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BFBN- What is that?

If you’ve been visiting Team Cartwright for a bit you might have noticed I have some posts that involve the BFBN and wondered what in the world that is.  I know before I joined I saw posts from some of my favorite bloggers talking about it.  Honestly I skipped those posts for a long time.  I mean, I liked what I was reading so why should I go to a different blog?  What does this group have to offer me?  Well now I know it has so much to offer!

Let’s start with the basics.  BFBN= Babywise Friendly Blog Network.  Basically it is a group of moms who blog who came together because we all utilize aspects of Babywise.  Valerie from Chronicles of a Babywise Mom founded the group and explains why really well:

“In 2007, I started by blog in order to help parents with their Babywise questions. The internet was not a friendly place for Babywise inquiries and I wanted to be a voice for people who needs help and encouragement.

Four years later, in 2011, I wanted to expand that vision just beyond myself. Hearing from one person who does Babywise is nice, but wouldn’t several be even better? So I started the Babywise Friendly Blog Network. My vision was to have a group of bloggers who all follow Babywise who could work together to create one massive resource collectively for Babywise parents. Everyone has different life experiences in general, and this is especially true in parenting. Among all of us, we could more fully address the needs of parents out there.

Nearly 6 years later, the Babywise Friendly Blog Network (BFBN) is stronger than ever! We have had so many great bloggers join over the years and we have a fantastic group today.”

What does this mean to me?  The BFBN is a group of women who are working their hardest to be the best moms they can be.  We are all different, and Babywise is what brought us all together.  What if you don’t follow Babywise?  Or worse have heard negative things about it?  I invite you to take a look at all these ladies even more.  This group has moms who have followed Babywise to all different degrees.  Some moms follow a lot of the ideas in it.  Some, like me, are kind of slackers in the details.  Some moms have one child, some many.  Some are foster parents.  Some are going through adoption.  Some have multiples.  Despite our differences the principles work.

This group is about so much more than just Babywise.  We talk about all the things that moms can have to deal with.  Having a strong relationship with your partner, finding time for yourself, and how we keep the house picked up are all topics we cover along with things like potty training and naps.  Why should you look at different blogs for things like this?  If you found one you like you should be good, right?  It’s like I said before.  There are all different perspectives.  The scientist in me says more data is a good thing, and that is what we are providing.

So let’s get to know these ladies.  You already visit Team Cartwright and (hopefully) like what you are reading.  What do these other blogs have to offer you?  A ton!  These women come from different backgrounds and have different passions.  But all of them are amazing moms that I feel so lucky to know.  We’ll go in alphabetical order because, well, because I like alphabetical order.

Chronicles of a Babywise Mom

This is the perfect place to start because Valerie is the founder of this group.  She is basically The Babywise Mom.  She has four kids ages 12, 10, 8, and 5.  She has a degree in English and is a technical writer.  She lives in Utah and loves to sing, organize, watch football.  She directs musicals too, how fun is that?  I love that her site is the ultimate Babywise reference.  She has been blogging for years and covers it all.  All ages, all issues.  Looking for a sample schedule?  She has it.  Wondering what you can do to help if your baby wakes up too early in the morning?  She has suggestions.  Her blog has been an invaluable resource for me.  Valerie is able to explain children’s behaviors and your goals as a mother so clearly.  And she writes without judgement.  I actually had her site bookmarked long before I came back to Babywise because it just covers so much.

Popular posts include: Sample Schedule From 0-12 Months, Your Babywise Baby: First Year Overview, and Feed Baby When Hungry.  You can find her on Facebook here: Chronicles of a Babywise Mom.

The Journey of Parenthood

Emily is another Babywise master.  She has three kids ages 8, 5, and 3, and they are in the process of adopting a fourth.  Emily always wanted to be a stay at home mom and I think that is awesome.  She knew what she wanted and works hard to be the best at it.  I have to admit I don’t like one thing- she goes to Disney a lot and I get super jealous of that.  Okay, that’s a me problem more than a her problem, but she has some amazing Disney and travel tips in general.  Emily and her family travel a decent amount and they are able to do that because she is financially savvy.  This family follows Dave Ramsey and are really doing their best to live the lives they want.  Emily’s blog was another one of the early ones I read.  What I liked best about it was that she is really an open book.  I feel like I am talking with a friend when I read her site.  She admits where she is struggling, and shares the lows as well as the highs.  I love that she holds her kids to high standards, but loves hard and wants to have fun.  This is how I try to parent as well.  Emily gives you real life as it happens.

Popular posts include: How To Start Babywise, Putting Baby First During the First Year, and Babywise: The Early Days.  You can find her on Facebook here: Journey of Parenthood.

Mama’s Organized Chaos

This is where Katrina blogs.  Isn’t the name perfect for mom life?  At times I know things are a bit chaotic, but there is a system in place.  Katrina has a 2.5 year old daughter and is expecting a baby due in December!  She is a former engineer and high school chemistry teacher, so yes, we have a lot we like to talk about.  Katrina underwent fertility treatments with her first daughter bringing another new perspective to the group.  She is passionate about breastfeeding on a schedule, which is very Babywise.  But she also used cloth diapers and loves baby wearing.  I love this because people sometimes think Babywise is a very cold manner of parenting and it so isn’t!  You can baby wear and sleep train.  You can schedule feedings and still cloth diaper.  These ideas are not mutually exclusive.  She also made her own baby food, something I am passionate about as well.  (I love to make my baby’s food and adore baby led weaning!)  Personally I love that Katrina is another science minded mom.  She takes notes, tracks data, and looks for trends.  I think this is so important in parenting.  Are the behaviors you’re seeing new?  Can you find a reason behind them?  Katrina has a real fascination in the hows and whys behind how our children develop, and I share this interest, and she writes about it in a very relatable way.

