15 Motherhood Fun Facts From AMMA co-founders Satya Twena and Emily Baldoni
When it comes to being a mama, you’ve probably been bombarded with conflicting opinions on everything from baby gear to sleep advice to pacifier use to birth plans. It can get overwhelming (and irritating AF) to filter all the noise and make decisions that you feel confident in -- or feel just as confident about revising as needed!
We get it...and we think it’s important to celebrate ALL of you because, well, this mama gig is hard enough without playing the comparison game.
Everyone’s motherhood journey is different...including our co-founders, Emily Baldoni and Satya Twena! Hey, just cuz they’re besties doesn’t mean they share the same opinions on everything (although the fact that they had the exact same postpartum snack is a pretty big coincidence…)
Satya’s Motherhood Fun Facts
What’s your favorite baby carrier?
To be honest, I had prolapse after my first kid, so all the cute wraps I bought weren’t used! My husband Jeffrey carried our daughter instead, and he preferred the Ergobaby 360...we still use it 4 years later when we go for hikes. I did get a Wildbird sling 11 months after my second was born and used it for a while...it made me feel super cute and put together.
I love the BabyZen Yoyo. We travel a LOT, so we did our research and found that the Yoyo was the easiest to travel with. It’s got a slimmer design, which was essential for some of our international destinations (those Paris streets are narrow!), it’s easy to use and foldable with one hand (note: it’s not great if you’re thinking of shopping and carrying a lot - this is a minimalist’s dream stroller).
Fave car seat?
It’s not an infant seat, but I love the Diono...we like smaller cars and this is a narrow and very safe car seat for both our kiddos (ages 2 and 4).
Cloth or disposable diapers?
We did cloth diapers until about 18 months, at which point both my kids potty trained and transitioned to Honest Company training pants until they switched to underwear.
What was the most valuable piece of wisdom you got pre-baby?
Take care of yourself first! I wish i would have listened with my first baby...postpartum and breastfeeding almost had me break down a few times. In retrospect, had I taken some much-needed time to refill my tank, it would have been a lot less stressful. It’s one of the reasons we launched the New Mama Bundle -- self-care is so important for mamas! Personally I love baths, candles, and meditating, so I prioritized those with my second baby and it made a huge difference.
Do you wish you’d done anything differently during pregnancy, birth, or postpartum?
More self-care and more postpartum support with kid #1...it really felt hard even though hubby was there 100% of the time - i just needed more. For baby #2 I was fully loaded re: my support team and it felt much easier.
What’s the one thing you’d tell a first-time mama about birth? Postpartum? Motherhood?
If breastfeeding is important to you then please schedule a lactation consultant to meet with you ASAP after birth (aka no more than 24 to 48 hours later). My first was born between Christmas and New Year’s Eve - the only lactation consultant in our area was not available until 7 days postpartum. Even though I had gone to a lactation class, by that time my daughter had already done a number on my nipples (they looked like hamburger helper meat - it wasn’t pretty).
For general motherhood support - find a community (our AMMA community is awesome) - even having a few girlfriends to text and cry over spilled milk or vent to was / is so useful.
What’s your favorite nursing bra?
First baby, I opted for some cheap Amazon purchase. Baby #2 I opted for the Cosabella lace nursing bra; it made me feel beautiful and happier.
Fave postpartum wardrobe staple?
I lived in my Cocoon and lululemon pants. I loved my Hatch overalls too - honestly anything that would allow me ease in breastfeeding without needing to get undressed!
Did you have visitors immediately postpartum?
Yes, but I was strict with rules and I told everyone in advance what was going on -- topless mama here dealing with hamburger helper nipples! I won’t lift a finger and I will boss you around telling you what I need :) and I might not let you hold my baby.
Fave crib?
I didn’t get this one, but i just love it so much - in rose gold obviously! I did buy a Babyletto convertible crib, though, and my daughter is 4 and still using it (win!)
Did you cosleep? Why or why not?
Oh yeah! 1st kid until she was 5 months old and then we realized I wasn’t a nice person when I was sleep deprived (she would wake up 10+ times a night). 2nd kid we coslept for 6-7 months. I miss my kids at night AND at the same time I am super happy they are able to sleep on their own in their beds the whole night now.
Did you make a birth plan?
You bet! I called it “birth desires” and tried not to get too attached to the outcome.
What was the first thing you ate after you had your babies?
