Stories

This year has been one of connection, growth and shared learning for parents raising little Sprouts. Through our Mom Talk series, we’ve celebrated the wisdom of parenting experts and the honest, unfiltered experiences of real moms navigating family life. Mom Talk has become a trusted space for parenting advice, comfort and encouragement, helping families build routines, find balance and embrace the chaos of raising little Sprouts. As we close this chapter, we honour the stories that shaped our year and pay tribute to the inspiring women who uplift and empower our parenting community. 1. Lindi Koekemoer: Wisdom for Healthy Bedtime Routines Lindi Koekemoer, part of the nurturing trio behind Brave Little Baby, is a child sleep consultant specialising in healthy bedtime routines. In celebration of World Sleep Day, Lindi shared her expertise on establishing consistent sleep schedules while balancing motherhood and her entrepreneurial journey. Her practical sleep strategies continue to inspire parents striving for peaceful nights and restful sleep for their children. 2. Vicki Sleet: Embracing Change and Cultivating Connection Vicki Sleet, editor and co-founder of Luckybird Content Agency, shared her journey of reinvention after the closure of Good Housekeeping. Offering parenting tips on streamlining routines, meal planning and finding joy in everyday challenges, Vicki’s story highlights creativity and adaptability. Her advice empowers families to embrace change and find confidence in the chaos. 3. Rachel Maroudas: Integrating Speech Therapy into Everyday Parenting As a paediatric speech therapist, Rachel Maroudas blends professional expertise with motherhood to support language development. She encourages parents to turn everyday routines into opportunities for building communication skills. Rachel’s simple, actionable advice empowers parents to foster speech growth in natural, stress-free ways. 4. Juliette Liberty: Embracing the Toddler Phase with Presence Juliette Liberty, a digital creator and mom, shared her tips for surviving and thriving during the toddler years. By focusing on presence, slowing down and engaging toddlers in daily activities, she inspires parents to find joy in the mess and chaos of this stage. Her advice helps moms avoid comparison pitfalls while cherishing small wins. 5. Nicolle Grosskopf: Advocating for Preemie Families Founder of NESTLING, Nicolle Grosskopf turned her challenging experience with a NICU stay into a compassionate mission. Her brand creates products for preemies, offering specialised care and comfort. In honour of World Prematurity Day, Nicolle advocates for the unique needs of premature babies and provides valuable resources for families navigating this journey. 6. Danielle Luwes: Embracing Balance and Mindful Living As a full-time tax practitioner and part-time content creator, Danielle Luwes shared her struggles with mom guilt and tips for achieving work-life balance. Her practical advice includes time management strategies, releasing perfectionism and creating a nurturing home. Danielle’s approach to mindful living helps parents find harmony amidst their busy lives. Looking Ahead As we reflect on 2024, we’re incredibly grateful for the voices that made Mom Talk so special. These stories have offered valuable parenting advice, honest reflections and practical tips to support our Sprout families in their parenting journeys. In the year ahead, we look forward to sharing more real stories, expert insights and moments of connection. Join the conversation and find more Mom Talk stories in our newsletters and on Instagram. Written by Jacqui Mills

With World Prematurity Day coming up on Sunday, we chatted with Nicolle Grosskopf, owner of NESTLING—a brand dedicated to supporting premature babies and their families. From NICU challenges to redefining “preemie-friendly” products, she’s on a mission to ensure that every preemie mom feels seen, supported, and empowered. Join us as we explore her heartfelt story and celebrate the resilience of preemie families everywhere. Tell us a bit about yourself and your family.   I'm a mother of two boys with a BEd in Foundation Phase teaching, though I’m not currently teaching. I solo-parent frequently as my husband works abroad. I have a deep passion for children, teaching, and learning, which I bring into my work and life as a mom. I love the outdoors and spending time with my family, which brings balance and joy to my journey. My experiences as a mother, including a challenging pregnancy and a NICU stay with my first child, have greatly shaped who I am and how I connect with other moms through my business, NESTLING.   What inspired you to start a range specifically for premature babies, and how did your own experience as a mom of a preemie influence this decision? The idea for NESTLING came from my own experience as a preemie mom. When I had my first child prematurely, I faced challenges I hadn't anticipated, from finding the right products to understanding his specific needs. I wanted to create a space that offered beautiful, practical products for mothers like me. NESTLING is my way of supporting preemie moms with locally sourced and handmade items designed for the comfort and well-being of both mother and baby.   Can you share some of the biggest challenges you faced as a mom of a premature baby, and how did those experiences shape the products you offer?   