Mom Talk with Ashley of Ruby Social Co
In a few sentences (we know you don’t have much time!) tell us about yourself and your little one…
My name is Ashley Cassidy Seale and I wear many hats. My newest role is Mum to Mimosa, my nearly-one-year-old daughter. She’s incredible and I’m so in love. Professionally speaking, I’m the founder of Ruby Social Co., a creative communications studio for clever brands in the lifestyle and wellness space. I get to work with really brave and innovative entrepreneurs (mostly female, which I love) and help them grow their businesses, and I’m grateful for the work I do.
Faves
What is one thing you couldn’t live without as a mom?
Ooh, good question. I think you are referring to a magical product of sorts, but my first thought was my husband Andrew. Honestly! I know for sure I could not do any of this without him – he’s the best partner.
The Rock ‘n’ Play was a great purchase for the newborn phase. It allowed us time to cook and eat proper meals, take a shower, do laundry, etc. I’m also a big fan of independent play, and I think introducing this from a young age (supervised of course) is one of the reasons Mimosa is so content.
What is one purchase that has been the biggest waste of money?
I did so much research before buying anything or building our registry, and I was so overwhelmed by the amount of products out there. When you ask people what you need, the list is always very long. While babies certainly do need a lot of gear, my approach was to acquire as few things as possible and go from there. Afterall, what works for one baby may not work for another. Luckily, Mimosa took to the items we purchased for her.
The only thing she never really took to was a bottle, which made it impossible to be away for more than a couple of hours. So the Medela pump we bought hasn’t been used much, which is unfortunate in my particular circumstance as it was so expensive!
You’ve been there, done that… so what would you say… save or splurge?
Sleepers? Save! I bought all Mimosa’s sleepers from one store so the sizing was consistent.
Swaddles/blankets? Splurge. They need to be super soft and breathable. I really like the Aden and Anais swaddles, she used those right through to six months. Right now we’re using the Nested Bean sleep sack and it’s great.
Stroller? Ours was a gift from Andrew’s parents. We opted for a compact travel system, and I’m really glad I didn’t get tricked into buying the bassinet style because let’s be honest, those are useful for three months of the baby’s life! In hindsight, I wish we went with the Baby Yoyo Zen because it’s ideal for traveling. We had to buy a separate stroller that will fit on the plane. Live and learn!
High chair? I guess ours is a mid range priced? I found them all hideous to be honest.
Diapers and wipes? Save. We use Huggies and they are great, nothing fancy but they do the job. I will never use anything fragranced on her and was disappointed by how scented some of the other brands are.
Three things that are always in your diaper bag (besides diapers)?
An extra change of clothes, a washable change mat, and hand sanitizer.
Book Club
What is your favourite children’s book?
Madelaine.
Which book could you recite from memory (aka. your child’s fave)?
Mimosa loves Dr. Suess’ ABC and I could probably recite that for you.
Mini Style
What are your favourite places to shop for your babe?
I kept Mimosa in sleepers until she was five-months-old, and I’m really glad I did. I resisted all the cute outfits for a few reasons: 1) they are not at all practical for a baby who is either asleep or nursing 2) they grow so fast 3) I wanted her to be comfortable above all else. Now that she’s older, it’s starting to become really fun to dress her.
I like the clothes at H&M and Zara and they fit our budget. The thing I’m most excited about (once she has more hair): bows from Wunderkin. I’ve already started her collection!
Mom Talk
What advice would you tell your pregnant self?
I would tell myself that no, the baby is not coming early. I had myself so convinced (wishful thinking?) I would deliver early and of course, Mimosa was born at 42 weeks to the day. That’s two weeks “overdue!”
What was one thing you thought about motherhood that proved to be untrue?
I was told I’d be a zombie. People love to warn you that you’ll never sleep again. They aren’t wrong, per se, I’m tired. I’m exhausted. But I was so convinced that my days of quality sleep were behind me, I didn’t even considered the possibility that I could have a child who would – like me – enjoy sleep. It’s not as bad as everyone says, and you really do adjust.
I didn’t realize how isolating motherhood could be, especially in the fourth trimester. I struggled with postpartum anxiety and for the first six months, I felt really alone. For some reason I thought I would have my girlfriends around more, but when you factor in conflicting nap schedules and commuting time across the city, it’s really hard to line things up.
As a working mom, how do you find balance between work and motherhood?
Balance is not a great word. Or not a realistic word, rather (which is unfortunate for the Libra in me). It’s hard. I have a particularly unique situation: although I run my own business, my husband does as well so we have been able to share the childcare and help each other meet our deadlines. It works for us. We often work into the evening after Mimosa has gone down to sleep, but that’s a fine trade off for me to be able to get so much time with our girl.
Who is your momspiration?
Oh my goodness, mamas everywhere. I think mothers are incredible. Giving birth is such a wild experience, and once you’ve done it – you look around at all the people and think, wow, someone gave birth to all of these people! It’s the most novel and also the most normal thing in the world.
Find Ashley: Instagram and her blog
Ruby Social Co: Instagram and website
#TMLmomtalk