BCM - How did your life change when you became a mom?

Karen: My heart expanded. I became more compassionate, more flexible, and it gave me the opportunity to re-examine my own sense of purpose.

BCM- What has been your most memorable moment (s) as a mom?  

Karen: Every day brings a new moment – especially when something happens where I get to see them through new eyes (like in a new situation or with a new friend). I just get this warm glow and think – wow, these are my kids. That’s incredible.

BCM- What has been the biggest challenge for you in motherhood?
Karen: Exercising, stretching and pushing my patience muscle beyond where it’s ever been before. Dividing my attention between 3 kids. Juggling all the balls of being a mom, wife, entrepreneur, with fun, spirituality, health, friendships, and making dinner!

BCM - What inspired you to start your own business(es)?

Karen: It was born of necessity. I wanted easy, healthy meals delivered to my door that would take into account my needs as a new mom. It wasn’t available so I started the business (sounds easy – but it took me 2 years to get it off the ground with another baby in between).

BCM- How do you manage your work/life balance?
Karen: I start by adapting my expectations – I’m not looking for a perfectly balanced day, just an overall feeling of balance – it changes a lot from day to day. I make time every day to be by myself so that when I am with the kids – I can really be present. And when I am with them I avoid answering the phone, checking emails as much as I can. They also know that they can tell me – mom, you’re not “be-ing” with us – at which point I stop whatever I am thinking and get present with them again.

BCM - What activities do you like to do with your children?

Karen: I love cooking with the kids, reading to them, and dancing with them. We also just love hanging out as a family – last year we took a 5-day roadtrip and spent a lot of it cracking up and just having a good time together!

BCM- How do you maintain your sense of style while juggling your business and your kids?

Karen: I usually work from home – so style is not a high priority – mostly I am in workout clothes. But when I do dress up to go on meetings and then I go straight to pick up the kids, they always get a shy, excited look on their face “mom, you look so pretty” – so sometimes I think I should do it more often.

BCM- What are your favorite Mom Essentials and why? 
Karen: My favorite mom essential is a good father! Someone who can whisk the kids away so I can have some alone time! I also lived off of Dr. Mark Weissbluth’s Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Children – a bible for any new mom! Note – like all parenting expert advice, take with a strong dose of your own intuition. And, of course, I have to say – The Well Rounded Pregnancy Cookbook by, ahem, Karen Gurwitz. But seriously – I end up cooking from it almost every day because the recipes are so easy to prepare! Anything that will give you more time to spend with your babies, your spouse or yourself are essentials for me.

BCM- If you could give another mom or expectant mom one piece of advice, what would it be?

Karen: To expectant women – give natural birth a chance! If it doesn’t work out – you can always get an epidural – but if it does – you can enjoy a life altering experience! Also – farm it out – food, laundry, cleaning – thank you notes! If someone else can do it for you so that you can have more time for yourself in those first few weeks, buy it – the time you will save is priceless.

To a new mom - empower your spouse when your babies are young, so that it’s not always all about “mommy!

And for a not-so-new-mom - take time for yourself when you can so that when you are with your kids you can really be present with them.

BCM - What has been your favorite Big City Moms event (s)

Karen: The FAO Schwartz holiday party was an incredible, authentic New York City experience.