Moms and moms-to-be admit a soft spot for ladies who share their baby adventures (and misadventures) online.
It used to be that the trials of motherhood were pretty much kept under wraps, and parenting stories were shared over cups of coffee with friends or at family get-togethers. Not so anymore. Now armed with laptops, plenty of modern mamas are battling the baby chaos by day and busily blogging away about it by night. Their biggest fans: Other moms and moms-to-be. Read on for why we're all so inspired by (and addicted to) the mommy blogger generation.
They're just like us.
Sure, part of the draw of reading blogs is escaping for a bit and reading about other peoples' lives. But what keeps us coming back for more is usually whether or not we can relate to the mom behind the blog. That was the case for Janimal, a mom on TheBump.com, who used to religiously read the infertility blog A Little Pregnant, the story of one woman's struggle with infertility, pregnancy, and parenthood. "I could really identify with it," she says now. "She was so direct and so open about her very raw emotions, and detailed all of her experiences so well."
Another mom on The Bump, Just Jess, admits she loves following the blogger behind The McMommy Chronicles for similar reasons. "She's a great writer — funny and real. I feel like if we lived near each other, we'd be great friends." For mom-to-be Shananah, reading up on pregnancy blogs helps her feel like she's not alone: "When you're walking into the buzz saw of parenthood," she says, "it's nice to feel like there's someone else out there along for the ride."
They've been there, done that.
In real life, we might look to our moms, older sisters, or friends with babies for the real deal on motherhood. But being able to check the Web for experienced mommies who give parenting advice is a definite bonus. Gbtc01, mommy to 10-month-old Bethany, follows mommy bloggers who have babies that are slightly older then hers, so she can read ahead on what her daughter will be doing soon. And mom of triplets, pea-kay, keeps up with blogs of other mommies of multiples to see how they're doing with their broods and to get advice from those who've been through it all before.
They're survivors.
The road to having a baby isn't always a smooth one for some mamas, and sometimes, the most effective bloggers are the ones who don't try to sugar-coat their experiences. Mom manda mullins follows one fertility blog because it "doesn't gloss over the ugly parts" when it comes to getting pregnant. Likewise, Timeg also likes down-to-earth mom blogs so much she's been inspired to share her own. "Becoming a mommy is full of ups and downs," she says. "It's cathartic to read about other women's experiences and to write about my own."
They've got good ideas.
Whether it's dishing out crafty home decor tips or tricks for saving on baby gear, there are plenty of mommy blogs out there that don't just read like baby journals. Many mommy bloggers put their two cents to work in how-to blogs that offer practical advice or DIY tips that leave you wondering why you didn't think of that. From original recipes to nursery design ideas to easy-to-sew patterns for baby clothes, these helpful mommy blogs help inspire creativity and encourage even the less artistically inclined mama to try something new.
They can be pretty hilarious.
Let's be honest — some of the best blogs are the ones that make us laugh the hardest. Maybe you love reading the way one mom shares her hectic life with multiples, or totally get a kick out of the humorous spin a stay-at-home mom puts on dealing with mommyhood. Either way, you keep coming back for more laughs. "Funny blogs allow me to see the humor in my own situation," says mom papagena. "They make me look at my own life with my son and some of my frustrations, and remind me that, despite the hard times, other people are going through the same things."
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Are you hooked on a mom blog? TheBump.com has launched its own search for the best mommy blogger out there, so head to TheBump.com/blogawards to nominate your favorite or enter yourself for a chance to win $1,000! TheBump.com (http://www.thebump.com/"www.thebump.com)
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(c) 2009, TheBump.com
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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