The Logistics of Mom Fashion

It may not be baby logistics but getting yourself out the door is no small feat some days. Personally, I must have a shower and I want to look at least somewhat pulled together – doesn’t matter if its jeans and t-shirts everyday but it must be clean and current. Here is the challenge.

Let’s say you manage to shower either before your partner leaves for work or while the child is contained somehow. For moms that return to work perhaps this challenge is different, but for those of us parents that are now at home, what to wear is – at least for me- a constant quandry. I remember my days of suits, dresses, heals and hose. Now that I am approaching another birthday with a “0″ at the end of it – I find some stores or fashions I may’ve relied on pre-prego are no longer valid. I don’t want to be the mom at the park the other moms are talking about “wow, she is trying waaaay too hard!”

Hence my recent quest, for jeans that don’t bare all yet do not cover the boobs. T-shirts (let’s face it they are a practical and possibly fashionable answer depending on the shirt), that fit without binding, suffer from paper thin fabrics or hang loose all over.

I recently became a subscriber to Cookie magazine – lots of great style, ideas for science projects, etc. But the fashions suggested are, I deem, way over the top for regular moms. $250 grey hoodies, not! $900 rain coats, not! So I figured, hey if these gals can dish out advice on fashion, so can I.

Here is my complilation of what every at-home mom needs to round out a park appropriate wardrobe, that is affordable:

• 2 pairs of jeans that fit well, don’t bind, no muffins, not too high in rise either. Skip discount brands, focus on discount stores with good brands i.e. Jones, DKNY, Calvins. Opt for modern fit, dark wash, a fit that works well with a T, fleece, fancy shirt, longer length for clogs or heeled shoe. Also check consignment shops. Remember the right fit now, may not be the same fit pre-pg. I recently snagged a pair of Jones jeans at Nordstrom Rack for $32 – that’s less than 1/2 retail.
• T-shirts that have a little spandex to hold shape, but not so much everything you’re trying to hold in lops out. No paper tees unless you have an appropriate cami under – check your local Costco for great long-length camis 2/$12!
• Everyday shoes – invest in a shoe that can go from the park, to co-op, etc. Dansko makes wonderful clogs, they are pricey but for your main shoe that will last for years, completely worth it. Check the Rack again (or TJ Maxx, etc) for another pair of shoes, perhaps in color (who can resist red Mary Jane’s from Keen) to brighten up your darker days or pair with a skirt.
• Get a good fitting skirt in a shade of khaki – this can take you to parent meetings, casual dinner, family gathering. Get 2 good pairs of tights (one black and try a color) to complement your skirt and tee combo.
• Get a good fleece for all your kid outings, spend a little more and get one  from REI, Lands End or LL Bean – more technically oriented fabrics will have less pilling and ultimately last longer than the bargain brands. Additionally, get avest for in-between weather and a nice sweater coat for non-park outings.
• Skip wearing your run shoes with all outfits – they will last longer if you just wear them to the gym, and you will feel more put together if you put on real shoes.
• Get regular haircuts – they don’t have to be pricey to make you feel good. Get regular brow waxes and at least every quarter, figure out how to either get a professional pedicure or take enough time for yourself on a Sunday afternoon to do your own toes. Mom hands are generally dry and chapped, and if I can figure out how to conquer this I will let you know.

In short, the old fashion advice holds true for moms – focus on a few good pieces, buy less items, buy better brands and you can look put together relatively easily. And if you’re like me, and perhaps still losing weight from baby – remember to trade your clothes into consignment.

So Now I’m a Runner? Dreamer Design Manhattan Lite

So after training with Coach Beth awhile she convinced me to do a 5K last fall – finished, not fast, but finished. Took some time off due to bad weather but now its a new year and I have recommitted to running! And what does a runner need? A faster stroller!

We have so dearly loved our workhorse, Zooper Boogie, and it was ok for trots and trails. But now I want to go fast. And farther. And actually lose 20 more pounds (in addition to the first 30 that Beth helped me lose, thanks Beth and Boogie!).

