Category: Mamma bears

Posted in babies, Events, Health & Wellness, Mamma bears, Parenting, pregnancy, Toddlers

International Babywearing week 30 September – 6 October

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This week sees the start of the International Babywearing week.

A week long opportunity to celebrate, promote, advocate and educate about the many benefits of baby wearing.

The theme for 2019 is “CONTINUING TRADITION” and I encourage you to share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.

What is babywearing?

Babywearing has been practiced around the world for centuries and includes wearing your baby or toddler close to you in a sling, wrap or carrier, as you go about your day.

Babywearing has been gaining popularity in recent years as a form of attachment parenting.

The benefits of babywearing

There are many benefits to babywearing, they include :

  • Good for development as a baby who is carried is closer to mom and can study facial expressions, learn language and be familiar with body language.
  • Your baby may cry less and get a better quality of sleep and so improve their immune system.
  • Improve bonds with siblings as parents have free hands and are able to give more attention to siblings.
  • Helps premature babies gain weight and thrive as skin to skin contact is vital for babies born premature.
  • Good for hips when done correctly can assist to develop strong, healthy hip joints.
  • Can reduce colic as babies who are wborn tend to cry less.
  • Gives parents the freedom and confidence to perform other tasks.
  • Allows for a stronger bonding experience between baby and the wearer.
  • Can help with post natal depression as moms feel less guilty when wearing baby.
  • Keeps strangers away and stops them from just touching baby.
  • Helps mom lose the baby weight as you use more energy carrying yor baby than pushing a stroller.
  • Allows mom to feed on the go if you are breastfeeding.
( source : www.babywearing.org)

My babywearing journey

I started my parenting journey in 1992 and remember being given a baby carrier.

This was a simple device that clipped onto me, that I refused to use until my baby was a plump 5 months old in fear of her falling out.

Four years later as the mom of a now preschooler, a toddler and a new born I fished out the carrier again as I needed some free hands whilst shopping or cleaning the house.

I never saw this as baby wearing only as a way to free my hands to get things done.

In 2003 my youngest daughter was born and I met a fellow mom who wore her baby in bright handmade coloured slings. She seemed a bit eccentric to me.

Whilst I had a fancy pram to gently lay my baby down in she would pick up her little one and strap him to her back or slip him into his sling.

When I fell pregnant with Hamish, I had gained much more knowledge on the benefits of babywearing and my eccentric friend no longer looked so crazy.

One of my first purchases for Hamish was a ring sling.

But I broke my leg 3 weeks into our parenting journey with Hamish and spent much of his first year immobile. So baby wearing sadly did not become the part of our journey I had hoped it would be.

Still there were days when he fussed a little too much or when he was ill that I would bundle him into the sling (which I’m sure I always wore wrong)

Brent would use the sling for Hamish if we went out, keeping him close by.

Being on crutches I couldn’t carry Hamish and am greatful for the sling as it not only kept our little one safe and secure, it allowed for a stronger bond with Brent who became his primary carer if we were out.

I remember the one day in particular, Hamish hadn’t slept all day. His chest was bad and I was beginning to think he just wasn’t going to sleep at all.

The sling was in the car with Brent at work, I was stuck upstairs unable to move very far with a heavy cast on my leg and close to tears at my own frustration of not being able to stand up and rock my unhappy baby.

In desperation, I remembered my friend from so many years ago with her colourful handmade slings, grabbed a sarong and made a make shift sling to slip Hamish into.

A few seconds later, he slept for the first time in hours without fussing.

For us, baby wearing was a way to strenthen our bond, keep our little man safe and secure and to comfort him when he needed to be close to us.

Do you babywearing?

Posted in babies, Brands we love, Mamma bears, pregnancy

Natura Moms and Baby Range

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Hamish and I were recently sent a gorgeous gift hamper from Natura, containing some of their new Moms and baby range to try.


I am a firm believer in the Natura tissue salts and have used their range extensively so I was excited to try these new products.


About Naturas New Moms And Baby Range


Natura’s new mom and baby range offers gentle and effective, quality solutions through their trusted homeopathic remedies.

From morning sickness and breastfeeding to colic and teething this comprehensive range have a remedy for many of the common niggles moms and babies have.

What’s really great is that all the remedies are prepared as quick dissolving tablets,making it much easier to administer to babies and toddlers.


Products in the range


There are 17 products in the range.

For Mom

  • Prolak
    • Used for lactation, this supports the production of milk and eases with pain associated with breastfeeding.

  • Moton
    • Used for morning sickness, this assists with nausea and vomiting in the mornings and is useful if you are suffering from dreadful persistent nausea. It also assists with severe water brash.

  • O4 Serum
    • The O4 serum is a stretchmarm reduction gel and is used to reduce the appearance of blemishes associated with stretch marks and scars. It evens the skin tone. Offers intense moisturising and hydrated the skin. It is quickly absorbed to  improve the skin’s elasticity and suppelness without leaving an oily residue.

  • Nipella
    • Used to soothe and protect sore and cracked nippels. This cream 8s GMO free, 100% natural, contains no fragrances or preservatives.



