Some of you may be aware that, in April 2016 (almost a year ago now!) I went from working for the owner of Derriere de Soie, to being the owner of Derriere de Soie. The past year and a half has been one heck of a wild ride – I got a promotion at what was a part-time job, travelled a lot more than I ever had before, bought a business, and became a momma to a very sweet baby boy.
Nothing could have prepared me for the sheer lack of sleep brought on by business ownership and motherhood. High school and college came close – but motherhood is like a semester that just.won’t.end. There’s a final exam around every corner. Pop quizzes when you least expect them. And never enough time between classes to go to the bathroom.
There are body changes. So many body changes. For me, one of the hardest to deal with was the question “when’s your baby due?”. The answer: “he’s four and a half months old.”
I knew I’d feel soft and squishy for a while – but thanks to diastasis rectii, I still look mildly pregnant. Dieting, however, is just not going to happen, because the hunger you feel while breastfeeding is kind of terrifying. I’m always thinking about what I’ll eat next. Peanut butter and elderberry jelly sandwiches are a favorite, and I can happily report that elderberry jelly tastes just as good licked off the head of a baby as it does on top of bread and peanut butter.
The mothering community in Charlottesville is mind-blowingly awesome, and for that, I am incredibly grateful. There’s yoga, breastfeeding support, camaraderie, women’s health physical therapy – all amazing ways to take care of yourself while you struggle along to take care of someone else, someone who needs you for everything.
We try to help out as much as we can at the shop, too – even bouncing babes while you try on nursing bras. Ours are from Cake and Anita – and offer women support and easy feeding access up to a J cup. We even have a seamless, wire free option for F/G/H cups – and I can personally attest to its awesome-ness.
In short – this is meant to be a big, public thank you – to all of the wonderful people who make Derriere de Soie a reality, to the momma-community in CVILLE, and especially to the boss-mommas who have been kind enough to share wisdom, a listening ear, and show me that there is a way to juggle a family and a business.