Shopping for a new baby, and keeping up with our little one’s ever changing needs, can be an expensive endeavour for parents. So it’s always nice to find ways to save a little money along the way, while not compromising on quality or service. One of my all time favourite local & online baby boutiques, Love Me Do Baby & Maternity, is doing just this. The owner Linda, and her amazing team, always offer the most incredible customer service experience (eg. they have the sweetest spot to rest & play, offer Complimentary Professional Car Seat Installation with car seat purchase, and host tons of In-store events), and now they’ve introduced a NEW Love Points Loyalty Program, that earns you points toward future purchases!* In the world of parenting it really doesn’t get much better than free stuff.

As a busy mom it’s so easy to get caught up in placing our children’s wellness ahead of our own, and forgetting to give ourselves the time and attention we need to thrive. That’s why I’m so excited to be taking part in The Total Mom Show this February. An incredible local event that is geared toward educating, supporting, and celebrating Moms. Sounds pretty amazing to me!

Getting the hang of a ring sling can take some practice, but they’re such great carriers once you do. I love ring slings because they’re super lightweight and fold up small making them perfect for tossing in my diaper bag or purse, so I’m always prepared while we’re out and about. Kind of essential with 4 kids ;)

Baby 4 is on the way any day now (Edited to note that baby Freddy arrived on Thursday evening, just 5 hours after these photos were taken), and surprisingly this is the first time I’ve actually prepared an official nursery. I guess you could say that I want to soak up all I can with this last baby of ours.

As I’m preparing for the arrival of baby 4 I thought I would share a New Video about Packing for Labour & Birth. As a Midwife & Childbirth Educator I am always asked about what to pack. Although not all of my clients deliver in hospital, everyone needs a bag ready, just in case. I suggest getting it out of the way early so you can feel prepared. Having your bag packed by around 36 weeks is ideal.

As a busy mom of 3 (with my 4th on the way) it’s a rare treat to be able to pack my bags and head out of the city for a little R&R. When I do, I’m always reminded just how essential it is. Life as a parent can get so overwhelming. Taking a day to disconnect, breathe in the country air, and indulge your body, mind and spirit, is always worth it. My absolute favourite place, that's not too far from home, is Ste. Anne’s Spa. Located in the beautiful farmland of Grafton Ontario, the entire estate at Ste. Anne’s is a dream. I have visited a few times and have never been disappointed. The atmosphere, food, staff, and spa services are absolutely top notch.

Fall is here and it's officially time to clean out all the extra stuff you have laying around your house before winter arrives. If you have any new or gently used baby clothes or gear to donate please come by one of my monthly donation collections for the New Mom Project. 

Staying active in pregnancy is so important for your overall health and wellness, but expectant moms are often scared because they don't know what's safe and effective. Enter Nikki Bergen, Creator of The Belle Method, a program that combines Pilates, Yoga, and Dance inspired fitness, and is geared specifically toward women. These exercises are designed to help pregnant and postpartum women stay connected to their pelvic floor and minimize diastasic recti (separated abdominal muscles).

How much do you really know about menstruation and your body? So many menstruating people don't truly understand their cycles and what's happening each month, so I've invited Amanda Laird the host of the Heavy Flow Podcast to join me at the June Breastfeeding Cafe for a talk about the Magic of Menstruation. 

I can't believe May is almost here! That means it's time for the 5th annual Bump to Baby Show. This is personally my favourite baby show in the city, and the one that I'm always excited to take part in. The Wychwood Barns is such a beautiful venue, and the organizers do such an amazing job of bringing together the best local vendors for their marketplace (Of course I'm not biased at all). Most vendors offer amazing discounts and specials for the show, so it's worth the visit! Especially since admission for the whole family is FREE!!

I am so excited to have Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist Trang Bui from West End Mamas joining me at The Breastfeeding Cafe in April to discuss Postpartum Recovery and the Pelvic Floor. Before pregnancy the pelvic floor doesn't mean much to most people, but after having a baby, it can play a huge part in your recovery and wellbeing. So many people (well meaning health care providers included) believe that the answer to all Pelvic floor issues is kegel exercises, but did you know that these exercises can actually worsen symptoms for some women? 

Breastfeeding isn't always straightforward, so it's essential to have amazing support along the way. I find that there tends to be a lot of support for parents with newborns, but with older babies, breastfeeding questions are often overlooked. That's why I'm so excited to have Taya Griffin joining me as guest speaker at the March Breastfeeding Cafe, to answer questions about breastfeeding babies of all ages.

