Dear Boston Mamas: Life with Two Kids
While I was en route to California this past weekend, I was so happy to have some quiet time to read through more of the Boston Mamas survey comments. Among the responses was a question that fit well both for the Dear Boston Mamas column, and given that I just guest posted at Rookie Moms about what I have learned in having a second child. Of course, a lot of the below would apply to 2+ children as well; if you have additional thoughts to share, feel free to do so in the comments!
Question: How is life with two kids? We are expecting #2 and I know it will be different but how? How are you managing? Is baby #2 on a schedule or on older child's schedule?









During the pushing phase of my
Today's
I know many, many moms who have experienced breastfeeding woes, so I feel gratitude every day that nursing has worked out so easily and so well for me and my girls. In honor of tomorrow's kick off of
Today's
Though I typically am a fan of bikinis, given that I'm hitting swimsuit season about three months postpartum, I wanted a little more coverage this season. Just the other week I was looking remorsefully at my bikini collection (which includes a couple of
I recently wrote about getting back to basics with 
One thing is for sure: in this fast paced, instant gratification world of social media, being an online person who disappears for a few days apparently results in some digital hand wringing. When I finally turned my Blackberry back on following
Today's
Whether you're early or late in your pregnancy, read on for my thoughts on
A couple of months ago, after (probably too) many weeks of winging it with my regular clothes, I finally came to terms with the fact that I needed maternity tops. It also quickly became painfully (literally) clear that I needed new bras too. Read on for my thoughts on three of Bravado's maternity/nursing bra offerings, as well as to learn how to win a Bravado nursing bra or tank!
Now that we've hit five weeks until baby, in addition to the
This week on Life.Style, I engaged in a second conversation on
I love wearing dresses, but clearly, going bare legged isn't the greatest option if getting from point A to B involves going outside in frigid winter weather. So I was thrilled to find -- in advance of heading to
Now that we've officially switched from count up to count down mode with this pregnancy (7 weeks to go!), many people have asked what we're naming our second daughter. And as with many responses to questions (e.g., Have you figured out child care? Where will the baby sleep? What do you need for baby stuff?) associated with my remarkably laid back approach to this pregnancy, the answer has been, "Hmm...I have no idea." But a few things recently suggested that it's time to get a move on thinking about this name business -- and I'm hoping you can help me out here:
Last week, I officially decided to
Today,
I've long been a fan of
Pregnancy hasn't slowed me down at all, but when I travel, I do now feel more acutely the burden of toting luggage along with my front-riding precious cargo. So I was thrilled to learn about
Yesterday on BabyCenter's Momformation blog I guest posted on
Today,
Today's
One of the best gifts I have ever come up with was back when I was in graduate school. For my mother's 60th birthday I enlisted my six siblings to go in on a big gift: a custom designed mother's ring to replace her wedding ring that had been lost (um, thrown out a moving car window by a toddler) many years before. (I wanted to go with custom because everything I saw ready-made on the market looked tacky, plus we needed something that could be styled awesomely to accommodate seven stones.) I've subsequently always loved the idea of mother's jewelry, but for those of us in our childbearing years, many of the options seem so, well, permanent. Which is one of the reasons I fell in love with
Today's
One thing that's clear about pregnancy is that bodies grow very differently (when in doubt, do not ask!). I "popped" late with Laurel, and it's been similar this go around. At almost 17 weeks, though I'm definitely feeling thicker around the middle, I'm still wearing my regular clothes; as of two weeks ago, I simply looked a little
Today,
Today's
Today,
I have always advocated for the airline mantra, "Put on your own oxygen mask first before helping others" when it comes to parenting, and expecting and newly delivered moms are especially in need of some time to put themselves first. Whether you want to get some self care goodies for yourself or a mom friend, check out
Today's
I loved being pregnant with Laurel (I was one of those annoying people who experienced a blissfully smooth pregnancy), but I wasn't wild about the limited fashion options at that time. Luckily, maternity style now is a cinch, thanks to collections such as those by
The bold and cheerful clothing of Swedish outfitter
My friend
Today,
Minding your intake during the holidays can be challenging for anyone, and even more so when you’re eating for two. Yes, you’re expected to consume extra calories (thought in general, it’s only about 300 calories, which isn’t a lot when you stack it up in terms of holiday cookies), but it’s important to make the calories count in a healthful way. This month, in my role as a
November is
Per my role as a
Whether a woman's delivery mirrors her birth plan to the letter, or is the complete opposite of what was envisioned (as was the case for me), postpartum recovery can be challenging; self care is hugely important but often takes a back seat to caring for baby. And the folks at
Today,
Folks, I don’t like to beg, but in this special case, I will. PLEASE consider making a donation - $5, $10, more if you have the means - to
Planning a homebirth? Today,
Today,
Today,
Today I’m sharing a bit of a hybrid link post; including posts that caught my eye per Love These Links! (where I share clever, resourceful, thought provoking, and/or hilarious links that I think would be of interest to the fabulous readers who peruse Boston Mamas), plus links from my style blog Weekly Web Roundup partnership. Enjoy!
Today,
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
It’s been a crazy, crazy week, but apparently there’s always time to surf. Here’s what caught my eye around the web this week, in my 2nd edition of Love These Links!, where I share clever, resourceful, thought provoking, and/or hilarious links that I think would be of interest to the fabulous readers who peruse Boston Mamas. Enjoy!
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
Today,
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
As the cool weather sets in, so do the colds and skin care battles, making it ever more important to find safe, nourishing body products for mom and babe. And
I love body products - the delicious smells, the pretty packaging, the pampered feeling. And there’s a cool new collection on the block in
As someone who consumes mostly water, fruit juices tend to be too sweet for me, and I found myself especially intolerant of intense sugar levels during pregnancy. And whether you’re pregnant, nursing, or actively chasing kids, here's a tasty new way to keep hydrated and vitamin infused.
Today,
Amidst the many ups and downs associated with pregnancy and postpartum, one constant is that your body weathers a major storm, complete with stretching, discoloration, and a variety of discomforts. Luckily for moms looking for cover and relief, there’s
Here’s a cool idea for expecting couples. In honor of Father's Day, the
In my opinion, you can never be proactive enough about exploring women’s health issues and options, and this Saturday, the American College of Nurse-Midwives is sponsoring a free
New mamahood sometimes seems akin to stepping into an amnesic vortex: you feel as if you’re spinning in a whirlwind of chaos and activity, but at the end of the day, you can’t recall how you spent your hours. Or rather, perhaps it’s just that the “little things” you’ve done all day don’t seem as noteworthy as your frantic working girl episodes. Never mind that many of those little things result in keeping another human being alive.
It’s no surprise why babies get showered with goodies, but moms need attention too - particularly postpartum - and that’s why I dig
Last week I had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Melissa Kotlen Nagin, a certified lactation consultant and About.com’s
One challenge for pregnant working women is finding maternity clothing that is stylish and well constructed, but doesn’t break the bank. When I was pregnant with Laurel and hunting for reasonably priced work pieces, I saw a troubling amount of highly flammable polyester construction that was ill reminiscent of the marching band and color guard (yes, color guard) uniforms I wore in high school. Designers are, thankfully, catching on to the need for affordable maternity style, and among the newcomers is the recently launched
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
In college I saw a film in my cross-cultural developmental psychology class that made childbirth (squatting, under a tree) look, well, natural - far from the environmental or procedural pragmatics of today's norms. And natural or not, wherever your birth experience(s) ranked on the standard - chaotic/invasive scale, consider checking out
Our beloved writer
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:

























