By Anjum Choudhry Nayyar
Naya Weber is also known as the Lactivist in Louboutins (don’t you just love that name?) and is passionate about breastfeeding while also maintaining style and fashion in her role as a mom juggling it all.
Naya works at an engineering company by day is a full- time mom by night. Her son E, as she calls him in her blogs is just over a year-old.
Initially Naya says she wrote about things she did for herself post baby and later her current blog was born. Lactivist in Louboutins she writes, ” mixes (breast) milk with makeup, cosleeping with clothes, shoes with shitty diapers… you get the idea.”
In this month’s series on South Asian Mombloggers we talk to Naya about what role her blog plays in her life and the momblogging community as a whole.
What inspired you to blog and what role does it play in your life?
I originally started my blog because I felt that I was losing a sense of who I was after becoming a mom. I was afraid I would end up like one of those moms on “What Not to Wear” or another makeover show. My blog was originally called “Glow Baby Glow” and I would have weekly goals – wear perfume, do my hair, etc. I would try and do these even if I wasn’t leaving the house. At some point I realized that I couldn’t deny the fact that I was changing. Breastfeeding had become a huge part of my life and is something that I am very passionate about. I refocused my blog’s theme to be about my breastfeeding experience, mommyhood, being a working mom, and to incorporate the fashion/beauty aspect of “Glow Baby Glow”, and “Lactivist in Louboutins” was born. Blogging plays a medium role in my life. I don’t live to blog, nor do I live to blog. I tend to write about things I’m going through that relate to the above mentioned topics. Lately, I have had a lot going on, but nothing of interest to write about. I would rather not write for a few days than to force out a half-hearted piece.
Do you ever blog about cultural issues and do you get resistance on that from readers or is it well received?
I haven’t really blogged about cultural issues despite dealing with them in life. My husband is American and we plan to expose our son to both cultures while raising him.
Do you feel connected to the Momblogger community? Why or Why not?
I agree, I don’t know of many S. Asian mommy bloggers. The mommy bloggers I follow are Caucasian, African American, or a mix of different cultures. Part of why I started blogging was because many of the mommy bloggers I came across were stay at home moms. I knew when I got pregnant that that was not an option for me. I wanted to provide the point of view of a working mother and post about any S. Asian related issues if/when they arose. I answered the question about inspiration to blog below. I don’t feel very connected to the mommy blogger world. I don’t feel alone either, but not as connected as others. I’m not a part of any blogging circles or chains, though I have recently started participating in blog hops. Social media has played a huge part in my life. I share pictures of my son on Facebook or Twitter to friends and family members that live around the world. It has also provided me with support being a first time mom. I am a part of a few online communities and groups geared towards moms, breastfeeding, a more holistic lifestyle, or some combination of them.
What different challenges are there for South Asian moms today than the days of our own moms?
As I mentioned above, my husband is American and we want our son to learn about both of our heritages. This is something that my mom did not have to worry about since both of my parents are Indian. There are also more general challenges for all working moms today – I base a lot of my self worth on work. If I don’t enjoy what I do, that seems to affect other areas of my life.
Was your own mom an inspiration growing up when it comes to your work ethic?
Absolutely. To this day, my mom works her tail off to provide for her family. She never gives anything less than 100%. That is something that has really resonated with me. Both my parents are firm believers in finishing a job completely and not letting things remain halfway and I find myself believing the same thing. My mother would work for eight hours a day, come home, cook a full meal (sometimes two if my dad didn’t like what we were having), and still be an active part of her daughters’ life. If I do half as much as she did, I will be happy.
How do you retain some of the South Asian culture in your family’s day to to day lives?
We are fortunate enough to have my grandmother living with us, so there is a lot of South Asian culture in our daily life. Obviously, we enjoy Indian food and eat it 4-5 nights of the week. We also speak Marathi in the house. My husband is slowly learning it.
What has changed you most since you’ve become a mom?
The responsibility that comes along with motherhood has changed me the most. I think about how my actions impact us as a family more now than I did before having a baby. I drive slower, eat healthier, and exercise more. I am also in awe of how physiologically amazing a woman’s body is since having my son. I was his sole source of nutrition for 16 months and grew an entire person!!
How do you juggle cultural or family obligations in your life?
I only have one child who is an infant, so this has not really affected us yet. When plans conflict, I try and give any family or cultural obligations the higher priority.
Follow Naya and her blog at : www.lactivistinlouboutins.com or on
facebook: www.facebook.com/LactivistInLouboutins
Are you a South Asian blogging mom? Or do you blog about South Asian culture? Get featured in our series! Get in touch and tell us about your blog at: editor@masalamommas.com
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