Parents Latina February/March 2021

My Entry Into Mamahood I BECAME a mami eight years ago on February 1. Ahead of the birth, I had at least half a dozen baby books sitting on my nightstand, all of them highlighted, underlined, and dog-eared. It was as if I were cramming for the biggest test of my life. And I was pretty convinced I was going to ace it! But there’s a reason babies don’t come with instruction manuals. The moment the doctor showed me Eva after an unexpected C-section, I felt totally unprepared. It didn’t help that I was assigned to a hospital room with another mom who seemed to have her act together. I couldn’t help but make comparisons. In my postpartum blur, she looked ethereal with her long, glossy hair cascading to one side as…

What’s it like shooting The View remotely? I don’t miss my commute or heels—I’ve been wearing slippers since last March! I’m cherishing the time with my kids, Gabriel, 18, and Paloma, 14, and husband, Emmanuel. There are times when we’re all on the WiFi or one of the kids walks in on a taping. Our viewers get a kick out of it, though, because it’s what we’re all living through now. You and Emmanuel have been married 22 years. What’s your secret? We have separate interests. Manny’s an orthopedic surgeon and fiddles around a lot with cars in his spare time. I tell him, “I didn’t know I married a mechanic,” and he’ll say, “I didn’t know I married a farmer!” I like to work in the garden and cook—pastelitos, alcapurrias, tostones. It’s…

PREGNANCY Q: Is it safe to breastfeed with COVID-19? A: The data are still limited, but moms who breastfeed don’t appear to spread the virus to their babies, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. It’s unclear whether breast milk can actually protect babies from the coronavirus, but breast milk does contain antibodies that can help fight off other illnesses such as pneumonia. Breastfeeding is still beneficial, experts say, even if you have symptoms or a confirmed case of COVID-19. To keep your baby safe, wear a mask and wash your hands with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before touching your baby, pumping, or handling pump or bottle parts. —TAMEKIA REECE PRESCHOOLER Don’t Stop Potty Training Even after you’ve ditched diapers, accidents can happen. The bladder is a muscle just like…

BEFORE ELENA VINCENT gave birth to her daughter, Audrey Natalia, last April, she and her husband, Matthew, both teachers, did their homework. Still, nothing could’ve prepared them for the sleepless nights that awaited them when they brought their newborn home. “It was hard to get her to fall asleep anywhere other than my chest,” recalls Vincent, who lives in Fresno, California. The new parents knew they had to figure out Audrey Natalia’s sleep before they both returned to work. So once again, they threw themselves into research. “It wasn’t until we fine-tuned that bedtime routine that everything finally fell into place,” she says. What Vincent discovered is that while babies can be good sleepers, they aren’t necessarily born that way. It often takes some work to help them hone their snoozing skills.…

AS A CHILD growing up in her Black Dominican family, Gloria Rosario-Wallace didn’t know that colorism existed. At the time, the idea that a person with lighter skin was better than someone with darker skin didn’t register. But, looking back, she sees that the messages were everywhere. One of the darkest of six children, she was often compared with a brother who had lighter skin and hazel eyes. “Relatives would say, ‘Wow, he got all the looks, but at least you’re smart,’” she recalls, as if brains compensated for her appearance. Her big, curly hair was another matter. Described as “pelo malo” by her mother, it was first relaxed into submission when she was 10 years old. Rosario-Wallace still remembers that day and the smell of the chemicals. “The ‘worse’…

1 WATCH AND LEARN Entertain the whole familia with these animated shows. Pachamama Follow the adventures of Tepulpai as he sets out to retrieve a seized sacred statue and bring his Andean village good fortune. Ages 5+; stream on Netflix Maya and the Three Set in ancient Mesoamerica, this much-anticipated series centers on a half-god, half-human warrior princess. Ages 8+; stream on Netflix 33% OF LATINOS HAVE INDIGENOUS ROOTS. SOURCE: PEW RESEARCH CENTER 2 TRAVEL BACK TO INCAN TIMES Using interactive 3-D models, the Incas by Kids Discover app transports kids to ancient Peru, where they can explore Incan traditions, daily life, and government, and take a 360-degree tour of Machu Picchu. Ages 4+, $4; available on iPad 3 TALES THAT TEACH Encourage curiosity about native folklore and culture with these reads. Cuauhtémoc: Shapes by Patty Rodriguez and Ariana Stein This colorful, bilingual board…