Absolutely Mama September/October 2017

S EP T EM B ER / O C TO B ER 2 01 7 I S S U E T EN • £ 3 .9 5

Mama The Magazine For Stylish Mums

LOSING The PLOT DEALING WITH TANTRUMS

Winter SUN ~

Mama's guide to Mexico ISSUE TEN • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2017 MAMA_Sep_Oct17_COVER_UK.indd 2

Flex APPEAL

CHANGING THE RULES ON FLEXIBLE WORKING

NEW ERA Rethinking maternity style

T H E M AG A Z I N E F O R ST Y L I S H M U M S

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bugaboo atelier collection our modern classic

we love to create key features: • stone mélange fabric • leather-look details • hand-stitched leather-look handlebar and carry handle • black chassis • coordinating black quilted seat inlay

limited edition 2017 The Atelier Collection is available for the Bugaboo Cameleon³ and Bugaboo Buffalo. learn more at www.bugaboo.com © Copyright 2017 Bugaboo® International BV

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bugaboo atelier collection our modern classic Bugaboo introduces the Atelier Collection, a limited edition design for the Bugaboo Cameleon3 and Bugaboo Buffalo. By using a stone mélange fabric and black leather-look trim, our designers have cleverly added another dimension to the contours of the pushchair.

Stone mélange fabric crafted from Bugaboo’s in-house design studio

Hand-stitched detailing and leather-look materials.

Coordinate in style with matching footmuff.

from concept to creation The Atelier Collection showcases the craftsmanship of our in-house design studio, which has been producing fashionforward pushchairs for over 15 years.

measure twice, cut once Quality is of the utmost importance, so there is painstaking attention to every detail. Our designers uphold the highest standards in order to please the most critical eyes.

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Eco - Ethical - Pure Shop online or visit our newly refurbished Surrey showroom Everything 100% baby friendly

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mama WELCOME

contents SEPTEMBER

64

OCTOBER 2017

50

23

68

78 12 16

MAMAHOOD 28 Flex Appeal

WELLNESS 60 Beauty Notes

New books

32 Losing the Plot

64 All in the mind

Fab new books for little ones

18

ESSENTIALS No Limits

A mountain buggy to tackle all terrain

Storq Maternity Collection 2017 storq.com

Th e mums leading the charge on fl exible working for all

Expert advice on how to deal with tantrums

Interview

We chat to the publisher of children's magazines Anorak and DOT

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AGENDA Mama loves

Autumn fashion and the perfect changing bag

ON THE COVER:

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FASHION Mama fashion

Re-thinking maternity wear

47 French Flair

We chat to the found of superstylish label Seraphine

22 Pretty as a Picture

54 Fashion Notes

24 Autumn Colours

56 The making of us

Luxe essentials for babies

Th e latest must-haves for toddlers

Highlights from Bubble London

Outside the Lines

Our favourite eye creams and the best organic facial

How keeping fit can help your mental health

HOME & INTERIORS 68 New additions Th e latest kiddie pieces for your home

78 Blogger Style

A interiors expert on how she designed her son's bedroom

TRAVEL 84 Mexcio

Th e perfect family desination for all ages

September / October 2017

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With over 30 configurations and an integrated ride-on-board, the British designed and engineered iCandy Orange is packed with innovation. Featuring our trademark elevator adaptors, unique 'cinema' double seating mode and a 64 litre basket, the Orange leads the field whilst still being compact enough to fit through a standard door.

Brilliantly flexible, beautifully crafted and absolutely futureproof.

Exclusively available from your local iCandy Stockist. www.icandyworld.com

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mama WELCOME HOLLY AND FREYA

Contributors Read about some of the women who helped to create this issue - we are inspired by them all

CATHY OLMEDILLA

Having cut her teeth on legendary 90s title The Face, Cathy now publishes Anorak and DOT, two amazing kid's magazines. She inspires us with her talent for firing up little imaginations. @AnorakMagazine

NIKKI COCHRANE AND KATHRYN TYLER

As Digital Mums, Nikki and Kathyrn train mamas in social media skills, to enable them to balance a career with family life. Their campaign for flexible working raises the profile of this issue for all of us. @digitalmums

Editor’s

THE MOST STYLISH MATERNITY WEAR. P.40

LETTER

W

elcome to the autumn issue of Absolutely Mama. We hope you all had a great summer – we had a brilliant time hanging out with family and friends, holidaying in Mexico (and Wales!), and generally messing about.

Now we can’t wait to get into the new season; the A/W collections have got us excited about everything from winter coats to soft chunky knits. Also check out our Bubble London fashion special, which has some great tasters for what’s coming in childrenswear for SS18.

If you’re on the hunt for non-mumsy maternity clothes, take a look at the Pre-Fall shoot from Hatch, the US label changing how we think about our pregnancy wardrobes.

And if you are expecting a baby, read all about how looking after your physical health can help your mental wellbeing before, during and after pregnancy.

Also, don’t miss our feature on this year’s hot topic: flexible working. We were really inspired talking to Mother Pukka, and Digital Mums – mamas determined to change the world of work for the better, for everyone. Read how you can get involved on p28. Enjoy!