    For Baby

  • Rescue
    • Used if baby is distressed,  tearful, restless, has anxiety or fears or for emotional shock.

  • Arnica D6
    • These are for those every day bumps and bruises or sore muscles.

  • Castro
    • You can use this for baby sniffles like runny nose, post natal drip, nasal congestion and thick sticky tears.

  • Dental
    • These ease teething. Use for painful gums,difficult teething, delayed teething, emotional crying caused by teething and to ease the teething runny tummy symptoms.

  • Kolik
    • For little ones suffering from colic, persistent crying, crying after feeding and if they have a flushed face from crying.

  • Snappy nappy
    • This cute barrier cream contains zinc oxide, soothing calendula and aloe vera to soothe sensitive bottoms.
    It also contains bees wax to act as a barrier against the moisture in your little ones nappy. With no parabens, colorant or fragrance you know this is a gentle product.

    For Mom and Baby

  • Karma Sleep
    • Used for sleeplessness, especially if you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Also good for restless sleep or changes in your sleeping pattern.

  • Ezin cough
    • Used for md wet and dry coughs.

  • Starlite
    • This product is used for sore throats, coughs, mild fevers and stuffy or runny noses.

  • Magen
    • Used for indigestion, bloating, motion sickness, heartburn or nausea after eating.

  • Kronolax
    • This is used for constipation, difficulty passing stools and to ease abdominal discomfort.

  • Danon
    • This runny tummy remedy is used for diarrhea, loose water stools or involuntary stool movement.


    Our experience


    Not being a lactating mom, we passed some of our samples onto 2 moms who could use them but we did try the awesome bath products.

  • Double Bubble
    • This 3 in 1 body wash, shampooanx bubble bath contains Calendula and Camomile making it the perfect combination to calm Hamish after a busy day.

    He loved the smell, I loved how soft his skin felt after his bath.

    All the ingredients are of natural origin and it has no colorant or Parabens.

    There were sufficient bubbles and it doesn’t leave a stain or mark on the bath.

    Of course I love that I only need one product to clean my busy boy with.

  • Calicalm
    • This calming Calendula and Lavender bath and massage oil could not have arrived at a better time as Hamish hurt his leg at school.

    So I massaged his leg with a little of this to calm him and dropped a few drops into his bath.

    The bottle contains a cute hippo and he was convinced the hippo remedy made his leg feel better.

    I love that this range of personal care products has cute animals on the containers. 

    I also love that when developing these products Natura sourced raw materials which are of natural origin, making them organic or Eco-cert approved, and from sustainable resources.

    You can purchase Natura products at Diskem or Clicks.

    To find out more http://www.natura.co.za

    Posted in All about Mamma bear, Mamma bears

    Be a woman of worth

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    Many years ago I read this scripture thinking wow ! That woman is amazing ….I hope I can be like that one day.

    Then life happened …. I grew! I made good choices, I made bad choices and so often I looked at this beautiful scripture and I ticked off each thing that I wasn’t instead of looking to the things I was.

    Many years later I realise even on my worst days I am a woman of worth!

    So, what is a woman of worth?

    A woman of worth to me is someone who uplifts and encourages others, no matter what she is personally going through.

    A woman of worth inspires you through her experiences as much as she does her daily life.

    Someone who shows courage in the face of adversity or stands up for her beliefs, even at the risk of standing alone.

    A woman of worth is loyal, to her family and friends. She supports them with enthusiasm and lifts them up when they are down.

    A woman of worth loves fiercely and unconditionally.

    She is above all else…kind. knowing that kindness will soften even the harshest words and hold a broken heart together.

    She forgives easily.

    She is trustworthy. She doesn’t need to use her words or your secrets to hurt anyone or betray a confidence.

    She is Grace filled and wise enough to use her words to help and heal. She is honest but tactful. She is kind but stern when needed.

    A woman of worth leaves you richer for having known her.

    To all the Women of worth in my circle …. thank you for inspiring me to be the best version of myself

    Posted in Mamma bears, Parenting

    Why moms are so tired

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    According to new research being a mom is the equivalent of 2 and a half full time jobs.

    An American study asks why are moms so tired ?

    An American study done found that moms worked an average of 98 hours a week.

    An average work week is usually 40 hours…. That’s more than double the amount of time.

    In this particular survey, 2000 moms of children age 5 to 12, were interviewed.

    It was found that the average mom started work at 6.23am and ended their day at 8.31pm

    They also discovered that these moms only found and hour and seven minutes of time for themselves and this was usually in the bathroom showering, unaccompanied.

    Even on their free time, a mom is still busy with tasks and chores that need to be done.

    Weekends were reported as just as busy with shopping, social engagements, sports and birthday parties.

    Staggering statistics

    Some of the statistics were staggering.

    Of the 2000 moms interviewed

    • 40% felt their life was a series of never ending tasks
    • While 70 % were most pressured about providing healthy diets for their children.

    As a whole the survey highlighted just how demanding the role of mom is and the multitude of tasks a mother performs weekly.

    How moms are coping

    With the stress of everyone needing something from mom, the need for self care and good mental health should be highlighted.

