How To Get Stuff Done As A New Mom

Life after a newborn can be filled with beautiful moments, and endless hours of taking in that new baby smell. But it also means learning a whole new way to balance our time.

We’ve often wondered what we used to do with our time before kids!

This week’s guest Rachel Gomez talked to us about how she managed to keep her business going after having a baby! She told us how she would work when the baby sleeps! She said,“You’ll be surprised how much you can get done during those one-hour spaces.”  

We know that staying active is another way to keep our brains sharp and focused, we still remember our previous guest Ana Guerrero’s tip, “I wake up early to work out. I teach a spin class at 5:30AM. If you get it done before the day starts you won’t have to worry about fitting it into your day.”

Here’a few things we recommend to make some time in your day:

Take In Inventory of Your Day: Often we will say that we don’t have time for something. But sometimes what it means is that we aren’t making it a priority. Think about how much time you spend scrolling social media or other ways in which you spend your time on things that are not of highest priority. It is definitely harder to get things done after a child but you can always carve out pockets if you set goals about what you want to prioritize. Don’t fixate on the limitations on your time but on how you can maximize 10 minute intervals.

Make “Me” Time A Part of Your Routine: Whether it’s waking up early or having time for yourself after the kids are asleep make time to decompress a part of your life. You’ll be surprised how much more you can accomplish if you give yourself time to refuel and be more relaxed. You can also use this time to nurture your next big idea!

Spend Time With Friends In a New Way: Another thing we like is the idea of having phone dates with friends if you need a session to vent, laugh or cry. (All normal emotions after having a baby). Just because you can’t meet for happy-hour like you used to ,doesn’t mean you can’t foster your friendships. These friendships are important for your mental health and will keep you emotionally strong for your kids and your life.

Encourage Your Kids to Play Independently: We are big proponents of teaching kids to play on their own and foster their imaginations. Recently, we talked about creating spaces for our kids to play. Paulina even created a space for the girls to play “dress up.”

Say No To Mom Guilt: One of the biggest reasons why we have a hard time getting things done after a baby is that we feel guilty to carve out time for ourselves or things we are passionate about. We believe that children are happy when mom is happy so our biggest tip is to always make time to keep your dreams going!

Tweet: Dream bigger than your ancestors

SISTER SPOTLIGHT: SONIA SMITH-KANG, MIXED UP CLOTHING

Sonia Smith-Kang is the founder of Mixed Up Clothing a line for kids that aims to build friendships through fabrics. They encourage the exploration of culture and family through fabrics from around the World! Her mission is to showcase and celebrate cultural diversity.

Her clothing has been seen on the Today show, The Real, NPR, Huff Post and the clothes have been worn by celeb children including Modern Family’s Lily, Zoey from The Little Couple, Tia and Tamera’s little ones and many others.”

Sonia was born to an Afican-American father, and Mexican-American mother in Puerto Rico, and spent much of her childhood in Hawaii.

The idea for her business stemmed from her own mixed-race background and her multicultural family. Her husband is Korean-American and together they have 4 children (2 boys & 2 girls) ages 9,11,18 and 25. She told us about how her clothing line started. 

“Clothes struck an emotional chord with people. There was a need for them to have a piece of their culture that they could wear daily and not just during cultural ceremonies or special occasions. They wanted to represent who they were in a mainstream way but didn’t know how?

She told us that she thinks of her kids as “mini global citizens” because they represent the changing face of America.

“We teach them that just like being ambidextrous is using both hands, they can be ambi-cultural in that they can straddle all of their cultures without having to assimilate or lose out on any one culture.”

Her children are being taught children English, Korean and Spanish. They eat all foods and listen to diverse music. They code switch like champs and they understand the benefits of being multi-cultural.

But her life could have gone a very different way. She went to the University of San Francisco and became a critical care registered nurse. Even then she used her multicultural background to become an RN that brought a holistic, cultural and family-centered philosophy to nursing and she made sure she took patients and their caregivers’ religion and cultural needs into account while patients were in her unit. For instance, she would move hospital beds toward Mecca, have prayer rugs available, bring in Chaplains, have translators on hand all in hopes of improving the family’s stay, "which (hopefully) in turn helped the patient get better care." 

Being a RN was stressful and a hobby was encouraged for self-care. This is how she started first sewing clothes for her children finding ethnic fabrics sourced from around the world that represented their cultures.Then she started mixing and matching prints and silhouettes in a fun way that would have folks stopping her on the streets to ask what culture was represented on the fabric and where they could buy the clothes.

She noticed that in their exchanges people loved sharing their cultural stories as well. She was fascinated listening to them and learning about other cultures.

She was also building friendships and using the clothing as a vehicle to teach about culture and diversity through the fabrics. It was a comfortable way to discuss topics that can be difficult to talk about, especially in our current climate.

Then the proverbial light bulb went off!

After 15 years as a RN, she took a leap of faith, resigned from nursing, borrowed and took out her savings, took an entrepreneurial business class, got all the necessary licenses and permits, made a payment on a downtown LA studio, sourced fabric and contractors to help get my clothes from idea to distribution and voilà, Mixed Up Clothing was born.

Her children are her motivation each day. She herself struggled with my identity and grew up feeling that she wasn’t Black enough, Latina enough or American enough.

She promised herself then that her children (and multicultural children like them) would not have the same experience. She works hard everyday to dispel the cultural myths and breakdown the barriers that prevent inclusion.

Her kids are not only her motivation; they help her package, sort, take inventory, and ship each clothing season. They make public appearances with her too!

“It’s all hands on deck and they know that they may not always want to but family jumps in and we are there to help each other succeed. It’s a family thing!”

But her greatest success was leaving the comforts of a regular career as a RN in exchange for one that is unknown and she considers herself a small business owner living her dream.

Being an entrepreneur has allowed her to be the mama, wife, daughter, amiga, granddaughter, sister, tia, nina, etc. she wants to be.

With so many projects and things to keep track of she plans her day the night before so that when she starts the morning after morning kid/school drop-offs, she can just hop on the treadmill without wasting time looking over my calendar. While on the treadmill she listen to the news and read emails that have come in overnight and looks over social media accounts and puts out fires as needed.

But behind every great woman is another great woman! She counts her mom as one of her greatest inspiration. And her abuelos who taught her about her “Mexican cultura.” and to respect everyone whether they are a CEO or anyone else.

One of her tips is to “culture-proof” a home is by having toys/dolls/books/movies that LOOK like your kids and reflect their reality.

She lives and breathes diversity in her numerous projects aside from Mixed-Up Clothing that include: MultiCulti Corner: a community group that explores the ethnic enclaves here in Los Angeles to bring cultural awareness to children, Mixed Heritage Day: which a day (9/23/17) where she partners with the LA Dodgers to celebrate those of mixed heritage, in interracial relationships, or are transracially adopted.  This is a day of community and celebration held at Dodger Stadium. She also volunteers as Vice President of a non-profit organization called Multiracial Americans of Southern California (MASC). It is a 501c3 that advocates and educates for the multiracial community.

“I wanted to be the change that I wanted from this world.I needed to be a part of it. So I jumped without a parachute.”

Her commitment to shedding light on multiculturalism has led her to contribute to major websites like Babble, Huff Post, Medium, Mash Up Americans and The Mixed Up Blog and as a multicultural expert who has spoken on different panels about race and identity around the country. She also still uses her medical knowledge as an advisor to a non-profit organization called Mixed Marrow which helps encourage and sign up more bone marrow donors or color and multiracial heritage to become donors on the bone marrow registry.

We are in awe of Sonia and all that she is doing to create a better world for all children. You find her clothing on her website, www.mixedupclothing.com and on Amazon. You can learn more about Mixed Heritage Day on her site.

You find her on social media @mixedupclothing.

Scoring Goals with McDonalds

This week, us and a couple of super mamas had the pleasure of taking our kids to the McDonalds Soccer Clinic at the StubHub Center to practice their skills before the 2017 International Champion Cup between Manchester City and Real Madrid. The experience is one we will always remember.

