro back in 2016 and the unfortunate MC i experienced, i am back!! Me and my partner are expecting again. Found out i was pregnant 6/16. I took a Plan B, but looks like God had other plans and here i am. Im still wrapping my head around being pregnant. I was in denial for abt a week as i know my body, so when i took the test i wasn't surprised. I have my first doctor visit on 7/6. Im trying to stay positive and praying for a safe pregnancy and birth. Right now, i know my edd is Feb 10th 2018; Dad to be birthday is the 11th, based from my preliminary reserach, but I will know for sure when i see my doctor next month.
For now my pregancy is only known to 6 people outside of myself and my partner. Frankly, i still think thats too many lol
Fun fact: My sister and my sister-in-law are also pregnant, so my parents are in for a surprise when i drop this bomb come Aug.
Excited to share this journey with everyone!!!
to my Gma and I
Married Aug. 2013
TTC #1 Sep. 2016
***TW***
BFP Jun. 5, 2017; MMC Aug. 2, 2017 at 11w6d
BFP Nov. 20, 2017; ended in CP
All the tests. Everything normal except treated for ureaplasma and DH potentially has high DNAF.
BFP Dec. 25, 2017; EDD Sep. 5, 2018; DD arrived Aug. 26th
My chart: https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/63f71d
To to be honest I'm scared to death but my partner is is so excited he can't stop glowing haha. I have already been back and forth to the doctors since week 5 due to bleeding. But I get my first prenatal appt. June 28th. We decided not to tell anyone till we are closer to the 12 week mark to make sure. Everything is in the clear.
I cant wait to get to know people on here
@hollyk224 looks like we are in similar situations!!
BFP 6/12
due 2/18 tentatively, which is the day after DS's birthday.
First appt 7/10
i will be a stm, hoping for a vbac. My son was an emergency c-section....labor for 36 hrs and stalled at 9cm.
I have panic disorder and GAD. I work in employee training. And I love stand up comedy, quilting, and baking.
DS 2/17/15
BFP 6/12/17
EDD 2/18/17
IF veterans; #1 conceived on second clomid+HCG+IUI, #2 conceived on 1st Letrozole+HCG+IUI
EDD: Feb 5, 2018
IF veterans; #1 conceived on second clomid+HCG+IUI, #2 conceived on 1st Letrozole+HCG+IUI
EDD: Feb 5, 2018
TTC #1 since April 2015
RE Dx: Fibroids, surgery Jan 2016
IUI #1 and #2, Nov/Dec 2016, BFN
IVF March 2017: ER - 5R/3M/3F, 1 PGS normal
Polyp removed May 2017
FET May 2017 - BFP!
Baby boy born 2/2/18
Married Aug. 2013
TTC #1 Sep. 2016
***TW***
BFP Jun. 5, 2017; MMC Aug. 2, 2017 at 11w6d
BFP Nov. 20, 2017; ended in CP
All the tests. Everything normal except treated for ureaplasma and DH potentially has high DNAF.
BFP Dec. 25, 2017; EDD Sep. 5, 2018; DD arrived Aug. 26th
My chart: https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/63f71d
Anna Josephine 3-29-2016
Baby #3 EDD 3-3-2018
My Chart
And a lot of women here have had losses or gone through IF to get pregnant and saying 'I used plan B and still got pregnant' is pretty gross, and feels like rubbing it in.
There are ways of saying, "We weren't planning, we weren't prepared and I'm kind of scared" that express where you're coming from without complete disregard for the infertility and/or loss moms. It takes just a couple more moments to put yourself in someone else's shoes and realize it's important and worth it to be careful how you word things.
I've seen it from most directions. I've had times in the past where I wasn't ready and realized my period was late and sat in a bathroom crying and hoping for a negative test. *TW* I've also lost two desperately wanted pregnancies. I've struggled and still struggle with infertility.
From those experiences, I've seen that there's plenty of room to have your own issues while also being cognizant of and sensitive to the issues of others. Everyone has their own fears and worries.
The issue is when it comes off as "LOL, Fertile Myrtle problems! Amiright?!" It's the lol part that twists the knife.
If nothing else, this is the introductions thread. It's where people are making their first impressions. Don't you want it to be a good one? If, in this thread, you can't be bothered to craft something that expresses your feelings but is also tactful, it doesn't bode well for the future.
Married: June 2011
TTC since Feb 2016
BFP#1: 7/7/16 MMC: 8/16/16
BFP#2: 5/8/17 - CP
BFP#3: 6/27/17 EDD: 3/10/18
Me:31 H:31
DX: MFI - 1% Morph
12/16 -IVF #1 - Antagonist Protocol w/ Lupron trigger
ER - 11 retrieved- 9 mature - 7 fertilized - 3 sent for PGS on day 5 - No normals (1 XXX Embryo - may use in future)
3/17 - IVF #2 - Antagonist Protocol w/ HCG trigger
ER- 13 retrieved - 11 mature - 8 fertilized - 2 sent for PGS on day 5 -2 Normal
FET #1 - 5/16/17 - BFP! - Beta #1 5/25 - 156 - Beta #2 5/30 - 2562 - Beta #3 6/1 - 5191!
My sister had to go back to work at 3 week PP as a single mom with no paid leave. It was awful on her body.
If this is a financial decision made out of necessity, I can understand it and hope that you find a way to make it work for you. But if you just think that you should go back sooner for professional reasons, I would rethink that. I had a rough delivery and at 2 weeks PP could barely walk unassisted, was constantly engorged, my son was nursing 14 hours out of the day, and I was sleeping less than 3-4 hours a night. You should not put yourself through that if you have another option.
Married Aug. 2013
TTC #1 Sep. 2016
***TW***
BFP Jun. 5, 2017; MMC Aug. 2, 2017 at 11w6d
BFP Nov. 20, 2017; ended in CP
All the tests. Everything normal except treated for ureaplasma and DH potentially has high DNAF.
BFP Dec. 25, 2017; EDD Sep. 5, 2018; DD arrived Aug. 26th
My chart: https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/63f71d
Today I finally feel more comfortable joining the board, although I have been lurking (especially my TTGP girls) for the past 2 weeks. We got our BFP on 6/11 and our EDD is 2/19. I am a FTM but second pregnancy *tw we had an early mc 3 years ago tw*. I am 33 and DH is 38. We are PAIF! This is a much awaited time in our life, and I am trying to enjoy every minute of it. We had our first u/s today and saw a heartbeat! This group seems huge right now, but I look forward to getting to know some of you better as we take this crazy journey.
I'll either be due at end of Feb or beginning of March I'm thinking. Calling tomorrow to make an appointment with my doc to confirm.
Looking forward to this adventure and getting to know you all! ❤