    To discover how the moms who were interviewed coped, a survey was taken of the “life savers” mom relied to relax and regroup her energy.

    These were some of the results

    • Grandparents
    • Babysitters
    • Wine
    • Netflix
    • Takeaway meals
    • Drive through a
    • Healthy snacks
    • Toys
    • Ipads
    • Coffee
    • Naps ( when they could)

    Sound like your week?

    I think it can be concluded that moms are amazingly selfless, so, when you see a tired mom, offer to help in a practical way …. After all we all would love someone to make us coffee or wash the dishes without us asking.

    Posted in Mamma bears

    Dear mom who can’t hold on

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    Today I was scrolling through a community page and I saw that a young girl I assisted commited suicide.I don’t know her personally, although I had met her once, but I followed her story.I watched from behind the scenes, having been a teen mom myself, cheering her successes and looking if we had any means to help her on her set backs.I had and still have so much admiration for this young girl who was trying her hardest to give her son a future.I remember one night she collected a tin of milk and nappies Hamish couldn’t use and she was gentle, polite and so proud as I asked after her son.I don’t know her full circumstances. I will never try to speculate them.

    But as a mother….

    I know how alone and desperate she must have felt. How fearful for her son’s future and mostly how she must have believed she failed him.And so, the world became too much and there’s a young boy who is no longer tucked in by his mommy or read a bedtime story. He will no longer get a warm kiss or night time cuddle. No longer can he lie against her chest and feel safe in her loving arms.This has upset me all day.

    Why?

    We read about terrible things all the time. I’m no stranger to teen suicide or the harshness of this world.

    So why this one story ….

    Because each time I look at Hamish, who is almost the same age as this little boy, I wonder how he would live without mommy and I see images of a lost, lonely, confused little boy.

    I see how young this girl was and I see my own elder children. How does a parent live with this level of loss? And I think how much the world has changed in my many years of parenting. The village is no longer a group of wizened grey haired mother’s passing down their knowledge or holding a new mom’s hand through her darkness.Today moms are in competition for everything. We as society have become so self absorbed we’ve forgotten to look at our neighbour and check she is ok.We’ve forgotten that kindness costs nothing. If you are a mom who needs to talk. If you need someone to listen or advise. If you looking for answers, I may not have them but I promise we can find someone who does ….

    Please contact me !

    Let me loan you my strength. Please don’t let your children wake up without you tomorrow ….they need you….just as you are.

    You can email me funmammasa29@gmail.com

    Or DM on any of my social media platforms ♥️

    Posted in Mamma bears, Parenting

    5 ways to avoid mom burn out

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    As a mom we are constantly stretching ourselves into a million different directions as we micro manage and meet the needs of our partners, family, career and social lives.

    This can be exhausting and living up to our own ideals is often the cause of mom burn out.

    So how do you prevent yourself from burning out when you need to bring your A game to the table?

    I share 5 tips that have worked for me over the last 27 years.

    5 Ways to prevent mom burnout

    1. Make a to-do list

    Your day can get extremely busy, very quickly, especially if you leave it up to chance.

    I prefer to write a to do list the evening before and update it first thing in the morning after looking at my emails. You may prefer to compile your list when you have a quiet moment with your morning coffee.

    On your list write down what you need to do during the rest of the day. Mark each one off as you complete the task.

    Seeing your tasks written down can make them more manageable.

    Be realistic and flexible with your list and don’t be too hard on yourself when you don’t tick off everything.

    There is always tomorrow.

    Always put urgent tasks at the top of your list.

    When you write up your list up for the next day, transfer any uncompleted tasks from the previous day to your new list.

    2. Learn to say NO

    This has even hard for me, until last month when I did a time management exercise and realised just how much time I was spending building other people’s businesses for no pay, when I should have been building mine.

    For people-pleasers,especially, this may be a particularly daunting task as they don’t want to upset or disappoint anyone.

    I find it worked to start practising saying no to the things that you find stressful, and start saying yes to what makes you happy.

    It won’t be easy at first, but the key is to practise, practise.

    3. Make sure you get fresh air and exercise

    I work best after refocusing in nature.

    A walk on the beach or park are often enough to change my mood and thoughts.

    You could try to wind down and clear your head by going for a jog, hiking, attending a yoga class or meditating.

    The rush of endorphins after a workout will leave you rejuvenated, and will allow you to tackle your tasks with a fresh perspective.

    4. Practise breathing

    We spend so much time hunched over our desks and in cars that we have very little time to concentrate on our posture and be mindful of our breathing techniques.

    Deep breathing can alleviate that anxious feeling you get when you are faced with something stressful.

    If a stressful situation should arise, you can sit up straight, relax your shoulders, close your eyes and inhale and exhale deeply.

    Continue breathing until you feel better.

    You will then be ready to tackle the problem.

    5. Get enough sleep

    Getting a good night’s rest is the best way to start a new day.

    Inconsistent sleeping patterns can often contribute to anxiety and stress. By consistently getting enough sleep, you will be well rested and in a better headspace to handle daily stressful situations.

    To restore your natural sleeping rhythm start by setting your alarm at an appropriate bedtime each evening.

    Do you have any other tips for moms?