Now we are the proud owners of a Dreamer Design Mahanttan Lite – still needed that swivel wheel, and the 16″ back wheels and lightness of the stroller are awesome. It is light, maneuverable and while we are a slow team, the ride is smooth andbaby girl WANTS to ride in it, excellent purchase.
We have just finished, that is me and baby girl our first 5K together in the Dreamer – rain and wind did not stop us. Excellent stroller. I have now committed to another 5K and a 1/2 marathon in celebration of Mother’s Day, but will not drag baby girl through 13 miles of hills and weather.

And, I have finally lost 53 or 55 baby gain pounds!

Mommy Exercise

Crucial to mom’s survival, even more than Dad’s after baby’s arrival. I searched for mom and baby friendly classes – there are many around – timing of class versus nap is always a juggle. Lucked into a mom running class, great way to use that expensive stroller, be outside and loose some pg pounds. There are several programs around for this type of thing, but here’s what none of the cheery websites will tell you – not only is exercise after baby hard but baby may hate it. Really hate it some days, mildly dislike it others, be desperate for a nap sometimes, throw their cup 20 times until you are about to throw something yourself.

But the saving grace after you’ve read the websites touting bonding and “you’re a great example” is that everyone in class is going through the same thing. It may not look the same today because everyone elses baby is calmly riding along or munching cheerios but next week, guaranteed, there will be a meltdown and it may not be your child. And if it gets really bad, its ok to stop, unless of course you’re now several miles from your car/home/place to warm up. Then you must keep going.

Here in Seattle, we highly reccommend Coach Beth, a new mom herself and owner of Running Evolution www.runningevolution.com – she does mommy run classes, circuit training and private coaching all with her own tot in tow so she may be having a good baby day or not, just like you.

Postpartum Support?

So we’re now a year into parenthood, and now feeling a little smug or perhaps we are still deer caught in headlights but we now see some things very clearly. And it certainly isn’t what they teach you in childbirth prep class. In fact, now, I sort of feel that all these preparatory classes are an utter waste of time or at least, the emphasis is all wrong.

Childbirth lasts a fraction of the time one is a parent. Yes, it can be memorable – good or bad. But let’s face it, child does not remember. And the experience, I am sure some experts will say I am wrong, does not impact or shall I say foretell anything about the parenting experience. Parenting is trial by doing, I will not say error. Parenting without much support from our “village” is unnatural.

What we really need a class on before bebe arrives is – well, merely spending time with other families, not dinner, but real time – a whole day or week. In our scattered culture family is not the legendary support system it may have once been, granny is not around the corner for the most part and even if she is, she may be too busy, perhaps even still working, to help out.

A mentoring program for new parents – critical. Locally we have Peps, and some other moms groups but no one to one link up of expectant parent, to experienced parent. Existing groups are for after the birth, we believe there needs to be a program before the birth – a special mentoring situation where expecting parents can have questions answered and develop a relationship as they become parents. We’re not sure how to set this up as yet, but we’re working on it.

Latest stroller aquistition – Combi Soho DX

Feeling better now, we have 2 strollers in the house again although this Combi will live mainly in the car for those trips to the mall or short hauls. Great features inlcude – light, shoulder strap, cool color, doesn’t take up much space. I wanted to take this on the bus too which I may but, to fully collapse it into shoulder strap mode you need 2 hands, not sure where to put baby girl when I am doing this maneuver but the idea is still with me so we’ll work on it. We are not a tall family, but the handles do seem a little short and almost easier to walk next to the stroller than behind it sometimes. Maybe it is just that my clogs are too big. Should make a fine travel stroller as well, although backpacking seems better when on the go in a new place or gives you more options for off-road experiences. But overall, Combi makes a good, light, easy to drive buggy that you can toss in the trunk with ease.

