The Longest Shortest Time

January Sponsors

Season 2 of our show, which launches on Wednesday (!), was made possible by a Kickstarter campaign. Which means it was made possible by you, the people. And also by some generous sponsors who like what we’re doing. Most of these brands are ones that I approached for support (I introduced you to the first 3 in this post). And I went to them because I felt supported by their products in early motherhood. But even with the sponsors that came to me, I made a rule that I would only partner with them if I felt like their mission was in line with mine: to help new parents feel more grounded.

Here’s an introduction to the brands and small businesses you’ll be seeing on our sidebar this month—some throughout the entire season.

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Sasha was born in Philly, and during the four months that we lived there after her birth, I would take her on the trolley to our myriad doctors’ appointments. The stroller seemed too cumbersome, so I’d carry her in my Ergobaby. Even after we moved to the suburbs, I carried her everywhere in that thing: to music class; on a new moms’ hike in a forest preserve; on a mission to a fabric store, in which I walked for an entire mile before realizing I’d gone entirely in the wrong direction. We recently handed down the Ergo to my brother’s baby, and as I was cleaning it I found an old burp cloth in the front pocket. And it reminded me of both how awesome it was to have that pocket for a burp cloth, and how even more awesome it is to not have to carry around a burp cloth anymore.

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Have you seen our lovely letterpress greeting cards, which were a reward for our Kickstarter? Stacey Stern of Steracle Press generously donated her skills and time to making those for us. I first became aware of Stacey’s work back when I lived in Chicago, and she designed and pressed wedding invitations for a few of my friends. I always had it in my head that I needed to scheme a reason to do a project with Steracle, so I was thrilled that Stacey wanted to help out with the greeting cards. Stacey is extremely creative and a joy to work with—and to top it all off, she does baby announcements!

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A Little Bundle is an amazing independently-run custom care package service for new moms. Fill out a questionnaire about yourself and your baby, and owner Annie Lin will send you a package of hand-picked high quality goodies for you and your kid. You can even subscribe and have these bundles delivered monthly—or gift a friend. During our Kickstarter, Annie approached me and asked if I’d like to curate a bundle. In true Longest Shortest style, I decided that our bundle should be a lets-get-real-about-what-you-need-in-early-motherhood type deal (don’t worry, there are some cute things in there, too!). Pretty soon you’ll be able to buy the “Not so Glamorous, but so Necessary” bundle here. And starting on Wednesday, you will have the chance to win one for free on this blog! Keep your eyes peeled for details.

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The idea behind The Babied Family is, the whole family needs to be babied—not just the baby. Last year, at a time when I needed to be babied in a big way, my friend Anne of episode 1 brought me a bag of Babied Family stuff. One of the things in there was a bar of Eucalyptus, Hemp and Tea Tree soap. Anne gave me instructions to put that bar in my shower and she said the aroma would cleanse me. I must admit, I was skeptical. Just having it sit in the shower? But she was totally right. This is now one of my go-to gifts for new moms, and friends who need a little pampering. And I am pleased to say that the eucalyptus soap, plus a couple of other pampery things from A Babied Family, are included in our upcoming A Little Bundle giveaway, mentioned above.

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Our pediatrician encouraged us to start solids when Sasha was four months old. I’d make her applesauce and sweet potatoes and carrots and pears, eagerly placing spoonfuls of the stuff at her drooly little lips. And I’d say that until she was about 7-8 months, she’d just spit it all right back out. One thing she did accept the first time we tried it, though, was Earth’s Best rice cereal and oatmeal with a little breast milk mixed in. I’d mix it up with a little breast milk, and she’d devour it. Eventually she decided on her own that she preferred real food to my food (mangoes were our gateway fruit!), and she never looked back. During our transition, those boxes of Earth’s Best cereals were a permanent fixture on my kitchen counter.

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If you live in or near Montclair or Maplewood, NJ, you probably don’t need me to tell you that Barista Kids is an invaluable resource. When I need to find out exactly which pumpkin carving event will suit my 3-year-old best, or where to go sledding or berry picking—or whether or not there’s a snow day—I turn to Barista Kids. For those of you who don’t live around here, I hope you have a hyperlocal news source as reliable as this one!

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When I met new mom Andrea Panico at a local coffee shop, my eyes kept being drawn to her wrist. She was wearing this bracelet, and I was trying to figure out if the construction really was as simple as what it looked like: 2 circles intersecting at right angles. Could you really fit something like that around your hand? Turns out you can. And turns out Andrea designed the bracelet. Andrea is the designer behind Pico Design, and all of her jewelry is based on architecture. She ties each of her collections to a particular architect, so every piece has a little story behind it, too. Best of all? Andrea’s designs are easy to wear. A lot of us complain about giving up style when we have kids, but design like Andrea’s proves that you don’t have to.

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Last but not least. What does mama need most? Yes, I’m talking about that drink that you sneak in here and there between breastfeeding sessions. If you’re in Brooklyn, wine and spirits shop Bibber & Bell is there to serve you. The owners are a married couple (one is a This American Life producer), and they have a four-year-old. So, yes, they’ll get why you need to stock up if you walk in with a stroller.