One of the biggest challenges was being prepared for the unexpected. Between the NICU stay, learning to care for a tiny baby, and adjusting to a new reality, I often felt isolated and overwhelmed. This experience influenced the products I chose to include in my product offering, including practical feeding tools and sensory items that ease a preemie's transition. Every product is designed to support the unique needs of preemie mothers and babies.   What are some common misconceptions about caring for premature babies that you'd like to address, especially from your perspective as both a mom and a business owner in this space?   A common misconception is that preemies are simply "smaller newborns," when in fact they often face unique developmental and health challenges requiring specialised care and tools. Many companies label products as "prem" or "preemie-friendly" without truly understanding preemies' specific needs, often overlooking essential design elements for their comfort and development. I ensure our products are carefully selected or crafted to genuinely support preemies' developmental needs. There's also the assumption that life returns to normal after the NICU, which isn’t true. I aim to raise awareness about preemies' unique needs and offer products that address these challenges.   What advice would you give to new moms who are navigating the journey of having a premature baby, and how can they best find the support they need?   My advice is to take it one day at a time and be gentle with yourself. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed and to ask for help. Connect with other preemie moms through online communities or local support groups; having that support can make a big difference. My platform is here as both a resource and a support system for moms looking for products tailored to their unique journey.   What does World Prematurity Day mean to you personally?   World Prematurity Day is deeply personal for me, as it honours the journey my family and I experienced with premature birth. It brings back memories of our own challenges, from an unexpected early delivery to the long NICU days. This day highlights the resilience of preemie parents, the strength of these tiny fighters, and the incredible work of healthcare professionals who support us. For me, it’s a day to advocate for awareness, share support with other families, and celebrate the milestones of all babies who begin life so bravely. Every year, Nicolle donates care packs to NICU wards in support of World Prematurity Day. Sprout has contributed Difrax Pinky Pacifiers and 1-2-3 XS teats to these care packs, and we commend Nicolle for the incredible work she does. For more preemie tips, advice and product information, following Nicolle's page here.  

With Mother's Day creeping up on us, we chatted to resourceful Vicki Sleet about how she's renewed herself and reworked her career, as the world has shifted and changed after lock down. From handy mom hacks to insightful lifestyle trends, we're all ears and loving her style.  Tell us a bit about what you do as an editor in the print and media world. At the beginning of lockdown, the company that published Good Housekeeping where I was Deputy Editor liquidated and as a result, the editor Sally Emery and I had to think quickly – and Luckybird Content Agency was born. We are a communications agency offering print and digital written and visual content plus marketing strategy and some PR. We currently produce and co-produce three magazines for various brands – ranging from a smallish digital offering aimed at moms of teens to a magazine for a large fashion chain and another 300-plus page food and lifestyle publication. Each of these offers us a chance to flex our creative muscle while leaning into our many years of publishing know-how. We also produce web content – from web and social media copy to video for brands that span food, finance and lifestyle silos. It's diverse and every day is different which I absolutely love. Oh, I also work on writing commissions for various magazines that I have built relationships with over the years and I have my Instagram which morphed from the blog I started back in 2009.   What is on your radar at the moment with regards to lifestyle trends?  With the cost of living affecting us all – home is where it's at! Lockdown spurred a deep desire to create a sanctuary at home and now we are working hard at making those desires for a better life at home happen a little less frenetically. Whether it's streamlining things to avoid unnecessary spending, tending plants or homegrown veggies no matter how big your space, cooking on a budget or planning our space and day mindfully so we can maximise our home life, all of these are key focuses for people right now but in baby steps – we’re habit stacking rather than throwing in the towel and starting from scratch. Entertaining is definitely more potluck style and we are all seeing the value of investing in experiences rather than focusing on acquiring unnecessary things.   