Zooper Boogie – our choice for all around best – for now

This stroller is a monster, but it fit most of our criteria. I’ve lost weight with it, huge basket for plenty of groceries, reversible seat and long distances no problem. Comes with accessories that other brands charge extra for like rain and u/v covers. Like I said, it is a monster as ours weighs in at 30 pounds so once your little person reaches 20 pounds you are pushing 50 but I like to think of it as a few extra cals burned. It is awkward to lift once folded – you need a wagon or small suv to handle this unit, it will not fit into any trunk. We tried, figured it was time to buy a wagon anyway. But awkwardness aside, the reversible seat was a dream when baby girl was small, easily see her, cover her, chat with her. Zoopers are not cheap, but no sport stroller is. If you want to do heavy duty running, this is not the unit for you, but a little jogging and long walks it is a trooper.

Strollers – How Many Can You Have?

In the first year of baby girl’s life, we tried 5. Several success, some long term and some short. Here is what we tried and a review of our success. Let me say I love strollers, there are so many to choose from. We used the Baby Bargains guide to go over many options before we tried anything out. Most importantly, decide what you want the stroller for and be willing to abandon it when your babe decides they want nothing to do with it, this is exactly what craisglist is for, and also of course your local consignment shop. We are down to 1 stroller in the house at the moment, which makes me a little uncomfortable.
Here is what was important to us, not your standard list of qualifications:

• Can the little person fall asleep in it?
• Does it fit in the car? Mind you a “no” answer doesn’t have to sway your purchase, we ended up buying a wagon to fit the stroller.
• Can I lose weight if I own this?
• How many groceries will fit in the basket?
• Can it handle daily use including walks, trots (our version of running) and the mall?
• Any “wow” factor? Or cool accessories?
• Can you travel with it?
• Is the seat or handle reversible so you can see/converse with/monitor the little person?

In the end, 1 stroller will probably not fit your needs as it didn’t for us – you can’t lose weight with a mall crawler stroller to me – you need inflatable tires to handle long walks and trots and uneven terrain. Just one mom’s opinion though.

Consignment & Resale Shops

We highly reccommend getting to know several shops in your area – some are best for clothes, some for equipment, all shops have different policies. One major benefit of consignment is not just the ability to trade in your used items to buy more for bebe, but the items being sold are often brand new – score! For gently used clothes, bonus – no shrinkage! Always examine clothing and gear closely. If buying gear, know what you’re looking for and check for recalls at www.cpsc.gov.

In greater Seattle, we adore

• Smallclothes in West Seattle for clothes (3236 California Ave SW 206-923-2222)
• Sweet Peas in Columbia City for toys, games, gear (4820 Rainier Ave S 206-722-1031)

Baby Bottles

Avent/Plastic: Avent bottles and accessories are our choice. When we purchased them, everyone suggested them even though they drip. Being first time parents, we went with the suggestion of friends and respected books on this. Our favorite product advice book (Baby Bargains) has recently retracted their suggestion of purchasing these. See alternatives listed below.
Benefits of Avent products:

• Interchangeable parts – bottles can become cups later with sippy attachments
• IQ steam sterilizer – one of the best things we ever bought
• Easy to travel with, lightweight

There have been many articles on BPA, or polycarbonate plastics in the manufacture of baby bottles and children’s food containers. Avent uses BPA in the manufacture of their products. Ultimately it is up to each parent to decide whether this is an issue – many adult water bottles are made of this same type of plastic. Here is a link to Avent’s opinion: http://www.avent.com/uk/en/learn_more_faq_bottle_feeding.php and a link to a good summary of the issue at the Chicago Tribune: http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/features_julieshealthclub/2007/08/why-i-tossed-pl.html

Alternatives The easiest alternative, is to purchase Evenflo glass bottles and silicone nipples. Several sizes available, 4 oz and 8 oz – they come with rubber nipples but the silicone will last longer. We did attempt a switch to these, but so late in our bottle game that little girl was just not having it.

Suggestion Before you commit to one kind or another, try a couple of both and see what your baby prefers – and assess you feelings on plastics.