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
Due date? Based off last period-Aug 28
How did you find out? We've been actively trying, using opks, etc. I just felt off , my period was due to begin the next day & decided to take a test-it came back positive immediately! I then took 3 more because I didn't believe it lol.
Tell us about yourself. My husband and I both work full time, we have 2 rescue dogs we adore. I'm a huge reader, Disney fan, and I really enjoy working out- especially riding my Peloton although it's been a bit of a struggle, but I really want to remain as active as I can during my pregnancy. My husband & I enjoy trying new restaurants (foodies), binge watching shows together (Currently watching Succession), watching football, & working out. We're both really excited & nervous about our first kiddo!
How are you feeling? (First appointment? Any symptoms? Emotionally?) Excited & terrified all at the same time. My first appointment is on 1/21 and I'm just trying to reduce my anxiety. I'm hoping I'll feel like I can breathe a bit once we hear baby's heartbeat. I'm definitely more hungry than usual, breasts are sore & I'm pretty tired- trying not to drink any caffeine so it makes my work day pretty long. Fortunately I am working from home full time.
GTKY Fun fact: Tell us what your super power would be? I'd love to be able to communicate with animals too!
Due date? 8/30 - my birthday and my MIL’s. It means my mom and I are on the same path at the same time, but 33 years apart.
How did you find out? I knew, but I was afraid to test. *TW*
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?) We’ve been together for eight years, married for six. We’ve got a 6- or 7-year-old Jack Russell mix who we adopted at 3 or 4, and two kittens who are bonded April Fool’s boys and my god are they fools. Poor MH - his only cat experience as an adult was my cat Po, who we lost in June, and who was 3yo when we met. We both like to play video games, although mine are Switch based and his are almost always PlayStation (although he has a Switch Lite that he plays pretty regularly too. I also have a sewing machine I use occasionally (poorly) and love to read.
How are you feeling? (First appointment? Any symptoms? Emotionally?) I had my first appointment Tuesday. We got to do an early ultrasound (thanks to my loss this fall) and saw the heartbeat! My biggest symptoms have been nausea and tender boobs. I’ve recently started having heartburn. My Apple Watch also tells me my heart rate is up. Emotionally I am doing okay. My whole entire family went to visit my brother and his family in Oregon for Christmas, and while we made the right choice not to go, it breaks my heart because I haven’t seen my 3yo nephew since he was 8mo, and I’ve never gotten to meet my niece who was born in March. I did burst into tears when my MIL gave me one of those instant cameras on MH’s advice and he had to do some damage control for me. I also feel kinda bad because I had mentioned at Thanksgiving that I liked mimosas on Christmas, and then wasn’t able to enjoy the mimosas the in-laws made special as a surprise. I’ll apologize later 😂
GTKY Fun fact: Tell us what your super power would be? Honestly I’d like to do what Dr. Strange does where he can see all possible timelines and pick the one that does what he wants. And not even just now, although it would come in terribly handy. I want the timeline where I have a maid in my house every week vacuuming so I don’t have to do that crap.
Due date? I'm due 8/19, the day before my birthday :)
How did you find out? We were trying
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?) This is our first child but we do have two fur children, our cats. I'm a yoga teacher and birth doula for passion, I do HR for a restaurant franchise to pay the bills.
How are you feeling? (First appointment? Any symptoms? Emotionally?) I'm feeling really good. I'm dealing with very light nausea that tends to go away when I snack or go for a walk. I hope it stays that way for the next month ;)
GTKY Fun fact: Tell us what your super power would be? To sleep but not lose out on any hours of the day :)
Due date? August 24, (also the day before my birthday @ashamarie2!:)
How did you find out? I conceived through embryo donation, so I had two blood tests at the doctor. The hope/expectation was that it had worked, so they just sent me straight to the labs for confirmation.
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?): I have two jobs, so I’m pretty stupidly busy. I won’t always be able to post much but I like this community - I have been following it for a while.
My spouse is a woman and someone I've known since childhood, and we have two kids already. Our first child is grown, the other one is 7 - so there's quite an age difference there. This is my first time actually giving birth though - I have always wanted to give birth, so I'm very excited!
How are you feeling? (First appointment? Any symptoms? Emotionally?) I'm feeling strangely not nervous. I'm usually a fairly anxious person. I'm happy to be pregnant and enjoying noticing new symptoms. We've been trying to make this happen for so long that I just want to enjoy every moment of it. I've been tired a lot. I was very, very thirsty for a while but less thirsty today. Hungry a lot. Have been craving Indian food, grilled cheese, peanut butter toast.
