Parenting is one of the hardest but most rewarding journeys. Here we share all of the ups, downs and tips from our experience. Topics include: raising children, dealing with colic, coping with judgement, preparing siblings for the new baby, tips for partners, traveling with kids, and everything in between!

Taking Your Baby to the Beach

Taking Your Baby to the Beach

By Christie Rinder | June 7, 2022

If you are anything like me, you know there are really healing energies offered by the sand and salt water of our gorgeous beaches here in Tampa Bay. We live where many people vacation, and there is a certain type of serenity that comes from the gulf breezes and gentle lapping of the waters. With…

Breast-feeding and Birth Control

Breastfeeding and Birth Control

By Christie Rinder | January 21, 2022

We believe it’s just as important to understand your options and feel empowered in your decisions about birth control as it is for giving birth. In this post we share insight into breastfeeding as a form of birth control, called the lactational amenorrhea method (LAM).  Is breastfeeding my baby an effective form of birth control?…

Accept-the-help

Hey Mom, Ask for and Accept the Help

By Christie Rinder | January 11, 2022

Let’s normalize moms being called superheroes because we ask for and accept the help we need. Not because we handle so much on our own. Let’s go back to the village because here’s the thing, most of us aren’t handling it.  I had my first baby when I was 15 years old. I was no…

Toddler Hugging his Newborn Baby Sister

Helping Your Toddler Adjust to Your Newborn

By Christie Rinder | November 12, 2021

My son was almost two years old and still in diapers when I gave birth to my daughter. I thought I had the routine down after two years of parenting. However, I quickly realized that my life was about to become a juggling act. One minute I was changing not one, but two diapers, dealing…

how-to-make-mom-friends

How Not To Make Mom Friends

By Christie Rinder | June 5, 2021

This story goes out to any new parents struggling to make connections and feel like themselves again. Lonely and isolated at home with an eight week old baby, I desperately longed for companionship with people in the same season of life. Instead of continuing to perfect my cyberstalker skills on Facebook, I convinced myself I…

best-strollers-2021

Our Top Five Strollers for 2021

By Christie Rinder | May 27, 2021

Picking out the perfect stroller can feel a little daunting with so many options available. You may be unsure of what features you’ll like or need until your baby arrives. Whether you are pregnant and creating your baby registry, working on establishing a nap schedule with your newborn, or juggling an infant and a toddler…

postpartum-sleep-deprivation

Postpartum Sleep Deprivation

By Christie Rinder | May 22, 2021

Four days and one unexpected c-section later we were discharged and on our way home at last. I could no longer lean on the quiet protection of the hospital. Nurses would not be checking on me periodically. Meals would not be brought to me on a schedule. Ready or not I was now a Mom…

Building-Confidence-In-Ourselves-As-Mothers

Building Confidence in Ourselves as Mothers

By Christie Rinder | March 19, 2021

I was invited by Kylie Kelly of the “This Mama Means Business” podcast, to talk about building confidence in ourselves as mothers. It was a great experience, and I hope you’ll take a listen here. Building Confidence In Ourselves As Mothers Podcast The ideas I share below are based on my own experiences as mother…

let-children-think-for-themselves

Let Children Think For Themselves

By Christie Rinder | March 10, 2021

What Growing Up in a Cult Taught Me About Parenting “College is overrated. You don’t have to go” my dad said to me. “L. Ron Hubbard, (founder of Scientology) says that in ancient Rome, by the age of 15, men were married, starting families and already working a trade. This modern system with so many…

what-baby-nurse-does

Bethenny’s Baby Nurse

By Christie Rinder | February 25, 2021

Believe it or not, I first learned what a baby nurse does on a Bravo TV show. Long before I became a doula, I was a “Real Housewives of NYC” fan. Oh, the gloriously trashy and mindless entertainment! When I watched this faux-reality series, the characters included Countess Luann de Lesseps and Bethenny Frankel. At…

Parents-Need-Help-Not-Judgment

Parents Need Help Not Judgment

By Christie Rinder | February 5, 2021

Raise your hand if you’ve ever had to deal with a Judgy McJudgerpants in your life? I recently wrote about coping with a colicky baby as a new parent – what made it better and what didn’t. Three aspects of the situation made it harder: lack of support judgment and unsolicited advice. I was exclusively…

coping-with-colic

Will My Colicky Baby Get Better?

By Christie Rinder | January 24, 2021

My baby boy was beautiful, healthy, and perfect in every way. Except — he had colic and it was really, really hard.  Prior to this I didn’t really know what colic was, but I was about to find out first hand. The first two weeks were fine. He slept. He ate. He made silly and…