babies

Stop Separating Birthing Families!

Several hospitals in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are routinely separating pregnant people from their partners or labor support person, for hours, days and even weeks--find out why this is happening and why it should never be happening! And then sign our petition to tell Governor Baker to sign an Executive Order to stop this practice of separation. To read more and sign the petition, see: moveon.org. Read more

STOP Pumping & Dumping!

"Pumping and dumping" is something  Read more

But They Said the Latch Looked Good (updated)

When someone tells you that your baby's latch looks good but you feel pain or baby isn't transferring milk, then maybe the latch isn't so good after all? It's important to consider several aspects of the latch and get help until you find it's better for you and effective for baby! Read more

Feeding Support Groups Update for 2018

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem   I’ve been thinking about changing up how I schedule my groups for a while now, listening to group members and those who wish they could come but haven’t yet...so, after lots of feedback, I’m excited to announce some changes to my Breastmilk & Conversation groups and my More Milk Mamas groups.    The update:  RSVP? Nope, not anymore.  Just drop-in.  I am… Read more

World Breastfeeding Week: Hope & Frustration

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem It was World Breastfeeding Week last week. World Breastfeeding Week was created to encourage global organizations and community organizations work together to improve sustainable development through the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding. I meant to post something last week but got busy helping babies with breastfeeding and watching and reading of all… Read more

Nurturing for Those with a New Baby

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem Congratulations on the arrival of your new child! As a new parent, your body, heart and mind are undergoing changes. If you gave birth to a baby, your body just grew a human and is now healing after releasing the baby and placenta. For any parent, your heart is growing as you get to know your new child. Your mind is changing with your new sleep rhythms, new role, new… Read more

How to be the perfect parent: Let go of any notion of being perfect.

  GUEST BLOG POST by Jessica Curtis   In those first few years of parenting, I focused my energy on being the best parent that I could be. I set high expectations for myself and for others. I worked hard to create a safe and engaging environment that would help my kids to flourish. I provided social opportunities and activities to enhance their experiences. I read Dr. Sears and Dr. Brazelton.… Read more

The Art of Self-Care

GUEST POST by Jessica Curtis In the first few years of parenthood, I made the mistake of equating who I was with the roles I played: mother, spouse, household manager. I worked hard to be the best mom and the best partner that I could. And how did I measure my success? I measured my success (read: worth) by how happy my family was, by how well I was meeting their needs.   I was putting one foot… Read more

Babywearing: local and online resources

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem It's been busy over at Babies in Common. Expectant parents. Babies. New parents. Massage. Cookies. Toddlers. But something changed recently. I asked Button Tree Kids in Worcester to take over the responsibility of being the babywearing hub of Central Massachusetts! I still have Tula Ring Slings, Sakura Bloom Ring Slings and Boba Wraps if anyone needs them, but… Read more

Taking Shots at Each Another

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem Slight corrections made to this article on 3/29/15 Shots. A topic that is getting a lot of attention right now. Many parents feel strongly about shots, one way or another. Others aren't as passionate about the subject. But a rise in measles cases in the US has sparked an outbreak of anti-anti-vaxxers fever, if you will, in news and social media. On Facebook, some just… Read more

I understand my baby's cues so why do I need to use sign language?

GUEST POST by Sheryl White Occasionally, I come across a parent that will tell me that they don’t need to use sign language with their baby because they are really in tune with and understand what their baby is trying to tell them. Here are a few of the points that I convey to them to help them understand why signing with your baby is useful.   Peacefulness A baby that can use sign language can… Read more

7 Ways to Make Travel Easier with a Little One

GUEST POST by Laura Clark, mother of Nora (age 2) When I was pregnant, it seemed that everyone who looked at my belly told me that my traveling days were over.  The prospect of spending the next eighteen years cooped up in my house after spending the majority of my adulthood traveling was simply depressing.  That, coupled with the fact that my husband’s job requires 50% travel, made us even… Read more

Parental Romance

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem   It's Valentine's Day. If you are like most parents, if you made it out last night (or if you don’t live in New England you might be out tonight) you ended up talking about the kid(s). Especially if you spent the better part of the last two weeks in New England buried in 3-5 feet of snow. With more on the way. Hmm…that’s also Mother Nature’s way of ensuring… Read more

New Year, New Goals...for Parents?

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem It’s almost a new year. Everyone is thinking about what their goals for the new year are going to be. Are you? Maybe. Or maybe you have decided that new year’s goals are lame since most people drop them within the first 30 days. Then again, there’s something rather alluring about having Father Time telling us it’s a new phase of life and a good time to rethink… Read more

How Do You Get Ready in the Morning?

