Mi Maiv

09/10/2025

My boys are in full growth spurt mode, yet somehow refuse to eat anything… unless it’s Hmong Chicken Herb Tofu Soup 🐓🥣. Then suddenly, they’re competitive eaters at the table, racing to see who can finish first 😂.

09/07/2025

Who else still craves chicken herbs even after the postpartum diet? 🙋‍♀️ I can never resist Chicken Tofu! With our convenient dried chicken herbs, it’s so quick and easy to make.

08/22/2025

Today, on National Rainbow Baby Day, I want to share something deeply personal that I have never shared with anyone.

I’ve had two miscarriages, and for a long time, I never talked about them. I felt ashamed. I blamed myself.

The first time I found out I was pregnant was in 2014, just as I was about to graduate from college. I was scared, uncertain, and I cried. But after a while, my husband and I accepted it, and we were happy. A week later, I started bleeding. I didn’t know who to turn to.

It was heartbreaking—and isolating. We had announced our pregnancy early, and people kept asking, “When are you due? How’s the baby?” No one knew I had already lost the baby. Comments from others, even well-meaning ones, made it worse. I remember my mother-in-law saying, “You probably pulled a muscle or did something wrong.” I kept thinking, Did I hurt the baby? Did I not want it enough?

The worst part of it all was, I couldn’t go to my mom’s house for 30 days, because of the religious belief that a woman’s body is polluted and you cannot enter anyone’s home until you’ve passed your 30 day confinement. 

It took me years to open up and talk about it. Nobody really understands what it’s like when your body fails you, when a baby is unviable. It is lonely. It is sad. But if you’re going through it, know this: you are not alone. Miscarriages happen far more often than people realize, and it is NOT your fault. There are many reasons why miscarriages happen, and often, there’s nothing you could have done. All you can do is grieve, accept, and eventually heal.

Five years later, after finishing pharmacy school, I had our first little boy—my rainbow baby. After he turned one, we tried for another baby, and I experienced another miscarriage while working at the pharmacy. I worked through it, taking care of myself the best I could. Months later, after our cycles regulated, we tried again, and we were blessed with our second little boy.

Sometimes I wonder—what if we had had all those children? How different would our family be? Maybe it would have been a girl. We’ll never know. But I am deeply grateful for the little ones that I have today.

To anyone who has experienced loss, or who is struggling right now: I feel for you. I know the grief is unique and irreplaceable. It’s okay to mourn. It’s okay to feel broken. But there is hope. Healing comes in time, and love comes in unexpected ways.

08/17/2025

I knew it’d be a hot minute before I got my hands on fast food again, so my final pre-baby meal request? A McDonald’s Big Mac 😁 What did you eat right before giving birth?

08/09/2025

Breastfeeding is a wild ride; sometimes it feels like you’re constantly nursing or pumping, counting ounces and wishing for more. Those first days, I was living life on repeat: nurse, pump, chug warm water, repeat. My chicken diet had me sipping all the broth I could handle (hoping it would work some magic on my milk supply), with Heavenly Hunks oatmeal bars close by for quick snacks. Kodiak S’mores protein bars became my midnight lifesavers when hunger hit hardest.

Honestly, despite all the effort, my pump would give me maybe 2 oz—combined. Frustrating, right? I joined multiple breastfeeding group, saw lactation specialists, tried different pumps and flanges (even got sized for the “right” ones). I used manual pumps out of pure determination. Nothing seemed to change, and it was so discouraging and draining.

But there’s beauty in unexpected help—I’m forever grateful for a close friend willing to donate breastmilk for my baby. That gift of love from her and her sweet babe means more than words can express.

Now, we’re no longer exclusively pumping. We nurse on demand and then top off with formula when needed. It’s been a journey of learning to let go of expectations and lean into what works best for us. To all the mommas out there, if you’re struggling, please give yourself some grace. You matter too. Your sanity, your peace, and your health are all part of what makes you the best mom for your baby.

08/06/2025

Even though we are all about Chicken Herbs, that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy some bao sometimes.

