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*
I'm a STM, DD will be 4 in November. I'm 37 and a full time surgery nurse. I love a good book, a good cup of coffee, and food. Excited for the next healthy 9 months for us all
I am moving over here from the TTGP board. This will hopefully be our second with an estimated due date of May 1st based on LMP. I also am a M15er, and was active on it until the big hiatus. I have had two loses ( chromosome abnormality and one that was not tested) but have decided I am going to resist PGAL brain as much as possible as I did let it put a damper on my DSs pregnancy.
Wish everyone a happy and healthy 9 months!
BFP#3 5/22/17 | MC 6/17/17 at 7w3d
We've had a recent explosion! This is so fun!
BFP#3 5/22/17 | MC 6/17/17 at 7w3d
BFP#3 5/22/17 | MC 6/17/17 at 7w3d
i am a stay at home mum, but do some science and math tutoring in the evenings as I used to be a teacher. We are also a foster family and are doing regular respite for an 11 year old boy at the moment. DH is an engineer.
I'm still in the can't quite believe it stage at the moment. My biggest concern is how hard first tri was last time with a toddler, and now I'll have two.
Looking forward to spending the next 9 months with you ladies! Wish you all healthy pregnancies!
Cautiously optimistic intro: Hello! I'm a STM and just got a BFP today, putting my EDD around 5/7. I have a 4 year old daughter and am currently a SAHM, although I previously worked in the field of integrative medicine. **TW** In June of this year I lost a baby boy at 18 weeks pregnant due to Trisomy 18, so you can be sure that I will be super dependent on the weekly PGAL thread to go me through what is hopefully my rainbow pregnancy! **end TW**
I'm looking forward to going through this journey with you ladies!
Married: 11/2013
M: 6/2016 E: 5/2018
I'm a second time mom. My first is an M15 (Hi @rowboat4, @createmagic14, and @Jlr025! ) My EDD is actually April 30th, but I've decided I go here since I'm late to the party in the April 2018 BMB.
@createmagic14- love you, too!
and @Jlr025- you havent' checked in tonight, but love you also!
Hi ladies!
FTM here and cautiously optimistic to be joining you with an EDD of 5/3, which puts me at 4+2! I got my BFP earlier this week and my betas have risen appropriately. *TW* I had a loss at 11 weeks in June with a subsequent D&C- PGAL brain has been rough even in these few days but I'm trying to work on that. End TW* I came over from TTGP but mostly lurked and participated on the benched/TTCAL threads as my doc had literally just given me the green light before I got my BFP. Shoutout to you badass ladies! Anyway, I'm so hopeful to get to know everyone over the next 9 months and wish us all H&H pregnancies!
I'm cautiously optimistic posting this...this will be my 5th pregnancy, I have 2 boys, ages 5 and 3, and have had an ectopic pregnancy and blighted ovum in the last year. We were not preventing anything but I was stunned to find out I was pregnant last week; EDD 5/2.
I am an RN and work part-time.
I was very active on the June 2012 board with my first pregnancy and am hopeful I'll be sticking around to get to know you all this pregnancy!