OZZIE & MOMMY
MAMA FILES: Breastfeeding with Kara and Ozzie
Meet Kara Cook, one of the leading ladies within the BUMPSUIT team. You may think that she appears familiar; if you've scrolled our site a time or two chances are you have seen her rocking the cherished top-seller, The Kate, or perhaps it was our enchanting Chiffon Collection. Beyond her captivating poses and role within the Bumpsuit legacy, Kara is an extraordinary mother! She not only dominates at motherhood, navigating an industry that's learning to welcome the ever changing body - but she is also apart of the sisterhood that embraces breastfeeding.
Join us as we navaigate alongside Kara through her take on motherhood!
MAMA FILES: KARA COOK & OZZIE
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What has been the biggest surprise about motherhood:
I think the biggest surprise about motherhood, other than learning that motherhood is way more intense than I could have ever prepared myself for, was how it's just totally and completely changed the way that I view and take care of myself.
I now live and exist purely for these little people and in order to do that well and to show up for them, I've learned that I have to show up for myself first. So I've definitely prioritized myself care more since becoming a mum.
I get up early, I exercise, I meditate, I cold plunge, I rarely drink alcohol, myself talk to my body and my mind as much kinder than it ever used to be. And I think that that's really the most surprising thing about motherhood so far is just how much it's changed me for the better and how much it's made me want to be the best possible version of myself for them.
Best moment so far:
I think just seeing them experience things for the first time is the best. Witnessing them view the world with fresh eyes and to just see how much awe and joy they have for the little things.
Flowers, ants, clouds, even the wonder of dog poo my two -year -old is obsessed with. They just really help to open me up to all the little beauties and silver linings of life and I think that that's just one of the best things to get to witness and experience.
How do you balance your new mom-self and your “real” self?
How do you balance your new mum's and your real self. I like to think that my new mum self is my real self and that everything that kind of came before was a bit of a facade. I've never given less fucks.
I've never felt more sure of myself or more comfortable and confident in my own skin. I always think that pregnancy and birth like broke me apart and put me back together as the person I was always supposed to be and so I never feel like I need to balance my before self and my after -children self.
Instead I've just kind of grown and transitioned and blossomed into the person that I feel like I was always meant to be and I know that sounds really corny but it's the truth.
Favorite thing about your child (or children)?
There are so many things I love about my kids. I love how funny and entertaining they are, most of all because it's just hilarious to spend time with them. But I think more selfishly, my favorite thing about them is how they make me a better person.
Looking at the world through their eyes is like looking at the world through rose -colored glasses every day. They have no judgment and no fear and everything is exciting and wonderful. And I think as an adult, being reminded of how wonderful the world is, is part of why having children is such a beautiful experience.
They really force me to be present and to stop and smell the flowers, which in this day and age is a really difficult thing to be able to do. So I'm always learning for them. They're really my greatest teachers.
What was the first gift you were given post pregnancy that was just for you?
What was the first gift you were given post pregnancy that was just for you? Probably a massage and I definitely booked that for myself. No, I think so. Post pregnancy, my closest girlfriends banded together and did a meal train for me for the first two weeks post partum, which was honestly the greatest gift I could have received.
Every three days there were fresh warm meals delivered to my house and it was just like everything I needed in that moment. It felt like a warm collective hug from all of my girlfriends. And it just goes to show that there really is nothing quite like a supportive village post partum.
It can really make or break your experience and thankfully I had the best of the best.
What advice did you take and what advice did you leave?
It can really make or break your experience and thankfully I had the best of the best. What advice did you take and what advice did you leave? The best advice I ever received was to not take anyone's advice.
So I suppose that's advice I took and also left if that makes sense. But honestly I think it is really good advice. There are so many variables when it comes to kids and parenting and just because one thing worked for one person it doesn't mean that it'll work out for you and vice versa.
So I think the takeaway is to take advice with a grain of salt and instead follow your gut and listen to that new mom intuition because it'll really lead you astray.
Is there anything you said. “I’ll never do that when I become a mom” that you’ve found yourself doing?
Yes absolutely everything. It is so easy to be a great parent before you're a parent. During my first pregnancy I remember buying all the things; like all organic, neutral, colored clothes, and said I would be reading books and listening to podcasts on with no screen time or swearing, and that my kids would have a 100% organic diet with no sugar.
And I remember my sister who had two kids would just listen to me harp on about the type of parent I was going to be and she would roll her eyes and say, "yep, we'll see Kara." And it's so funny now to look back on that conversation because I now know exactly what she was thinking at the time, because now I do the same thing when my friends fall pregnant for the first time.
They'll fill the nursery with beautiful natural organic clothes and little shoes and it's just funny because parenting is not that perfect. In fact, it's not even close. And I think that, before you become a parent, you have this idea of the perfect child and the perfect love and the perfect outfits and you going to be the perfect parent. But the truth is that parenting is survival so much of the time. You do what you need to do literally to get through the day. Like sometimes my kid will have ice cream for dinner and we'll go to daycare in his pajamas and then other days I'll meal prep him well rounded meals and steam his socks before he leaves the house.
How does being a mother feel, in your own words?
Being a mother feels amazing. It's the best thing in the whole world, but it's also the scariest thing in the whole world. I think that when you love something so much, you're just so afraid of anything happening to them.
And that's just how motherhood is. It's experiencing the highest frequency of every emotion possible. Love, loss, grief, fear, anxiety, joy, overwhelm, all of them to the highest possible degree. But it's experiencing the peak of all of these emotions that I think gives the human experience meaning and purpose. And so I wouldn't trade any of it for anything.
In what ways have your children inspired your creativity personally or in your career?
Well, they're now the reason I do anything at all. I mean I was always ambitious and driven but I think since having kids that's just been amplified. I'm now responsible for two other lives so I have no other option than success and while that seems scary it's also really exciting.
I think just generally speaking they inspire me to dream big and to keep going and to not take no for an answer and that's mostly because I want to be successful but also because they deserve that. They deserve that hustle and they deserve that fight so I think that's how they've inspired me the most personally.
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Products as seen on Kara :
Oversized Linen Jumpsuit
$140.00
The Oversized Linen Jumpsuit The Oversized Linen Jumpsuit is perfect for your summer maternity wardrobe. Crafted from lightweight linen, it offers a comfortable fit with a stylish oversized design. Large size pockets make it easy for you to carry your… read more