Popular posts include: Babywise Popular FAQ & A, 8 Benefits of Keeping Baby on a Schedule, and Babywise Isn’t Imposing a Schedule, it’s Learning the Ideal Schedule.  You can find her on Facebook here: Mama’s Organized Chaos.

Let’s Be Brave

Natasha from Let’s Be Brave is the proud mom of the current youngest BFBN baby.  Her first daughter is just two months old and is adorable.  But two months, how can she know anything about Babywise or parenting in general?  Easy, she has been a foster parent for years.  Currently she has four kids ages 6, 5, 2, and 2 months.  Not only is Natasha a foster mom, but she is also a CPS and adoption lawyer.  Talk about knowing what she is writing about.  I love how this blog shows that Babywise can work in so many situations, and that it can be tailored to fit the needs of each family.  Foster children can come with all sorts of different challenges from whatever has caused them to need this care.  The last thing loving foster parents like Natasha and her husband want to do is make a child feel unsafe or not cared about.  They are able to meet all kinds of different needs and help kids thrive.  It is really amazing to read about.

Popular posts include:  How We Transition a New Foster Kid Into Our Home, 11 Ways to Support Foster Families, and Babywise Works for You (Not the Other Way Around).  You can find her on Facebook here: Let’s Be Brave.

Twin Mom and More

 

Caitlin is our newest member and a fellow twin mom!  She has 3.5 year old son and 16 month old twin daughters.  Yes, just like me!  Alright, the first thing I can imagine people wondering why they need to read this one if they already like Team Cartwright.  Well just because we have similar family structures it does not mean we are having all the same experiences.  Caitlin has a masters in flute performance and is a former music teacher.  Her girls were born eight weeks early and had to spend some time in the NICU.  Right there you can see there you can see how having twins is a different experience for each family.  So she has some insights I don’t.  Of course we will have some of the same issues with kids, and that is awesome too.  More perspectives means more insight and more ideas of how to work through challenging parenting situations!  I’m looking forward to comparing notes with her as our little ones grow.

Popular posts include: How I Got My Twins to Stay on a Schedule, 5 Ways You Can Help a NICU Family, and Self-Care Activities  for Busy Moms.  You can find her on Facebook here: Rogers Party of 5.

Twinning Babywise

Cole at Twinning Babywise is our other twin mom!  (Yes, we have three twin moms!  It’s awesome!)  She has four kids ages 4, 2, and fraternal twins that recently turned one.  Right away you can see that she will have a different twin perspective having the boy/girl fraternal twins, as opposed to same-sex fraternal or identical.  Yes with tiny babies that sort of thing doesn’t matter much.  I mean babies kind of all have similar needs.  But when you are navigating the world of multiples these different combinations bring up different questions you might have to face.  Cole tells it like it is, which is great.  She isn’t going to tiptoe around issues and is very honest.  This is so helpful when dealing with parenting!  She knows what she believes and isn’t afraid to share it.

Popular posts include: Why Babywise?, How to: Catch a break (Independent Playtime), and Send ‘Em Outside.  You can find her on Facebook here: Twinning Babywise.  (Cole has taken a blogging break. We miss her!)

Wiley Adventures

Carrie is a mom of four ages 9, 6, 5, and 2.  She is a travel agent who specializes in Disney Destinations.  Look to her for travel tips.  More than that she is aiming to raise her kids to be world changers.  She tries to find ways to teach them to be positive influences in the world.  It is really inspiring to read.  I know sometimes I can get too focused on what is happening with just my little crew, and I need to remember to take a step back and think about the bigger picture.  Carrie loves to read and loves Gilmore Girls, so I personally love that.  She has a joy to her that just comes through her writing.  It’s like talking with a friend.

Popular posts include: Conquering the Forty-Five Minute Nap, Why We Chose (and Love) Babywise, and Loving Your Kids’ Different Personalities.  You can find her on Facebook here: Wiley Adventures.

 

Christine Keys

Christine is our friend from New Zealand! She is a mom of two, for now.  She has a 3-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter with a second daughter on the way! She loves making things beautiful but doesn’t let it get in the way of function.  Christine also knows a ton about implementing Babywise and Moms on Call.  She knows about getting kids on a schedule.  I love how she finds beauty in all she does!

Popular posts include The Myths of BabywiseA Simple Explanation of what Sleep Training Actually Is, and How To Successfully Have Siblings Share a Room.  You can find her at Christine Keys.

 

So there you are, the ladies of the BFBN!  I hope you check them out and see how wonderful and unique they all are.  My absolute favorite part of Babywise is that it brought me to this group.  It sounds silly, seeing as I have never met any of them in real life, but they are my friends.  All of them are hardworking, caring, smart women who are rocking this motherhood thing.  I learn from each of them and know I have become a better mother because of that.

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