'Dear New Parents' Initiative Shines Light on the Challenges of Feeding Babies

Nothing can really prepare you for parenthood, but a new initiative is hoping to shine some light on all those unknowns, including one often big struggle: feeding your baby.

Infant formula company, ByHeart, launched "Dear New Parents," an initiative on Instagram featuring famous parents including Mindy Kaling, Andy Cohen, Mandy Moore, DJ Khaled, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, and Maria Sharapova speaking on their personal experiences of feeding their babies and their "wait, no one told me that" moments.

The videos, which can be viewed on the company's Instagram account, are entertaining, heart-wrenching, funny, and genuine, and are also sparking a much-needed dialogue around the challenges and frustrations of the new parent experience and the things nobody tells them.

"Becoming a parent is life-changing," Moore, who is mom to a toddler named August, tells Parents. "There are a million things I needed—or needed to know—and didn't, that could have made me feel so much more confident and happy." By joining ByHeart's campaign, Moore says she's "acknowledging that we just have to start supporting parents in this country better—whether it's with a better formula or just better resources."

ByHeart is also asking all parents to join in by sharing love letters to the next generation of parents, to equip them with the tips and advice that they wish they had known about. Parents are encouraged to create their own Instagram reel sharing their story using the hashtag #DearNewParents and tagging @byheart. The company aims to then use feedback from the initiative to inform the programs and resources it will build to help fill the gaps identified by these real parents.

Mia Funt, co-founder of ByHeart, shared her experience in a social media post for the campaign, saying, "No one could prepare me for the overwhelming joy (and comedy!) of watching my little humans grow into themselves ... and for how feeding could be at one moment a total shit show (literally) and at another a moment of beautiful and intimate refuge and peace with my family. Raising a bottle to easy feedings for all future parents!"