Instagram live is easily the best thing to happen to the mere seconds new moms have to spare on social media. Add these eight courageous mamas to your must-read list.
By Jenn Sinrich
@styleyoursenses
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@styleyoursenses
For a breathtaking glimpse into the life of a fashion-savvy mom from Charlotte, North Carolina, follow Mallory Fitzsimmons, mom to Landry, 4, and Lawson, 3 months. On her Live, she'll share what's on her mind along with recipes, fashion finds, motherhood musings, photos of her babies and pretty much everything in between.
"When I decided to put my heart into Instastories, I vowed to myself that I would remain vulnerable and honest, offering an unfiltered view of my life and motherhood and really letting people get to know my heart," she told Fit Pregnancy. She doesn't think of her audience as "followers;" she considers them "friends." "I try to keep conversation friendly, open and relatable on Instastories, sharing the ups and downs of this crazy season of life."
@diaryofafitmommyofficial
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@diaryofafitmommyofficial
If your Instagram feed mainly consists of enviable bodies and fitness fanatics, add Sia Cooper to your watch list. She's a NASM certified trainer and creator of Strong Body Guide who works out practically anywhere—and on anything (we're serious, check out her feed and you'll see her stretching on her car!).
"I love Instagram live because it gives me a chance to engage with my audience at that exact moment, which I find really special," she told Fit Pregnancy. She tries her best to go live at least once a week, posting workouts or offering moms helpful tips. "My followers can expect live workouts and lots of Q&A style posts when I go live! They can jump in and get a free, quick workout or even catch a quick recipe."
@internationalheels
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@internationalheels
Julia Goodman, mommy to 15-month-old Anastasia, posts fashion inspiration daily. She just launched her first business, an online women's fashion and accessory e-commerce store called "Julia Jolie Beverly Hills" and is documenting the beginnings of her empire on Insta live.
"It's a struggle sometimes between dedicating your time to your kids and starting a new business," Goodman told us. That's why her Instagram posts are simply her everyday life. "On Instagram story, I post a lot of our family adventures and funny everyday life events around family, parenting, yummy food, fashion and beauty."
@sarahaleyfit
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@sarahaleyfit
Sara Haley, mom to Landon, 6, Liam, 3 and baby #3 who is due in June, is a pre- and postnatal exercise specialist who posts almost every day of the week. "I try to jump on live whenever I can," she told Fit Pregnancy. "Some weeks that's a few times and others it may just be once—I'm a mom after all!"
It's no news to any mom that life can be pretty unpredictable, so the biggest thing users can expect from Sara is a real life experience. "I'm a real mom going through real things and I don't have time to put on hair and makeup every day to visit with everyone on IG live, nor do I want to spend the time away from my kids trying to get the perfect IG picture...so I don't." Most of the time you'll see her jumping on live with her hair in a topknot and wearing her workout clothes. There might even be a little person who sneaks into the picture!
@nataliealcala
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@nataliealcala
Natalie Alcala, founder of Fashion Mama and mom to two-year-old Diego, is a fashion fanatic who has an impeccable sense of style—for both mom and baby. At least once daily you can expect to see her post everything from regrams and event photos to blog feature promos and member spotlights.
"Instagram Live feels raw and void of high production value, so followers feel like they're right in your home (or in my case, office)," she told Fit Pregnancy. "Once a month we do this fun Instagram Live interview series called 'Mama Juice' where we interview an inspiring mom who's enjoying a juice or smoothie (or the occasional wine!)."
@physicalkitchness
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@physicalkitchness
Chrissa Benson, mom to Brockston, 2½ , and Maddix, 9 months, is the fit, Paleo-friendly mom to follow. She's a ninja barre instructor and self-proclaimed meal plan ninja who posts, on average, about 10 to 20 stories per day, including some healthy meal tutorials and some funny mom life stuff. Most often you'll catch her cooking clean meals, working out with her kids and "trying not to lose her mind in the process," she told us. "My followers can expect to laugh with me when mom life is so chaotic that you're not sure if you should laugh or cry."
She also loves inspiring moms to stay fit and eat healthy so that they feel good from the inside out. She's also not afraid to show a more real side of life that the social media world can conceal. "There's no perfectly made up person on the other side of the screen (yes, I even hop on straight out of bed with zit cream still on my forehead). And, despite all the deep things we feel 'flawed' about, it's all just the trueness of a life in the trenches with little ones."
@brycegruber
7 of 8View this post on InstagramLiterally impossible to get them all to look in the same direction at the same time, but I tried 🤣
A post shared by Bryce Gruber Hermon (@brycegruber) on
@brycegruber
Few folks in NYC's mommy realm haven't heard of Bryce Gruber-Hermon. As the editor and CEO of TheLuxurySpot.com, a lifestyle site for moms, followers love Bryce's unfiltered, raw honesty that comes out on her Instagram Lives, which she tries to do 1 to 3 times a week. "I think the best ones are either funny or OMG-style," she told Fit Pregnancy. "I recently did a live feed of taking my oldest child on his first roller coaster. Tons of people said they were cracking up and totally related to all the horrified faces we both made."
Instagram live gives Bryce the chance to show the funnier, wittier side of her personality that static photos and short Instagram stories don't totally encapsulate. "These live videos are sort of like opening a doorway to real friendship, although sometimes my husband doesn't want to be my friend anymore when he sees I've posted his faux pas on a live feed!"
@thechicseries
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@thechicseries
Kate Brennan is basically the Instagram mom next door—a beauty, fashion and fitness lover whose first passion is being mom to daughters Isabella, 3½, and Summer, 11 months. Her typical feed is a carefully curated string of makeup tutorials, product reviews, workout reviews and some family time.
"Instagram live allows me to show followers bits and pieces of my hectic life," she told Fit Pregnancy. "I just want to share my love of fitness with other moms because it's what motivates me, makes me feel good (and look good!)." Elle Woods from Legally Blonde explains it best, "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy."