Last week I got to spend time with both of my nephews (ages 9mo and 8mo). I don’t get to see them too often since they live states away, so when I do get the opportunity to spend time with them I am quick to snatch them up for some playtime. What I would soon find out is that playtime usually involves them grabbing my face. They laugh and giggle as they do it (baby giggles = adorable), but shortly later I find myself beginning to wince and looking for his mom to pass him back to. Why you ask? Two words: finger nails.
A baby’s finger nails are perhaps the smallest vicious thing out there if gone untreated. It’s important to keep them trimmed so they don’t scratch out themselves, as well as other people who hold them.
I recently discovered an article posted by The Bump, which asks the question, “What is the best way to trim a newborn’s finger nails?” Here are some of the answers they provided:
1. Carefully, you should wait until the baby is sound asleep so that he/she will not move as much as when he/she is awake. Then, push down on the finger tip and either clip or cut the nail. Finally, use an emery board to file and smooth out any rough edges.
2. I found it hard to trim my newborns nails. I just put gloved on her hands for the first few months. Her nails didn’t grow very long. Now that she is almost 5 months old I have to trim her nails about 1-2 times a week to keep her from scratching herself and me. I put her in my lap (crossing my leg like a man) or in a cradle position and push back on the tip of her fingers to expose the nail. Then I cut them in stages since she can’t sit still for all 10 fingers.
For the full list of answers, visit The Bump website here.
Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell
Tag Archives: mom
Go Directly to (Baby) Jail!
It looks like this time the baby can’t pass “Go” and collect $200. Like any monopoly opponent, you rejoice when the other person has to go to jail because that means you have time to own the game, or in this case, the house.
Baby jail is a great way to keep your crawling infant safe, and also free up your hands to catch up on all of the housework!
The walls are great for balance, and allows the baby to pull themselves up to stand or walk.
You can even place your baby’s favorite toys inside for play and exploration!
Here’s one I put together for my little guy. You can buy it online at Target here.
Written by our Founder & CEO, Lindsay Bell
Boss Moms NYC
A fellow mom and I decided we would both take on reading an entrepreneur mom book and then report back to each other on how good it was. As we don’t have time to read two books each!
There are a lot of self help and motivational books out there. And there are the boring business 101 guides. But this is the first easy to read, motivational, practical how-to-start a business book I’ve seen-all geared towards moms!
Mom Boss.
I’m still reading, but here are the fast points I like so far:
I can relate to the self proclaimed workhorses she describes in her book. If you are passionate about it, it’s more like a hobby.
The one thing she said she had that her competition didn’t was the hustle. I agree, that characteristic will get you through!
The author, Nicole said, “I want this brand to be around for decades to come.” It’s important for start-ups to determine do you want to start a fast and furious brand and sell or grow gradually and be around for a long time.
She goes on to say, “Authenticity and trust mean more than fast and furious growth.” Balance isn’t easy. No one is going to tell you to shut the lap top and go to bed. The word balance is annoying. Just do what you have to do. If you don’t, it won’t get done.
We’ve got to manage ourselves and our expectations. I think this is really important as a woman and mom. If we sit around and worry all the time about what people are thinking, we will get no where!
Written by our Founder & CEO, Lindsay Bell!
Girlfriends, Glam, and Giving!
Our friends at CARDAMOM are hosting a great event in New York City on Tuesday, December 6th with the help of RPZL! Bring yourself and all of your friends to a fundraiser benefiting POWERHOUSE, a non-profit that empowers young NYC moms for career success and financial independence.
At the event you can enjoy a silent auction, cocktail reception, giveaways, and even blowouts and hair services (upon request)!
And if you show your CARDAMOM profile (download the app here), you can receive a 20% off discount at RPZL!
Event details:
RPZL at 27 West 20th Street, NYC 10011
Tuesday, December 6th
6PM-9PM
To RSVP, reply to [email protected].
We hope you all attend the event and donate to a great organization!
Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell
Pre-Baby On Call Services
How our on-call services work is we would typically set aside a 1-2 week window for the sitter to be on call around the expecting moms due date. You would then pay the sitter a day rate for all dates she is on call, and then pay her hourly for the date(s) she will be caring for your other children.
We will just need to know the approximate due date and we can begin to schedule around that time.
You will only need to pay for the dates your sitter is on call. If you book dates and you go into labor, just let us know and we’ll cancel the remaining dates. We do have a 24-hour cancellation policy, so if you cancel a sitter’s appointment with less than 24 hours notice you will be charged a $50 cancellation fee. If it is more than 24 hours notice there is no fee.
The family should also provide cab fare to get the sitter home in case of emergency.
Costs
– $75/day that the sitter is on call
– $30/hr when the sitter is with the other 1-2 children (member family rate is less per hour)
– Cab fare before 7am and after 9pm
Contact us today for more information!
Village Maternity Making a Difference
There are a lot of options for an expecting mother on how she would like her pregnancy to go. A lot can go as planned, but of course some people have to roll with the punches and figure it out along the way.
Birth transforms your life and body completely. Whom you select as your pregnancy caregiver makes all the difference in determining the satisfaction and safety of your pregnancy journey and birth experience.
Village Maternity believes the best birth for mom and baby comes from blending the unique strengths of midwives and doctors with the safety of a wonderful hospital partner.
The Village Maternity team firmly believe that true collaboration of midwives and doctors provides you with the safest and most satisfying birth experience. They approach your pregnancy with energy and enthusiasm and strive to help make your care with Village Maternity an amazing journey.
Village Maternity proudly collaborates with Metropolitan Hospital – a hidden gem for NYC families. Among Manhattan birth sites, Metropolitan has a long history of true midwifery care, including support for unmedicated birth with one of the lowest epidural rates. Metropolitan has one of the lowest cesarean section rates and the least overcrowding. Metropolitan physicians provide support for one of the highest rates of vaginal birth after cesarean section.
Village Maternity offers both Maternity Care (prenatal and postpartum) as well as Preconception Care. Not to mention 24/7 phone access. How reassuring to have your doctor a call away. They even have weekend and evening office hours. Village Maternity offices are conveniently based in midtown east.
Note: Village Maternity did not pay for this post. I met the doctors at Village Maternity and truly believe in their mission. For more information please visit their website.
Written by our Founder & CEO, Lindsay Bell
Meeting Local Moms with Cardamom!
Are you a mom looking to get to know other moms around you? The Cardamom app is bringing all like-moms together to do just that.
We recently got to know all about the Cardamom app through a Q&A, and here’s everything you should know now!
Q: What should our readers know about the new Cardamom app?
A: Cardamom is a cool, new friend-networking app, designed just for moms. The app is “matches” local moms to each other for friendship, playdates, and professional connections, and is customized to what each mom is looking for. Introductions and connections are made directly on your phone so there is no planning or pressure. It’s like a friend-dating app for moms!
Q: What inspired you to create this fun and easy way to meet other moms in your “hood” app?
A: I’m a working mom of two girls, raising my kids in Manhattan. I know firsthand how important a friend to laugh with, lean on, cry with, drink with (coffee or wine J) can be. Before we were “moms”, we spent decades of our lives making friends organically, through school, work and play. Enter motherhood, and it’s like starting all over again.
It can be so hard to make new friends as a mom – to find the time and energy to go out to events, classes, playgrounds, activities, meetups, moms’ groups, and other places where moms are, in the hopes of meeting someone you click with… and then even if you do, your kids, schedules and lifestyles need to be in sync too. It can be exhausting and overwhelming. With Cardamom, the app does the hard work of making introductions to like-minded moms, all from the comfort of your phone, so new friends are just a tap away.
Q: How easy/hard is it to use the app?
A: It’s simple and easy. We want the whole experience to be beautiful, since it’s such a personal thing and most moms are always on-the-go. After a mom creates her profile (the “Card” in Cardamom), she can just sit back and let Cardamom do the hard work of finding her potential new friends.
Q: How does the app work?
A: Moms create a profile Card to share things like where they live, kids’ ages, work status, availability, interests, and even other niche things like career choices and languages. Cardamom’s fancy matching algorithm then introduces local, like-minded moms to each other. Moms can see their matches on a map, so they know who’s near them. If a mom wants to meet another mom, she simply “waves” to her on the app; when the other mom waves back, they are connected with a high-five and can start chatting directly on the app. The app also tells both moms when they have common availability, since we want to encourage our users to meet up live and grow their friendships.
Each mom receives a limited number of introductions per day. After she has either waved, saved the Card or declined the introduction (don’t worry, its anonymous so no hard feelings), she’ll receive a new set the next day. So check back often as your village grows!
Q: Will the moms find other like-minded moms on the app?
A: Absolutely. We’ve already made over 2,500 introductions in NYC alone, and sparked many great conversations. We just launched last month, with new moms joining every day. So if you don’t meet the right one just yet, check back when you can!
Q: How can a mom actually engage with another mom on the app?
A: Once both moms “wave” to each other, they can chat on the app. We’re building out a mom-date planning service as well as group boards where moms can ask each other questions, coordinate nanny-shares, and other things that make motherhood fun and easier. Stay tuned!
Q: How will a mom know if another mom wants to meet up with them?
A: The mom will receive a message that another mom has “waved” to her. If she wants to meet the other mom, she simply taps “wave back” and let the friendship begin! Moms can chat, learn more about each other and coordinate meet ups with or without the kids.
Q: Is there a cost to use the app?
A: No, the app is free. We just launched for iPhone/iOS and Android will be available soon.
To download the app, click here!
Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell
Get to Know Rockets of Awesome
Rockets of Awesome is the latest and greatest when it comes to shopping with the little ones. No more chasing kids down aisles, packing up the stroller, or dealing with a public tantrum. Rockets of Awesome brings stress-free and stylish shopping right to your doorstep through their website.
Now who’s excited to go back to school shopping?
Take a read through our Q&A with Rachel Blumenthal, Founder of Rockets of Awesome, to learn more about the new way to shop!
