Mother Stories
At Home With Earthy New Mama Sharese Ferguson & Baby Tula
Written by Katie Hintz-Zambrano
Photography by Photographed by Chelsi McFadden
Aug 18, 2022
Slow, coastal living is where it’s at for new mama Sharese Ferguson. However, when it comes to her journey into motherhood, things were uncharacteristically fast and furious. As she explains it, “My husband and I met online and got engaged after 1 month of dating, we were married after 2 months, and we ended up getting pregnant a week after our wedding!” Fast forward one year later, and she’s now the doting mother to 3-month-old Yari (“He lights up rooms with his smile,” she gushes. “Our sunshine!”).
Below, we get to know the California-dwelling creative, as she tries on Baby Tula’s brand-new Hemp baby carrier. The super-soft and super-strong carrier is ideal for adventurous, Earth-loving parents, thanks to its buttery plant-based fabric that comes in an array of rich, earthy tones. Find out why it’s the perfect fit for Sharese’s nature-centric life, and that of parents everywhere.
This post is brought to you by Mother + Baby Tula.
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"We live in a small coastal town. We have only one large store in town, which is our grocery store. The closest Target is 3 hours away!"
"My husband actually took a job here and we moved last minute while I was 5 months pregnant. We love our small town and I find joy in the beauty of it. It’s been my favorite part about living in California."
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Sharese wears the brand-new and highly versatile Hemp baby carrier by Baby Tula.
Ideal for life on-the-go, the Explore-style design is suitable for newborns up to toddlers and offers the most varied carrying range of all of Baby Tula's carriers—including facing in, front facing out, and back carry.
Each of the set-ups provides a natural, ergonomic position that's best for comfortable carrying and promotes healthy hip and spine development for babies.
Designed to help parents embrace a natural way of raising children, Baby Tula's Hemp baby carriers are a nod to the fact that babywearing builds strength and softness in both parents and their children.
The unique fabric in these new carriers embodies just that—strength and softness.
Unlike other hemp fabrics, this innovative rendition is super strong, while also being buttery soft, making it an ideal material for baby wearing.
Explore Hemp Baby Carrier in Obsidian, $199, Baby Tula.
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"I like that it’s very small and community oriented. We all know each other and, since it’s a small community, everyone has an important part. We all come together and help one another. I love that my son will also be apart of that and his childhood will be spent with the same children for his whole life."
Explore Hemp Baby Carrier in Obsidian, $199, Baby Tula.
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"I currently work from home. Since the pandemic, getting pregnant and being able to work from home has been a blessing. I’m just now transitioning back into work, while also creating content and taking care of my baby! It has been challenging, but all in all I wouldn’t change a thing. I love motherhood, so I’ve been enjoying being able to care for my son while I work."
Explore Hemp Baby Carrier in Obsidian, $199, Baby Tula.
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"I think the important part of it is first having the support of your partner or family. I definitely wouldn’t be able to get as much done creatively if my husband wasn’t able to help me with the babe."
"And also being able to baby wear has played a huge role in what I can accomplish in a day with a little one."
"I also go with Yari's flow. If he isn’t feeling it or needs a break, that’s what we do. And I don’t force him to tag along with me or take photos if he isn’t in the mood."
Explore Hemp Baby Carrier in Obsidian, $199, Baby Tula.
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"Yes! I’ve always dreamed of having a huge family and raising my children at home. Motherhood has been a big goal of mine that I always wanted to achieve and I’m so grateful to have been able to bring a little life into this world!"
Explore Hemp Baby Carrier in Obsidian, $199, Baby Tula.
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"I think what surprised me was the community I gained while being pregnant and after birth, especially with the Slowed Community. It’s so refreshing to have other women and mothers to talk to and celebrate life with! Having community is so important, it really does take a village!"
"Also the amount of worry you have! I knew it would be a different level of responsibility caring for a little person, but the protection and also fear was surprising to me! It could be some PPD, but I had a little anxiety about letting people near him and just wanting to keep him safe next to me."
