So excited to be starting something new over here on the blog. With the Selfish Mom Movement growing so fast (over 1,100 amazing MOMs!) I’m meeting so many amazing and inspiring women that I’ve decided to showcase a mom each Monday as my Mom-Crush.
My first Mom-Crush is someone who is incredibly special to me. April and I have been friends for four years. We met through our daughters who go to school together. She is an amazing mom and a dear friend to me. Earlier this year she followed her passion and dreams and became a doula and lactation consultant. I was honored to have her as my Doula during the birth of Max. She was amazing and so professional and I’m so thankful she was with me every step of the way. She is an amazing mom, beautiful inside and out, and such a good friend to me.
Meet April and see why I love love her!
Tell us about yourself….
Hi! I’m April, wife, mom, doula, lactation counselor and believer . I love to dance, we dance all the time in our house. 90’s rap is my favorite music and I have to tone it down a bit when its family dance time. Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite treat. Steel magnolias is one of my favorite movies. I love a good book that can whisk me away from the world of reality, I’m currently reading What Alice Forgot and it’s so good so far. I would pick the beach over the mountains any time you ask. There are parts of me that miss the simpler time of not caring what kind of wine I was drinking before my husband taught me about nice wines.
I worked in medical sales for a longtime while I was a single mother. I didn’t really love the job but I loved being able to support myself. After my husband and I got married this past year, he encouraged me to follow my heart and become a Doula. I was always the person who all of my pregnant friends would call for advice or words of encouragement. It was a scary path but now I’m so grateful for being able to do this work.
Whats a doula and why should be have them?
A Doula by definition is someone who is trained to assist another woman during childbirth and who may provide support to the family after the baby is born. I feel like I could talk for hours about why you should have a Doula for your birth. Whether you are planning on an unmedicated or medicated birth, there are many benefits to having a Doula. I am the birthing women’s advocate throughout the entire birth and postpartum process. I am there to provide you with evidenced based information for you to make educated decisions about your birth journey. My only focus is on the mom, I am by her side the whole time with comfort measures and keep her focused on what her body is doing. I am truly passionate about empowering women to take control of their birth and leave feeling they are happy with their birth experience.
Whats your biggest struggle in motherhood?
Ah! This one is very easy for me to answer because I’m always reminding myself that I’m not perfect, my kid isn’t perfect and there is no such thing as perfect. Living in the world of social media we tend to only see the good moments in someone life, which leads us to (falsely) believe that its a true representation of their life. I have to remind myself that those who I see in the “perfect” light probably also have a laundry chair, their kid probably has their moments of talking back or attitude, their husband do things that make them think, “what the heck were you thinking?” and you know what else, they definitely don’t wash their hair every day either because who really has the time for that every single day. Taking a step back and letting me and my family just be us without the pressure of feeling we need to do everything perfect.
Whats your favorite way to have BONUS Selfish Mom time (mani/pedi, facials, massage)?
I am devoted to mani/pedi’s. I go every three weeks for one. I talk with my hands a lot and just love the look of a polished nail. I’ve been going to the same place for years and love my time there. I leave feeling refreshed.
Whats your favorite way to show yourself “self” love?
I think this question can go back to reminding myself that there is no such thing as perfection. I have to tell myself that I am my own perfectly imperfect version of myself. Telling myself that I am good, I am kind, I am beautiful, that I am enough and deserving of my beautiful family and the happiness they bring to my life.
Whats one word of advice you have for other moms?
Practice patience for your kids, your husband, yourself and everyone around you. If you’re showing everyone patience then I believe that they will show you the same or learn how to better patience themselves. Showing your patience is so important in your self love process.
Whats your Mom Mantra and why?
You do you! We all want our kids to the best versions of themselves and we all have different ways of getting there. I just explained to my daughter the other day about what “you’re not going to be everyones cup of tea” mean and that was a lesson to myself in the same moment. I have my ways of parenting and other moms have their ways. I love to hear what other moms do in challenging moments to try and grow myself as a parent each day presents itself with a new challenge as a parent. At the end of the day I’m just going to do me and what is best for my family. What works for you may not be everyones cup of tea.
Are you interested in being a #MomCrushMonday and showing casing your amazing Mom skills and business? Would love to be friends and get to know you! Send me a message here 🙂
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