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Baby Cafe hosts 'Celebration of Breastfeeding'
I knew when I got pregnant that I wanted to breastfeed. I just didn’t expect it to be so hard. I took a class. I read a book. I met with several lactation consultants at the hospital. I bought gear (I will spare you the details). And I still wanted to quit -- the first day, the second day, and a lot of days after.
Baby Cafe gets this. And it has managed to make the experience better for 450 moms.
Funded by the Healthy Start Coalition, Tampa’s Baby Cafe links certified lactation consultants with new mothers. Some have babies in the NICU and need breast pumps so they can provide their infants with breastmilk when they’re not there. Some struggle with latching and holds. Some have babies with the scary diagnosis of “failure to thrive” and need to know how to make sure their newborns get enough milk and start putting on weight.
Check out their website here for all they offer. It’s all free, too. ... Read more
A marathon for moms -- but in cyberspace
To get us moving together, a marathon is planned for moms, but it's online. You have to run 26.2 miles in the month of May, which is a mile a day, or 6.2 miles a week, and you can win prizes from the random drawing.
It's free. The idea is get the moms moving, and I think a flexible schedule like this is right up our alley. Get those jog strollers lubed up, mommas!
--Sharon Kennedy Wynne
Follow us on Twitter @WhoaMomma
Tampa moms combat teen text-driving
I loved this story by our colleague Tia Mitchell on the Tampa moms who came up with a business aimed at curbing teens' texting while driving. The best weapon: Telling the kid's mother! Parents buy bumper stickers from icudrive.com and place them on their teenagers' cars. The stickers feature a phone number and encourage other drivers to report any unsafe behavior they observe.
Other companies have similar programs, such companies include GoTellMom.com, SteerStraight.com and HowsMyTeenDriving.net, with services that cost between $39.95 to $120 annually. ICUDrive costs $97.99 a year. ... Read more
Tampa writer pens children's book
We just got an interesting press release about a Tampa mom who got her children's book published. Thought you'd like to read about it:
PublishAmerica is proud to present JILLIE and Her Sassy Cat: of 2 Girls 2 Cats: The Magic and Mystery Continue by Tampa author Laura Beth.
Thirteen-year-old Jillie and her 20-year-old cousin, Lacey, discovered they have a magical destiny and a mysterious tie to their great-grandparents' farmland. ... Read more
Our founding Momma moves on
It's with sad hearts that we say goodbye to our good friend and founding Momma of this Whoa, Momma! blog, Sherry Robinson. While she moves on to greener pastures, we hope she will still jump into our debates and discussions as a "civilian." Here's her final post --EDS ... Read more
Tampa Bay moms hope to run amazing online race
A couple of Tampa Bay moms are piling up Facebook friends and Twitter followers to embark on a web-based reality show from the producers of The Amazing Race.
Melanie Ellis, 33, at left, of Lithia and Kristen Previtera, 41, of Valrico have formed the team "SuperMoms" and are finalists in Ford's search for teams to compete in Focus Rally: America. The teams will take on Amazing Race-style challenges driving a Ford Focus across the country for five weeks. The trick is they have to leverage their social network to complete. The winning team will receive a $100,000 prize and a new car.
They answered a casting call at Jackson's Bistro last month and within a few days they had a second call to meet with casting directors in Orlando and by week's end had an email congratuling them on being finalists. Now they have to get their social network humming. ... Read more
Meet Kate, our new Momma blogger
We are thrilled to have our friend Kate Brassfield joining the mom bloggers here on Whoa, Momma! Here's her first post. --Eds.
Ahhhh. The Little Monkey and the Koala Bear are asleep at last. I have a short while to eat, straighten up the living room, make formula, and catch a few NFL highlights before falling asleep myself. Tomorrow begins another crazy week in the Brassfield house.
Some of you may remember my name and my story: I shared my husband's and my struggle to have a baby with Times readers, the first installment in 2007 and the "sequel" this year on Mother's Day. We always knew we wanted to have a family. We just didn't know how long it would take to get there, how close to the limit we would be pushed, how much it would cost. But we always knew it would be wonderful. It would be worth it.
Fourteen months in, I can say for sure: We were right.
As treatment after treatment failed, we swore that when it finally worked, we would never complain about having kids. ... Read more
Wanted: Mom-Inspired businesses
Calling all Mompreneurs! Have you got a mom-inspired product idea that could use a little investment money to really get it off the ground? You may want to consider applying to the Huggies Mominspired Grant program offered by Kimberly-Clark.
Not a contest, this program offers $15,000 grants to help fund business start-ups based on innovative child care products.
A total of $250,000 is up for grabs this year, and your idea doesn’t necessarily have to be fully-realized or have anything to do with diapers to be rewarded. Huggies is looking for “a unique baby or child care product idea that addresses an unmet parenting need for the chance to receive seed money as well as expert business resources.”
Simply visit www.HuggiesMomInspired.com for an application and more information on the rules. You have until June 9 to get in your application for this round.
Take that idea that’s been rattling around your head or that special tool you’ve crafted and turn it into a successful business. Your great idea could just wind up on store shelves.
-- Tracey Henry, the Suburban Diva ... Read more
Quote of the Day: Kimora Lee Simmons on using the bathroom -- alone!
"Moms always have the kids walking in when we're on the toilet," she explained. "They're like 'Mom, let
see! What's that smell?' Close the door ... take a moment, light a candle, meditate." -- Diva businesswoman Kimora Lee Simmons to E! online on moms needing to get some time alone -- even if it is just in the bathroom. ... Read more
Sandra Bullock becomes new mom, getting divorced
It's been the best year for Sandra Bullock and it's been the worst year for her. All the highs surrounded her Oscar-winning performance in The Blind Side and all the lows followed when it was revealed that her husband, Jesse James, had had several affairs. ... Read more
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THE AUTHORS
E-mail Sharon Kennedy Wynne:
wynne@tampabay.com
E-mail Kate Brassfield:
katedaphne17@gmail.com