I absolutely adore babywearing, so it only seems natural to talk about it during the month of love. In fact, carrying your baby close to your body gets your love hormones surging, and helps keep baby (and parents) happy. If you want to learn more about babywearing with a ring sling, join me and Potter & Pehar at Love Me Do in Liberty Village on February 9th for Babywearing, Bubbles & Special Treats in celebration of Valentine's Day. 

I'm really excited/totally terrified to share this with everyone. A few weeks ago I was a guest on my first ever podcast. As someone who firmly hates listening to their own voice (I hear it's common), and who is a bit anxious about being an "expert" speaker (I know that's silly since i'm a midwife and teacher, but it's true), this was a bit outside of my comfort zone. I have know Amanda Laird, the amazing creator of The Heavy Flow Podcast for over a year now, since meeting at one of my CPR workshops that she attended with her partner and adorable daughter Maisie. Amanda and I hit it off right away and have stayed friends since, so when she asked me to be on The Heavy Flow I knew I had to toss my fears aside and do it. 

I'm so excited to be taking part in The Bump to Baby Show's 1st ever fall show on Saturday October 21st at The Riverdale Hub. I always love the spring show because it's such a great group of finely curated local businesses, that genuinely love to help and support expectant and new families in our communities

Some of you might have noticed changes on my social media and website over the last few months as I was getting ready to launch With Care. Little hints that something new and exciting was coming. As you can imagine things don't happen quickly with several munchkins in tow, so thanks for your patience. 

Spring is here and that means it's baby show season! With so many shows and so little time, it can be tough to decide which ones make the cut. If you want to skip the huge crowds, long line ups and over zealous vendors, you need to check out The Bump to Baby Show.

If you have a baby on the way and want some beautiful pregnancy photos you can't miss out on this amazing GIVEAWAY from Sara Elisabeth Photography. Enter Now (by simply joining her mailing list) for a chance to Win a Maternity Photoshoot & an incredible assortment of products valued at $350!

I'm so excited to welcome West End Mamas to our Bloor West Neighbourhood! This total wellness centre for motherhood was created by Sarah Mickeler, a neighbourhood mom and incredibly skilled Chiropractor.

Our good friends at Diaper-eez made a big move this past weekend. We're sad to see them leave the Bloor West strip, but we're so happy that they're staying in the neighbourhood. Their Bloor Street location closed on February 19th and their new boutique location at 501 Runnymede Rd (Runnymede & Annette) opened yesterday.

As many of you know, I'm a huge fan of babywearing. I babywear almost 365 days a year and don't know how I would survive life as a Mom of 3 without my carriers. Although many people express shock and horror at the idea of trudging through the snow wearing a baby, I can tell you from experience that it's a lot easier wearing baby...

Now that I'm 5 1/2 years into nursing my 3 babes I've become a bit of an expert on breastfeeding friendly attire.  So I was very excited to try out Bridge The Bump's new Reversible Maternity Top. This beautiful top is designed by 2 local moms and made right here in Toronto, which is amazing!

Join me on Sunday May 15th for a FREE Family Friendly Community Event, The Bump to Baby Show at the Wychwood Barns. As long as my baby stays on the inside (39 weeks on the 15th!) I’ll be speaking about “Pregnancy & Labour Prep: The Natural Way” with Rachel Schwartzman N.D & Silvia Kwon D.C at 12pm.

At 37 weeks pregnant with baby #3 on the way anytime I have packing and prepping for birth on my mind. As a Midwife, Prenatal Educator and mom of 2 (almost 3!) I get asked almost every week about what to pack for the hospital. With all of the unknowns of labour, packing can become a daunting task for an expectant parent. So let me help ease your nerves...

Today I’m wrapping up my Holiday Gift Guide with a few gift ideas for Expectant and New Moms. In case you ladies need some ideas for yourself, or want to leave this post open on the desktop in the hopes your partner will see it  Don’t forget that many local stores now offer registry services...

Join Fifty-Seven & Diaper-eez for a Fun & Festive Morning in Bloor West Village in support of The Mama Collective.

Check out this exciting Special Event at The Humber Cinema!

There's a NEW Baby Show in town! Check out The Bump to Baby Show, a FREE Community Event happening next Tuesday May 26th from 4pm-9pm at the beautiful Wychwood Barns. 

I'm very excited to announce a new collaboration with This Little Piggy. 

Welcome to Shopping With Care.  For my 1st instalment I am super excited to bring you a product that I absolutely LOVE! Bridge the Bump Maternity & Babywearing Coat Insert.