Do you have any mom hacks that you can share with us that's made your life easier? Meal planning and batch cooking is a lifesaver (and I am obsessed with my Instant Pot and Air Fryer for making things so much more efficient in the kitchen). Getting my children to showering age (a good scrub in the bath twice a week though) has been a game changer. I keep a chores list where I have weighted certain chores to rewards (ok, it’s money!). Regular wardrobe weed outs (and no new purchases until some items have sold on Yaga) and very very important – carving time out for myself so that I can recalibrate. This includes at least one friend date a week and my husband and I have Tuesday as our date night, no matter what. Oh, and getting enough sleep – I’m a wreck without it. Also – saying NO to what doesn’t serve myself or my family is a ‘hack’ that is becoming easier to do, a work in progress.   We loved your recent reel on how My Little Morphée has helped your daughter fall asleep easier. Tell us more about your family journey with the Morphée devices. Sleep has been a dirty word in our home for a long time. At least one of our girls likes to come into the bed with us at some stage of the night. While we have no issue with that whatsoever, when our youngest got to six, we knew something had to change because she was reliant on us falling asleep too, which wasn’t sustainable.    My Little Morphée came at a perfect time. She loves the independence of using the device and that there are so many meditation and musical choices. It’s been a game changer for her in creating independence in going to sleep but more than that the value in how it is so calming feels priceless – we should have done it years ago.    The Morphée device is one of those things I think every adult and marriage needs. Getting the phone out of our bedroom is a constant challenge and before we know it my husband and I haven’t said a word to each other for an hour while we both doom scroll. It is also a game changer in terms of sleep quality. I recommend a magnesium supplement to REALLY get you into sleep mode. If you’re peri-menopausal like me, you should know that you can pop on the Morphée if you wake up in the middle of the night and it works to get back to sleep really well too! To stay in the loop follow Vicki and Lucky Bird Agency on Instagram.

Annie Johnson has her hands and heart full as a Mother to two twins and a teenager. Especially given that she works as well. In this edition of Mom Talk, we spoke to her about life, work, motherhood, parenting, and, of course, her twins’ favourite Sprout products. Read on for some practical parenting tips and insights. Annie, tell us a bit about yourself, your family and your parenting journey. I became a mother at the young age of 20. Our eldest daughter, Leah (who will be 16 in January) was born at a time when I was still finding myself as a young adult. Being a young mom meant I had to face all the challenges of raising a child whilst still studying and building my career. The sacrifices we made to give her a home and a sense of stability are the same reasons I had decided I was done having babies – until I turned 33 and realised that my window of opportunity was closing.We made plans, but life is full of challenges. I struggled for a while to fall pregnant. We eventually conceived a baby boy, but his heart unfortunately stopped beating at 20 weeks. After 16 months of working to get physically and emotionally healthy, I finally fell pregnant again. I decided to take this pregnancy day by day and waited to see my gyne until I was 16 weeks pregnant. It was only at this point that we discovered we had been blessed with our twins Judah and Aviyah – a boy and a girl. I’ve worked in the FMCG industry for over 13 years, first in sales then in Marketing and Brand Management which I continue to do now as a freelance marketing specialist. Luckily, I work from home, which means I can dedicate more time to raising our family. What are some of the advantages and challenges you’ve faced having twins? One major advantage of having twins, in my experience, is just witnessing the unique bond they share. From birth, you see their empathy for one another. They even try to comfort each other if they’re crying. They play together and motivate each other to reach their milestones. I get to experience the best of both worlds with two personalities that keep us laughing and full of love.Sometimes, one baby will wake the other at night when crying, which is a challenge. As is comforting two babies who both want their mom at the same time. This leads to a lot of mom guilt. They love each other, but at this young age, they sometimes become jealous and fight. I feel that, as a twin mom, part of your rearing them is also nurturing a healthy relationship between them, whilst still empowering them to be who they are as individuals. Do you have any clever hacks to make life easier as a parent of twins? Have a routine. Be organised. Prepare. My twins are on formula milk now, which means I have to make sure their bottles are clean and filled with water every morning, then ration their powder into compartments, ready to be added to their bottles at feeding time. I find that the best way to feed twins when you’re by yourself is to place them side by side on a pillow in front of you and have their dummies ready at hand. But there are times when side-by-side won’t work – like when one of them is crying. In such cases, be prepared to use your hands, legs, tummy, and any other part of your body to keep them safe and comfortable while they feed. I also set up a changing station