Explore Hemp Baby Carrier in Obsidian, $199, Baby Tula.
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Baby Tula's new Hemp baby carrier is made of a plant-based fabric, and comes in 5 rich, earthy tones—charcoal, olive green, amber, and stripes of rust, ochre, and charcoal—that complement just about every skin tone and outfit choice.
Sharese's charcoal-colored carrier is the perfect neutral for her and her husband to use year-round—now and throughout Yari's toddler years.
Explore Hemp Baby Carrier in Obsidian, $199, Baby Tula.
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Lasting from the newborn months to the toddler years, Baby Tula’s Hemp baby carrier is handmade to last.
Hallmark accessories include reinforced stitching and seams, sturdy buttons, and a detachable hood for sunny days.
It also aids the ability to go skin-to-skin with your baby, without irritation. The natural, soft-to-the-touch fabric is gentle enough for baby to wear with just a diaper or bloomers—which makes it ideal for both indoor and outdoor snuggling.
Explore Hemp Baby Carrier in Obsidian, $199, Baby Tula.
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"I would definitely say soak in the moments. They grow so fast and there is only a short time they are that tiny! Snuggle them, take in the smells of baby, and admire what you have created!"
"I would definitely also advise moms to register for baby carriers and wraps so they can have their little ones close to them a lot in those early days and even months after. It was a life saver for me to be able to get some things done around the house and have both hands free while still being close to my baby."
Explore Hemp Baby Carrier in Obsidian, $199, Baby Tula.
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Baby Tula's standout design makes it easy for parents to take off the carrier when baby is in transition—from outfit and diaper changes, to naptime and more.
Explore Hemp Baby Carrier in Obsidian, $199, Baby Tula.
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"I love that the carrier is sturdy for my little one, so that I can get things done around the house. But it's also soft, so it feels comfortable for him, while supporting us both while he is in it!"
Explore Hemp Baby Carrier in Obsidian, $199, Baby Tula.
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"I love using a baby carrier! My little one loves being close to mama while I cook and clean, while I work, or go to the beach with him. It helps us stay connected, while also allowing me to have some freedom in my day while still having him close."
Explore Hemp Baby Carrier in Obsidian, $199, Baby Tula.
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"My husband and I actually knew we wanted a big family and wanted to try right away. We actually met online and got engaged after 1 month of dating, married after 2 months, and we ended up getting pregnant a week after our wedding. A whirlwind of a romance, but we are celebrating our honeymoon and anniversary in Hawaii this week!"
"I had a pretty amazing pregnancy! No morning sickness or changes. I absolutely loved being pregnant. My birth experience was almost the opposite though. We went to the hospital about a week before I was due because I thought I was leaking fluid. As soon as we got there, they diagnosed me with preeclampsia (which I hadn’t had a few days prior) and I had to be induced right away. The baby had a hard time with that and I ended up getting a c-section."
"I was completely blindsided and felt like my birth experience was taken from me, but at the same time terrified that my baby wouldn’t be okay. In the end, he was born screaming and healthy! So, even though it didn't go as planned, I’m very grateful for the birthing team I had at the hospital who made sure me and baby were safe."
Explore Hemp Baby Carrier in Obsidian, $199, Baby Tula.
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"I actually liked being pregnant during the pandemic. Usually people feel the need to rub bellies and touch babies and I feel that the distance has helped my new mom anxiety and just wanting to keep him safe and to myself has been easier to do. Even though this is my first experience being pregnant and having a newborn, I think it’s been a blessing in disguise."
"I do think next time around I’m hoping my husband can come to more appointments and it would be nice to have family come into town to meet the baby when he is born. That’s something that we have been missing out on."
"The fear is also a low for me—I'm fearful that we will end up hospitalized due to being exposed to something, especially COVID, and realizing there’s only so much I can do as a mother to protect him from that."