GTKY Fun fact: Tell us what your super power would be? I would wiggle my nose and any job I wanted to be done would be done.
My due date is August 8th!
This is my second pregnancy, my first born is two years old. My fiance and I are working on finding the perfect house in our home town, where all our family lives!
This time around I have real bad morning sickness, and I can smell EVERYTHING!
If I had a super power I'd want the ability to shrink and enlarge everything I touch including myself so when I clean toys up or do laundry I can shrink everything into small containers so it's all put away 😅😂
Due date: Between Aug 8/11/15 (three ultrasounds so far each with different date)
About me: This is my first pregnancy, my husband and I have been together for 3 years and this will be the first addition to our family
How did I find out I was pregnant? My boobs! I was at the gym one evening doing a class and could not lie on my front, my boobs were so sore! So the next day I took a test and it was positive! We had just started trying so it was a very nice surprise.
How am I feeling overall? Physically I have had no morning sickness or nausea and my breast tenderness went away around week 4 which is very lucky. I have had no real aversions other than not craving chocolate, which is new! I have had quite a bit of bleeding so have had three ultrasounds so far and while baby is healthy, I do have 2 x Subchoronic Hemorrhages and a large fibroid so we are playing it day by day! Overall we are very excited!
Superpower: I wish i could absorb the full knowledge of any book just by holding it!
Due date? By my own estimate 8/5
How did you find out? I felt like a total basket case over Thanksgiving, even cried a couple times which is completely not normal for me so combined with a bit of a late period I took a test! Surprise, 3rd baby!
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?) I have 2 kids, 8 year old girl and 5 year old boy and 2 cats... I'm a birth doula so I geek out on everything birth regularly. I read a ton and love hiking with my kids... My husband works in finance and is really excited about this little one but will be having a vasectomy whilst we await his/her arrival haha
How are you feeling? (First appointment? Any symptoms? Emotionally?) Feel like absolute garbage and have since the day I hit 6 weeks. 24/7 nausea and I've been throwing up 1-3 times a day for about 1.5 weeks. It's been rough... also insane dreams, way too much saliva and pretty intense anxiety. My first appt will be jan 17 at 11ish weeks
GTKY Fun fact: Tell us what your super power would be? I mean if I could pick one I'd love instantaneous travel
Due date? 8/7
How did you find out? Right before Christmas I decided to take a test. I was on birth control, but I had been feeling extremely off: breast tenderness, nausea, unexplained weight gain. That BFP explained it!
Tell us about yourself: I’m a teacher, my DH and I will celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary at the end of August. We have 2 boys, 6 and 4, and 2 dogs.
How are you feeling? All over the place! The nausea this time around has blown the others out of the water. I’ve been “lurking” here for a while. I had an emergency appointment at 8 weeks due to bleeding, subchorionic hematoma, but I found LO on the Doppler today so I finally felt like I could introduce myself. I’m nervous and excited all at the same time. Next appointment is Tuesday and I cannot wait to see the ultrasound.
GTKY Fun fact: Tell us what your super power would be? Teleport! My family all lives pretty far so it would be awesome to blink and be with them.
Hi everyone! Been lurking for some time, and ready to join the group!
Due date? 8/11
How did you find out? Had weird cramping on Thanksgiving & just felt off. Took a test 3 days before AF was due & it was positive! We had been TTC for over 2 years. Had an early loss in May 2020 & no luck after that. In November, we decided to "take a break" from TTC for the rest of the year. So we were shocked & excited to find out we were finally pregnant!
Tell us about yourself: I grew up in Illinois, but moved to New Mexico when I met my husband. We have been together for 9 years, married for 3. I am a registered nurse, and just opened up my own medical spa in September. We have 2 corgis & would love to have some land for more animals one day!
How are you feeling? All of the emotions! Had my first appointment last week, at 9 weeks. Baby has a strong heartbeat & is measuring right on time. I have horrible insomnia, sore boobs, & the nausea is all day long. Hoping it subsides soon!
Tell us what your super power would be? Extreme multitasking!
Due date? August 15 or 16 (also my MIL's bday...I saw a few others say this as well!)
How did you find out? Good old fashioned home pregnancy test after a week of no sign of my period.
