With love, we welcome the newest additions to our ShMamas community! Please join us in congratulating our mamas Cate, Emeneli, Emily, Amira and Justie and their families on their sweet arrivals. We are so glad they’re here!
Welcome Baby Sofia Noel!
👶 Baby Sofia Noel
👩 Mama Emily
Name inspiration: There is no family name or special meaning, we just loved the name Sofia. Her name was actually Elaine most of the pregnancy, but it just didn’t feel right. Noel is inspired by my love for Christmas time. My eldest is Clara Joy, so we wanted a name that matched.
Birth month, hospital & doctors: February at American-Sino Women and Children’s Hospital with Dr. Ferguson and doula Maggie. Both were incredible and the entire experience was smooth!
Family from: United States, living in Indiana, before moving to Shanghai!
Your favorite baby product so far: My Boba baby wrap carrier is a must have for these early days and baby wearing. We also use our baby bouncer and Lovevery playmat often, any Lovevery product is great for developmentally appropriate toys. I also recommend stocking up on burp cloths / receiving blankets. Babies spit up all the time!
What advice would you give to other mamas-to-be?When you’re in the newborn bubble, remember to take a shower! When you feel overwhelmed and overstimulated, exhausted and needing a break, take a shower. You’ll feel human again afterward, trust me! Otherwise, you got this! There is no one better for your baby other than you ❤️ Oh, and maybe keep an extra shirt for YOU in the diaper bag too!
Am-Sino International Women’s Health offers FREE online classes on essential facts you need for Birth, Breastfeeding & Baby Care. Click here to sign up. For more information contact: louise.roy@am-sino.com.
Am-Sino is a ShMamas organizational sponsor. Learn more about their OBGYN services at The Birth Center.
Welcome Baby Rose Iman!
👶 Baby Rose Iman
👩 Mama Amira
Name inspiration: “Rose” symbolizes love, beauty, and strength, while “Iman” means faith, reflecting our hopes for her to grow up strong and full of love.
Birth Month, Hospital & Doctors: September 2024, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. I had my prenatal care at American-Sino Ferguson in Shanghai until my eighth month, but I decided to go back home to be surrounded by family for the final stretch and delivery.
Family from: Uzbekistan and USA (with an Asian background)
Your favorite baby product so far: I have two must-haves that have been total game-changers for us:
- The Lovevery Play Gym – It’s been a lifesaver! Rose loves the textures, colors, and sensory activities, and I love that it keeps her engaged while supporting her development. It’s a great investment for new moms looking for something both fun and educational.The
- Inflatable Water Play Mat – This has made tummy time so much more fun! Rose loves watching the little floating toys move around, and it’s been great for helping her strengthen those tiny muscles.
What advice would you give to other mamas-to-be?
- Follow your instincts. There’s so much advice out there, but no one knows your baby better than you do.
- Keep a ‘snack stash’ in every room. Tired moms often forget to eat! Keep small, healthy snacks in places where you feed or rock your baby—your nightstand, the couch, the diaper bag—so you never go hungry.
- Find your support system. Whether it’s family, friends, or an expat mama group in Shanghai, having a village makes all the difference.To all the mamas out there—you’re doing an amazing job!
Sending love from our little family to yours.
Welcome Penny!
👶 Baby Penny
👩 Mama Cate
Name inspiration:Her full name is Patricia-Flora Mueni Nylander (nick name: Penny). Patricia is from my dads name Patrick, Flora my mum’s name Florence, Mueni means visitor in my Kenyan ethnic language and finally Nylander, her Swedish surname.
Birth Month, Hospital & Doctors: February at Shanghai United Family Hospital with Doctor Gao Ling. I really liked her.
Family from: Kenya and Sweden
Your favorite baby product so far: Vaseline for babies. I used it when her skin started peeling and also on my boobs. Works wonders.
What advice would you give to other mamas-to-be?Take every advice you get from well meaning aunties with a pinch of Masala. Every baby/motherhood journey is different.
Welcome Baby Líadan Madalena!
👶 Baby Líadan Madalena
👩 Mama Emeneli
Name inspiration: We looked for first names that could complete, along with the family names (Japanese and French), her 4 main ancestries, since we have a mix of many nationalities. Thus, Líadan, of Irish origin, embodies the concept of a Grey Lady. In ancient times, the term grey symbolized wisdom, spirituality and magical powers, which made this name highly revered within Irish folklore and mythology. Madalena, written in Portuguese (spoken in Brazil), in addition to the biblical character who is already very strong, means “tower” or “city of towers”. In symbolism, the tower is a privileged place, from which one can have a broader view of things.
Birth Month, Hospital & Doctors: December at Jiahui Hospital / Doctor Alice Wang.
Family from: Brasil (with European and Japanese roots) and French (mixed French and Irish).
Your favorite baby product so far: Baby Care products – we use the wet tissues and dippers!
What advice would you give to other mamas-to-be?
This is my second pregnancy, but I was an “older” pregnant woman, at 42 years old, a 10-year age difference between the first and the last. And I can say that now, with more maturity, I am enjoying my postpartum period much more, feeling calmer, making more informed and confident decisions. When choosing my obstetrician, it was essential for me that she also treated me in a positive and calm manner… and that was essential throughout my pregnancy! So I would like to encourage other women who want to be mothers, but feel out of their prime, that motherhood after 40 can be an incredible, empowering and refreshing experience!
Welcome Baby Amaité!
👶 Baby Amaité
👩 Mama Justie
Name inspiration: Her name in Mayan means ‘the face of the sky.’
Birth Month, Hospital & Doctors: January at Huangpu district’s Red House Hospital. Prenatal checks were done with Dr. Gu Weirong – though she wasn’t present during delivery.
Family from: Hungarian-Mexican
Your favorite baby product so far: Kabrita Dutch goat milk formula for sensitive tummy, Huggies diapers, Hegen bottles (Singaporean brand that has an off-centered teat to support better latching, easy to wash and assemble), Philips Avent for sterilizer, bottle warmer, bath tub and other useful but affordable products.
What advice would you give to other mamas-to-be?
Make sure to discuss exactly what you would like to do in all possible cases of your labor and delivery, sometimes not all information is provided in advance. When your loved one is here, there will be many new things and surprises, listen to your gut and learn the basic things from free classes you can take at hospitals such as Jiahui, or even consult with a pediatrician in advance to know what you will look into, what is ok and what could be concerning.
Have you recently welcomed a new child into your family and want to share the news?! Please send your information to us at ShMamas@gmail.com.
Shanghai Mamas hosts a variety of WeChat groups including kids’ age groups from birth (and for expecting mamas!) to teens. If you’re interested in connecting with other mamas who have children with same age groups, you can get added via the below WeChat account.