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- "I felt a bond right away. I grow more in love with him everyday. He is everything I didn’t know I needed. It's been so surreal, like having your heart living outside of your body. And watching him grow, I try to soak in all the moments with him."
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"I absolutely feel changed as a person. I’ve heard that your life doesn’t start until you become a mother and (sometimes) I think that is true. You are reborn after giving birth and a whole new life emerges."
"Transitioning into motherhood, I feel stronger—like, if I can do that, I can do anything! I will go to the ends of the earth for my little one. I want to make sure he has the greatest experiences in life and always feels loved and protected. Becoming a mother has created a new fire inside of me!"
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“There's a great quote on motherhood by an unknown author: 'Being a mother is learning about strengths you didn’t know you had and dealing with fears you didn’t know existed.'"
Explore Hemp Baby Carrier in Obsidian, $199, Baby Tula.
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- "I actually laugh when I think about how we found my son's name! It was from a TikTok that had all of these names meaning 'moon' and Yari was on there. It was spelled differently, but we feel in love with the name. And his middle name is his dad’s favorite name, Phillip."
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"I am excited to teach him how to be a good person, raising him to be a positive force in the world, and how to approach life with an optimistic outlook in uncertain times. We found out the sex at 20 weeks and we definitely thought the baby was a boy, so we weren’t too surprised."
"I’m concerned about the way he will impact other people's lives, more so than raising 'a man' so to speak. I think part of raising boys is raising them to know that the worth and value of every person is just as great as their own, and they should treat everyone they meet with love and kindness, help others, and show respect."
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- Sharese's outdoor essentials: including Baby Tula's Explore carrier in Hemp.
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"My mother raised me and I grew up with my older brother in the suburbs of Detroit. My parents were divorced by the time I was 6. Growing up and seeing my friends that had both parents in their home, I was determined to bring a child into the world with both parents in the household. That divide can be hard for a child."
"My mother worked very hard, she went to college while working full-time and also raising me and my brother, and she still had time to take us to our extra curricular activities. We were always in clubs, on teams, art class, dance class, sports—we had active lives."
"My grandparents were also a huge part of my life. My mom and grandparents were at all of my dance recitals, sporting events, art shows, graduations, etc. They always made me feel love and support—I felt like I could accomplish anything! It’s definitely what I aspire to with my children. A happy, full childhood."
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"I would definitely take the 'can do' attitude my mom instilled in me. I give my all to everything because I saw my mom do it all! It seemed effortless, too. I am always in awe of her. She faces challenges with ease and she radiates confidence, and I want my children to have that confidence in life."
"No matter what they want to to do in life, I will let them know they are supported and loved. I want them to know it’s okay to soak in life and take it easy, enjoy your life, and be one with nature, create, love each other, laugh, and find your joy in the world."
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- "Yes, absolutely! Especially since moving to the coast. We love to enjoy life here, take our time, and really become one with nature. We try to minimize waste, thrift, and live a sustainable lifestyle."
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- "I think I will take a balanced, Montessori approach. I want my son to have the tool set to be independent, but also respectful, and to be able to form his own opinions within reason."
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- "Helping to raise this person in the world, seeing what they will do, and imaging who they will be makes me so excited! I can’t wait to see his personality and his role in our family!"
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- "Not being able to be the parent he needs. I want to exceed expectations, and often we don’t see if we succeed at that until they are already raised. I just want to give him a better life than me."
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"I think the most important thing I learned is to do what makes you happy! I created a family during the pandemic, and moved from Los Angeles to a small coastal town. I would have never thought my life would be like this!"
"Take the leap of faith and follow your bliss. Create the life you love and everything will fall into place."
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For more on Sharese and her adorable family, be sure to follow @shareselove on Instagram.
To shop the Baby Tula carrier featured in this story—along with dozens of other styles and prints—head over to BabyTula.com.
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