“We believe that there are no perfect moms, only real ones”, well said Baby Dove, well said! When Baby Dove South Africa launched a few months ago, I was pretty excited; I’m a big fan of most of the OG Dove products so I had really high hopes for this new offshoot, plus the way that they were marketing themselves really hit home, as a mama.
I’ve said it once and I will say it again, this parenting gig is tough! Sure, it’s really rewarding and I am super obsessed and in love with Aria but there are times like right now when my entire family is man down with flu and I am typing this post with tissues stuffed up my nose that I long for my pre-baby life, just because it was that much simpler and the only person who was affected by my decisions, was myself. These days, everything that I do and every decision that Dan and I make affects Aria. Often those decisions are met with extreme critisism (like when we decided to sleep train Aria), sometimes I get a fair amount of judgement (like when I had to start formula feeding Aria) and when this happens it’s really hard to remain steadfast and confident in the choices that you’ve made as a parent.
At the end of the day, every one parents differently, and they parent in the way that suits their child, and suits their lifestyle. I know for myself personally, and from many of my friends that are moms, we doubt ourselves a lot, especially the first time around, and often feel completely overwhelmed by all of the information that’s out there and bestowed upon us by well meaning friends and family. It’s a lot to take in!
Dove Baby South Africa understands that we all parent in our own way and their line of products show this by having a huge variety as well as different options for different skin types, because just like our parenting styles, baby’s skins are all different. The range is designed to take care of a baby’s delicate skin and the products are all hypoallergenic, pH neutral, gentle on the eyes, paediatrically and dermatologically tested as well as being opthamologically approved. There are quite a variety of products that range from shampoos and lotions to petroleum jelly and nappy cream. I also like the fact that you have the option of either the Rich Moisture range (for normal to dry skin) or the Sensitive Moisture range (for sensitive skin). In saying this however, if you have a child with eczema or a similar skin condition, I would be extra cautious. Your best bet would be to do a little patch test on the inside of their arm to see if they react.
We have used most of the Baby Dove South Africa products, I think the only ones we haven’t got to yet is the petroleum jelly (because honestly, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with it?), the bar of soap and the nappy cream (still making our way through a monster size one, and also I usually forget to apply it). Aria has very normal skin and she hardly reacts to products so Baby Dove works really well for us! It smells pretty darn good, cleans her little bod and doesn’t dry out her skin, but I do find that I absolutely have to apply a lotion to her day and night as the winters here in Johannesburg are horribly dry. My only gripe is the pump on the body wash, it doesn’t pop back up once you’ve dispensed some product so if you need another pump, it’s a bit of a pain, but really , that isn’t the end of the world now is it? All in all we really enjoyed using the Baby Dove South Africa products, I think our favourites were the lotion and the shampoo.
Here’s a quick run down of the products as well as their recommended retail price.
Rich moisture baby bar (R12,99): has ¼ moisturising cream as well as stearic and palmitic acid to help restore the skin’s barrier.
Rich moisture tip to toe wash (R38,99 – R64,99): helps to replenish essential moisture and lost nutrients while cleansing gently.
Rich moisture shampoo (R49,99 – R69,99): moisturises baby’s scalp and keeps their hair soft.
Rich moisture lotion (R48,99): soothes dry skin and moisturises for 24 hours.
Rich moisture diaper cream (R34,99): provides instant comfort and soothes baby’s skin.
Rich moisture baby wipes (R31,99): as gentle as water, alcohol free and suitable for newborns.
Rich moisture petroleum jelly (R17,99 – R36,77): soothes dry skin and provides immediate protection.
Sensitive moisture tip to toe wash (R38,99 – R64,99): helps retain baby’s natural skin moisture.
Sensitive lotion (R48,99): fragrance free and gently moisturises.
Sensitive moisture baby wipes (R31,99): removes impurities effectively while gently cleansing.
So, want to win a mini Baby Dove hamper (a pack of wipes, a tip to toe wash and a baby bar)? There are four different ways to enter, you can enter one or all of the ways, totally up to you!
1. Follow me on Facebook and then tag a friend and share this post with the hashtag #TrustYourWay
2. Follow me on Instagram and then tag a friend and regram this post with the hashtag #TrustYourWay
3. Follow me on Twitter and then tag a friend and retweet this Tweet with the hashtag #TrustYourWay
4. Comment on this blog post with an example of how you #TrustYourWay
Rules:
- Open to South African residents only
- Giveaway ends 00:00 on 17 October, winner will be announced on 18 October
- Baby Dove is responsible for delivering the prize to the winner
- Spammers will be disqualified
*This blog post is sponsored by Baby Dove
Becoming a mother makes you feel joyful, elated, empowered, and invincible. You’ve just pushed another human being out of your body, and you’re unprepared for all the things that come so quickly. While you’re in the hospital, you’ve got plenty of help, but when you go home, it’s all up to you.
It’s an exciting time because of the newness of the experience, but it is also a time of great uncertainty. It’s the first time we realize that it’s possible to love someone so much. Becoming a mother expands the parameters of what love looks like to you by opening up a part of your heart that you didn’t know existed. This kind of love is entirely different than the love you have for your parents, spouse, etc.
Becoming a mother allows you to be able to love from a different part of who you are. Being a new mom can come with feelings of inadequacy because there is a learning curve involved. It’s important to be realistic about the transition to motherhood because the more realistic you are about it, the easier it is to get through those difficult things.
Suddenly you have experiences like having to stay awake all night to care for your baby, crying, colic, loss of prior freedoms, lack of help, and other adjustments. Your life is entirely different, and you’re learning how to adapt and figure out everything during a time when you are so tired that you can’t see straight.
The important thing to realize is that you’re not alone. All mothers experience the same process, and you will get through it. You don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to understand that it’s OK to make mistakes in motherhood. All mothers make mistakes, and you will too. Just don’t be judgmental with yourself. #TrustYourWay.
I totally believe that when you become a mom, you just get that natural maternal instinct, so trust in yourself 🙂 #TrustYourWay
I #TrustYourWay my way by following my instinct.
I #trusmyway by just being natural and moms have this instinct on their ways on what is best for their babies. Also I trust this brand so I’m trusting my way. I’d love to win this for my friend who’s just giving birth to a new baby boy. She will be taking these products back to Ireland with her. Dublin be ready for quality
Trust that Dove will keep my baby’s skin moist and healthy