Here at The Bedford Mom we believe that moms deserve to be recognized and celebrated! This month we are proud to feature Laura McLaughlin, a devoted mom of three boys who is a very active member in our local community.
Tell us about yourself!
My name is Laura and I live in town with my husband Kyle of 11 years and our three sons, Cameron (8),
Andrew (6), and Nathan (3). I am originally from Lebanon, New Hampshire and have lived all over New
England since graduating college. Following a new job opportunity for my husband, and the desire to be
closer to our family who still live in New Hampshire, we moved from Connecticut to Bedford in 2017. I’m
a registered dietitian by training, but I also enjoy baking, crafting, reading, being outdoors and
volunteering in the community and at school!
Tell us about your work!
After earning bachelor’s degrees in English Journalism and Nutritional Sciences from the University of
New Hampshire, I moved to Boston to do my dietetic internship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. I
went on to work there as a clinical dietitian taking care of inpatient oncology and cardiac patients.
Following this, we moved to Colchester, Connecticut and I took a clinical dietitian job at Hartford
Hospital where I covered a medical floor and was the dedicated inpatient liver and kidney transplant
dietitian. I did this for a number of years until I moved outpatient and provided medical nutrition
therapy to dialysis patients. In 2017 we decided to move back home to New Hampshire and I was 8
months pregnant with our second son. At that time, we decided it made the most sense, for our family,
for me to step away from working full time. While I primarily stay home now, since 2019, I have worked
per diem at Elliot Hospital working as a clinical dietitian on any unit that needs coverage including the
ICU, medical/surgical floors, rehab, geriatric, psychiatric and pediatric floors. I love having the flexibility
to be home with my kids or volunteer at school, but also very much enjoy going to work to provide
nutrition support to patients and their families
What are your favorite local restaurants?
My favorite local spots are The Tavern at the Bedford Village Inn (have you tried the Clam Chowder?!)
and the Inside Scoop for the coffee oreo ice cream. We also love the Purple Finch for breakfast, Yianni’s
Pizza and T-Bones.
What is your favorite way to practice self-care?
My favorite way to practice self-care is to take a Jazzercise class at Bellami Fitness in Manchester. No we
don’t wear leotards or scrunchy socks. I’ve been “jazzercising” since 2011 and love the full body
workout (not to mention your membership allows you to go to any franchise in the country). It includes
40 minutes of high intensity dance-based cardio, followed by 20 minutes of strength training and
stretching. The instructors are so motivating and the hit music makes the hour fly by! Other classes include SHiNE 45, BARRE, B’LISS60, and High-Low45. If you’re interested in going or learning more, I’d love to connect!
What brought you to Bedford?
Being from “northern” NH and the lakes region, we weren’t as familiar with southern NH or Bedford. We
house-searched all over southern NH, but ultimately chose Bedford based on its reputation for a high
quality school system, safety, accessibility and proximity to all the amenities while also maintaining a
sense of community. Six years in town and my husband and I still say to each other how happy we are
to have settled here!
What is your favorite thing about Bedford?
There are so many wonderful things about living here. I love the sense of community and the friends I’ve
made. Bedford can feel big at times, but the more involved I’ve become, familiar faces seemingly pop
up everywhere! I also love that we’re an hour from Boston, an hour from the mountains, and an hour
from the lakes region. We spend a lot of time outside hiking, biking, skiing and swimming in the lake so
Bedford was the perfect location!
What are your favorite local spots in town?
Local spots you’ll find us at are The Educational Farm at Joppa Hill, the playground, public library, Target,
and riding bikes in the woods.
What is your best piece of advice for moms who are new in town?
Making new friends as an adult can be hard and uncomfortable, but it doesn’t have to be. Know that
there are so many ways to meet new families in town. Go out of your way to do things you don’t
normally do! Stay up to date with what’s going on in town by looking at the events calendar on the
Bedford Public library website, check out the community calendar on The Bedford Mom, join in on one
of the monthly events with The Bedford Mom (mom’s night out, couples night out or a kids event), or
strike up a conversation with a neighbor or fellow parent at one of the kids sports or extracurricular
activity events. I’ve found that volunteering at school is also a great way to connect with staff and other
families too! Start small, but embrace connections.
What is your best piece of advice for expecting moms or new moms?
Parenthood is a unique journey for every parent. Trust your instincts and know that while there are
some general guidelines and parenting strategies, no one kid is the same and your parenting approach
may look a little different from one kid to the next (even in the same home!) and that’s ok!