with everything I could possibly need nearby. They each have a mouth, face, and bum cloth hanging on the wall, and every changing product is within easy reach. I often use my pram around the house as an extra set of hands as well. I know that I can safely place one or both twins into it whilst I do what I need to do, like hang laundry. One of the best pieces of advice I read was to not buy two of everything as twins are different and might not necessarily like the same things. If something works for both of them, get another, but if they don’t, don’t. We set up a Montessori-style play area where they play and move from one thing to the next. There’s a 16-year age gap between your oldest daughter and your twins. How has the world of parenting changed after all this time? Things have changed a lot. Back in 2008, we raised our kids the way our moms taught us, whereas now it seems that new-school parenting is based on what scientists in America or paediatricians say. There are so many gadgets and products in the market now too, which wasn’t the case back then. Most are a waste, but there are a few things that have made life so much easier. I especially love the development of natural, healthy products and how quick and easy it is to make my twins’ food nowadays thanks to high-speed blenders.  Social media has certainly amplified mom-shaming and the judgement of different parenting styles. But at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is that a child grows up happy, healthy, and safe. We all have our methods of making that happen. We hear you have a clever way of colour-coding your Difrax bottles. Tell us more. Difrax bottles come in such gorgeous colours. I’ve made sure all of Judah’s bottles and pacifiers are grey or black and all of Aviyah’s are blossom pink. It’s just easier that way. I never have to remember whose bottle is whose. Believe it or not, at this age, they can tell which one is and isn’t theirs. What are some of your favourite Sprout products for the twins? Definitely Difrax’s S-Bottle. The built-in anti-colic valve has been very helpful – especially with Judah as he sometimes gets bad reflux. And it’s so easy to hold! I can hold two bottles in one hand or even rest one on my arm during feeding, which is great when I need my other hand free. I also really love Difrax’s pacifiers. They were easy for the twins to accept easily and they’re shaped in such a way to leave nostrils free. Lastly, the Silicone Fingertip Toothbrush. Nothing works better for massaging the twin’s gums and cleaning their teeth.

Bianca Klein knows a thing or two (or three) about work-life balance. For Women’s Day this year, we spoke to the 24-year-old mom of two about juggling parenting, work, and her passion for lifestyle blogging, what it means to be a woman in South Africa today, and, of course, her and her son’s favourite Sprout product – the Difrax S-Bottle.

Kelly Fung is the definition of a career-driven mom. Working as the Fashion and Beauty Director and Editor-in-Chief of some of South Africa's top magazines has paved the way for her to become Head of Marketing at ARC Store. We stole a few minutes of her time to get some tips on how she juggles her work and  motherhood. Kelly, Tell us about your family, your career, and how mom life has treated you. For the past seven years, I have taken on big career roles, from Fashion and Beauty Director for Marie Claire magazine to Fashion Director at Superbalist.com, to moving on to Editor-in-Chief at ELLE magazine. In 2021 (at the height of Covid) I took a big risk and joined a tiny team with a big dream; to start South Africa's first beauty-focused retailer - ARC. I never expected to get through the volume of work thrown at me and launch a brand during such a tumultuous time. Perhaps the universe needed to remind me that there were other things in life besides work and a career, and so another surprise landed in my lap. I found out I was pregnant.    Mom-life, my biggest role so far, has been this unexpected gift that has turned my world upside down. Describing it as challenging is like explaining the ocean's vastness - it just doesn't quite cut it. On the flip side, it's altered my perception of life and what is important. Have you faced any challenges being a new mom, and how have you overcome them? My husband Ben and I decided to relocate to London, which had been our dream for a while. I now know that pregnancy-brain is a real thing. Looking back, I would never recommend taking on two of life's biggest challenges as a two-for-one package deal, but we did it! I look at Ben every day in awe and sometimes pinch myself because I can't quite believe that Issey and I scored such a hands-on, devoted husband and father. It's the three of us against the world! Moving countries, a difficult start to breastfeeding, sleepless nights, and constant chaos aside, my biggest challenge is the uncontrollable grief in leaving behind the 'you' before becoming a mom. While Issey was a surprise, I am grateful that I had so many of my personal goals ticked off. At 35, I believe I waited a good amount of time to feel ready (or as ready as I could be) but I still struggle with that feeling of withdrawal and loss of identity, which creeps in even as one feels the ultimate joy in having a baby. I wouldn't say I have overcome this yet, but I understand it is part of the process for many women - especially workaholics like me.  