As we arrived, we were surprised with two things: the coolest and cutest McDonalds soccer uniforms and the one and ONLY Ronald McDonald. Luckily, the kids had the opportunity to practice with him before the event started. 

To kick off the event, Ronald gathered us up and introduced the official soccer coaches and emcee of the day, Piolin (who need no introduction). Then the fun began!

The kids were divided into different teams, each with their own soccer coach. Max (@nardasarit), Krista, Sabina, Eduardo, Benny (@mommyinlosangeles), Xavier(@scillasticks) and Ji (@lamamacitablog) eagerly waited their turn to kick the ball. While the handsome little Kai (@thepennycloset) cheered from the sidelines with his mama. On right field,  Alexander (@pattyrodriguez), Mia (@ themotheroverload), Nia and Knox(@momdutyblog) scored some serious goals

As the session went on, we noticed a huge group of kids gathered around someone in the distance. It was non-other than the legend himself, Jared Borgetti! Everyone was freaking out (especially the husbands). Seriously. He’s a huge deal! Paulina’s husband can tell you every single detail of his famous goal against Italy in the 2002 World Cup. Basically, every major soccer fan knows who Borgetti is.

Borgetti visited every team and made the effort to interact with every single child on the field. He encouraged them to be brave and gave them confidence to go for the goal. Borgetti and Piolin were the best goalkeeper and coach any child could ask for, the perfect dynamic duo. 

Not only did the soccer clinic give our kids the opportunity to play outside, but also a once-in-a-lifetime experience to practice with a world-renowned player and further connect with a sport that plays a major role in their culture. Thank you for the amazing experience, McDonalds! Now, it’s time for us to get ready for the ICC game tonight at the Los Angeles Coliseum!  Who are you guys rooting for?

Paulina's Must-Have Pregnancy Products

By: Paulina Lopez-Velazquez

Pregnancy comes with many wonderful things, but let’s face it, not everything is great, we all go through different weird changes in our body, for me it has been the same in all three pregnancies:  Skin issues, swollenness, and breathing problems.  By now I have a pretty set routine down to tackle each issue and a few products that are my Must Haves that I wanted to share with you if you are having the same issues! Hopefully you find something useful for you. Ok here we go!  

Skin Issues:

Itching much?  This has been a constant issue with every pregnancy, and it kills me! Towards the end of the day I just simply cannot stand my breasts, this is the area it hits the most as well as my thighs.   I try to avoid scratching as much as I can but I have woken up with marks all over my breasts because I do it over night without noticing.  The only thing that has worked for me is the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Soothing Oil, I have used it since the first pregnancy and it’s a life saver for me! as soon as I found out I was pregnant I ordered it right away, I apply it through the day on my breast and my belly or as soon as I feel the itch start, it’s very soothing and it helps me with the scratching, plus it also helps avoiding major stretch marks. Whenever I run out I have also used some natural coconut oil, soothes me but the soothing oil works better for my skin.

Let’s talk Stretchmarks! Ever since I was young I had lots of weight issues (that’s a whole other blog post I should write about later) so my weight was up and down a lot from a very young age which caused some stretchmarks on my butt (can I say butt? Haha) So, since my first pregnancy I have been very mindful of taking care of my skin, I tried different things but my favorite so far is the Bio-Oil.  I am very happy to report that I have almost no additional stretchmarks from pregnancy, plus applying it on my skin gives me such a relief and It feels good! My only advise would be to put it at night right before going to bed because it might rub off on your clothes depending on the fabric.

My skin is cracking! And not in a good way, mainly my feet due to the swelling and since I have been pregnant over the summer I tend to use lots of sandals.  This has been the biggest struggle, I mean who wants to see some cracked up dry feet? Not cute, right? Well, this time around I found the perfect solution! I have tried over 8 different types of foot creams (seriously!) and none have worked better than the O’Keeffes Healthy Feet, I apply this cream daily in the morning and at night and my feet are looking and feeling great (ok, except for the swelling) I will definitely continue to use this cream beyond my pregnancy to keep my feet smooth.  They also have a Working Hands cream that my husband has been using for his psoriasis and that one is just as great! 

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Swelling and Sleeping

Let’s move on to swelling, which has been the biggest struggle for me, I mean I am now only wearing size 11 man sandals! I mean I’m only 5’4 so that’s a bit huge for me.  My feet start kind of normal (haha) but as the day progresses my feet just keep getting bigger and bigger, my biggest tips are taking lots of water, putting your feet up as much as you can (but when you have multiple children, a job, a home and a husband, how much can you do this, really?) And what has worked wonders for me is the Epson Salt, if I don’t have a whole lot of time to sit on the tub, I simply put ½ cup in a container with warm water and I put my feet there for 20 minutes, maybe while checking my phone, or catching up on some reading (multitasking at its finest) at the end of the day, I found some that have lavender added to them, so that also helps me relax and have a good night sleep.  You can find different ones on your favorite stores!

And talking about sleeping, I am now in the third trimester and sleeping is starting to be a challenge, I bought a nursing pillow recently which has made my nights SO much more comfortable but it does take a big chunk of space and my husband refers to it as “the barrier between us” so, sometimes I opt for using the regular pillows which still make me feel very comfortable.  However, my main problem is that when I lay down my nose gets really congested and it gets hard to breath. This causes me to breathe through my mouth overnight which at the same time causes mouth dryness, thirstiness and makes me wake up constantly and not get enough sleep, a never-ending circle that I had to end! Luckily I found the life changing essential oils, they have made a HUGE difference for me, I use the Doterra brand and add a few drops of lavender, peppermint and the Breath blend to my diffuser every night.  What a difference! I have been able to sleep with no problems ever since, I am able to breath and relax and just get a much better night sleep waking up in a much better mood! I carry the breath blend with me and I breath it through the day which has helped me with the daily congestion as well.  I have personally found so many benefits to using oils during pregnancy I would totally recommend for you to do some research and see if you can apply it to any particular problems you might be experiencing .

I know a lot of us experience a lot of different crazy side effects during pregnancy and I can only speak from my personal experience but I hope that if you are going through a similar experience as me you can find this products to helpful! 

Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and share with me some of your own favorite products! I always like to hear and try new things.  Hang in there Mama! This is only temporary and by the time your baby arrives this will all be nothing but a blur.  

Love, Paulina

5 Birthing Methods You Should Know About

If you are an expectant mother it can be overwhelming to sort through the numerous birth options available to you. Below you will find a few of the options and methods available!

We are strong advocates of women taking charge of their births in consultation with their health care providers, midwives and doulas. 

Read on to learn more! 

Bradley Method:This is a 12 week course in which expectant parents learn how to give birth without the use of epidurals and with minimal interventions. A doula or midwife will normally deliver the classes, and create a plan for you. This method focuses on the wellness of the mother, baby and partner. Please note these classes should begin around your 5th month of pregnancy. Learn more here.

Hypnotherapy Method: As the name implies, this method teaches mothers a form of self-hypnosis that reduces pain and stress during labor. Think of it as meditating through labor. It helps mothers learn how to reduce anxiety in your mind and your body and how to get through painful contractions. Learn more here.

Lamaze Method: This method was commonly taught by hospitals and includes pain management techniques as well as breathing and relaxation methods to help women during delivery. The Lamaze approach and birth classes aim to“increase women’s confidence in their ability to give birth.” Lamaze classes also provide information about unmedicated and medicated births. Learn more here.  

Water Birth: Water births are known as the “gentlest of births.” Mom’s are immersed in water during delivery. This environment replicates what babies experience in utero. The warm water also helps moms manage pain. However, Parents Magazine cautioned that “if your baby is breech, if you've been diagnosed with excessive bleeding or maternal infection, if you're having multiples, or if preterm labor is expected, you'll have to discuss with your healthcare provider whether you're a candidate for a water birth.” While not many hospitals offer the use tubs, you can find a birthing center, or rent one for use in your own home. Learn more here.

