One of the very first friends I made in Joburg had her baby shower this past week. I always love to give gifts that I am sure nobody else would think of & find little gems that fit the personality of the parents. My friend is one of those super organised people – she always arrives at meetings with her daily planner, weekly planner, & diary. She makes notes of everything, & always manages to stay on top of everything that comes her way. This is going to be her first baby, & I wanted to find her something that would ease the stress & would suit her A-type personality.
When I saw a post that Jislaaik! had one of these gorgeous baby journals, I felt like I had hit the jackpot! I have never seen anything quite like it, & the whole concept intrigued me. Along with all her other locally-made gifts (including from SillyBilly, The Curious Kitten & a vendor at The Field Market), I was excited to add this to the gift bag & present it to Shevaun.
I received such great service, fast delivery & knew that I had to share this gem with all of you!
Your name: Cherralle
Business name: With Love Baby SA
Social media handles: Instagram and Facebook
How did you come up with this idea: I am a mom of two girls based in Johannesburg and a tiny bit crazy over stationery. I created the With Love Baby Journal in 2018 partly because of aforementioned obsession! Seriously though, being a mom is chaotic and through implementing small habits we can be intentional about our family lifestyle.
I feel that as a person who aims to be organised in my work life, when I had my babies it made sense to bring some organisation to our family life.
I am always looking for tools to help me stay on top of things and when I had my children I wanted to add routine to our lives. With my first born I pretty much made my own template pages and had it printed and bound at Post net.
I was prompted to create the Journal when my second born was a baby, as I could not find what I was looking for in SA. I needed a book that was beautiful, practical and simple to keep track of my little one’s routine over a 5 – 6 month period at a time.
I know there is an ‘app’ for everything but it simply did not work for me.
What does your journal track: The With Love Baby Journal provides a snapshot of your baby’s daily routine. The Journal tracks feeds, sleeps, milestones, literally everything that a mom wants to keep track of for her and her baby. The Journal is also designed for the village it takes to raise your child. Therefore granny or your nanny can (and must) also use it.
Why would you recommend them for new parents: Having a new baby is overwhelming but staying on top of your baby’s daily routine does not need to be. It can be simplified by the basic act of writing it down and then carrying on to focus what you as a mom need to. You special bonding time with your little baby.
You have so many things to remember and think about when you bring home your baby (feeds, pumping, sleeping, etc.) By using the Journal you take care of that and only FOCUS on yourself and caring for your baby.
What is your favourite part of the journal: My favourite part if the daily journal pages. You can capture your baby’s whole day, and add notes, comments, whatever you need to. At the end of the day you can see how your baby’s day went.
– This was important at the newborn stage as I would often lose track of what happened (mommy brain!).
– Keeping track became imperative when I returned to work from maternity leave, as my nanny could write down the routine. When I returned from work I was fully in the loop of how my baby’s day went.
– Now I have these journals from when my little ones were babies and it really makes beautiful keepsakes. I love going back and paging through my daughters tracker journals.
Why do you love being a mom: My favourite part about being a mom is that my daughters make me want to be a better person. I know it sounds so cliche but I am always reflecting on this. When I am not feeling good or having a bad time, I always think of what example I am setting for them and it makes me do better and be better.
What were some of the toughest parts of being a new mom: For me, it was learning that I am not in control of everything and that motherhood is NOT perfect and never will be. I can implement little routines and structures but it will never be perfect and THAT IS OKAY.
How can people order these journals, & how much are they: The With Love Baby Journals can be ordered directly on our website.
They are R 330 each. I do partner with three online stockists whose details are also listed on the site.
Quote you live by: There is no way to be a perfect mother. But a million ways to be a good one.
Anything else you want to add: I would love it if you guys would follow me on Instagram as I love engaging there on a daily basis.
Also , These books are designed, printed and bound in South Africa.
Don’t you absolutely adore these? I think every new mum should make use of this tracking journal & it is such a great baby shower gift – especially for those super organised mums, or those that are going to be returning to work & getting some help with their little miracle.
Cheralle, I really hope that your business continues to go from strength to strength. I have loved getting to know you a little better & appreciate all the time & effort you put into your beautiful business.