What does your daily schedule look like and how do you make time to be a dedicated mom whilst running a business? We try our best to keep a steady routine, but babies are like schedule shmedule. Currently, Issey is going through her apparent 7-8 month sleep regression, so we are up sometimes 2-3 times a night. She will wake up at 6.30 am and make it known to Ben and me that the day has begun. She is full of beans in the morning, so we usually give her her breakfast porridge by 8 am and let her get messy in her PJs. She'll then have some play time and have her first nap at 10 am. The rest of the day is up in the air. We aim for two naps in the day and bedtime by 7 pm. Issey loves her bath time, so we rarely skip that.  I weave in work throughout the day. Luckily, I have been able to extend my maternity leave for a full year but continue to work flexibly. Work is taking a backseat for the first time ever.  What is Issey's favourite Sprout product, and why? Issey loves her Difrax S-Bottle which she took to very easily. She has her morning bottle with her dad. The shape is comfortable for her and she easily holds it with her little hands. She also loves playing peekaboo with her Cuddle Comforter.  Photography credits: Sophie Smith Photography      

Mashita,Tell us a bit about your family, yourself as a mom and your work and studies. My little family consists of myself, my fiancé, and our baby Didier. I have a BCom Law degree, worked for two years and then stopped working to further my studies, so I’m currently a full-time student. I’m a new mom but I still want to achieve my goals and this is why I decided to continue studying. I simultaneously have to juggle being a mother and a student, and yes it has not been easy, but with the support of my fiancé and siblings who also reside in the same city it’s been doable.  How have you managed to maintain a healthy balance between family, studies and being a mom? I don’t have the luxury of doing things spontaneously or procrastinating anymore, so I have to manage my time properly, pre-plan my days and try to stick to those plans. I have to allocate time to my studies and time for family. It hasn’t been easy hearing Didier playing and laughing in the other room while I’m sitting behind a desk preparing for a test, but thankfully I have a super supportive fiancé who understands that some days he will be attending to Didier without me and I will catch up with them later. Along the road to furthering your career, what have the challenges been and has being a mom changed the way you deal with certain things? Starting my motherhood journey off without having my own mother here to guide me has been challenging. Everything I came to know was mostly off the internet. Low milk supply during my early postpartum days was also a challenge. My milk supply was so low that it got both me and my baby frustrated and I resorted to formula. Didier has been a formula baby since then. Right now, I’m having difficulties with getting him to eat consistently. He loves his formula so the transition to solids is still an ongoing one and he is a picky eater. With my studies one of the biggest challenges is when school requires most of my attention. I feel as though I'm missing out from fully witnessing my baby grow and develop, but I think even working moms feel that way. It often feels like the time we have is just never enough.    What is Didier's favourite Difrax product and why?  It has to be the 360-degree cup, because he just prefers it and I've noticed how easy it is for him to hold because of the shape - perhaps that's the reason why.  For more on Mashita and Didier's journey and adventures, follow their pages @baby_motsi and @thee_mash on Instagram.    

What happens when the phrase "We're not saving lives here" doesn't apply to you? Dr. Marguerite Barnard is one of those people. As a specialist surgeon in training, wife, and mom to a toddler, we search for the secret to her calm composure and tips on how she stays on top of her game. DIFRAX: Tell us a bit about yourself as a Specialist Surgeon in training and what your work entails. MARGUERITE: It's been a long, compelling, and adrenaline-filled road for the last 14 years, since starting medical school. I've unexpectedly found a love for the operating room ever since I set foot in the sterile world of surgery as a student. I found every excuse to assist in theatre, attend surgery courses, network with talented female surgery mentors, and learn from their tips and tricks. Now I'm becoming a general surgeon myself.  Most of my scope revolves around cancer operations, trauma, hernias, appendixes, emergency surgeries, breast and thyroid operations, cholecystectomies, and endoscopies. Knowing what I wanted to do early on made it easier for me to manage my ambition as well as give it a name and a purpose. DIFRAX: Describe to us what a typical day in your life looks like, and how you deal with the pressures of your work while juggling family life. MARGUERITE: My typical day doesn't have a lot of “typical” in it, unfortunately. You can plan the perfect theatre or clinic day, only to find an ICU patient decompensating and needing urgent major surgery, but it keeps you on your toes. The week is filled with being on-call, seeing sick patients, scrubbing in on major cases, and long ward rounds. Academics are also a big part of what we do, so we slot in meetings during the week. I love research so sometimes statistical meetings or conferences also get scheduled throughout my year.   