Home Birth: This method allows you to deliver your baby in the comfort of your home with midwives and doulas on-site to support you. Home births are mostly recommended for women with low-risk healthy pregnancies. Decide if this plan is for you only after consulting with medical professionals, midwives and discuss it with your partner too! Learn more here. An alternative option is to use a birthing center that has a homelike environment.

For more discussion on this topic check out these episodes that focus on birth and delivery.

• Together in Birth With Marisol Garcia- All about doulas

• Homebirths With Pear Mama- One mother’s experience with hospital and home births

• Midwifery with Madre Luz- All about midwives

• Bricia’s Birth Story - Relive how Bricia’s baby made his debut!

• Paulina’s Birth Story- Paulina tells us about her labor and about what she put in her hospital bag!

Labor and delivery are joyous occasions for families. However you choose to experience them, you should feel supported and respected! Don’t be afraid to speak out and assemble a team that makes you feel empowered!

Happy Labor Day!

HOW TO TEACH YOUR CHILD TO NAVIGATE DIFFICULT EMOTIONS

This week on the show our guest Lesley Yadon, talked to us about how meditation and mindfulness can be great tools to become more calm and peaceful mothers. But mindfulness isn't just for adults. Mindfulness is a skill you can start teaching kids from a young age to help them develop resilience and the ability to deal with their emotions. But it can be hard to know where to start. Which is why are so excited to share an amazing resource that can help you.

Stop, Breathe and Think is a mindful games app designed specifically for children ages 5 - 10. With this app kids can check in to how they are feeling using fun emojis and try recommended mindful missions tuned to those emotions. Stickers reward their progress and keep the activities engaging.

Mindfulness and meditation are tools to help children better deal with the variety of emotions they experience. It develops coping mechanisms and strengthens their emotional intelligence, which helps them avoid being overwhelmed by their emotions.

.The app was created by two moms, Julie Campiston and Jamie Price who wanted to address what they feel is an "emotional crisis with younger generations."

"Stress and anxiety are on the rise, and are more prevalent with 18-34 year olds than any other generation. Suicide is the #2 cause of death for that age group. "

They are big advocates of having an "emotional wellness hygiene" and taking 5 minutes to Stop, Breathe & Think. They are excited to extend their mission to younger kids.

The meditations and mindful missions in Stop, Breathe & Think Kids were developed in collaboration with activity-based mindfulness expert Susan Kaiser Greenland, creator of the Inner Kids program and author of Mindful Games and The Mindful Child.

STOP, BREATHE & THINK KIDS FEATURES:

• Meditation & mindfulness for kids:

• 15 free mindful activities for every situation

• Fun video animations

• Stickers to reward progress

Julie and Jamie have the following tip to create an emotional hygiene routine. 

"Pick a time in the day, like right when you wake up or at bedtime, when you take a few minutes to Stop, Breathe & Think. It helps create a positive routine for the whole family and integrate mindfulness in your daily life. "

The app is super interactive and includes mindful missions to deal with common emotions like: sleep, over excitement, stress & worry, disappointment & sadness, caring & connecting.

"We want to raise our kids to be able to handle whatever comes their way. Whether they need to mellow out before bed, develop positive relationships or simply have a peaceful moment, Stop, Breathe & Think Kids offers children a fun and easy way to identify and process their emotions.

From counting breaths to friendly wishes or frog jumps, each activity brings fun rewards to keep them engaged. The activities in the app are a great way for grown ups to spend time with their children and create a positive daily routine.

Jamie and Julie are both mothers themselves and hope to inspire other moms to know, "they can take on risky and demanding adventures like founding a startup." 

They are both excited that they have had overwhelming support for their venture and even won the People’s Voice Webby Award for Best Health App this year.

Keeping true to their vision for a more peaceful world they donate 10 percent of their proceeds to a non-profit. 

We are happy to highlight them and their mission to lead a mindfulness revolution that will result in happier kids and moms! 

Learn more about them by visiting their site. You can also download the app! 

You can also follow them on Instagram. @SBTbreathe

Tips to Overcome Obstacles & Reach Your Goals

This week our guest Cristela Alonzo the voice of Cruz Ramirez in Cars 3 gave us valuable insights on how to overcome obstacles. We’ve been feeling so inspired after the movie that we wanted to share some tips that previous guests have shared with us about how to push through and make your dreams come true, and how to deal with setbacks and sorrow.

• Deal with bullies by proving them wrong. Cristela tells a powerful story of how she dealt with her high school bully. Don’t forget that success is the best revenge. Keep focused on what you want.  

• Be Grateful Everyday. Even when things are very difficult you can always find something to be grateful for. Our guest Mary Carrillo taught us valuable lessons on how she has found gratitude in the midst of losing her son to cancer. You can listen to that episode here.

• Understand the some people will not be supportive of your dreams. Accept that it has nothing to do with you and more to do with them and where they are in their life and mindset. Cristela also shared that is how she deal with online bullies or people who weren’t supportive of her pursuing a career in the entertainment industry.

• Surround Yourself With Positive People. The people who you surround yourself will play a tremendous role in the person you become. Tony Robbins who we love often talks about how your group informs the expectations and beliefs you have about yourself. Check out our experience with him here.  

• Understand that Mistakes Are Normal. It’s ok to not know everything all the time. Don’t pressure yourself to be perfect. If you talk bad about yourself to yourself then you will start to believe it. Forgive yourself for having a bad day. If you know someone who has a resources or information that can help you don’t be afraid to ask for help. Many of our Super Mamas Guests have shared with us how their biggest projects began with them making mistakes and building things as they went along. Beatriz Acevedo from Mi Tu, was a perfect example. Check out her episode here.

• Choose Happiness Everyday. Jacqui Saldana of Baby Boy Bakery shared with us all about how she has learned to choose happiness after losing her son. It doesn’t mean she doesn’t have grief or sadness but she tries not to let that overpower every element of her life.

There you have it! Tell us a piece of advice that has helped you overcome obstacles or difficult times in your life!

CARS 3: If you want to Dream, DO IT! I will be there for you

By: Paulina Lopez @iampaulinalopez

Today was the official release of Cars 3, the latest addition to the Cars Franchise. I have enjoyed and loved all the Cars movies, but this one is by far my favorite!  It may be the fact that this time around there is such a strong female presence in the film. As a #Super Mama of two girls and a third one on the way, I was so happy to see a character that doesn’t have to be a princess, and that proves that with hard work and dedication you can accomplish anything you desire even in an environment that is considered “only for boys”, just as Cristela Alonzo has done.

The movie is still based on our beloved Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson), and we see all the familiar characters from the previous films, but it’s amazing to see how they came out with a whole new story, a new perspective according to the “stage of life” he is going through.  That means that if your kids still haven’t seen the previous movies, they will understand and love the story just the same.  This time around we see McQueen struggling with the fact that he might no longer be the king of the race tracks, as a new generation of “younger” more advanced and modern race cars like Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer) are ready to take his place. After a devastating accident, he is faced with the tough decision of giving up or proving himself once again to his fans. 

The movie takes us along on his journey as he decides to get his throne back, but we learn many lessons along the way, like the fact that a relationship between a boy and a girl doesn’t necessarily have to become romantic.  Cruz meets McQueen’s at the super modern and technologically advanced Rust-eze Racing Center, where she is assigned as his trainer. At the beginning he resists her,  but they eventually become friends and each other’s support and inspiration on the tracks.  While trying to find his way back, Mcqueen reflects on the ones that have come behind him, his teachers and mentors, and he knows that without their knowledge and advice he wouldn’t have gotten as far as he did

In the movie, we also see a hard reality that we confront every day, where women must work extra hard to prove themselves in a male dominant environment and though at times she doubts herself, Cruz finds out who she is meant to be and becomes an inspiration for McQueen himself.