I did the placenta smoothie thing...and then a lot of congee with meat and eggs. Both my kids were born in the winter so I liked warm foods. I highly recommend The First Forty Days (it’s dense but the recipes were on point!)
What did you say “I will never do that” about....and now you absolutely do it? (ex: screen time, giving kids sugar, etc.)
Pacifiers. 1st kid I didn’t have them until 5 months when we were sleep training - up until then I was her pacifier ;) With the second babe there were 5 wubbanubs waiting for him when he was born. C’est la vie!
Emily’s Motherhood Fun Facts
What’s your favorite baby carrier?
Ergobaby. The babes were simply happiest in this one! I really wanted the slings to work but my kids seemed much more comfortable in this carrier, and it was very comfortable for me too.
Fave stroller?
Uppababy! Easy to maneuver with one hand, best storage underneath, easiest with transfer of car seat onto stroller, and they have great adaptors to turn your one-seat stroller into a double stroller!
The Uppababy Mesa when they were little...it’s very user friendly and comfy for the baby. And we’ve been using Diono now that the kids are older. They’re sturdy, comfortable, and very safe.
Cloth or disposable diapers?
Disposable, because we have a busy lifestyle and disposable diapers made life easier for me. For environmental reasons this is one of a few things I sometimes wish I would have done differently, but then again, because I sacrificed many of life’s comforts when I became a mama I felt it was ok to choose whatever was the most time-efficient and sanity-protecting option at that time.
What was the most valuable piece of wisdom you got pre-baby?
Your marriage is your first baby. Take care of it. Tending to your partnership makes it easier to tune in to each other’s needs, which in turn means your partner can truly be in your corner, which leads to deeper and more effective self-care because you have the support structure to maintain and prioritize it (after all, your marriage might be your first baby but your relationship with yourself is your first everything!)
Do you wish you’d done anything differently during pregnancy, birth, or postpartum?
I feel very content with the choices I made and experiences I had during pregnancy and birth. But unfortunately I wasn’t kind enough to myself during postpartum, and suffered because of it, which is why I now scream about self-care from the rooftops. Rest and self nourishment is key for a happy mama, and I wish I would have honored that more.
What’s the one thing you’d tell a first time mama about birth? Postpartum? Motherhood?
BIRTH: You are powerful, mama. Know it. Believe it. Trust your own intuition before anybody else’s opinion. You’re in charge.
POSTPARTUM: As much as you care for and nurture your sweet baby, you need to care for and nurture yourself. It’s always ok to ask friends and family to help you, either with the well-being of baby or the well-being of YOU!
MOTHERHOOD: Sweet mama, be kind to yourself. Through all the ups and the downs (and there will be many), try not to get too tough or hard on yourself. And surround yourself with women who are your warriors. You. Are. Not. Alone.
What’s your favorite nursing bra?
I can’t remember the brand! Bought it at Target. And since I’m blessed with small boobs I could also comfortably use Hanky Panky bralettes once I got the hang of nursing.
Fave postpartum wardrobe staple?
High-waisted workout pants gave my tummy sweet support and also covered it when I pulled up my tee to breastfeed. Topped it off with a Cocoon and felt super comfortable and covered where needed!
Did you have visitors immediately postpartum?
I had to be very clear with everyone that my space needed to be kept sacred and calm. We did have family visiting immediately postpartum, but took our time and paced ourselves when inviting friends to come over. I firmly believe it’s such a sacred time and going slow and easy can be very important for both mama and baby.
Fave crib?
I think it was called Stokke (Danish brand) and it was oval, so it was much easier to fit in a small room, and it had infant level and toddler level (mattress was higher or lower).
Did you cosleep? Why or why not?
Yes. For about one year with each kid (and they still sneak in at night). It created many magical moments of bonding which felt amazing and right for us. It also allowed for more sleep for me in the beginning because I could just roll over for our night feeds. The only thing with co-sleeping was that we had to work A LOT harder when it was time for sleep training.
Did you make a birth plan?
We did have a birth plan with both babies AND we also put a lot of focus on surrendering to whatever would happen. Staying open to how the baby wanted to be born was an integral part of our journey and helped tremendously with getting through the curveballs of my second birth.
What was the first thing you ate after you had your babies?
Placenta smoothie!!
What did you say “I will never do that” about....and now you absolutely do it? (ex: screen time, giving kids sugar, etc.)
Putting an iPad in my kids’ hands when trying to have a conversation with another adult, or getting something done, etc. The power of the iPad is magic!