Nobody is perfect at dealing with a work-life balance I guess. The important part is just to keep re-adjusting. I've found a lot of serenity in swimming, so we'll often make use of our local gym's babysitting services to get a quick few laps in. I've also gotten good at queuing podcasts that I'd love to listen to, and always keep earphones nearby. Another big advantage in our household is that we don't own a TV. It affords us a lot of extra hours in the day, but if I'm craving a good series or a movie night, there's always a laptop for that.  DIFRAX: Tell us a bit about your family and what your favourite part of parenting is.  MARGUERITE: I really didn't imagine I was going to enjoy parenting this much! We didn't go into our parenting journey with a lot of friends with kids. It really allowed us the opportunity to decide what our lives with a daughter was going to look like without people's preconceived ideas about how it should be. We love travelling, so we even hopped on a flight when Daphne was two weeks old. I don't know if it was bravery or oblivion, nevertheless, I had such a great maternity leave figuring out what our own boundaries should be. She's by far the best part of my day. After work we get on the floor, play hide and seek, and awkwardly dance around the living room, even if it's just for 5 precious minutes.  This means the world to me.     DIFRAX: What tips do you have for other moms who have extremely high-pressure jobs and are struggling to maintain a work-life balance? MARGUERITE: The rules aren't written for you. Be brave. You are most likely never going to fit into society's mould of what parenting should be, and that might just be your saving grace. I consulted with a big mentor of mine before I decided to become pregnant during my surgical training years and her advice was the following - your daughter should be able to function without you around. If you sleep at the hospital for a week, have a deadline, or have a big meeting presentation coming up, you need to know that she is 110% safe, loved, and looked after. So that is something my husband and I never compromise on. We have a nanny that means the world to us, and an equally amazing night nanny I arrange beforehand when I'm on call. We've curated a network of close family and friends who we know she feels safe around, and that allows us the opportunity to fully commit to our work environment.     DIFRAX: What is your favourite Difrax product and why?  MARGUERITE: We recently got our hands on Difrax's soft spout cup in a cute dusty brick colour which Daphne enjoys. It fits in well with our on-the-go nappy bag and because of the unique design I never have to wonder which cup is hers at busy birthday parties.   For more on Marguerite's life and parenting tips check out her Instagram page  and read her article here.  

We were lucky enough to catch a few minutes with the amazing celebrity makeup artist, social media guru and business owner, Lindy Lin, to find out how she juggles being a new mom and a busy entrepreneur. DIFRAX: Tell us a bit about yourself and your business. LINDY: I’m a self-made, full-time entrepreneur. I primarily do bridal & occasion makeup, as well as running my own clothing line and store in Canal Walk. I also dabble in a few social media endeavours. I'm new to the mom scene but I love it! DIFRAX: As a mom and business owner how have you adapted your schedule to fit everything in? Do you have any tips for other working moms?   LINDY: Luckily I make my own schedule and thanks to help from my mother-in-law and babysitters I’m still able to attend events and functions as I would before having a baby, as well as fulfilling my clients' makeup bookings. TIP: It really does take a village, so seek out all the help from your loved ones that you can get. Being a mom is definitely a 24/7 gig, but luckily most of my bookings / planning / social media work gets scheduled in advance, however my baby comes first and any spare time goes towards making the income I need to. DIFRAX: Tell us a bit about you guys as a family and what your favourite part of parenting is.   LINDY: Joao and I recently celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary (we've been together for 5 years in total). He is half Portuguese and I’m half Taiwanese, which makes Malakhi a complete South African, haha. We love every part of being new parents, and his smile makes me forget about the sleepless nights I get to experience. I do believe that it is our duty to bring our babies back to God and to try our utmost to rear them as best as possible.  DIFRAX: What is Malakhi's favourite Difrax product and why? LINDY: Malakhi is 4 months old now and I am still breastfeeding him. I do sometimes express and feed him in the S-bottles which he took well to the FIRST TIME and hasn’t rejected since ( my feelings were a little bit hurt, haha ) but I'm so glad it works well for us. The anti-colic valve definitely helps reduce the intake of air in the milk and reduces the winds he experiences.  For more on Lindy, her business and her brilliant makeup tutorials, check out her website here and her Instagram page here.