Cruz Ramirez ends up showcasing her skills leaving everyone around astonished, including those of us watching the movie, I know I was surprised because I was not expecting this ending at all! It’s a huge deal for girls all over and for the Latino community that Pixar made Cruz Ramirez such an important part of this story. She's had a life long dream, and we learn that Dreaming might be uncomfortable to outsiders, but its something that we should all do! As parents it is important to know that we HAVE to support our children's dreams even if at times they sound crazy, because being there for them is the one thing they should alway count on.  

This is a movie you don’t want to miss, look for the nearest theater and check it out!

If you want to read a more about the people behind the movie, read the Movie Junket piece I wrote and check out this super cool trailer featuring Cruz and McQueen! 

SISTER SPOLIGHT: CARMEN LOPEZ, CURRENT BOUTIQUE

Welcome to our monthly Sister Spotlight! We are excited to share with you the stories of the inspiring women who make up our Super Mama Squad! If you would like to be featured or would like to nominate someone to be featured please email us at info@supermamas.la

Current Boutique, is a shop for fashionistas with an eye for vintage gems.

Carmen Lopez founded her shop in 2007 with the notion that the modern woman’s busy life needs a revolving wardrobe that can keep up with that schedule. It began with her own love of designer pieces, that kept her fashionable, current and on trend. She also had a thirst for recycling her pre-loved designer gems.

Current Boutique operates by accepting lightly used women’s clothing, bags, shoes, jewelry and other accessories from people who want to sell. They take pieces they they can sell in stores and online and then split the proceeds with the seller if its purchased. But soon after starting the business she noticed that this could be something bigger! 

Current Boutique is known for innovative events and for making connections. They collaborate with the hottest influencers, up-and-coming fashionistas and style-novices alike. We browsed her site and instantly found some Vintage Valentino and Jimmy Choo we would love for our closets. (Wink, Wink) 

She soon saw an opportunity to develop a community for fashion lovers!

My goals was to create A community where women could bring their pre-loved designer gems and recycle them into, new-to-them designer outfits.

She started the business by pulling together her entire life's saving and investing it into her business. There were skeptics but she believed so firmly in her idea that she signed a ten-year lease on her first store in Alexandria, Virginia. Her business now generates million dollar profits each year and boasts thousands of devout sellers and buyers. 

She is also the mother of a 14 month old daughter, Annie who is named after her mom.  She told us that her husband and family are a tremendous support system, "I have a wonderful father who is the greatest babysitter on the planet and two older brothers who have always looked out for me.  Oh yes, don’t forget my nieces, nephew, aunts, uncles and my cousins (LOTS of cousins!). " Her husband also runs the business with her. 

 “My family is the heart of everything I do and I love them all.”

 One of the things she likes about being an entrepreneur is that she gets to create her own schedule and spend her mornings with her daughter Annie and she couldn’t image starting her day without the quality time they share.

 “I get to work with a sense of determination – knowing I need to work hard every day to keep the life that I’ve grown to love.”

 She is proud of  launching our e-commerce site and challenging herself to venture out of her comfort zone.  She told us that “moving into the online space was a whole different animal. I surrounded myself with great people that new the industry.  All I had to do was teach them about what made Current Boutique great.  From there, we built an amazing online experience.  It was my biggest challenge but my greatest reward!”

 She has been an entrepreneur since she was 28 years old and she likes that everyday is like an adventure.  

 “I am betting on myself and my team to get things done every day to keep the ball rolling and making new discoveries and improving processes as we go along"

 We asked her about her secret weapon and she noted that she can’t live without exercise.  

“Stamina is important for running your own business and chasing your little one - staying in shape is key.”  She also enjoy reading books about professional development. Her favorites are, “How to Win Friends and Influence People” and “No Thanks, I’m Just Looking.”

We love that through her business she is also creating a more sustainable world. For over ten years, they have donated tons of clothes! They also donate to Suited for Change, a DC based charity that helps women in need of professional attire, mentoring, and job-readiness education.

They are also working on a functionality that allows consignors to donate a portion of their earnings to charities.  

Style with a conscience at the click of our fingers? We love it!

Learn more about Carmen and her boutique by visiting their social media @current_boutique or their website:www.currentboutique.com

Cristela Alonzo: Racing through boundaries

By: Paulina Lopez-Velazquez @iampaulinalopez

This past weekend I was lucky enough to meet and hear directly from the talent behind the new Cars 3 Movie hitting theaters this weekend.  It was my first time attending a press junket and I really didn’t know what to expect, but I must say that I left feeling more connected and in love with the story.   Plus, I’m not going to lie, I was totally fanning over Owen Wilson, the super-hot Armie Hammer, Kerry Washington (eeek!) and of course, our girl Cristela Alonzo!

I have been a fan of both the Cars franchise and Cristela Alonzo for a long time now, so when I found out she would be involved in Cars 3 I was beyond excited.  Excited to see the movie, excited for her, excited for the Latino community and now I can say that I am excited for the generation of girls (including my girls) that will be watching and getting inspired by her character “Cruz Ramirez”.

Photo by: @iampaulinalopez

If you know a little bit about Cristela you know she is not shy talking about her background, her humble upbringing and the fact that she grew up as she says, “poor without knowing it.” In fact, she is very outspoken about it in all her mediums. She has always been a face and a voice for the Latino community and we are all very proud of her accomplishments because she is an example of perseverance, hard work, of breaking barriers and fighting against stereotypes.  And Cruz Ramirez is just that, the perfect reflection of Cristela.  A female succeeding in an environment where all odds are against her, even her own doubts and insecurities.

The director, Brian Fee, told us that he wanted to deliver this message to his daughters through the story, “Never be afraid to try something.” He explained that there are a lot of things that are treated as “only for boys or only for girls” and he wanted to be very intentional about breaking that stereotype. There are quite a few female characters within the movie that manage to accomplish this.  Watch for Miss Fritter, voice by Lea DeLaria, you will love her! 

Photo by: Victoria Infante

I do have to say that this movie is not gender targeted, and this is what I find most fascinating.  Kerry Washington another female powerhouse (voice of Natalie Certain) pointed out that the movie manages to empower you beyond gender and beyond color. I agree with her, Cars 3 does not refer to gender but skill, it’s about the best person for the job doing the best they can. It’s about inclusivity, perseverance, learning from the ones that came before us, the ones that inspire us, honoring them and passing on that knowledge. We see that in the relationship that blooms between Lightning McQueen and Cruz Ramirez

When Cristela was asked, who inspires her, she immediately said “My mom. She managed to give us a good life regardless of the circumstances around us…” She also mentioned her teachers, who pushed her out of her comfort zone and who told her, “If you want to dream, do it!”  I believe that a lot of our kids, particularly our girls, will identify with Cruz Ramirez, I know my girls already do and that makes me very excited. It is not every day that we see a Latina playing a big role on the big screen. It is not very often they see themselves in a movie character. I applaud Pixar for the great job they are doing including minorities into more main characters within their projects, and most importantly for not falling into stereotypes. 

Change is happening and as parents we must teach our children that they should trust their instincts, believe in themselves and follow their dreams. Cristela said something very important, “Tell kids that they matter, that it is possible to have a dream.”

Make sure you watch Cars 3 when it hits theaters June 16th, I know you will love the movie just as much as I did! 

5 Ways to Support A Mother After A Loss

When someone we love has suffered a loss it can be hard to find the right words to say, and it can be difficult to know how to behave. The loss of a child or a miscarriage can be particularly devastating to mothers. 

We put together a list of some ways you can support those you love when they are faced with this tragedy. Thank you to our previous guests for all their wisdom and advice on this emotional topic. 

1. Be There and Let Them Know You Are Thinking About Them- We can sometimes instinctively shy away from people during this time but sometimes being there in the immediate aftermath can be helpful. Gabrielle Kauffman has decades of experience supporting women after a loss and she suggests that you are there for your loved one and keep them company. She also suggests that you make sure and say, "I am here if you want me to be but I won't be offended if you want me to leave." Leave the door open for them to decide how they want to grieve. 

