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: TTC Checkin 06/13/2018
I’m still on the same protocol - Femara plus trigger shot followed by support shot. However, my RE said we could consider IVF at this point because it would be beneficial to do PGS testing. DH wants to continue our current protocol for two more months though. So fingers crossed that it works and we don’t have to move on to IVF. I’m currently in the TWW I think. My temp charts have been confusing but I triggered on Monday. Does taking fertility meds alter the way your temp trends?!
Eh, as far a beauty products, I’m not really sure. I think lipsense works pretty good but maybe not quite up to the hype!
@Bababatty I'm anxious to hear about your results earlier this week. Fingers crossed everything is well.
AFM: Cycle day 1 finally! Hysteroscopy and bloodwork scheduled for Tuesday...but I'm waiting to hear back if I need to reschedule the bloodwork due to the Hysterscopy scheduled the same day. Not sure if being 4 viles short of blood and going under anesthesia is a good idea.
TTC History in spoiler Instagram
Married Oct 2007
TTC Since Oct 2010 - MFI Diagnosis 2012 (Morphology 1% + High DNA Frag)
IUI x2 in 2012 - BFN
IVF #1 Feb 2018 - 9 Retrieved - 8 Mature - 5 Fertilized - 2 Snowbabies - no testing
FET#1 March 2018 - BFP - MMC May @ 10w4d
FET#2 July 2018 - BFN
IVF #2 Nov 2018 - 10 Retrieved - 10 Mature - 8 Fertilized - 2 Snowbabies - no testing
@ChristenMA83 Good luck with your hysteroscopy!
@emmasemm I am so sorry to hear about your very frustrating saga to ER! How did your embie do?
@GoldenKeys Welcome back!
*TW* BFP and losses mentioned
I do not have good news. Again. My initial beta was very good (121) but then only increased by 27% and subsequently 26%. My RE has given this a 0.1% chance of success and has put his money on either yet another CP or, to change it up, an ectopic. I have an u/s and bloodwork tomorrow to rule out the ectopic. In the meantime, I’m staring at the bottle of wine in my fridge with a great deal of longing because I have to continue acting as if this is a viable pregnancy. I even got nervous power walking in the airport on Friday night, which was stupid. You can’t kill something that’s probably not there anymore. The best outcome would be ectopic, apparently, because a third CP in a row suggests a larger, as yet undiagnosed problem. There has to be some irony in that.
It’s never good when your RE starts to get nervous about your chances of conceiving a viable pregnancy. We have a very clear MFI diagnosis, but it may be that my body didn’t want to miss out on the fun. We’ll be thawing and PGS testing the remaining embryos, I’ll be doing a hysteroscopy, and then our RE will be bringing our case to the entire group of doctors in the practice to get their thoughts. Again, in a perverse reversal, the best outcome would be for all of our remaining embryos to be abnormal because it could indicate the entire batch were duds and the we’ll just do another IVF round. If they’re all normal, then we’re all worried about why my body has become a not so lean but definitely mean, embryo killing machine.
And once that’s all done, our grand plan right now is another ET in August. 2 embryos this time because we’re done messing around.
TTC History in spoiler Instagram
Married Oct 2007
TTC Since Oct 2010 - MFI Diagnosis 2012 (Morphology 1% + High DNA Frag)
IUI x2 in 2012 - BFN
IVF #1 Feb 2018 - 9 Retrieved - 8 Mature - 5 Fertilized - 2 Snowbabies - no testing
FET#1 March 2018 - BFP - MMC May @ 10w4d
FET#2 July 2018 - BFN
IVF #2 Nov 2018 - 10 Retrieved - 10 Mature - 8 Fertilized - 2 Snowbabies - no testing
@mrsjcrane sorry to hear of your MC. To your question, yes meds such as clomid, letrozole, Femara and the injectibles can and do affect temps, but also CM and OPKs. That’s why it’s good to be monitored on them. And if you triggered with HCG that also affects those things too.
@christenma83 good luck tomorrow! I would say it’s fine, they should monitor your fluid levels well whilst they do the Hysteroscopy and it’s normally a very short procedure and time you’re under. Some also do that under twilight.
@bababatty I’m so so sorry and can’t believe you’re in this position again. I think testing your embryos is a great idea. But didn’t all your RPL testing earlier this year come back ok? Is there more they can do that wasn’t done then?
AFM well our embryo was frozen, but at only 30 hours which is a bit short of the three days and it was only six cells. But at least it was frozen before the embryologist was taken ill.
Now im waiting for AF hopefully tomorrow so we can do next baseline Wednesday- and then depending on my follicle count and FSH and E2 the RE will either say start stims on Wednesday night or will suggest to skip the cycle.
Beauty product? Oh gosh, that’s a tough one for me. Maybe the Clinique range. I’ve used them and only them for facial products for more than 20 years... looks pricy at first but it lasts forever.
