Coffee has gotten me through the last 10 months postpartum, but not how you may think...

I only knew a handful of people with babies when I had Bodhi, and most were not local, so we were really on our own in the beginning. The first few weeks, okay months, of postpartum were so lonely. I wasn’t allowed to drive for 8 weeks, and couldn’t pick up my baby in his car seat until after 6 weeks…so outings on our own were simply out of the question.

This was totally fine for the first 4 weeks while my husband was home on paternity leave, but then it all hit when he went back to work. It was just me, a new mom healing from giving birth, and my newborn. We were getting to know each other and getting to know the 4 walls of our home verryyyy well.

Luckily I met some incredible new mama friends pretty quickly and these ladies have made my postpartum journey so much better. I met most of my mom friends at coffee shops or at my mommy & me events which eventually led to coffee.

Coffee has literally got me through the last 10 months… but really it’s the ladies I met over coffee that have gotten me through! Support, connection and community are essential during postpartum.

I am so grateful for my tribe of mama and I love raising our babes alongside one another. There are certain things that only postpartum mamas and new moms can understand and relate to. It’s also been incredible to have women to bounce breastfeeding, food feeding, sleep and so many other questions off of - because we are all in it together. All of our babes are about the same age and I’m so excited to see them grow up together.

I can not recommend this enough to new mamas…build yourself a mom community, the support is incredible and there will be days when you really need them and they will need you.

3 Tips to Building Your Mom Community

Attend Mommy & Me events with your little one, and open up and talk to the moms there. No one understands what you are going through more than other new mamas.
If you see a mama out, at coffee, the grocery store, anywhere really, strike up a conversation… you never know where it might lead! (this is how I met two of my good mama friends!)
Go to story time or music class! Most libraries offer story time for free, and many cities have a variety of music classes for various age groups. This is a great place to meet like minded mamas.

Since having Bodhi I found that I have become more outgoing and willing to strike up conversation with other mamas and little ones, you never know who you may meet!

Would love to know how you met your mama friends! Comment below and lmk! xx

We are in newborn heaven, and loving every second!

Before B arrived I had a few things in place that have really helped with postpartum life.

5 Tips for postpartum life…

Have more than 1 diaper changing station. We live in a 2-story house and so having 2+ diaper changing stations set up has really saved us. There is no way I’d want to run up stairs with a newborn every time I needed to change him…although it’d be quite the workout!
This cart is everything. We have this cart on our first floor, and it is a tremendous help! It has 3 levels, and allows me to have a diaper changing section, a pumping section, and a clean clothes (for me too!), water and snack section.
Nap when he naps may not always be possible…I mean in the beginning you just want to stare at your newborn, trust me I get it! Try your best to sneak in a few naps throughout the day when your baby naps, this will save you when you are up all night feeding and changing them. Sleep deprivation is no joke. If you are open to it, perhaps have someone you trust come over and watch the baby so you can sneak in a nap too!
Okay this one may be TMI, but since the majority of you are Moms or Mama’s-to-be let’s get into it… splurge on the fancy diapers. Not for the baby, for you. The hospital ones will get the job done (IYKYK) but these are much better, trust me. They make postpartum life much easier once you get home, and make you feel slightly more put together (if that’s even possible).
Create a drawer or section of your closet with all of your nursing or postpartum clothing options. I created a drawer of tops & bottoms I thought I would want to wear (think ultra comfy, non-restrictive, and easy breastfeeding access) postpartum, and it has been a life saver. In the first few days and weeks you don’t have time or energy to search for things to wear.