2. Remember that Grief Doesn't Have An Expiration Date- Once the first weeks have passed remember that your loved one is still grieving. Former guest Mary Carrillo who lost her son to cancer in 2014, told us that she appreciates those who will send her Mother's Day messages even if it is just a simple, "Thinking of you today." Make sure you show your love and appreciation and follow your person's lead. Often, we think that people don't want to discuss the topic but in fact, they may love to keep their child's memory alive. Again, follow their cues. Check in with them after the initial loss when it is more likely other friends and family will be around. An idea we like, is to send flowers or a simple card on the birthday of their loved one with a simple, "Thinking of you" message. 

3. Sometimes Less Is More- Gabrielle. also cautions about saying things that you think you should say but that are especially hurtful to mothers. She advises against saying things like, "Everything happens for a reason" or "God wanted it this way." While these might be your personal beliefs and the mother might eventually develop her own clarity around the loss, in the immediate aftermath these words do not honor the pain the mother feels.  If a mother suffered a miscarriage or still-birth, refrain from saying things like, "Don't worry you can get pregnant again." Instead assure her this was not her fault. Hold space for the mother and her grief, do not try to minimize it or shame her for feeling sad. If you don't have the words, it's ok to to say, "I don't know what to say, but I am here for you."

4. Offer to Help In Any Way You Can- Another suggestion if you can't physically be there is to send food, offer to get their groceries or help with errands in some way. They might have difficulty carrying on with some basic functions like grocery shopping or preparing food. Particularly, if your friend has other children it can be helpful to offer to help with caregiving. Grieving is physically and emotionally draining so creating a space where they can rest is helpful too. For example, offer to take the kids to the park so she can take a nap or have a hot bubble bath. 

5. Withhold Judgment or Comparison- Maybe you went through a loss and it took you months to smile while your friend is smiling a few weeks after the loss. Understand that everyone is different and that smiling doesn't necessarily mean "they are over it" and we can "move-on." Grief is like a roller coaster and the important thing is to listen more, say less and put yourself aside for the one you love. 

Remember that mothers can experience feelings of grief and loss after a miscarriage, a still-birth, or even due to infertility issues. Be sensitive and tailor your support accordingly. 

If you or someone you know needs helps dealing with a loss here are some groups that can help: 

MissFoundation.org- Peer led support group for mothers who had a loss

Stillbirthday.com- A pregnancy loss is still a birthday

If you or someone you know suspects they are suffering from depression or need someone to talk to after losing a baby please call 1.800.944.4773 or visit postpartum.net

Stop Feeling Sorry for me because I'm having another girl

Photo by: @Lilyro_

By: Paulina Lopez-Velazquez   @iampaulinalopez

“Aaaaaww its ok, you can always try again”,  “Well, if the baby is healthy I guess it's ok” , “I can imagine how disappointed you must feel” or the worst one I have heard so far “I heard there is a treatment that can change the baby’s sex while still inside of you” Really?!?!?

These are some of the many lines I have heard from people when I tell them I’m having a girl for the third time.  Yes, I’m the first one to admit I was thrown off myself when I found out, and so was my husband, but it wasn’t because we didn’t want a girl. It was because long before I got pregnant my husband and I knew for sure next time we would have a baby it would be a boy.  The same way we knew for sure Krista & Sabina would be girls long before we conceived them. I got rid of all Sabina’s baby clothes because I wasn’t going to need them anymore.  I started buying items that were gender neutral so they could all share, and whenever we would see cute baby boy clothes we would get them. We even had a name picked out long before the pregnancy happened! So, from the moment we found out I was pregnant we never really considered the fact that we might have a girl, we immediately started referring to the baby as a him and by the name we had chosen. Even Krista, my oldest would say my baby brother, and that is not something we told her to say. 

 You can imagine our surprise when my brother popped up a princess lollypop and not a cars lollypop at our mini gender reveal over lunch at our family restaurant.   It’s a girl!! It took us some time to digest it, and to adjust to the idea.  I was already struggling with the idea of being pregnant at all, and this added to my confusion.  But it didn’t take us long and by the next day we were talking about all the wonderful things about having another girl. Girls stay closer to their parents we said, our grandkids will spend a lot more time with us.  

Photo by: @Lilyro_

I don’t know what it is, I have heard it from Latinos, non-Latinos, man and women the same, but when we started telling people the news, I started getting so many negative comments from strangers, friends and even close family members.  They viewed it as a negative, they assumed we were sad, disappointed and that we would immediately start considering having another baby. We obviously had to keep trying for the boy!  I would say: “No, this is our last baby” and their face would look concerned for us " But you  have to try at least one more time" they would say. At first I thought it would be something occasional but it has been a continuous pattern. 

When they told me I should look into changing my baby’s sex within the womb I was baffled, did they really think I would consider something like that?  I went off on them, I tried to lecture them about being a girl nowadays but when someone has those kind of opinions, is there really a point on trying to argue with them?  I started realizing the kind of challenges my girls have even before being born.  A lot of people still view being female as a disadvantage, or an obstacle in their life. I know for a fact this is not the case. I am so thankful my parents never made any distinctions because I was a girl, they raised me without highlighting that fact, and that only encouraged me to prove those people wrong. It only made me happier to bring in another girl into this world. 

Photo by: @iampaulinalopez

 My husband and I are determined to educate them, encourage and empower them as much as we possibly can so they can be part of the generation of women who are changing this archaic views.  It inspires me to keep working on myself so that I can be an example for them.  She chose us for a reason, she was meant to be part of our family long before we knew it and I finally know why. So, don’t you dare feel sorry for me, if anything I feel sorry for you, because you will have a very difficult time living in the future my girls will help construct, so get in with the program. And don’t you forget  "Who runs the world?  GIRLS!"

Bricia's Beauty Essentials

A few weeks ago I posted my nighttime routine on our @_supermamas instastory and so many of you wrote in with questions on all the products I used.  I will admit that when I put all my beauty essential products in one picture, I realized that it may seem a bit overwhelming.  In my defense, I don't use all of them at once.  I pace them out throughout the week, but I do use them all.  

Before I go into my routine, I want to mention that I have dry to normal skin and that I in no way, shape or form a beauty guru. I am a skin care junkie and as a lot of you may already know, a make up one as well.  I try to get facials at least once every 4-6 weeks. I always like to ask questions to my esthetician and have learned a lot from her.  These products listed below I have been using for the past couple of months and can personally vouch for them all. My face washing routine does change up throughout the year and I will list alternative products I use below as well.  Ok, lets get started! 

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1. CLEANSE

1. Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover - I have been using this product for the past 7 years. I have tried others and no other product comes close to this for me. It removes even the toughest water-proof mascara. The only other product I have tested that may be a tad better is Bobby Brown's eye make up remover, but it also costs a lot more, so I just stick to Neutrogena's. If you are a Target shopper, their Up & Up Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover works just as well and is just as amazing. A great tip is to use cotton swabs to cleanse any left over make up residue under the eyes.

2. Facial Cleansing Oil - I love this particular oil from No-Tox life, in fact I love a lot of their products. I am also a big fan of their deodorant collection. (Both me and my husband use them, I particularly love the grapefruit mango scent). ok, back to the routine, I always begin my night time routine by taking my make up off with a great oil cleanser. Since it's the first thing going on my face, I make sure they are organic and vegan. Also, since my skin can get very dry, this helps. Other oil cleansers I have used and like are DHC Deep Cleansing Oil and Mineral Fusion Cleanser

3. Gaffer & Child Deep Cleanser - after using the oil cleanser, I follow with a deep cleanser. I am currently using this refreshing Gaffer & Child face cleanser. Other cleansers I love are: Neutrogena Hydroboost Gel Cleanser and Derma E Hydrating Gel Cleanser

4. Face Wash Clothes- I don't use make up wipes, I instead opt to use terry towels to cleanse my face. I find it that it's the only way for me to make sure all of my make up is total off my skin. Also, I think its better for the environment. I bought 12 from Ikea and wash them regularly with my laundry.