Q: What was your biggest inspiration to create a business like Rockets of Awesome?
As a mom, I’ve always been frustrated at having to choose between style and value when it came to my kids clothes. I also can’t keep up with the demand of how quickly they grow. The minute I had unpacked the boxes of e-comm orders, my son was telling me his pants were too short, and my daughter’s belly was hanging out of her tops (#momfail). Through my own experiences and hearing the same from the Cricket’s Circle community, I knew I could come up with a smart solution. I set out to create a highly personalized, thoughtful experience to replace the disjointed, time-consuming process we have been forced to endure for so long. Rockets of Awesome delivers stylish, high-quality kids clothing at an incredible value – and takes an errand off every parent’s to-do list.
For kids that are particular with their outfits, are they able to select specific items? What about those that have no idea what they want to wear – how do you select clothes for them?
As the shopping solution for parents, our truly personalized experience simplifies the process of shopping for awesome kids clothing – from end to end. When a customer takes the style quiz on our site, they can indicate their kids’ preferences from style to color to fit and more. If their child doesn’t like red, they’ll never see a red item in their box! After receiving their first box, keeping what they want and sending back what they don’t, they’ll be able to shop a la carte in their own personalized shop, curated based on their kids’ preferences. Unlike any other brand, we’re really here to simplify and personalize the shopping experience to deliver high-quality, stylish pieces that parents and their kids will love – all at an incredible value.
While kids and parents aren’t able to select pieces for their box, we’re able to quickly cater to our customers’ wants and needs using data from their preferences and purchases to inform future collections. Combining customer driven curation with insights from our team of talented in-house designers, we’re able to continuously deliver a thoughtful assortment of outfits parents and their kids will love. And of course, if you see something you love on the playground that isn’t in your box or shop, we’ll do our best to get it to you.
What’s inside a shipment from Rockets of Awesome and what will the customer be charged for?
Each box includes 12 items. There’s no commitment – keep what you want, send back what you don’t. There is no fee to join (and no styling fee or any other fee for that matter), you only pay for what you keep. There’s literally no catch, everything we do is to simplify the lives of parents and deliver our customers the type of experience we want ourselves.
If a customer decides not to keep the clothes, how does your return policy work?
Customers have 10 days to return the Rockets of Awesome items that weren’t a fit. Returns are tracked, and once received, Rockets of Awesome will charge the customer only for the pieces they decided to keep.
What makes Rockets of Awesome different from other online clothing companies?
Rockets of Awesome not only makes shopping much easier for parents end-to- end, but also designs stylish, high quality-kids clothing at an incredible value. We give parents the best of all worlds – personalization, membership cadence, and on demand e-commerce all through a vertical brand. Producing our own product enables us to quickly tweak design according to customer feedback, and selling it direct to consumer allows us to price pieces at an exceptional value. We truly want to simplify the lives of parents and do the work for them.
Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell
The Nursing While Walking Mom
Spotted! It’s a mom who’s nursing while walking.
Have you ever done this?
I was headed to the mall with my mom when my lil’ guy got hungry. I did not want to spend my special time with my mom sitting in a fitting room nursing for the next hour. So, I got my son situated on my breast and wrapped a light scarf over us and continued shopping. I got some looks, but I also had moms come up to me saying that was them a few days ago.
Phew, I’m not alone!
I think mothers can agree, we just do what we can to make it work and still have a life. Otherwise, we feel like we’re at the mercy of our nursing child.
I don’t ever feel annoyed by how much he feeds, and he feeds often. I just try to find ways to make it work for both of us. I do like nursing, and still do our chair feedings, but it’s also nice to be able to move around!
Just be careful if you need to walk and nurse. Wear flat comfortable shoes and have a buddy with you so you are not alone.
Written by our CEO & Founder, Lindsay Bell
New York Post Feat. Baby Nurses
Many entrepreneur working moms are finding it near impossible to juggle motherhood and business. Both require you 24/7. The only answer is to outsource to make life manageable. One of the many things moms juggle is sleep at night. Sleep is necessary for mom and baby to thrive, yet it is not easy, especially in the first few months.
One solution is for moms to hire a baby nurse or night nurse. A Baby Nurse is a non-medical professional who comes into the home when the baby comes home from the hospital. They generally assist parents with the day-to-day care of their new baby for a few weeks up to several months. They can provide overnight (10-12 hours), daytime hours, and 24-hour care. A Baby Nurse is experienced, trained, and/or has a certification. Many Baby Nurses will have additional certifications like: HHAs, CNAs or LPNs. Most Baby Nurses also have their CPR certification.
A Night Nurse is an infant expert and only stays at night with the baby. The Night Nurse helps with feedings at night by either bringing the baby to mom, or feeding the baby formula or breast milk through a bottle. Typically, night nurses stat over night from 9-10 p.m. to 6-7 a.m.
Check out this great NY Post article featuring Bell Family Company, and why they agree Baby Nurses are a must have for working moms.
Written by our Founder & CEO, Lindsay Bell