Rosie Pope on Successfully Managing a Business and a Big Family

by ParentCo. September 12, 2016

Designer, entrepreneur, TV personality, and mother of four, Rosie Pope has been pumping pregnancy and motherhood full of style for nearly a decade. In 2008, after finding it difficult to shop for stylish clothes that fit her growing belly, she began to develop what would become a successful maternity line for fashion-forward moms-to-be.

Having established herself as a trusted motherhood guru, she launched MomPrep, prenatal and postnatal classes which offer everything from infant CPR to stroller cleaning.

In 2011, her maternity concierge services were the subject of Bravo's docu-series "Pregnant in Heels," a sometimes ridiculous look at the concerns and needs of affluent parents-to-be.

Parent.co: What are the products you're recommending most to new parents these days?

Doc-a-tot

BassiNEST

Rosie Pope x Aden+Anais Collection Swaddle

Rosie Pope x Aden+Anais Muslin Bibs

MommyNearest App (great for traveling or in a new city with information like where to breastfeed, bathroom, change the baby, go shopping for maternity wear, etc.)

Medela microwave sterilizing bags for bottles, breastpumps, pacifiers, etc. – amazing product!

What is the most helpful thing someone can do for a friend who just had a baby?

Come over and ask them what would really help them out. They may not feel okay letting you watch their baby yet for a date night but it's the things like laundry, dishes, thank you cards, getting birth announcements out, that can really get a new mom down. Do whatever she needs so that her focus can be on the baby instead of all the other things she has to do.

What did you find most challenging about having two babies so close together?

I think simply that they are both babies at the same time. While it does seem emotionally less challenging for the older sibling as they are so young the fact that you are dividing your attention seems easier to get used to. The trick is to remember you have two babies and your oldest really isn’t that old at all. Remembering that will prevent you from being too tough on the older one or expecting too much. They need their mama, too!

How is managing a large family like managing a business?

I always joke with my kids that after solving disputes between the four of them I can handle anything at work! I think they are similar in that running a business means constantly navigating through things that you did not expect to happen. Staying flexible, being able to resolve conflict, lead, and nurture are all true of both family and of business.

What is the most over-the-top item anyone has ever put on a baby registry?

Okay, so I’m going to give you a few that your readers could actually register for:

Hermes baby socks

Baby Dior layette

Diamond-encrusted gold pacifier

Crystal-encrusted Baby Bath Tub – for some bubbles and, of course, sparkles!




ParentCo.

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