Our favorite thing about Solly Baby is you—the community of moms and dads doing the beautiful, messy, important work of raising little ones. In our weekly Full Heart Series, we're sharing stories from our Solly Community that resonate, inspire, and remind us we're never alone. Join us as we savor these everyday moments that leave our hearts full.
Let's start with a quick introduction. Tell us the facts.
Name: Hannah Hughes
Children: Jude (4 years), Della (5 months)
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Occupation: Content Creator + Podcaster
When and how did you get connected with Solly?
I was gifted a Solly Wrap in 2019 when I had my son. At the time I didn't know anything about babywearing, but it quickly changed my life and now that we have our daughter I'm OBSESSED.
What’s a time in the last week when your heart felt full?
My husband was out of town a few days this past week and I was really exhausted after a long day at home with the kids. I finally got my son to bed after laying with him for a while and was about to leave his room when he said, "Mom, I love you. You're so lovely." It melted my heart and reminded me that now matter how tiring some days are as a mama, I'd never trade it.
You shared above that you have a podcast. Give us a two-sentence pitch for your show!
My podcast is called The By Words Show! It's all about equipping women for purposeful living and starting conversations about topics women wish were talked about more (like mom anger, mental health, social issues, body image, and my own experiences with miscarriages and other struggles).
What's something about motherhood that has surprised you?
Honestly, I'm surprised on a daily basis by how funny our son is. He's always making us laugh and I didn't expect to have so many hilarious conversations with a 4-year-old.
What’s something funny he said recently?
Oh my goodness, so hard to choose one story about our son. He's super quick-witted and constantly cracking us up! One time shortly after we brought our daughter home, I was nursing her and Jude asked me to come help him with something. I said I couldn't get up right then because I was with his sister, and he said, "Mom, you can just unplug her from your feeder." Totally caught me off guard. Haha!
What would you do with an extra hour in the day (other than sleep)?
Read! There are so many books on my list.
Where was the first place you took your baby (other than the pediatrician’s office)?
We stopped by a smoothie shop on our way home from the hospital. Our daughter had been in the NICU, so getting to take her anywhere with us felt like a dream come true.
Tell us more about your NICU experience?
After our son was born, I had three miscarriages. Once I finally got pregnant again with our daughter, I had a ton of complications (cholestasis, polyhydramnios, blood pressure issues—just to name a few). I was in and out of the hospital quite a bit leading up to her birth.
At 35 weeks, I went into labor and was hospitalized. My husband was working out of town that day, so I was alone for most of it. Thankfully my mom was able to get to the hospital in time for them to wheel me back for an emergency C-section. When they delivered our daughter, she didn't cry. I was terrified. After all of our losses and how difficult the pregnancy had been, the idea of anything going wrong with her was a nightmare. She was having trouble breathing and I saw her for about 3 seconds before they rushed her to the NICU.
My husband was there by the time I got out of surgery, and they brought us in to meet our daughter, Della. It was one of the scariest moments of my life. We could barely see her because she was hooked up to so many wires and machines. After only a few minutes with her, the nurses took me up to my room and my husband had to leave to go home and be with our son. That was one of the hardest nights of my entire life, not being able to move or get out of bed or be with my baby. I didn't know if she was okay or when I'd get to hold her.
Later the next day when I was able to start walking, I got to start pumping and then had nurses wheel me downstairs to bring milk to Della in the NICU. She looked so little and fragile, and they were feeding her through a tube, but I got to see her every 3 hours during her care times and finally got to hold her for the first time almost 24 hours after she was born.
I remember the day I had to leave the hospital without her. No mother should ever have to feel that. I cried the whole drive home and pretty much all night until we could get back to the hospital to see her the next day—which ended up being the day we got to bring her home! We are so lucky that she only had to stay in the NICU for a week. It was a miracle. My polyhydramnios allowed her to gain more weight in utero, which ended up being one of the main reasons she was able to breathe on her own and eat enough to continue gaining weight after she was born. I know that we really only got a small taste of what many other NICU mamas have to go through, but it certainly gave us so much perspective on the miracle of life, especially after losses. Della is healthy and has been thriving at home with us ever since!
What’s something you loved to do before baby that you still do or would like to start up again (eventually)?
I've always loved traveling and I'm so thankful we've kept traveling with our kids. We took our son to Ireland and Scotland when he was 2, and we just got back from New Zealand with both kids!
Amazing! Do you have any tips for traveling with young kids?
We love traveling with the kids! It used to be so scary for me, but my husband grew up in Asia so hearing about how great his experience was made me want to experience those things with our kids, too.
I'd say my top tips for traveling with kids are:
1. Book nighttime flights so you can (hopefully) sleep for most of it.
2. Babywearing ALWAYS—it makes it so much easier to get through the airport and the flight when baby feels snug and cozy.
3. Bring ALL. THE. SNACKS. Lol.
4. And just be flexible. I used to be such a huge planner and I'd try to schedule out our days on trips, but now we just make a list of things we'd like to do, then see what we feel up to each day and leave space for extra adventures and naps. It's crazy and sometimes exhausting, but always worth it for the memories!
Words of wisdom would you share with other moms?
Don't let mom guilt or any other voices convince you that you're not a good mom. If you're making decisions based on the love you have for your child and a desire for them to be safe, happy and healthy, you're doing it right.
What Solly pieces(s) do you have? What's on your wishlist?
I'm obsessed with the Wraps. I have them in Wildflower, Ginger Check, and Stormy Houndstooth. We also love the Sleepers—SO SOFT. My wishlist basically consists of anything Iced Lavender from the Café Collection and the Full Heart Era Sweatshirt!
How about a round of rapid-fire favorites…
Indulgence: True crime (Murder, Mystery & Makeup with Bailey Sarian on YouTube)
Podcast: The By Words Show! (It’s mine!)
Children's Book: The Chronicles of Narnia
Mama-time activity: A bubble bath
Person to follow on social: @jess_hover
After bedtime snack: Chips + guac
