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Today on The Baby Box Co. blog, we are spotlighting our friend Ashley Levin, a mama whose kids we are completely obsessed with -- and can you blame us? Just look at those precious little faces!!
Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from, when did you start your family, etc…?
I grew up in a suburb of Chicago as the middle child of three girls. My sisters and I all followed each other to Los Angeles to go to USC. A few years after graduating college, I met my husband and never looked back. We got married in July 2010 and got pregnant within a few months.
Two years ago, I left my job working in entertainment public relations to move to Las Vegas, have baby #2, and be a stay-at-home mom. I have two daughters (Sadie 3.5 and Molly 1.5), and I love that I’m fortunate enough to be able to stay home and care for them every day.
What are your new mom must-haves?
One thing I wish I had with my first was the Rock ‘n Play sleeper. Both my girls were not only extremely colicky but suffered from severe acid reflux and rarely slept. The Rock ‘n Play is angled upright to help babies digest their food and also has a vibration setting for those “spirited” ones who need to constantly be moved. It also rocks naturally. Another favorite of mine is the Baby Brezza formula maker. For those moms who choose to formula feed, you won’t need to wait around listening to your baby scream for a bottle while it warms up. The Brezza does the mixing and measuring for you at a perfect temperature.
What was the best part about being a new mom, for you?
By far the best part about being a mom in general is realizing this little life you brought into the world is all in your hands. That makes every smile, giggle and milestone your greatest achievement.
What was the hardest part about being a new mom?
The hardest thing I dealt with after my first baby was learning to function on little to no sleep. Once I had my second baby I took every opportunity I could to sleep when the baby was sleeping. Emails, showers, cleaning, etc. all were put on the back burner for the first few months, and it was the best thing I could have done for myself. Also, with colic, my babies cried for hours both day and night which gave me a lot of anxiety. My mom told me to remember it’s just a phase, and when one phase ends another begins. That definitely rang true and helped ease my anxiety.
What is your most trusted resource?
My mom and my sisters for sure. My mom has been through it all and did an incredible job raising three girls. My older sister has three daughters and somehow makes parenting look easy. My little sister just had her second baby, works full-time and manages to do it all and more.
Are there any key pieces of advice you would pass on to new moms?
The best advice I ever got came from my mom. One day after listening to Sadie cry for 12 hours straight, I called my mom crying. She said, “Just remember you are only given what you can handle…so you are strong enough to handle this.” Whenever I’ve had a bad day and just feel like giving up I remember that and know I’ll get through it.