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem So two things happened in the last week that made me think about how moms get ready in the morning. One was a conference session at the MA Conference for Women  about finding balance as a mother.  Ten thousand women in one place with lots of speakers and vendors and breakout sessions (and the highlight of the day was hearing the founder of TOMS shoes speak…what a… Read more

A Boob and a Drawer

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem Have you ever heard of the expression, “all a baby needs is a boob and a drawer”? It’s so true, in so many ways. We spend so much time and energy trying to figure out what we need before baby comes (and after baby comes, what ELSE we need) but they really don’t require much. A boob, a drawer and I’ll add a village, too. A BOOBYes, one. The saying states “a… Read more

Finding Confidence

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem She was sitting on the couch during school vacation week and complaining that she was bored. My husband went through a list of things she could do (besides watch TV or play video games). She wasn’t interested. He said something like, “so you’re just going to sit there like a lump?” In a split second, as if she had known all along what she was going to say, she… Read more

Dads Whining on the Riki Lake Show

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem I just got a text that the topic of today’s Ricki Lake show today is dads. So I turned it on right away (I happened to be home). Ricki is interviewing a bunch of dads about about their Daddy Guilt, how hard it is to be a dad, how they miss life before they became dads, how they feel so alone, how they don’t love their kids all the time and how they find themselves… Read more

They Really Do Grow So Fast

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem Someone once said, “kids grow…that’s what they do!”  It’s so true.  You literally wake up one morning and they are different. Sometimes it honestly looks like they’ve grown an inch during their 2-hour nap.  They add fat to their adorable little cheeks.  Their diapers suddenly don’t fit (ahem, the blow-out is a sign!). Their eyes open wider.  Their… Read more

Finding the Simple Joys

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem   Ah, what a simple joy that is, being at the beach.  Allow that photo to be a teaser for the change of seasons that is coming. Even though it's winter and your little ones may not even be quite old enough to enjoy winter sports (although building forts or making snow angels may be more their speed), how do you find the simple joys in every day although pregnancy and… Read more

Learning How to Parent Your Child

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem How did you learn how to be a parent? Did you take a class? Did you read a book (or more than one)? Did you go to a conference or some workshops? Did you even take a class BEFORE you became a parent? It's fascinating to me, really, when it comes down to my honest thoughts, that one must become educated in order to become anything professional but there's no required… Read more

Credentials

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem During our Nurture Me group* we talk about many things, including how mothers often feel like we’re not good enough, strong enough, [insert adjective-of-your-choice here] enough.  There are stories of how moms feel unqualified to speak up or ask questions when medical professionals are talking (down) to them (or AT them).  Some talk of feeling challenged or judged… Read more

7 Tips for Getting "Cadillac Care" as a New Mom

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem You are standing in your living room, your baby is in her car seat on your living room floor and you and your partner are looking at each other with furrowed brows. “Now what?” you say to each other. You just got home from the hospital with your brand new baby. And they didn’t even send you home with instructions. You’ve never raised a human before but somehow… Read more

For the Duchess of Cambridge (and all expectant mums)

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem NOTE: this was originally posted when Kate was expecting George.  Dear Your Royal Highness, Duchess of Cambridge (or Kate, as the world used to call you before you married that hottie the Prince): I heard you are expecting a baby…yup, the news got out that a) you had sex, probably more than once and b) you have been puking a lot lately. Funny how such personal… Read more

What Kai's Story Can Teach Us

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem There’s a little boy in our proverbial village, who I want to bring to your attention.  There’s a mom and a dad, too, and grandparents and many other family members and many, many friends who are thinking of little Kai every day, so I thought it might be good for you to think of him, too. Kai and Kerri, his mom, used to come to Mothers and Company and I hired them… Read more

5 Tips for Tough Days

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem Well, hello there!  In listening to so many new and experienced over the years, it got me thinking about challenging days–it’s a common theme in conversations.  We’ve all had them:  tough days.  Look at any commercial or parenting magazine and you’ll see scenes of smiling parents with their angelic children nearby.  There’s a certain pressure in the… Read more

That's What Makes You Boob-i-ful

author: Jeanette Mesite Frem So, my family were randomly singing with One Direction that other day and came up with an alternative word in the chorus…instead of “that’s what makes you beautiful,” they said, “that’s what makes you boob-i-ful”.  So, that kicked off a little fun in creating a new song…imagine a baby singing it to his or her mother: Here’s you go (if you don’t… Read more