All the Rage

by Daniela Syrovy
A newborn is the latest fashion accessory. Gone are the days of being hot and single. The reign of the hot mom has arrived. A woman with babe in stow can get anything she wants. I'm convinced of it. Just the other day as I was cruising the streets with my stroller I witnessed a fellow milf--twenty something, hot and stylish. She had on vintage over sized black studded sunglasses, tight jeans and a funky punk shirt with some great ballet flats. As I'm eyeing her from the bottom up I notice the best part of her outfit—her baby! Sitting comfortably on her hip in a fantastic ring sling is an adorable little baby girl. And she's wearing almost identical vintage black studded sunglasses—baby version! Too cute for words really. Mama is strutting her stuff when she drops her keys on the sidewalk and a man from across the street comes running over –dodging traffic just to help her pick them up! He picks them up and comments about how adorable her little girl is. Oh the power of baby. It's like having a really gorgeous doggie on your leash only much better because you can dress baby up in shades, hats, shoes, and mini skirts without anyone batting an eyelash. Baby coos and smiles and strangers cannot resist giving in to her charms. Absolutely everyone adores a cute baby.

At the grocery store last week I had an overflowing cart and every cashier had a line-up out the door. Just as I was thinking it would take me all afternoon to cash out one of the employees notices my sweet angel and side steps over to my cart. She looks into the infant seat and says, "Ohh my she's adorable. So tiny and so gorgeous." This is followed by a knowing wink and a quiet whisper of, "Come with me. I'll open a new register for you."

This is my dream come true! A packed grocery store and they open a new cash register just so I can be first in line. It's star treatment. I'm instantly brought back to the days of slutty teenagerdom when armed with a fake ID I ached to get to the front of the line at the latest club on Richmond. Bat an eyelash and the bouncer bumps you to the front of the line. When you enter milfdom it's similar experience except there's no need to bat eyelashes, and you're aching to get to the front of the line at the grocery store or bank. With baby in tote it's a cinch!

A few days after the groceries I visited my favourite furniture store and discovered a giant piece of art that I just had to have. It was 3 feet by 3 feet, weighed 30lbs and it was exactly what I needed in the kitchen.
When I got to the cash register to pay for it, I decided to ask if she could offer me a discount just for the hell of it. (Shopping tip of the day: always ask for a discount, be sweet and coy and you might be shocked that you actually get one).
She took one look at my bebe and viola! Twenty five percent off. Minutes later I'm struggling to carry the giant purchase, my stroller and my diaper bag when a total stranger walks up to me, makes small talk about my baby and volunteers to carry the piece all the way home for me.
It gets better. Since busting out with my babe I've enjoyed these perks:

Help carrying the stroller up and down steps
Free cookie
Free Starbucks coffee
Free Second Cup coffee
Free truffle at the organic chocolate shop
Help carrying my groceries

I have to make it clear that I had no idea it would be like this. Not once did I ask for these things. They simply get offered. It starts with light chatter about the baby and then the barista or chocolatier just falls under a spell. When I get to the cash they just say, "It's on the house, have a great day with your baby."
People want to give you the world when you have a baby in your arms.

On top of random strangers approaching you and aching to help you or discount your latest purchase, you get a plethora of 'ohhs' and 'ahhs'. You get smothered in compliments. The latest include, "Your baby is absolutely delicious!" "What an alert, smart looking baby that is!" and my personal favourite, "You only had her 7 weeks ago! Wow! You look incredible!" What woman wouldn't want to hear those things?

Babies are binding. At a friend's wedding recently my hubby and I were sat at a table with three young couples. As I sat there thinking that we have nothing in common with them and that it would be a torturous dinner, one of the women bursts out in excitement, "Oh my goodness how old is your baby?!" This is followed by hours of gleeful conversation about all of our babies. By the end of the night we exchanged numbers with the entire table and are planning play dates. I don't ever remember dating in my single years being that smooth or easy.

Babies also give you instant street cred. We moved into a new neighbourhood a few weeks ago and I can barely walk out my door without making a new friend. The local café, grocery store, furniture stores, boutiques and ice cream shop (where I'm a regular) all welcome me and baby with huge smiles and lovely chit chat. Never mind other parents-- it's stroller city out there. Every woman with a stroller could potentially be my new best friend. The other day I found myself at a swanky moms n' babes pool party in the west end of the city. Hors d'oeuvres, wine, dessert and fashionable new moms were abundant. Everyone was in fab poolside outfits and the young 30 something host was pregnant with her third. There's no question that having a baby is absolutely en vogue. Ladies, if you're on the fence about having one let it be heard: strollers are the new stilettos.