Brand Manager, Huggies
BCM: If you could describe motherhood in one word, what would it be?
AW: Miracle
BCM: What’s one moment in your motherhood journey that has made you proud?
AW: We adopted our daughter at the age of 2. When we gained custody of her, she was a shy child whom would not make eye contact, didn’t interact with people, and didn’t like affection. Fast forward almost three years and you wouldn’t recognize her. She is full of life, outgoing, determined, and our social butterfly. Watching her find herself and trying new things has been something I can’t put into words. I also enjoy how loving she is, kisses and hugs all the time. We are so proud of her.
BCM: What is one piece of advice you want to pass along to your children?
AW: Hold on to every minute, they are gone quicker than you think.
BCM: What should parents look for when purchasing diapers?
AW: The diaper is the one thing that touches baby’s skin 24/7. Parents should decide what things are important to them and look for those things in their diaper. For example, I wanted something that gave extra to keep everything in the diaper. Little Snugglers ® has the pocketed back waistband, which aids in keeping those runny messes in the diaper. After you decide what product attributes are important the next step is to ensure the diaper fits properly. Fit is key to your baby’s diaper comfort. The first step is to check the weight sizing on the diaper pack; however, if you do that and notice it doesn’t fit right you should change the size accordingly.
BCM: Many parents don’t decide on what diapers their child is going to wear until after baby is born, what kind of preparation or research should parents do on diapers prior to having the baby?
AW: There are so many easy and knowledgeable websites for new and expecting parents to research diapers. BabyCenter.comis great resource for new moms, and definitely check out Mommy Answers at Huggies.com, we have an amazing partnership with the Association of Women’s Health Obstetrics and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN). A lot of the information featured on the website is developed by them. Dr. Sears is another great resource for learning about all things diapers and we also feature some of his work at Huggies.com.
Finally, build your network of “go to” people. These are people who want the same performance from a diaper (and other baby essentials) as you do. Ask them tons of questions and don’t be afraid to ask the super silly ones. I am always shocked to hear people didn’t realize Huggies® were fragrance free and hypoallergenic. This is something most people want, but not a lot of people ask if the product they are using has it.
BCM: What new and exciting things are on the horizon for Huggies?
AW: This is a great time for Huggies® as we are dedicated to innovation and leveraging our AWOHNN relationship to bring great products to consumers. You will be able to touch and feel our products at the Babies R Us Union Square. We have partnered with Babies R Us Union Square to drive awareness around when parents make their diaper decision. If you haven’t been there you should check it out. I recommend going over the weekend as we have brand ambassadors to help you shop and answer questions about Huggies® diapers.
Over the year, you will also see a focus on national diaper awareness. Unfortunately, many consumers can’t afford things like diapers for their children. We at Huggies® feel no baby should go without and are focused on closing that gap. The brand highlighted this initiative on Mother’s Day in response to call from The White House (yes, the big one in Washington, D.C.!) with a donation of 22 million diapers to the National Diaper Bank Network, and on Father’s Day, we upped the donation by added 22 million wipes. That means a lot of families will be receiving diapers for their children. I encourage people to learn more about this great program at http://nationaldiaperbanknetwork.org/
My favorite initiative launches in July and while I can’t get into the details, I promise when it launches there will be a lot of buzz. This is by far one of the best things I have worked on in all my years of working at Kimberly-Clark.
BCM: What is one piece of advice you would pass along to other moms?
AW: Don’t compare yourself to other moms. Do what’s right for you and your family.
BCM: How do you tackle work/life balance?
AW: I am fortunate to work for a wonderful company in Kimberly-Clark that allows work/life balance to be my definition of balance. I am out of the office by 5:30, spend time with the family and then jump back on after our daughter is in bed (when needed). I also have the opportunity to sneak out as needed for various events or appointments. I love that I can have a great career and feel as though it’s not at the expense of my family.
BCM: If you could hand off one chore to someone else each day, what would it be?
AW: Yard work is a daunting task to keep up with! Our “yard” is about an acre and a half, with lots of flower beds. There’s plenty of weed and prep during the spring, keeping up with them in the summer, and as for winter, I have to do snow removal in the wee hours of the morning to make it to work. It’s bad enough to be freezing out, but to be up that early makes it worse.
BCM: What is the best white lie that you’ve told your child?
AW: Well, I didn’t do a very good job because she busted me. She wanted me to call a neighborhood friend. It was Sunday and we were tired so I picked up my phone and pretended to text his mom. I responded with “oh looks like he can’t they have plans”. She grabbed my phone and says “K-e-n-t-o-n (spelling it out) is daddy’s name you didn’t text her.” Busted by my 5 year old!
BCM: What is your best parenting hack?
AW: Teaming up with the neighborhood moms! Our family is 2 to3 hours away, which can make it difficult when you and your spouse travel. Our neighborhood is great at helping each other out. They are our second family.
BCM: What is your favorite thing to do to relax and unwind?
AW: We have a family farm outside of Madison, Wisconsin, about two hours from our home. I spent a lot of time there as a child with my great grandfather, Argue, and three wonderful aunts. I don’t know what it is about the farm, but at the moment that we turn down the long drive on to the property, all my stress disappears and a calm comes over me. When we can’t make it back to the farm, I love sitting on our back deck with the family. We turn on a soft music channel or listen to the birds. One of the perks of living in the middle of nowhere is all the wildlife.
***MORE FUN FACTS***
FAVORITE BEAUTY PRODUCT:
The one thing I can’t get enough of is my Kleenex facial cleansing exfoliating cushions and my Arbonne intense hydration mask. They are my savior when my skin is looking tired. I LOVE them and would be lost if they discontinued them.
FAVORITE FORM OF EXCERCISE:
Running. I love to run!
FAVORITE KIDS STORE:
The Learning Shop. Our daughter would rather do crafts, art projects, science experiments, and sports. The Learning Shop always has some really cool projects we can do together and some that she can do on her own. We LOVE that place!
FAVORITE APP:
My Sonos app! I would rather listen to music than watch TV. My Sonos AP allows me to turn the speakers on and off throughout the house. The only issue I have is when my husband, Kenton, thinks it would be funny to turn on a song I dislike while in the shower!
What is on your DVR?
Oh boy, don’t laugh! Grease, The new Grease, Top Gun, and tons of kid’s movies!