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?): My husband and I have been married for almost 12 years and have three adopted kids. We also have two dogs-one little old lady and a very high energy 8 month old puppy. Without giving too much personal info away, I am quite surprised to find myself at 9+ weeks pregnant. We've had 5 early losses, the latest being just after 7 weeks. I have a genetic issue that significantly increases my chances of miscarrying. Our youngest will be 7 shortly after this baby is born so we are really still in shock. Part of my delay in joining was the expectation that this pregnancy would be an early miscarriage as well.
How are you feeling? (First appointment? Any symptoms? Emotionally?) Well nauseated pretty much all day. That's the biggest thing; and fatigue. But you know, I'm always tired so it's kind of hard to track down the source. I typically try to work out nearly every day and really have not felt able to the last few weeks. I am feeling panicked at this point for either outcome! Anxious for our first ultrasound on Thursday.
GTKY Fun fact: Tell us what your super power would be? I would love to fly. Ironically I am terrified of heights.
Due date? 8/22-23
How did you find out? Period was late over Christmas holidays and I was feeling super bloated, fatigue, and dizzy. I talked to my sister who has 2 little ones and asked if she think I should take a test and she said yes. I took it and it immediately was positive. Took a second one to make sure and it said pregnant.
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?) I’m 37 and this is my first pregnancy. My partner and I have talked about having children back in 2020 but with the pandemic and him getting laid off we postponed. I’m an executive director of a small nonprofit organization that helps survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
How are you feeling? (First appointment? Any symptoms? Emotionally?) I’m feeling excited and nervous. Being that it’s my first and I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder in February. Symptoms are fatigue, insomnia, slight nausea that is random and occasional headaches.
GTKY Fun fact: Tell us what your super power would be?
My super power would be to control the weather like storm from the X-men. I live in southeast Louisiana so that would come in handy to avoid these hurricanes.
Introduce yourself: My name is Michelle. :-D
Due date? August 29th
How did you find out? My husband and I were walking through Walmart on Christmas Eve and I began to question how long my boobs had been sore. I said, "I think I'm pregnant but that's a question for Monday." Took the test first thing Monday morning and sure thing, got two lines on the little stick.
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?)
I have two kids already, 19 and 14, so I am very literally resetting my motherhood. I also have two cats and a needy Pomeranian. I am a licensed clinical social worker and own my own therapy practice in Orlando, FL. My husband is super excited as this is his first child so I am hoping everything goes well so he can enjoy the pregnancy as well. I'm 37 so it was never really my plan to have another kid at this age but I very much want to share parenthood with him.
How are you feeling? (First appointment? Any symptoms? Emotionally?)
My first appointment is the 18th. Allergies hit me hard and sleeping has been impossible for the last 2 weeks since I can't take what I usually take for my congestion symptoms. I am recovering and getting active again so I am feeling lots better now. Other symptoms are mainly digestive. Lots of bloating or gassiness or sore breasts or fatigue or some combination of all the above. Otherwise, I'm super excited. I have always loved being pregnant!
GTKY Fun fact: Tell us what your super power would be?
Probably because of my job as a therapist, mind-reading lol
Due date? 8/22
How did you find out? A very faint line at 11dpo which kept getting darker.
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?) Been trying since 2013 for this rainbow baby. It will be our first. We were diagnosed with unexplained infertility, and no treatment was helping, so we rolled the dice and decided to try naturally for the year of 2021 before resuming treatments in 2022 - and I’m thrilled to say it worked! I’m 39, so the panic was constant for years. We have a white/tabby cat called MrsDarcy. I’ve been on disability for (infertility-based) PTSD since 2018, so I don’t have a career right now, but my graduate work was in counseling psychology.
How are you feeling? (First appointment? Any symptoms? Emotionally?)
All the symptoms. I’ve never had morning sickness before, but I’ve lost 10lbs in the last month. Finally got on the Unisom regimen over the weekend and I haven’t puked in four days!!!! I’m trying not to let the nerves creep in, and we already bought a bassinet to help visualize bringing baby home. Had my first 8w nurse midwife OB check-in via phone call yesterday and refused all genetic testing for my miracle baby.
GTKY Fun fact: Tell us what your super power would be? Eradicating sickness; sure would be cool to be able to wipe Covid and cancer off the face of the earth.
welcome and congratulations on your rainbow baby! My husband and I had been trying for about 8 years as well with nothing to show for it except for a couple chemical pregnancies. Thanks for sharing your journey with us, so happy to have you here!
