Red Stick Mom

It's a common refrain in the age of Pinterest: women, especially moms, are expected to do it all. A great career, smart and happy kids, spotless and stylish house, crafts galore, rocking body, perfect marriage, etc. This kind of thing has always been perpetuated in magazines but I think it's harder to ignore on the internet because behind all those blog posts and genius pins are real women and if I can do it then you should be able to do it too, right? In fact if you're not churning out five blog posts a week about your adorable family and all your crafty projects and the gourmet dinner you cooked for your über-successful husband last night you might...

March 4, 2014 - Moms For Moms Day Have you heard of it?! Here at Red Stick Moms Blog, we are always advocating to END the Mommy Wars.  (We've written about it here, here, and here.) So, we are so excited to be teaming up with moms all across the country this Tuesday, March 4th. This initiative has been put together by The Bump and CT Working Moms. The vision behind Moms For Moms Day is… The journey to motherhood is flooded with decisions (from the type of diapers you’ll buy, to the ways you’ll feed your infant, to the sleep-training methods you’ll subscribe to) and our goal is to support, encourage and stand behind each and every mother’s choices — and...

Oven dinging, glasses clinging, and guests arriving are just a few sounds which make my heart flutter. I thought I'd share a book I have thoroughly enjoyed that has encouraged me to connect with others around the dinner table: Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist. My hubs gave me this book along with a bottle of wine and some new wine glasses for Christmas this year. It has truly been a book I've carried around the house from room to room perusing through the pages filled with relatable stories and recipes. Niequist writes with a... move those clothes over and sit on the couch for a while sense of transparency. The book extends an invitation for us to open our...

My husband and I have always loved eating out and figured that wouldn't change after we became parents, but I still remember when relatives came over to visit when Jack was a newborn and suggested we go to dinner. I was hesitant--dinnertime was his fussiest time of the day--but my mother in law reassured me that we would take turns holding him and it would be fine. We went out to Chimes and yes, he did cry a little bit in public but it wasn't the end of the world. In fact, we had a great time! It was nice to feel a little bit like our old selves again even if things were now totally different. With that...

I had a beautiful baby.  So, why was I crying every day? Why did I feel like I wasn’t worthy of being a mother? Why was my house such a mess? Why was I such a mess? Everyone says that you never know how much you can love someone until you have a child.  I didn’t feel that instant connection which made me feel even more guilty and lacking as a mother.  To make matters worse, I felt like I couldn’t tell anyone.  What would people think of me if I admitted that I didn’t feel head over heals for my child? As many as 30% of women experience some sort of postpartum mood disorder. According to Postpartum Support International,...