Posts tagged: In Real Life

As if delivering a baby doesn’t already come with an endless list of unknowns, thousands of women across the country are preparing to give birth in a world with COVID-19. Liz Teich (@thenewyorkstylist), an NYC based fashion stylist, on-air style expert and the lifestyle blogger behind The New York Stylist is one of them. Liz, along with her husband Josh and three-year-old son Asher, are anxiously awaiting the arrival of a new baby girl due April 19. On top of the usual nerves that tend to sometimes set in the...

As the new realities of social distancing and working from home set in, we’re spending more time in our homes than ever before. Luckily our team at Monica + Andy HQ has weighed in on their top tips and tricks for making working from home work for you -- from dealing with distractions to curating a functional schedule for yourself. Stay tuned for a part II where our team weighs in on their tips + tricks to juggling WFH and little ones. Hang in there mama, we’re in this together!...

Chicago-based pediatrician and mom Dr. Payal Adhikari addresses more of your coronavirus (COVID-19) questions and concerns. One of her biggest pieces of advice is keeping in mind how important it is to sacrifice things like family visits and unnecessary socializing now to benefit everyone in the long run. As things continue to evolve daily, Dr. Payal’s favorite websites for accurate information are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Read on to discover her helpful tips...

Flexibility is a key factor in helping women not only survive, but thrive, in the workforce. (Especially as we wait for federally-mandated paid leave—we're just a few decades behind the rest of the world on that one.) But here’s the thing: there’s a playbook to successfully asking for a flexible schedule, says Lauren Smith Brody, author and founder of The Fifth Trimester. (Rule number one: don’t think of flexibility as a favor—this is a natural evolution of your career development.) Keep these tips in mind before sitting down with your...

From the all-important “book” adoptive parents create for birth families, to the years of paper work and waiting lists, and that final, life-changing call—elementary school teacher Christina Forzley shares what adopting a newborn looked like for her family. On deciding to adopt: My husband Matt and I always knew we wanted a family in some way, shape or form. Adoption has always been a big part of my family, because my brother is adopted, so we had the idea we might adopt at some point. We spent several years trying...

Whether she's documenting her breastfeeding journey, NICU stay, or swaddling struggles, Ro Williams Brann, founder of the jewelry line, The Mom Life Co., is the first to admit that 'learning baby' is no joke. (Cheers to her suggestion that moms deserve doctorate degrees.) With three-year-old Arya London and five-month-old Avery Jae at home, we chatted with Brann about the beauty of toddler distractions, transitioning from one to two, and the importance of giving yourself grace. Running my own business with a new baby is: like the most terrifying yet exhilarating...

Whether you’re taking a two-year pause, hanging up your work hat indefinitely, or working a flex job during naps—staying at home can come with just as many feelings of guilt, identity struggles, and stress as going back to the office. And what’s harder: “There’s this antiquated narrative around stay-at-home moms—that they’re bored and now growing anymore,” says Neha Ruch, founder of Mother Untitled and a Stanford MBA taking her own pause to lean into motherhood. “We need to shift the conversation to be more about the growth and creativity that’s...

Whether you’re anxious over (re: dreading) the return, under-the-radar excited to sip coffee and answer emails again, or somewhere in between, there’s no getting around it: transitioning into your new identity as a working mom can be really tough. And while there’s no remedy for the pit that might come with leaving your babe those first few weeks back, there are steps you can take to help blend your two worlds—and maybe even keep your head on straight. 1. Treat your maternity leave like any other work project Long before...

From selling her first collection at age 16—to seeing her jewelry on celebrities like Angelina Jolie and Mila Kunis—designer Dana Gordon, of Dana Rebecca Designs, is a story in staying steadfast on your path. (Listen to her entrepreneurial journey on this week’s episode of The Mentor Files.) Now, inspired by her friendship with M+A’s main mom Monica Royer, and the other close women in her life, Gordon’s teamed up with Monica + Andy to launch a trio of necklaces meant to connect generations of moms and daughters. Shop the collection...

1. Avoid leather. Spilled milk and formula do not bode well for your new leather bag. Look for bags with cotton or polyester lining. Bonus if they’re machine washable! 2. Polyester interior lining is key. You'll find snacks, pouches, napkins, and who knows else in the floor of your diaper bag. Anything with an easily wipeable interior will make your life a bit easier. 3. Avoid velcroIt’s super hard to clean, and you’re not going to want to rip that bag open with a sleeping baby nearby! 4. Pockets are...