Lauren French
A Michigan native, Lauren has lived in the Kansas City area since 2014. She is now settled in Overland Park with her husband Taylor, 3-year-old son Silas, 1-year-old daughter Rosalie, and their three fur babies. Lauren spends most of her time taking care of her two littles, while also juggling some part-time work as a freelance communications professional. Lauren’s survival strategy is to look for humor and joy amidst the chaos. Her best advice for relieving stress is to bake a batch of cookies (works every time).
I Stopped Buying Snacks for My Kids
The snack situation in our house had gotten out of control. My kids—ages 4 and almost 2—LOVE snacks, and all day they would ask for them constantly. It felt like I couldn’t sit down...
Summer Personal Care Products for Moms
It’s another Kansas City summer, and with temperatures blazing hot already, I am finding myself opting for minimal makeup and simple hairstyles that stay out of my face. My personal care routine has gotten...
A Tale of 2 Unmedicated Births
This birth story series is sponsored by HCA Midwest Health.
I did everything right to prepare for my first birth. As someone who wanted to give birth without an epidural, I knew I had to...
My Local “Buy Nothing” Group Made Spring Cleaning Fun & Rewarding
Just a few months ago, I stumbled on a local “Buy Nothing” group on Facebook. I was intrigued, so I joined—and was immediately hooked!
If you’ve never heard of the Buy Nothing Project, here’s the...
#Realstagram Messy House Pics Make Me Cringe
One of the Instagram trends I’ve liked recently has been the #Realstagram posts—where people post makeupless selfies, not-so-pretty homemade meals, and messy living rooms with toys strewn everywhere in an effort to be transparent....
“The Bachelor” is My Football
As a non-sports person married to a sports fan, it has sometimes been hard for me to relate to my husband’s affinity for sports. The three hour football games, ESPN recap shows, and listening...
All Are Worthy of Respect, Including Teenagers
Full disclosure: I’m currently 31 years old, and my children are still very young. I have not yet had the chance to parent a teenager, but I do have a sister who is a...
Can We Stop Looking Down on First-Time Moms?
Many of us mothers, before having our first child, do a bunch of research: we research the best products to use for our babies. We read books about parenting methods and how to raise...
Doula Services During COVID-19: A Q&A with Six KC Doulas
I’ll just cut to the chase: COVID-19 sucks, especially if you’re pregnant (as if birth wasn’t nerve wracking enough on its own!). Beyond the base-level stress that a pandemic brings, social-distancing rules can really...
This Just In: It’s Possible to Have a Stress-Free, Natural Birth in a Hospital
Part of the joy of walking the line between being naturally-minded and “mainstream” is that you get the side-eye from both crowds, especially when it comes to pregnancy and birth. The natural people truly...
Navigating Holiday Get-Togethers with a Newborn
Having a baby near the holidays can be stressful for a number of reasons. With fall and winter comes not only the pressure of traveling and family expectations, but also germs and flu season—a...
7 Instagram Accounts to Follow for Family-Friendly Activities in KC
If you’re anything like me, you’re no stranger to FOMO (fear of missing out). Sometimes during a lazy weekend at home, I find myself Googling “events in Kansas City this weekend” in an attempt...
Postpartum, Round 2: My Favorite Post-Baby Resources
Whether it’s your first baby or your fifth, healing emotionally and physically from birth can be daunting. As my husband and I gear up to welcome our second baby, I am keenly aware of...
Your Next Date Night In, Courtesy of Burgers’ Smokehouse
I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes dinner and a movie sound boring. When my husband and I get a chance to have a date night, I find that we usually have more...
Five Great Mom Podcasts that You Should Know About
In the last few years, podcasts have really taken off in popularity, all but pushing aside the “mommy blogs” that took over the internet about ten years ago. According to recent statistics, nearly half...