This momma is ready to get back into her favorite pastime hobby of being a food connoisseur 😅

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

07/31/2025

A full month has passed, and just like that, our little one is 30 days old. We’ve come to the end of the postpartum 30 day confinement.

For those of you still in the midst of it, take heart. This stretch—however long it may feel—is brief. Your body will recover. Your days will feel lighter. The rhythm of life will return.

But while you’re in it, try to see this time for what it is: rare, fleeting, and full of meaning. Right now, you are everything to your baby. One day, they will do things on their own. They’ll eat without help, run ahead of you, close their door at bedtime. And you’ll remember this season when they needed you for everything.

So look ahead if you must, but don’t forget to look around. Ten years from now, you may find yourself wishing for one more sleepless night, one more tiny hand reaching for yours.

07/16/2025

Picking these Hmong chicken herbs isn’t just about cooking—it’s a sacred tradition and a reminder of the rite of passage we go through as mothers. There’s no greater gift than the ability to bring life into this world, and motherhood has stretched and transformed me in ways I never imagined.

I’ve been so blessed to stay home with my boys during this postpartum season and not feel the pressure to return to work right away. While I sometimes miss the career and the paycheck, nothing compares to spending each day with my little humans. We live simply and within our means, and I’d trade it all again in a heartbeat just to be here for these moments.

07/15/2025

Postpartum Update: Halfway Through the Month

Hey Mommas 💛

Within a blink of an eye, we’re already halfway through our one-month postpartum journey. Can you believe it? The days feel long, but the weeks fly by. Our bodies are truly miracles — they heal, adapt, and bounce back faster than we give them credit for.

To those of you doing your month-long chicken diet, hang in there! It might feel never-ending right now, but trust me — there is light (and spice and variety!) at the end of the tunnel. You’re nourishing your body in such a powerful, intentional way.

Take it one day at a time, and don’t forget to give yourself grace. You’ve got this, mama. 💪✨

07/11/2025

Life Update 💫
Our little bundle of joy, decided to surprise us with an early arrival on July 1st. It’s been a roller coaster of emotions — I already miss being pregnant (it all went by way too fast, I didn't even get to wear all the maternity clothes that I bought), but at the same time, I’m so grateful he’s here, safe, and right by my side. 💙

Watching my not-so-little ones adjust and grow up so quickly is bittersweet. It breaks my heart a little knowing they’re having to step up, but I’m so proud of them.

Even though this isn’t our first rodeo, nothing really prepares you for it all. We were ready… but not ready-ready, you know?

Huge shoutout to my amazing husband — my MVP — who cooked me my first postpartum chicken herb meal and has been nonstop holding everything down: the boys, the house, and me. 🥹

To all the moms out there going through the postpartum chicken diet phase — how are you holding up? Are you following it strictly or giving yourself grace where you need it?

06/10/2025

So grateful to this sister for sharing her experience with our dried chicken herbs! Thank you for supporting our mission to preserve and share our cultural traditions. We’re so happy to be able to provide these healing ingredients to those who don’t always have access to them. Your support means everything!

149 likes, 11 comments. “Mimaiv recommends boiling the tea bag first before cooking the chicken. However, I decided to add it once I removed the impurities. If you prefer a stronger taste, I’d say follow their instructions or use 2 bags. One neat thing is you also drink it as a tea. I’ll be tr...

06/07/2025

I can't believe we're already at 33 weeks...how did we get here so fast? 😅 Time really does fly, especially with two toddlers keeping me on my toes. I’ve been trying to slow down and soak in all the little moments, but if you’ve been through the third trimester, you know… it’s not easy. The aches, the exhaustion — it’s real.

And that "pregnancy glow" everyone talks about? I’m still waiting for mine. Maybe it’ll show up when this baby is grown and out of the house! (kidding... kinda 😂)

All jokes aside, this journey can feel lonely. Pregnancy depression and postpartum depression are real, and often not talked about enough. If you're going through it — or just need someone to talk to — please know my inbox is always open. You’re not alone. 💛