Page 5 - Family & Parenting

So you're a new mama. And although this is supposed to be one of the best seasons of your life, at times it can still feel a little lonely and isolating. Maybe you're living in a new city, or none of your friends have children, or perhaps you just haven't been able to find women to connect with just yet. If you're in that very common situation (been there!) here are some tips for finding your "Mom Tribe."

1. Be yourself. This seems like such an obvious thing, but it's always worth a reminder. Like attracts like, and to find "your people," work at being the most you, you can be! Authenticity always shines through, and to find women you can share those golden "me too" moments with, share your heart and who you really are, right from the get-go.
2. Branch out. Aim to try one new thing "Mommy and me" thing each week. Some ideas: library story time, local Mom and baby workout or yoga classes, babywearing groups, parenting classes or sessions at your local birthing center, Mommy and me hiking groups...put

My husband and I had been married less than a day when we first got The Question from his dad, my new father-in-law: “So, when can we expect grandkids?” We weren’t that surprised. Both of us have always known we’d be parents one day, and were fortunate to have parents who didn’t see any contradiction between being gay and raising a family. I still remember the first words out of my mom’s mouth when I came out to her: “You still want to have kids, right?” In retrospect, my husband and I traveled a fairly traditional path: boy meets boy, boy falls in love with boy, boy marries boy. But as we quickly learned, the latest chapter in our story – boy and boy start a family – was a little more complicated. As many prospective parents know, the wait can be longer than you expect. Deciding on adoption was the easy part; making it happen took work. Because there was no scenario in which we could “accidentally” adopt -- no “honey, I have a big surprise!”-- every step of the process felt like work,

Summer’s here and you deserve a little fun in the sun! Here are a few ideas for experiencing the great outdoors (in your Ergo!) with your baby. Be sure to share your adventures with us and use the #InMyErgo hashtag!

Park It

Pack yourself a delicious lunch for a good old-fashioned park visit and enjoy the picnic under a shady tree. Maybe toss a few books in your bag, too - one to read to your little one and a book of your own to enjoy while baby takes a nap. If baby is old enough, seek out the nearest playground. The bucket seat swings and sandbox time are a perfect place to start.

Hike On

Embark on a local hike with your baby! This is, of course, a perfect opportunity for babywearing and the chance to expose your little one to nature. To get an idea where to start, The National Recreation Trails Database offers a list of over 1,100 trails in all 50 states. If you live in a city like San Francisco or New York, maybe try a bridge walk instead! There’s a ton of information online about

Gas, hunger, a dirty diaper, tired, teething, sick – there are many reasons why a baby cries. Crying is your baby’s way of letting you know that something is wrong and they need you. Sometimes it’s easy to soothe a crying baby. Sometimes all it takes is you singing a song or giving your baby a bath. Other times you may not know why you have a fussy newborn so you don’t know what to do to calm them down, but you do know that you want and need to calm them down.

1. Calm Yourself Down

Babies can be very sensitive to changes in their caregiver’s emotional state. If your baby has been crying for a while and you're feeling frustrated and overwhelmed, take some deep breaths, relax your shoulders, close your eyes, and take a moment for yourself. Every time you travel by plane, the flight attendants remind you to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. Your baby will settle down more quickly if you are able to be calm and tuned in to their cues.

2. Hold Your Baby

Small babies look to

Our friend Sadie posted a beautiful post about her breastfeeding and transition to bottle journey. When I was breastfeeding, this nursing pillow was such a great tool to help me with latch, position, and my posture. I especially loved using it at night when I was really exhausted during those 3 am feedings. It offers firm support so that it can really be helpful to me and my babe. I didn’t have to slump over to get a proper latch or to get the hold I needed with the latch I needed. My back usually aches with the first few weeks of breastfeeding and this time it hasn’t once! Read more of Sadie's journey and see the entire post here.

Let me take a deep breath. Traveling with a toddler is equal parts challenging and adorable. First of all, toddlers require their own set of everything. If you want to roll your luggage, the toddler wants to roll their own luggage too. If you are wearing a backpack, they want a backpack. If you want a Frappuccino, your toddler is going to want their own version of the "Baby Frappuccino" too. Whatever you thought you needed for baby, double it now that you have an opinionated toddler whose tastes change as quickly as their nap schedule. 

If your flight is leaving before 9am, I will not judge you for purchasing a bag of Frito's or that bag of Skittles to keep the peace. I don't know a single parent that hasn't used bribery to get their child to get from Point A to B, and Hudson News has everything your child could ever hope for when it comes to processed food bribery.

My nearly two year old protests almost everything that isn't her idea, and somehow we have managed to trek 200,000

Our friend Emily, a seasoned mama, shares what to pack when traveling with baby.  There are plenty of pockets in the new Ergobaby Diaper Bag!

• First thing, if you’re on baby duty wear slip-on shoes. Something you can do absolutely hands-free. Thank Heavens for the mule trend! Mine are from here.

• Binky Clips – Do you know you’ll drop your baby’s pacifier on average 30 times more in a crowded airport or flight than you will in your everyday life. Just kidding, but I swear it always feels that way. Blinky Clips are a must.

• Books, Toys, Passports, wallets. The Ergo Backpack has so many options but I love the open pocket (behind the logo) for the items I need to pull out most often while in lines.

• We have kiddo sized neck pillows for the big boys on road trips, but on a flight, its so great for baby too! It keeps them more secure through naps and turbulence and I swear Raleigh slept like a rock thanks to this pillow. If you have an extra seat for them it makes for the easiest transfer

Babies walk at different times, they talk at different times, and just like all other developmental milestones, their digestive systems are ready for solid foods at different times. Instead of waiting until your baby reaches a certain age, it’s also recommended to wait until your little one meets all of the Developmental Signs of Readiness. These observable milestones indicate when your little one’s intricate system is ready and mature enough for the introduction of solid foods. Babies usually start meeting Signs of Readiness around 6 months, but it can definitely take longer for some and research is showing that it’s beneficial to wait. In the 1990’s, it was common for most babies to start solids around 4 months. In 2002, the World Health Organization recommended exclusive breastfeeding (formula/combo feeding) for the first 6 months. In 2012, Health Canada, Canadian Pediatric Society, Dieticians of Canada & Breastfeeding Committee for Canada (can you tell I’m Canadian!) released a joint