2. MASKS & PEELS

1. EmergenC's Triple Threat Mask- This is a pricey one, but very much worth it. I have been using it for only a month or so, but my skin thanks me every time I use it and has quickly become a favorite. Also, I only use once a week, so I know it will last me a very long time. I make it point to use it on Sunday nights, this makes it easier for me to remember to use.

2. IS Clinical Coolmint Revitalizing mask - This mask I use twice a week, generally on Saturday and Wednesday mornings before getting ready for the day. Its a quick hydration boost that never hurts in the morning time. I also always use it to prep my skin if I need to wear event or photo make-up.

3. TREAT 

1. Resurface Retinol Reform - I heard so many great things from so many beauty bloggers about this, that I decided to give it a try and I am so glad I did. I only use this product 2-3 times a week at night time depending on the amount of sun I anticipate to get the following day. you never want to apply retinol products if you expect to be out in the sun all day. I've used other retinol products before and this one has been the least abrasive on my skin. Also, I only use retinol on the days I don't do peels, or the day's I don't use my IS clinical active Serum.

2. IS Clinical Active Serum - This I use on the days I don't use Retinol to help prevent any breakouts and help with uneven skin tone. I suggest you apply it with a cotton face pad. Makes a huge difference than applying it with your fingers.

3. Emergin C Vitamin C Serum- This product I have begun to only use it in the daytime. Helps fight and prevent free-radicals also helps in combating bacteria that causes breakouts and aids in skin texture and tone.

4. Revitalizing eye gel- I use this eye cream every day both day and night. I must say that I am not a HUGE fan of this particular product. But to be fair, I haven't found an eye cream that I just absolutely love and adore. Maybe I just expect a lot out of an eye serum. Because this product was pricey, I probably won't be buying again but do want to use every last drop before I buy switch to a different brand. Until then, my search for the perfect eye cream will continue. I will keep you all posted on any new finds! Just as an FYI, the reason why I didn't return it was because wanted to give it a fair chance and any cream is better than no cream.

4. HYDRATE & PROTECT

1. Eminence Herbal Facial Recovery Oil - I absolutely love this stuff. It looks like a small bottle, but all you need are two drops to completely boost your face's hydration. I add a couple of drops to any of my two favorite moisturizers. I also always add a couple of drops to the ends of my hair after curling or when I get out of the shower. This stuff is really amazing if you suffer from dry skin.

2. IS Clinical Reparative Moisture Emulsion- I use this moisturizer every other day and every time I use it, it feels like my skin drinks a gallon on water. I usually use this on the days I don't wear my retinol, because I don't like to mix the retinol with any other ingredients other than natural ones and really sink into my skin.

3. Control Corrective Healing Lotion - This is a moisturizer I absolutely love to wear on the nights I use retinol. It's a basic face cream that anyone can wear and should be in every women's beauty arsenal. It's also very affordable.

4. PIXI Hydrating Milky Mist - This is the first thing I spray on my face when I wake up. Since I don't wash my face in the mornings, just a couple of spritz of this on your face feel so good in the mornings. Always follow with a tall glass of water in the morning

5. Trish McEvoy SPF 30 Primer - This product I wear every single day, rain or shine. I wear it alone or under my make up. I love it because it serves both as an SPF and as a make up primer. There are a lot of great SPF's in the market that I have used and love as well such as DELTA MD and Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen. I am almost out if this particular tube so I will be switching back my SPF this summer to either Delta or Supergoop!

5. Misc.

1. Konjac Sponge- I don't have an exfoliator cleanser, but do use a konjac sponge a couple times a week with my face cleanser twice a week for deep cleansing of pores.

2. Rejuvenate Eye Mask - I use these when traveling or after having a long night. Makes a huge difference. Feels even better when you've kept them cold in the fridge.

3. Lip Balm - I have so many laying around my house and wear a balm constantly throughout the day. I can't say I have a favorite, but I am currently loving my lip butter from No-tox life in Rose Petals.

Thanks for reading my super long beauty regimen. I hope you find it helpful.  Please hit me up on my Instagram @bricialopez or in the comments below for any questions!

SISTER SPOTLIGHT: MARILYNN RENTERIA, MADRE TRIBE

Welcome to our Sister Spotlight! We are excited to share with you the stories of the inspiring women who make up our Super Mama Squad! If you would like to be featured or would like to nominate someone to be featured please email us at info@supermamas.la

Marilynn is 21 years old and the Founder of Madre Tribe a community where mothers meet, connect, and inspire. Marilynn is a graphic design student at FIDM, a military wife and mother. 

"I am still a work in progress.  But motherhood turned me into the person that I always hoped to be."

Marylinn created the group after the birth of her daughter, April Renesme who is now 14 months old. She explains that, "Loneliness is often a feeling that is felt by first-time mothers, I experienced it first-hand, and I told myself that I did not want anyone else to feel like that."

She wanted to create a group of women, who could stand tall and deal with the challenges of motherhood together. Her mission was to create a safe community for mothers. A place where they could be honest about all aspects of motherhood. Specifically she wanted to talk about the side of motherhood that she feels is often not talked about like: loss, postpartum depression, and other topic that are often,  "thrown under the rug."

Marylinn also wanted to create the antidote to the Instagram version of motherhood, "I want women to stand up strong while accepting that they are not perfect and that there is way more going on behind the pretty photos on Instagram." 

But she wanted to create a space that demonstrated different perspectives about mothers too. This is why she regularly highlights other young, hip mothers on her site.  In her interviews, they talk about everything from dealing with the regular challenges of motherhood, to their favorite song lyrics and foods. 

She hopes that mothers will connect with each other and maybe develop friendships and networks of support. "Social media is amazing and if you use it wisely, you can meet great people," she says. 

Like many members of our sisterhood, she credits her daughter as the reason for her drive and motivation. "This whole project revolves around motherhood and because of her I get to be part of this amazing community."

She also shared with us how her daughter has allowed her to step out of her comfort zone.  

"Motherhood made me strong and emotionally raw. I was always being what others wanted me to be. That all changed once I had my daughter."

In fact, after having daughter she left community college and decided to go after art. She did it to be a strong role model for her daughter.   

We asked her how she starts her mornings. She likes to start with music and fresh air.  Her and her family spend their free time eating ice cream, hanging out with loved ones, or running errands.Her number one book would be: You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero. 

She is currently working on arranging a small get together for the Los Angeles members of her tribe. 

"Motherhood gave me the confidence that I was missing my whole life. I realized I can do anything I want if I set my mind to it."

She is very excited about the future of her site! "I have so many visions and ideas that I want to bring to life and although it feels overwhelming at times, I know that it is possible. I already took the first leap of faith and now it is time to take ten more. "

We wish Marilynn much success in all of her endeavors! We can't wait to attend a Madre Tribe event ourselves! 

Keep up with her and her tribe of cool mom's on social: @madretribe / @marilynncristine

Visit her site: Madre Tribe

The Super Mamas Social presented by Target was a huge success! We were so thrilled to meet and re-connect with our Super Mama Sisters and their babies at La Plaza de Cultura Y Artes

The event began with a greeting from our fabulous volunteers!

A team of 18 volunteers helped us make this day extra special! They helped us staff the check-in area, and ensured everyone was having a great time! They even wore special buttons that said, "I speak mom." 

Guests then walked through our Super Mamas Marketplace! They were able to shop products many made by other Super Mamas and entrepreneurs! 

There was plenty of fun activities for the kids too! Including an activity corner by Target where kids created a keepsake with a powerful message #stronglikemom. They kids also enjoyed a reading of Roselyn Sanchez and Eric Winters' new book, "Sebi and the Land of Cha Cha Cha," a bubble and tent area and soccer by Super Soccer Stars! 

