Today we’d like to introduce you to Ericka Andrew.
Ericka, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I am a mother of three children, two children I birthed and one bonus daughter. Ages 10 months, 2 and 16. I started a Mom blog as a way to interact with other moms and share my personal experiences. It’s been the best thing I’ve decided since becoming a stay at home mom two years ago. I had worked in health care since 2010 but after the birth of my Son in 2017 working a 9-5 position was no longer for filling.
I struggled with separation anxiety and also what I know now to be postpartum depression. I could barely drag myself out of bed in the morning to get to work on time. I felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders and I was desperately trying to survive. It was a hard time not only for myself but for my family as well. When I lost my job in 2018, it was a relief. I felt like I could breathe again and be physically/mentally present with my firstborn. I had spent 8 hours a day working while my Son spent that same 8 hours being raised by someone else. I was finally free; we were finally free. The first year of not working was fun. Then reality set in and I become just a Mom. I lost a good portion of my social life and was craving for an outlet to feel like ME again. I founded More Babe Less Bottles, LLC in 2019 while pregnant with my now 10 months old daughter. “More Babe” meaning More of Me and “Less Bottles” meaning Less Mommy at times. A way for me to reconnect with myself while showcasing the daily satisfaction, struggle and humor of parenting.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the hardest things for me was to become transparent. I know that without my full transparency, I won’t be authentic. Being a parent is hard and other parents want to see the struggle as well as the good times, that way they know they aren’t alone. Opening up about my postpartum depression was a major thing to do because it’s so common and so often misunderstood.
More Babe Less Bottles, LLC – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
More Babe Less Bottles, LLC is designed to be relatable and give realistic expectations Of motherhood. Through Social Media I post pictures, videos and also Vlog my family. The content I create draws attention to my website where Parents will find several Blogs I have written and are inspired by my personal experiences in motherhood. In no way is my website a “Parenting Guide” or a “How To” on parenting. It is a platform to discuss my personal mistakes and express what I have learned though self education. I am not perfect but I am still the best mom for my children and I am confidently comfortable with not being the world’s expectation of what a mom should be.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I have just recently began to sell Infant/toddler T shirts as well as Shirts for Mom and Dad on my website! I’m so excited to continue to build my brand in more ways than one and I’m even more excited about the out pouring of love I have received from thus far. On a deeper level, I am most proud of creating another Blog platform for Black mothers. It is no secret that the Black family is stereotyped for being broken. I take pride in promoting my blended family experiences while being relatable to all parenting lifestyles.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.morebabelessbottles.com
- Email: morebabelessbottles@gmail.com
- Instagram: @morebabelessbottles
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/Morebabelessbottles
Image Credit:
Wedding Photo Courtesy of Images By Kurby
Tiana Andrew
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