BCM - How did your life change when you became a mom?
Tara: Well, for starters, I laugh a lot more. My daughter just cracks me up. But in terms of major shifts, I stopped traveling. I had been a Travel Editor for nearly 10 years, and I thought I would be that mom who had her 9-month-old tasting stinky cheeses in Paris. But as it turns out, I am SO not that mom. The other big change for me was that I went from being borderline OCD to a complete slob. For most of my adult life, I was physically unable to walk out the front door if, say, my bed wasn't made. Now it's a miracle if I can manage to put my shoes away before bed.

BCM - What has been your most memorable moment (s) as a mom?
Tara: The heartbreak and helplessness of being out of town (at my Grandfather's funeral), when my 18-month-old daughter dislocated her elbow. It was such an intense “mom” emotion. That, and the first time she said, unsolicited, "I love you, Mama." That's one you don't forget.

BCM - What has been the biggest challenge for you in motherhood?
Tara: Accepting help. It’s hard for me to let my husband take her to the playground alone on a weekend or to let the babysitter get her dressed in the morning. I feel a tremendous sense of guilt if I am not involved, hands-on, in every aspect of her day.

BCM -  Any advice for moms on how to achieve work/life balance?
Tara: The formula is different for every woman, in terms of that elusive balance. What’s bliss to one mom might feel like a prison sentence to another. So my advice for working moms is to spend the amount of time with your children, working, and indulging in a little “me time” that will make YOU feel most settled—understanding that you’ll never feel completely “in balance.” There simply aren’t enough hours in the day.

BCM: Why did you create StrollerTraffic?

Tara: I felt there was a need for smart and timely content directed toward new moms with babies and toddlers—moms who are in that phase of their lives when it’s very difficult to concentrate on anything other than the well-being of your baby. So we skip a lot of the women’s magazine topics (beauty, fashion, fitness) and really just speak to the things that are relevant the little ones. We narrowed the focus even further by catering to city moms, who face an entirely different set of challenges than suburban or rural moms.

BCM - Tell us about StrollerTraffic.
Tara: StrollerTraffic is an email newsletter for city moms with babies and toddlers. Our NYC Edition, which just launched in January, keeps New York moms plugged into local news and happenings for the under 3 set. We’ll report on everything from store openings and sales to airport car services that offer car seats. Definitely sign-up!

BCM - Can you share your Top 5 recent StrollerTraffic“Scoops” for Big City Moms?

Tara: Each day, we post one or two “Scoops” on our website, alerting moms to new products or news that’s relevant to babies and toddlers. The most popular Scoops from the last few weeks include Munchkin’s new safety gates, Bugaboo’s new breathable seat liners, the new Britax B-Ready stroller, Bjorn’s new sun protector for baby carriers, and Hunt’s new ketchup formula (free of High Fructose Corn Syrup).

BCM - What types of activities do you like to do w/Greta?
Tara: These days, I’m getting a big kick out of doing the most pedestrian things with her—riding the bus, grocery shopping, having lunch at the diner. Her curiosity and insatiable desire to learn how to do things by herself make it all ridiculously fun.

BCM- What has been your favorite Big City Moms event to date?
Tara: To be perfectly honest, I’m not really the event type. But I did attend my first BCM event in April—the “Baby Shower.” I was curious to check it out, from a business standpoint . . . and also because I’m expecting my second baby later this summer. I was amazed to see such a HUGE turnout of expecting moms (hundreds of them!), all having a blast chatting with each other and learning about the best products and services for new moms.