Meanwhile, moms were pampered by the Northgate Cabana and Target's Beauty Concierge's 

Of course, like any good party the food and drinks were amazing too. Thank you to Todo Verde, Love Swirls, Viva Los Cupcakes, Greenz on Wheelz and Food Truck Stop LA for the delicious eats! I Love Micheladas was a hit with dads, and mom's alike! Everyone got their caffeine fix thanks to Califia Farms. 

Mom's left feeling inspired by our amazing panelists! Hanna Lim, Natalie Alcala, Jacqui Saldana, and Melissa Fumero 

Munchkin dropped by to share with us all about their new and exciting grass-fed baby formula and our mom's walked away with samples too! 

We were excited to share this day with our friends from Northgate! During the event a few lucky mom's received a complimentary make-over and were invited on stage for a special surprise! This was followed an amazing serenade by an all female mariachi! 

Paulina surprised us all with a gender reveal at the end of the event! Surprise! It's a girl. We could not be more excited to bring another girl into our #Momboss tribe! 

This event was made possible thanks to all of you, our team and amazing sponsors! Don't forget to save the date for next year May 12th, 20181 

Photos by: Lily Ro Photography

SISTER SPOTLIGHT: IRMA VAZQUEZ, MY ESCUELITA

Welcome to our monthly Sister Spotlight! We are excited to share with you the stories of the inspiring women who make up our Super Mama Squad! If you would like to be featured or would like to nominate someone to be featured please email us at info@supermamas.la

We are excited to highlight Irma Vazquez an educator, entrepreneur and Founder of  My Escuelita: Spanish for Kids.

Their mission is to teach Spanish to children through play and interaction, using activities like songs, stories, arts and crafts, in a fun, stimulating and encouraging environment that fosters fluency and language development and exposes children to traditional music, literature, games, themes and Latin American traditions.

Irma’s entire reason for becoming an entrepreneur was inspired by the fact that at a point she had three children under the age of 3 and one with special needs. In fact, her entire purpose was to be able to spend more time with her children. Her goal was to be present in their young lives as possible and model a positive and powerful version of what it means to be a working mother. She is proud that her three children. Monica (16), Ellis (14) and Carolina (12) have grown up seeing her build a successful business doing something she loves.

Her idea for a place where kids and families could learn Spanish and about Latino culture soon grew from a few classes to a much bigger venture. Spanish for Kids now offers Spanish enrichment programs, preschool classes, Saturday Spanish Institute, summer camps, cultural events and community networking events. They also provide students with Spanish materials curated to help parents teach Spanish at home. My Mochila: Spanish on the Go! is a monthly subscription program. Included in the back pack or Mochila are over 20 components to help parents explore and teach Spanish in a multicultural approach.

Irma explains, “We believe that families and children deserve quality instruction that is affordable and accessible. Every class is taught by bilingual credentialed teachers who are certified to teach children language, dance and yoga. The entire family is supported in the language learning process by way of classroom observation, participation and resources that are sent home or made accessible online. The goal is to engage everyone in learning!”

As an entrepreneur she has learned an entire different set of skills. As an entrepreneur she’s learned about marketing, finances,manufacturing, shipping and creating brands. All these lessons have enriched her life as a human and a mother.

She tells us, “I feel empowered to create and be able to help and guide others to do the same. Often I am asked for guidance on starting a small business and I feel honored that through my journey I am able to help someone else. And if that someone else is a mother even better!”

Last year, she designed a child’s backpack that contains materials and resources including 20 components to help parents teach their child Spanish. She writes lesson plans and curates the multicultural materials. She is re-launching the project with a Kickstarter in September and this Summer every My Escueilta: Spanish for Kids Summer camper will have a backpack!

She shared, “being a small business owner and doing what she adores each day teaching Spanish to children has been the best decision she has ever made.”

But like every entrepreneur Irma has her rituals and support to stay on track. Irma sets her intentions everyday by mediating. She also listens to music and eats breakfast everyday. She also credits her village that helps her each day with support, and advice.

Irma also understands the importance of giving back and finds time to serve on various boards too including: the Loyola Marymount University (LMU) School of Education Alumni Board, the LMU Schools of Education Alumni Board as well as the LMU School of Education School Counselor Advisory Board and Learning Rights Law Center Advisory Board. She is also an expert teacher advisor for Little Ripples a preschool my family has built in Darfur, Africa. www.littleripples.com.

Irma is Super Mama for sure and we are so excited to highlight outstanding mommy’s like her!

Learn more about My Escuelita by visiting their site. Learn more about Irma’s newest venture My Mochila here.

Quick Tips to Make the Most of the Super Mamas Social

• Bring Your Squad but Make New Friends Too -We encourage you to come with your current friends but open up the circle to include others. You never know who you might meet! Don’t be shy! Venture on your own for a while and introduce yourself to a new friend! If you see a mom who is alone ask her to join in our conversation. Which reminds us...

• Don’t be Afraid to Come Alone -This is the perfect place to meet your #Momsquad. Trust us when we say having a group of women to support you on your motherhood journey makes this adventure so much more fulfilling. Feeling shy about introducing yourself? Strike up a conversation by complimenting someone’s cute outfit or asking how old their baby is. Those are always great conversation starters for us.

• If You See A Mom You Know From Social Media Do Say Hello-We all know that feeling, “I know her, but I don’t REALLY know her!” Go say hello to your online friend, who knows, you may become IRL friends too!

• Make Sure You Visit Our Super Mama Marketplace-We have curated a great selection of vendors this year that have great things for your kids and for you too! Don’t forget to check it out! From Raggedy Tiff’s beautiful creations to books from bilingual booksellers there is something for everyone. If you still need a gift for mom you might just find the perfect gift at our marketplace.

• Make Sure the Kids Have Fun But Don’t Forget About Yourself-We have a variety of activities for the kids and a beautiful reading corner, but don’t forget to hit our Mom booths where you will get pampered by sponsors like Target, and Northgate. We encourage you to bring a friend or loved one who can watch the kids while you get pampered. Don’t forget tickets will available at the door.

• Check the Map and Schedule When You Arrive-We will have activities happening throughout the day but we also have various panels you don’t want to miss. Check the main stage schedule to find out times and speakers.

We can't wait to see you tomorrow sisters! 

My last chance to make labor a good experience.

I can’t believe I’m almost half-way through my pregnancy already; it has been all so fast, it feels like a blur.  Someone brought it up recently, and when I checked the calendar, I started freaking out. 

I better start preparing for labor and I need to start now!

What I mean by preparing is not this: worrying about what I’m going to pack in my hospital bag, whether I should take candles or magazines or swimming trunks for my husband (Yes, I had all of this on my hospital bag with my first pregnancy). What I mean is; I need to mentally, physically and emotionally prepare my body for what it’s going to go through - whatever that might look like this time around.

My two labor experiences have been completely different from each another. The first time around, it was the hardest experience of my life; I had my perfect birth plan ready, I had gone to all the classes, checked all the boxes and made all the arrangements necessary. I knew how everything would go, easy peasy!  Everything I needed was in my hospital bag(s) after all. 

As soon as I stepped into the hospital, it all went out the door.

My water broke on a Friday night, but I had no contractions. By the time I got to the hospital, my amniotic liquid was running low and the baby needed to be closely monitored.  They started induction and after some hours (what seemed like forever) they increased the dosage of Pitocin and that is when things went from bad to worse.  The pain was increasing fast, so I asked to get an epidural and epidural it was not my friend. I started getting contractions from the waste up and it was unbearable. By that time, I had been in bed for almost 38 hours.  I was swollen, hungry and tired.  I finally dilated to 10 cm and I was ready to push.  I was extremely exhausted but I still managed to push for almost 4 hours. Toward the end of this ordeal, I was not all there - I was hallucinating and talking nonsense. I had an oxygen mask and was going in and out.  Thankfully, I had my husband, my sister, my mom and the best attending with me (she was a Midwife that was coming fresh into the shift and was so patient with me and my whole family).  I am so thankful for her - she was the one that got me through the hardest part and made us all feel at ease. Finally, on Sunday afternoon, after 42 hours, my beautiful Krista came into this world. We spent the next 4 days in the hospital; she in the NICU and I being monitored for all my labor complications. My recovery was long and painful, but it was worth it.