Keep warm this week, friend! 🥶
And please do manifest that power for all of us! In the meantime, the half a Unisom at night my doc has me taking is working wonderfully! Healthy wishes to you friend!
Introduce yourself: Vivian
Due date? 8/12
How did you find out? We’d been trying for three months, missed period and took test.
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?)
Two boys 4&7, teacher, together 15 years, married 8
How are you feeling? (First appointment? Any symptoms? Emotionally?)
Awaiting my first appointment next week, nervous since at 35 it is considered a “geriatric” pregnancy. Symptoms so far are painful breasts and uncomfortable nausea.
GTKY Fun fact: Tell us what your super power would be? Invisibility!
Due date? Dr estimates 8/19 - my ultrasound isn’t until early February.
How did you find out? We were trying - I had two solid weeks of cramps and tender breasts. Decided to take a test and then three more. All positive
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?) My hubs and I have been together for 14 years, married for 2. We have two lazy Persian cats. I work in education and he works for an insurance company. We love local travel and take a little weekend getaway every few weeks.
How are you feeling? (First appointment? Any symptoms? Emotionally?) Bloated! I go through big waves of anxiety and excitement. Luckily, no nausea.
GTKY Fun fact: Tell us what your super power would be? Teleportation. I’d love to visit anywhere anytime I wanted.
Introduce yourself: Hi I’m Rachael
Due date? 8/22 based on my LMP
How did you find out? I just felt off so I took a test and it was positive. And then I took another to double check.
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?)
I have two kids a 8 year old boy and a 2 year old girl. My husband and I have been married for almost 3 years.
How are you feeling? (First appointment? Any symptoms? Emotionally?)
I’m feeling nervous that’s honestly why it took me so long to post. Lots of nausea, food aversions to anything sour, Sore boobs, mood swings. I was supposed to have my first appointment today but had to cancel it because I’m pretty sure I’m positive for Covid. I’m awaiting my test results.
GTKY Fun fact: Tell us what your super power would be? Teleportation
Due date? 8/2, currently 11 weeks
How did you find out?
It was my second month off birth control, and the first month's cycle was 40 days! So I was mostly just trying to figure out my new cycle while we were semi trying, fully expecting this to take months to happen. On my birthday, which would have been day 35 of the cycle, I decided to test after having sore boobs for about a week, figuring I was either ~5 days late or ~5 days early, so why not. I said "huh," when I saw the plus sign, and my husband asked what that was about, and I showed him. He then pulled out the instructions for the test to figure out how to read it, and confirmed that it was indeed positive! Tested on a digital one a few days later to confirm.
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?)
We've been married a little over a year. Had 2 previous springer spaniel fur babies, but both passed from unexpected conditions within the last 2 years. Brought home a puppy the weekend that I tested positive, so that's been fun! First weekend home, and she's already going to be a big sister. We also make wine together, which I won't be drinking for several months now.
How are you feeling? (First appointment? Any symptoms? Emotionally?)
I actually feel pretty good. No nausea or sickness, thankfully. A few headaches here and there though. Fatigue was at its peak the week before Christmas, ~8 weeks, but I've had enough energy to start working out again. We have a Peloton, and we both signed up for the Power Zone Challenge before we knew, so I'm continuing with that. Emotionally, I took a Disney ride yesterday for fun, and ended up crying during "Circle of Life," but it must have been what I needed because I felt so much better after. Saw our blob baby at 9 weeks, and can't wait for the next appointment!
GTKY Fun fact: I'd probably want to be able to talk to animals as my superpower.
> Due date? My due date continues to fluctuate but currently we are looking at Aug. 24 2022
> How did you find out? We found out one morning I had a raging headache and just decided to take a test and wouldn’t you know?!
> Tell us about yourself: My husband and I were married in Nov of 2020 and have been together for roughly 4 years. We have two rescue pups who we adore! My husband is a welder and I work in a family practice. We bought are first home in April of 2020 and are so excited to be planning for twins!
> How are you feeling? I am still in utter shock that I have 2 babies growing. As of right now I’m just tired mostly. Fortunately no morning sickness but I won’t hold my breath!
> GTKY Fun fact: My super power would be to pause time! That was I could pause time while I get ready and I’d never be late again!