One BAM Digest #3, August 2018 — Catherine Larkin Ferguson

This week's installment of the One BAM Digest has got a bit of everything, from Beyonce to breastfeeding to books.

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Modeling happiness for our kids
In an interview with Mother.ly, Daphne Oz commented that “what makes a mother happy is often missing from postpartum conversations” and how important it is to model for our kids what happiness looks like. That’s something we all have to decide for ourselves, whether that means working, staying home, self-care routines, etc.

The Birth Age Gap
The New York Times published this really interesting and startling piece about how the age at which mothers give birth in the United States varies widely by geography and also, unsurprisingly, is heavily tied to a mother’s education level.

All Hail the Queen Mother
Beyonce is on the cover of Vogue’s September issue, and shares some candid thoughts about motherhood. These stood out about raising both daughters and a son:

“As the mother of two girls, it’s important to me that...they know they can write the script for their own lives—that they can speak their minds and they have no ceiling. They don’t have to be a certain type or fit into a specific category."

“I want the same things for my son. I want him to know that he can be strong and brave but that he can also be sensitive and kind. I want my son to have a high emotional IQ where he is free to be caring, truthful, and honest. It’s everything a woman wants in a man, and yet we don’t teach it to our boys.”

Snuggle the Baby
We are just over a month away from adding another tiny human to our brood, and let’s just say our toddler is “less than enthusiastic” about the new arrival. A friend recently gave us this Snuggle the Baby book which lets kids get involved in caring for the baby, including feeding it a bottle and tucking it in at night. So far, the book is a hit. Let’s see if it translates to the real thing...

World Breastfeeding Week
It’s common now to see headlines about breastfeeding, all the more so this week since it’s world breastfeeding week - meant to bring awareness and support to the cause. And while it’s important to remember that breastfeeding is indeed a wonderful way to feed your child, I believe wholeheartedly that every mother needs to make the choice that is right for her and her baby. #fedisbest.