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: Introduce Yourself Here
@dreamalways Welcome! Definitely join us on our weekly PGAL threads. There are lots of us there with anxiety after loss and it's a really good support system!
FTM, 2 Furbabies
married 03/17/07
lived in Houston, Austin, Los Angeles and NYC
due: 2/15/17
Me too! I was EDD 7/7, and now I'm 12/12. I'm 100% with you on all anxieties and paranoias *creepy internet hugs*
Good! Blending in with the crowd is only fun for sheep.
Dx: Unspecified IF
BFP#1 Nov 2017 • Blighted Ovum + MMC • D&C at nine weeks
BFP#2 Apr 2018 • It's a boy! • Born 13 Dec 2018
Congrats to everyone!
Any fellow Canadians here? Interested to learn some Canadian perspectives..
Hey Knottie, if you log on to The Knot you can change your screen name to something a little easier to recognize. There are SO many Knotties on here that it's difficult to keep everyone straight! You may have to log out and back into the bump after you change it, but changing will make it so much easier to recognize you!
DS2 due 12/12/18
Congratulations on your pregnancy - We are due date twins!!! Hopefully the next week and a half will go quickly and the 30th will be here before you know it! FX for a sticky baby!
Started IF Feb. 2014
PCOS & MFI (low sperm count and motility)
3 Femara cycles w/natural intercourse over summer 2014, BFN
1 Clomid cycle w/natural intercourse Nov. 2014, BFN
IUI March 2015, BFN
IUI June 2015, BFN
IUI Oct. 2015, BFN
IVF Oct. 2016, fresh transfer, 2 day-3 embryos, BFN; nothing to freeze
IVF Nov. 2017, fresh transfer, 2 day-5 blasts, BFP; ectopic; 1 blast frozen
FET March 2018, 1 day-5 blast, BFP!
** TW ** I have had 2 losses, I delivered our daughter at 16 weeks and the doctors are unsure why. This loss occurred in between my oldest and youngest. With my youngest, it was discovered at my 20 week scan that I was dialated to a 2 and had to go in for an emergency cerclage and put on bedrest. They believe that this may be what happened with my first loss, but cannot say for certain. I also had miscarriage a year ago and lost the baby at 6 weeks, but it was not discovered until my 12 week appointment. With that being said, I am being very cautious with this pregnancy. I am having my levels checked every 48 hours. Just had my first levels checked yesterday, so I will go back in tomorrow to see that they **hopefully ** doubled and that we are trending in the right direction. **
Hoping for a happy, healthy and stress-free pregnancy for all of us!
I am a mom of two girls, 3yrs and 1yr. This will be my 3rd baby but 4h pregnancy as we suffered a loss this past November. I am currently 7 weeks 4 days and have my first ultrasound this coming Monday. It’s a bit nerve wracking since we lost the last one at 8 weeks but I am doing my best to trust God and be positive and celebrate everyday that I am still pregnant (despite the nausea that has now set in this week
my EDD is Dec. 1st based on LMP. Praying for everyone’s pregnancy’s to be healthy and for healthy babies in December
I've been poking around this board for a few days and decided to finally post.
I got my BFP almost 4 weeks ago (I have short 25 day cycles). Due December 7th based off my LMP even though I know when I ovulated putting me at December 3rd. I've had two losses before this, one in 2009 at 7 weeks and one last August at 22 weeks due to Trisomy 18. Unfortunately I've already started having issues with this pregnancy, but praying everything will work out and I'll have a healthy baby in December.
Hoping for healthy pregnancies for us all ♡♡
Just got my BFP today for DH’s and my first! EDD is 12/26 based on LMP. Confirming with the doctor next week.
Started IF Feb. 2014
PCOS & MFI (low sperm count and motility)
3 Femara cycles w/natural intercourse over summer 2014, BFN
1 Clomid cycle w/natural intercourse Nov. 2014, BFN
IUI March 2015, BFN
IUI June 2015, BFN
IUI Oct. 2015, BFN
IVF Oct. 2016, fresh transfer, 2 day-3 embryos, BFN; nothing to freeze
IVF Nov. 2017, fresh transfer, 2 day-5 blasts, BFP; ectopic; 1 blast frozen
FET March 2018, 1 day-5 blast, BFP!
This is my first pregnancy after trying for year and a half with 5 failed IUIs. We were luckily successful with 1 IVF cycle and feel so grateful. We did genetic testing and while I know our baby is genetically normal, I’m still incredibly nervous about miscarriage. Two days ago, at 6 weeks I found out I have a subchorionic hemorrhage. Luckily my doctor thinks it will heal on its own with rest. I go back next week for further monitoring.
Excited to be a part of this group and get support from other December 2018 mommy’s to be. ❤️
I am a FTM and brand new to the bump! But I am so excited to be a part and learn and grow with you all, I’ve already found so much of this info so helpful! I got my BFP last Sunday and my DH are so excited and overjoyed! My EDD is Dec 16 and I am currently 5w4d. Cannot wait to get to know you all more in the coming months!
Married: November 2016
BFP #1: 4/3/2018 EDD: 12/16/2018
*TW*
I was briefly a part of the March 2017 board when I had a loss at 6 weeks
End of *TW*
Since I did IVF, I've known pretty early and am 4w1d today. EDD of December 27th. I am pretty nervous but really hopeful that is is our take home rainbow baby. Looking forward to getting to know you all.
Also a fellow Canadian....from the east coast, currently living in Ontario
Yay! Where are you from? I grew up in the Annapolis Valley then lived in Halifax for years
...TW... had a MMC sept 2017, baby stopped growing at 12 weeks, I had a d&c at 14 weeks. Nervous this time but hopeful, going for an early ultrasound this thurs!
ETA my first appointment is May 1st, can’t wait to get a set due date!
...and If ONE MORE person asks me if we are trying for a girl...............But seriously. We just like making babies ALRIGHT!? Haha
First time moms, I’m passionate about encouraging you. Hit me up with questions- I'm an open book about my births (most STMs are)- 1 epidural, then 2 natural. Most dignified PREGNANCY MOMENT ever:..peeing in one of my son’s diapers (TIP: always pack a spare for yourself) in a gas station parking lot because I couldnt get my pregnant self and 2 kids, 3 and under, into the gas station fast enough. (Also ask me about lack of bladder control). Nice to meet you all!