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As you can imagine, I was not looking forward to labor, or post labor with my second daughter. I wrongfully did nothing beforehand to prepare. I was just too scared to relive my previous experience. My due date came and went and one afternoon after a long walk, I had a conversation with my baby and later that same night, I started feeling some discomfort. I took a nap and a couple of hours later I woke up again with some pain. As the pain increased slowly, I took a bath to get comfortable. To me, the pain wasn’t bad enough for me to think I was going into labor.  I thought it was the same Braxton hicks pain I had been feeling lately.  That whole night I walked back and forth in my apartment, sat on a yoga ball and did some stretching.

Around 5 am I told my husband, “I think I’m in labor.”

We drove to the hospital and when the nurse examined me, she told me I was 6 cm dilated. I was in shock and I immediately panicked. I asked for the epidural again and again. My doctors sensed the fear in me and tried to get it in me as soon as possible. 30 min went by and finally the anesthesiologist came in. Before he could start, they checked me again and I was 9 cm! Panic turned into horror.

“No epidural? I can’t, I won’t be able to do this, I am going to die,” I thought.

I started crying, yelling, cursing and refusing to cooperate. I even went as far as to hold back when I felt the urge to push. I was just not mentally ready. My entire birth plan spelled out: epidural, epidural, epidural. But Sabina was ready and there was no turning back. Within 40 minutes she was out and I couldn’t believe what had just happened.  I felt exhilarated and incredibly empowered. Within a few hours, I was taking a shower and hosting my visitors in the room. The very next morning I was on my way home and ready to celebrate my birthday.

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So, just as my third pregnancy has been different, I know my labor will be as well.  But this time around, I will mentally prepare for whatever is destined to happen. I will go in with no expectations. I will read, train my body and my mind for that moment.

I’ve come to realize that my body knows exactly what to do, whether my mind wants to cooperate or not.  I now know that it can do incredible things. Like the time I ran a 10k after only 8 weeks of training, or the time I did cross fit for 6 weeks straight, or the time I went through a 42-hour labor, or the time I went through natural labor.

All of these experiences have one thing in common - I would constantly tell myself, “NO, I WILL BE NEVER BE ABLE TO DO THAT”.

I know I can now. 

It will not be perfect, but at least this time I want to own it. Whatever happens happens, however it may be. I want to know that I did it with intention and that I did the best I could.

My baby deserves a better experience, but most importantly, I deserve a better experience.

Super Mamas Podcast: 100 Episodes Later

This week we celebrated 100 episodes of this podcast, and the Super Mamas Community! We celebrated with a special episode and a Facebook LIVE. It also got us thinking about all the amazing moments and people this podcast has brought to us. Let's take a look back at some of our favorite moments. 

It all started with us sharing our birth stories! Check out Episodes 2 and 7 to hear all about that. 

Bricia shortly before giving birth to her son Eduardo Santiago.

Soon after the show started we were lucky enough to receive love and compliments from listeners and media outlets alike. 

We realized that we wanted the podcast to provide a platform where women from all walks of life could tell their stories, share their struggles and practical advice on how to navigate womanhood and motherhood. We reached out moms we loved on Instagram who soon became listener favorites like @MrsCastro and @lilylove213.

 A community started to form with the mothers who listened around the country and so we created a Facebook group where women could continue the discussion. To join that group click here.

Then we had another idea! What if we brought the community together for a live event? This is how the idea for the Super Mamas Social was born! That idea came to life last July in Downtown Los Angeles!  One of the biggest surprises aside from all the amazing mommy's that joined us that day is that one of our favorite stores, Target was at the event! Talk about every mother's dream come true! 

Photos: Annie Vovan

An important aspect of the show, is that we encourage mothers continue to dream and think big even as they raise babies. This is why in December, we held an intimate vision board party at the beautiful Munchkin Headquarters in Van Nuys. 60 women came together and walked away with goals for 2017, while enjoying delicious food and sisterhood. It was a magical night! 

Photo by: Lily Ro Photography

Culture is an important part of who we are and so we were excited to host a Tamal Party to share our Holiday traditions along with our friends from Northgate! Many mom's shared that this inspired them to host their own Tamal Parties and to learn more about traditional holiday recipes. 

Northgate Tamal Party with our favorite mommy's: @luzwarrior and @pattyrodriguez. Photo by: Lily Ro Photography

But perhaps the most significant change is how much we have grown as women, along with all of you. We have learned so much from our guests, our listeners and have seen our children grow and flourish in the process too! 

We can't wait to see what the future holds for us and this community we built together. We can't thank you enough for all your love and support! 

Come chat with us in person at the Super Mamas Social on May 13th. Get your tickets here!

If you are new here, catch up with all our episodes on Itunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud and Google Play. You can also follow our adventures on @_supermamas on Instagram and Twitter. 

With Love,

Bricia and Paulina 

SISTER SPOTLIGHT: CAMAILLE VICTORIA TORRES, BOO BOO ROPA

Welcome to our monthly Sister Spotlight! We are excited to share with you the stories of the inspiring women who make up our Super Mama Squad! If you would like to be featured or would like to nominate someone to be featured please email us at info@supermamas.la

Today we are excited to spotlight Camaille Victoria Torres, mother of 4 and founder of Boo Boo Ropa, an apparel & accessories brand focusing on the fun of being a kid (again for some) that is inspired by Latino heritage & family. Their mission is to introduce a little Latin culture to everyone using fun play on words that everyone can relate to with apparel for children and mothers.

Boo Boo Ropa is an homage to Camaille’s father who her older children affectionately called,  “Boo Boo.” But the idea for Boo Boo Ropa came during a time that Camaille describes as one of “loss and deep sorrow.” After her father, who she considered her best friend, died suddenly of cancer at the age of 64.

But life had another surprise in store for her as she found herself unexpectedly pregnant six months after his passing. It was during this time that she came up with the idea of a Spanish t-shirt line.

After becoming pregnant with her 4th child she reached out to a relative who works in product development who encouraged her to keep building on the concept. That is how Boo Boo Ropa was born and it gave Camaille an outlet for her creativity and grief.

Camaille describes that Boo Boo Ropa, “has brought her back to life and has been fulfilling in more ways than she could have imagined.” This is also a way for Camaille to teach her kids who are 4th generation Americans about who they are, and where they came from. In fact, her 4 children ages 19, 10, 5, and 2 and their unique personalities are an inspiration for her clothing line. They are also her greatest accomplishment.

But her years as an entrepreneur taught her a lot of important lessons that have helped her grow Boo Boo Ropa from a dream to a successful #sidehustle. But she is honest that mistakes have been made, and she has lost money. But she credits her fearlessness as a big factor in her success.

Camaille describes herself as an idea machine, and she gets her best ideas in her long morning showers. She even keeps a notebook nearby to write them all down. This time to herself is essential to accomplish all her family and business to do’s. She also relaxes watching her favorite TV show “Jane the Virgin,” and reading her favorite books like “Wishful Drinking,” by Carrie Fisher.

She encourages all moms to pursue their dreams, as entrepreneurship has given her, “strength, independence and lots of perspective.”It has also given her the flexibility to be there for her children. Entrepreneurship continues to make her hungry for growth.

Finally, she talked about the importance of having a supportive partner, she describes her own husband is, “the wind beneath her wings.

She hopes that maybe she can start a conversation about diversity and culture with her fun t-shirts.  

Boo Boo Ropa is offering all of our Super Mamas a special discount code! Enter SUPERMAMAS at checkout to save 15% on your order.

Check out their website boobooropa.com and follow them on Instagram @boobooropa or her personal space @camaille_victoria.