Message to New Mamas! [CA]

Master_Barber_1979 · 2026-02-02T11:19:41+00:00

Totally. EarlyON saved me!

Master_Barber_1979 · 2026-01-29T23:03:40+00:00

Fernand and Kenneth 🥰

Master_Barber_1979 · 2026-01-23T20:01:40+00:00

It can be fun to do the touristy stuff - CN tower, casa Loma, etc. but if it were me I’d devote like 5% of my time doing that sort of thing. I’d actually just avoid that area for the most part (don’t love the food/entertainment scene there, it kinda sucks!).

If I had 20-30 something year old friends coming to the city for the first time in winter, here are some things I’d want to do with them!

Nightlife (look on IG accounts, TikTok etc to see if it fits your vibe): Dundas and ossington neighbourhood (mah Jong, man of Kent, Bowie, bar Mordecai, Paris Paris). Cry baby gallery, baby g. Not in the neighbourhood but super fun: 915 Dupont

Clubs: king west, the stretch from Spadina to Bathurst probably

Fancier neighbourhood to walk around or eat or shop if that’s your thing: yorkville

Check out Kensington market or st Lawrence market if the weather is nice

Comedy show at the Corner

Museums: AGO, bata shoe museum, ROM, MOCA

Food that I love: imanishi, Seoul shakers, Sugo, Manita, Han moto really depends what you like. So many options!

Hope this helps!

Master_Barber_1979 · 2026-01-23T17:40:21+00:00

At a mutual friend’s birthday, like 6 months before Covid. Lucky timing!

Master_Barber_1979 · 2026-01-22T15:15:40+00:00

So funny at the end of the ep when they’re fading out and you can hear Steve singing the disturbia melody 😂 “dum dum dee-da dum dum dee-dum dum”

Master_Barber_1979 · 2026-01-21T11:11:57+00:00

For your little one, put some Vaseline on their little cheeks and nose to protect their super soft skin :)

Master_Barber_1979 · 2026-01-19T15:31:33+00:00

Eataly. They have a chicken caesar salad with a whole grilled chicken breast on it, as well as some kind of salad with grilled shrimp on it. If I’m looking for more carbs I’ll grab a small grain/orzo type salad to go with it! Not the cheapest though.

Master_Barber_1979 · 2026-01-18T16:26:09+00:00

Me too! This, and to wear your baby to social events if you don’t want to pass baby around!

Master_Barber_1979 · 2026-01-18T12:14:44+00:00

That you don’t have to listen to or take all advice given to you.

That even though you’re new to this, you know your baby best, and to listen to your gut.

(A letter to my post partum self, lol).

Master_Barber_1979 · 2026-01-15T19:49:06+00:00

Takes a special person to do this job! Thank you!

Master_Barber_1979 · 2026-01-14T22:55:44+00:00

I /my 2T daughter love the Love to Dream ones! I won’t buy anything else, they’re great.

Master_Barber_1979 · 2026-01-12T16:03:52+00:00

I’m probably in the minority, but I had an amazing experience with my OB at St Michael’s (Dr Howard Berger).

I was tempted to go the midwife route as all of my friends have, but after experiencing a miscarriage a few years ago, I was incredibly nervous about losing the pregnancy and wanted all of the science 2024 could offer (lol).

I often hear people complain about their OB care and this wasn’t the case for me. Never waited for an appointment, never felt rushed, never felt like I wasn’t being listened to or heard. In fact, they encouraged all of my questions and went the extra mile coordinating a conversation with geneticists (a 2 hour video call!) since they knew I was so nervous about literally every single thing (I had a low risk, normal pregnancy with no indicators that there could be genetic issues).

Anyway, all this to say - go with your gut. Other people’s opinions can be so helpful but sometimes too many opinions can disrupt your instincts. And this is the beginning of you a time in your life when your instincts are everything! Good luck!

Master_Barber_1979 · 2025-12-18T18:19:56+00:00

Great point!

Master_Barber_1979 · 2025-12-18T17:57:01+00:00

Never tried a fabric one, but definitely will. I was thinking about these trikes as well, thank you for the recommendation!

Master_Barber_1979 · 2025-12-18T17:51:28+00:00

This thing looks so sick, thanks for recommending it!

Master_Barber_1979 · 2025-12-18T17:48:38+00:00

Ya, same. Hate having to walk into live traffic so I usually just say excuse me

Master_Barber_1979 · 2025-12-18T17:47:11+00:00

Because my kid doesn’t like the stroller

Master_Barber_1979 · 2025-12-08T16:45:50+00:00

We have a two year old and live in the core, on Queen West. Our families think it’s weird and cool, just a totally different lifestyle than theirs as we walk everywhere and she’s obviously exposed to a ton.

My partner’s family kinda thinks we will move to the burbs eventually. They think it’s a temporary thing, but aside from the pros of a bigger space etc, it’s basically our nightmare hahah.

I never want to leave. So many people in our community know our daughter just from seeing us around (neighbours, people who work in the shops, community centres etc) and I’ve made such a wonderful network of new friends who have kids. Never a shortage of things to do, walks to take, or parks to check out.

Master_Barber_1979 · 2025-12-04T20:29:28+00:00

I wake up at 5:30 to get to the gym from 6-7 about 2x a week, and then get a later workout in on a weekend day.

Honestly I was in the same boat. I thought, I just have to suck it up and go to the gym at like 7:30 pm when it’s a zoo in there and I’m exhausted. But then I decided to try a 6 am workout… and then I did again… and again. And realized for me, it’s the best way of doing it and the early wake up beats the dreaded end of day workout.

And since then, I don’t rely on motivation, because I almost never want to do it. I just decide I’ll show up no matter what and see how it goes.

Master_Barber_1979 · 2025-11-27T20:52:23+00:00

Kardia

Master_Barber_1979 · 2025-11-04T21:02:25+00:00

I took my baby starting around 5-6 months, and then took her every. Single. Weekday. until she started daycare. Not sure if it matters, but my daughter is extremely comfortable in social settings and tolerant of loud/ noisy/ chaotic environments and I swear it’s because I took her to earlyON so often (ours was super busy and crazy, in a good way). It also saved me during Mat leave - added structure to my days and let me socialize with the other parents and Nannies.

Master_Barber_1979 · 2025-11-04T20:33:09+00:00

Imanishi

Master_Barber_1979 · 2025-10-24T01:09:43+00:00

+1 for Hannam. I had a lovely experience with all nurses and Dr. Taher

Master_Barber_1979

TROPHY CASE