Married 12/2016
TTC #1 since 04/2015
AMA, DOR (AMH 0.65, AFC 2-4) and autoimmune issues (RA, APS), low TSH, adenomyosis
7 retrievals, 3 transfers
Nov17 IVF2 - 1ER, 0F
Jan18 IVF3 - 3ER, 1F, 1ET, BFN
Feb18 - second opinion and additional testing
Apr18 IVF4 - cancelled (E2 too high)
May/Jun18 IVF4 - 4ER, 0M, 1F, 1 frozen day 3 (not best quality)
Jun/Jul18 IVF5 - 5 ER, 3M, 2F, 2 frozen day 3 (not best quality)
Jul/Aug18 IVF6 - 4ER, 3M, 2F, 2 frozen day 3 (good quality)
Aug/Sep18 IVF7 - cancelled (cyst)
Sep/Oct18 IVF7 - 3ER, 3M, 2F, 2 frozen Day 3 (excellent quality)
Oct18 IVF8 - Cancelled (cyst and too low TSH)
Oct18-Jan19 bringing TSH under control
Feb19 ERA and hysteroscopy
Mar19 Investigation for fibroid and adenomyosis
Apr19 adenomyosis confirmed, polyps removed
Jun19 FET after 2 months Lupron, autoimmune protocol, transferred two day 3 frozen embryos
Nov17 IVF2 - Pergoveris 2-14 Nov, Orgalutran 5-14 Nov, Ovitrelle 15 Nov, ER 17 Nov for 3 follies, 1 mature egg, did not fertilize
Jan18 IVF3 - Pergoveris 30 Dec - 8 Jan, Orgalutran 5-8 Jan, Ovitrelle 9 Jan, ER 11 Jan 3 eggs, 2 mature, 1 fertilized, ET 1x 4d 12-cell embryo 15/01, 24/01 BFN
May/Jun18 IVF4 - Rekovelle 25-29 May, Menogon 30May - 2Jun, Zomacton 25 27 29 31 May and 2Jun, Cetrotide 30May - 3Jun, Gonasi 3Jun, ER 5Jun 4 eggs, none mature, two matured overnight, 1 fertilized with ICSI, Frozen day 3 but not good quality
Jun/Jul18 IVF5 - Rekovelle 21-24 June, Menogon 25Jun-3Jul, Puregon 4-5Jul, Zomacton 21 23 25 27 29 Jun, Cetrotide 25Jun-5Jul, Gonasi 6Jul, ER 8Jul 5 eggs, 3 mature, 2 fertilized with ICSI, 2 frozen day 3 but not good quality
Jul/Aug18 IVF6 - Rekovelle 26-29 Jul, Menogon 30Jul-7Aug, Buserelin 26Jul-7Aug, Zomacton 26 28 30 Jul 1 3 Aug, Gonasi 7Aug, ER 9Aug 4 eggs, 3 mature, 2 fertilized (normal IVF), 2 frozen day 3 good quality
Sep/Oct18 IVF7 - Menogon 19-30Sep, Buserelin 19-30Sep, Zomacton 19 21 23 25 27 Sep, Ovitrelle 1 Oct, ER 3 eggs, 3 mature, 2 fertilized with ICSI, 2 frozen day 3 excellent quality
Fav Quote: The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return
@mrsjcrane - I'm so sorry about the MC. I'm going to keep my FX that you don't need to move on to IVF.
@ChristenMA83 - good luck with the hysteroscopy! I wasn't put under for mine, and it was pretty uncomfortable.
@Bababatty - I'm so sorry.
Really hoping you've just had bad luck up to this point. Do you have three embryos left? When will you get the results?
I can relate a little bit. We're planning to PGS test after this next round of IVF, if we get any embryos, and I'm sort of hoping that we get some answers re: why we've had the failed transfers. I mean, no part of me wants to have abnormal embryos, but part of me just wants some insight into whether or not it's my body or the embryos. (I definitely want at least one normal embryo though. Maybe two, if I'm greedy. But at least one normal embryo is what I'm praying for.)
That said, you know, I've seen women go through multiple rounds and have drastically different results each round. Like they'll do one round, all abnormals. Another round, only one normal. And then a third round and a bunch of normals. So maybe there's not much insight to be had with any of this?
@emmasemm - keeping FX for you for this next cycle! What a roller coaster the last one was!
QOTW: I'm not a huge beauty product person, but I switched shampoos in preparation for this next IVF cycle (after reading It Starts with the Egg), and I really do not like my new, phthalate-free shampoo. I cannot wait to get back to my old stuff! I love shampoos that work!
AFM: Not much is new here, still preparing for IVF round #2. TBH, most of our preparation is financial, but over the next couple of weeks I will have to re-do some test results. It's been 2 years since my initial testing with our RE, so some of my results are out of date.
@Bababatty I'm so sorry this cycle isn't looking promising, hopefully at the least they can find some answers for you to help with the future.