Taryn Ulster, @3boys.and.2lilmiss, parent blogger and mom of five, gives us valuable feedback about how the anti-colic S-bottle has assisted her with pace feeding while multi-tasking a busy family life. DIFRAX: Which Difrax product has helped you and your family? TARYN: I (or rather my husband or mom) have been using the anti-colic S-bottle to feed expressed breastmilk to my now 4 month old when I’m out and not able to breastfeed her. As a breastfed baby with a unique personality, she will not take a pacifier, unlike my other children. She dislikes all the artificial teats that we’ve tried, but from the first time we tried the Difrax S-bottle she accepted it and drank from the bottle with ease. DIFRAX: How did the anti-colic S-bottle help you with pace feeding?  TARYN: As a well-seasoned breastfeeding mom, I am aware that babies do not drink the same amounts of breastmilk compared to formula fed babies. As a very cautious bottle user, I looked into ways to further ensure that my baby does not prefer a bottle over breast, which can happened when they become ‘lazy’, for lack of a better word, because the milk comes out faster and requires less work from a bottle than the breast.  With my third baby, almost 7 years ago, I came across paced feeding. My mom who was and still is our carer and nanny for our babies, uses it when I am not able to breastfeed while I'm out or working. While this can be done with most regular baby bottles, when I discovered the S-bottle I just knew it would be a game changer because of the unique shape that allows one to more comfortably hold the bottle while still ensuring that you allow your baby to work to extract the milk as they would when breastfeeding. I especially love how the S-shape allows you to easily feed the last bit of milk, while still pace feeding and avoiding waste. DIFRAX: Tell us a bit about you and your family, and how you juggle being a mom of five. TARYN: As you can imagine, having five kids can be challenging at times, but as crazy as it sounds it’s the chaotic and noisy moments that we often miss. Now, four months into our new normal, we’ve all found a nice rhythm of morning routines, school pick-ups, extra mural activities, weekend social engagements and chilling in our pyjamas. Most of all, it takes a village to raise kids. The support of my husband and my mom (ma Pam to the kids) who lives with us and helps with the kids on a daily basis, is essential. Then there’s my in-laws, often taking the four older kids overnight for fun sleep overs and play dates. Even our weekends, when not filled with social engagements like kids birthday parties, are spent with our extended family. All this helps keep us sane in our parenting journey. The balance between work and play is about always favouring quality family time when you get the chance. We’re not perfect at it, but it’s our end goal.    

Our first Mom Talk is with @just_another_manic_mom_day, Jessie Buxton, on her family life, journey as a working mom, and how Difrax has assisted with Jude’s tongue tie. DIFRAX: How has Difrax assisted Jude? JESSIE: Initially I was exclusively breastfeeding Jude. Supplementing a feed with a bottle so early after birth had never been part of my plan but when we discovered Jude’s tongue tie and saw how he battled to breastfeed, we had to find an alternative solution while we waited to sort out his tongue tie. Thankfully Difrax sent us a bottle, so we gave it a try and WOW, it lives up to its promises. Jude’s tongue tie caused him to swallow too much air when he breastfed and, paired with my fast flow, it ended up giving him huge digestive discomfort. The Difrax anti-colic S-bottle was such a welcomed relief for him. He could drink much slower and no air got in the way. He drank so much better with this bottle and became a much happier bub! DIFRAX: Tell us a bit about your family. JESSIE: My husband, Lyle, and I have been married for almost 5 years now. He stalked me on Facebook through a mutual friend and after making sure he wasn’t a creep, the rest is history! Lyle is an actor, singer and teacher and I’m a recruitment specialist who works from home. We had our daughter, Lucy, in 2019. Shortly after, when I was meant to go back to work in the office, Covid hit, and so I started working from home while trying to stimulate Lucy and help her grow and develop as best as she could. It was then that I became a big fan of affordable home play ideas, which I share on my Instagram page. Lucy is two and a half now and has started going to day care, which she absolutely loves. Sometimes she even cries when I pick her up to come home. She is quite the character and an absolute ball of silly energy, making us laugh every day. In November 2021 we had our son, Jude. I had a successful vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) with him, which I am so proud of and now I’m a huge advocate for natural birth. The female body is so amazing! Right now our life feels like utter chaos on some days, learning how to balance life with two kids. Ten weeks in and we are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and we are in absolute love with our little family. DIFRAX: From your experience as a mom of two, what advice do you have for new moms out there? JESSIE: Becoming a Mom is absolutely beautiful and rewarding. From the milestones they reach to the special memories you get to create as a family, it’s the most fulfilling journey ever. However, it can also feel like the toughest journey at times. The chaos it brings can be overwhelming, but my best advice would be to embrace the chaos instead of fight against it. You will never be able to control it all, especially once they reach toddler years! I think a lot of parents try to hide the fact that parenthood is chaotic, maybe because they feel as if they’re failing. If there is one thing I hope you take away from reading this, it is that chaos in parenthood is absolutely NORMAL!   Shop Difrax SA baby products