If you've been in Florida awhile, you know that you can find a lot of people who are originally from the North and have found a love for Florida and their home here in the sunshine state just like our featured family! Originally from Ohio and Michigan, Dr. Patel and her family are happy to be calling the Space Coast home!
"What brought you to the Space Coast?"
I grew up in Ohio and my husband grew up in Michigan. We met in dental school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and then completed our speciality training (mine in Pediatric Dentistry and his in Endodontics) in San Antonio, Texas. My parents moved to Viera 12 years ago when I started dental school so I got to spend my vacations in paradise! After we had our first child, my husband and I decided we wanted to live closer to family and Brevard County served as the perfect place to raise our family.
"Do you have favorite local spots that your family loves?"
We love the Brevard Zoo, exploring all the different parks/wildlife preserves in the area, attempting to learn how to surf, getting acai bowls at Cafe Surfinista, going out for breakfast at the great local places all over our county, and going for walks and bike rides around where we live. We enjoy simple pleasures and with COVID don't really do a whole lot :)
"What has been your experience having a baby during Covid? Any tips and tricks for soon to be new mommies right now?"
The nursing staff, doctors, lactation consultants and support staff are all acutely aware of how nervous pregnant moms are during this time and were very empathetic during our stay at the hospital. The care I received at Holmes Regional Medical Center was fantastic from delivery to discharge and other than the mask-wearing, it didn't feel much different to me than when I delivered my first child. It's a blessing to be able to focus on a new baby instead of what's happening around the world so it doesn't feel like a hard situation to me - just a lot of beautiful moments with my amazing kids! I think this pandemic has forced us all to focus on what is truly important to us; for me that was ensuring the health and safety of me and my family and following the protocols the hospital put in place for our safety and the safety of the hospital personnel.
"How did you first hear about Florida Kid Co Swaddles? Which is your favorite and what is your favorite thing about them?"
I started following them on social media after seeing a friend post about the locally-owned woman-led small business. The prints are so adorable and the fabric is so buttery soft! They don't fade at all with frequent washing and they are great in our hot and humid climate as a coverup while feeding or a light blanket. I love that the themes of the prints are based off of what we see here in Brevard County.
At a time like this when COVID has shaken so many businesses (big and small), I think it's even more important to support each other's businesses - so thank you for creating Space Coast Baby and featuring small businesses - especially those led by women!
Want to grab your own Florida Kid Co swaddle?! Visit the Florida Kid Co resource page here! FLORIDA KID CO