BEAUTIFUL PIECES FOR AUTUMN WINTER. P. 56

MIRIAM CAREY

After reading Psychology at Reading University Miriam moved to London, and is now on a mission to try out all the ballet and barre classes in the city @mjoycarey

HOLLY KIRKWO OD E DITOR

@h.kirkwood holly@zest-media.com

T h e M a g a z i n e Fo r S t y l i s h M u m s

Production Manager: CHRIS COUCHMAN Finance Director: JERRIE KOLECI PA to the Directors: KERRY HOLLINGSWORTH Directors: GREG HUGHES & ALEXANDRA HUNTER Managing Director: SHERIF SHALTOUT

@ A B S O L U T E LY M A M A

For editorial enquiries please email: holly@zest-media.com

absolutely-mama .co.uk

For advertising enquiries please call 020 7704 0588 or email: rochelle@zest-media.com

Editor: HOLLY KIRKWOOD Contributing Editor: APPHIA MICHAEL Commercial Director: LEAH DAY Commercial Manager: ROCHELLE STREATER Marketing Manager: NEFELI KRITIKOU Art Director: PHIL COUZENS Senior Designer: PAWEL KUBA Mid-weight Designer: REBECCA NOONAN

For media partnership enquiries please call 020 7704 0588 or email: nefeli@zest-media.com

Absolutely Mama supports

APPS TO KEEP YOUR KIDS SAFE ONLINE. P.17

Part of the

LON DON OFFICE : 197-199 City Road, London EC1V 1JN, UK ABU DHABI OFFICE: FACT M.E FZ-LLC, Office 907E, TwoFour54, Park Rotana Complex, P.O Box 769328, Abu Dhabi UAE Download the Absolutely Mama app to discover, learn and share the latest MAMA trends and news.

zest.london Zest Media Publications Ltd. cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and Zest Media Publications Ltd. take no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved.

September / October 2017

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10 things we Absolutely

LOV E From our dream buggy to an elegant personalised bracelet

STYLE IT UP

Outs id e th e Lin es Playing with texture and colour, the new pieces from OutsideThe Lines feature rich royal blues, pastel pinks and classic shapes which can be layered up beautifully. This black lace dress is a perfect example. outside-the-lines.co.uk

GLOBE TROTTER Scotch & Soda

Continuing to take inspiration from global nomads this kids collection for A/W 17 features some super cool chunky knits with a retro feel, and warm colours, from salmon pinks to vibrant reds. scotch-soda.com

Dream buggy

B ug a b o o Ate l i e r Co l l ectio .

Inspired by chic and minimal French fashion, the latest collection from this pushchair super-brand is monochrome and slick for parents who want their little ones to travel in comfort and style. From ÂŁ1049. bugaboo.com

Tools of the trade

Mou l in Roty This traditional toolset comes in a wooden case and includes a spanner, screwdriver, pliers, hammer, saw, carpenters square, drill and a handy notebook. ÂŁ38.99. olivelovesalfie.co.uk

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ma m a LOVES

BAGS OF JOY Ju-Ju-Be

US-based Ju-Ju-Be have a decade of experience fine-tuning just what mamas need from their changing bags. With a fab range of models and designs to choose from, you can pick exactly what suits your needs. europe.ju-ju-be.com

Basket case

Ol l i E l l a A bike basket, a scooter basket, a treasure bag and a handbag all rolled into one, the fun Minichari is hand woven from rattan. The perfect accessory for a Microscooter adventure this autumn. £35. olliella.com, micro-scooters.co.uk

Get personal

A n n i n a Vo g e l Annina Vogel specialises in giving old pieces a new lease of life, creating collectables for a whole new generation. Bracelets can be personalised with your own message, names, dates or initials, making them fantastic gifts to commemorate a birth or an anniversary. £550 anninavogel.co.uk

Make a note r’s editock pi

ON THE GO

Tiny Cotto n s This autumn Tiny Cottons 'Altiplano' introduced a new outerwear line, made with recycled, eco-friendly materials. This new capsule includes jackets, overalls, one-pieces, snow hats and boots: it's gorgeous high quality stuff built to last. tinycottons.com

Des i g n l et te rs These large message boards are a stylish way of keeping lists and making notes; or practising words and spelling with the kids.

It looks fab in the kitchen, the hallway, the office or nursery. £90 cissywears.com

Packed with love

Th e Ra i n b ow Lun ch b ox Put a smile on your little one's face when they open their school bag to find this happy little lunch box with their favourite snacks inside. £8.50 jjswigwam.com

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#shoot forthe moon

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Child-friendly events created by mums, for mums. If you are starting a business, growing a business or just want to know what options exist outside of the 9-5 then this show is for you. With over 50 Exhibitors, Choice of Practical Workshops, 1-2-1 Business Advice, Open Mic Story Stage, Networking & Inspirational Q&A Panel.

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agenda

F U N W I T H T H E G R U F FA LO p . 14 • B E ST N E W R E A D S FO R LI T T LE S p . 16 M E E T T H E E D I TO R : A N O R A K A N D D OT p . 18

Going Underground Until 23rd September The Vaults, Waterloo

Tumble down the rabbit hole into the vaults below Waterloo for Alice's Adventures Underground. Will you take tea with the Mad Hatter, bump into the White Rabbit or meet the Queen of Hearts?

Let the kids decide.

Alice-underground.com

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W H AT ’ S ON Fans of the Gruffalo read on, plus world-class art in Regent's Park

3 TH I N G S FO R G R U F FALO FAN S Is there such a thing as a Gruffalo?

Stay and Play with the Gruffalo Permanent Chessing ton World of Adventures

Join Little Brown Mouse on a riverboat journey through the deep dark wood with some twists and turns along the way Chessingtonholidays.co.uk

The Gruffalo’s Child 22nd October Royal Festival Hall

Th is one-off screening of the brilliant Gruffalo's Child is accompanied by live music from The London Philharmonic Orchestra Southbankcentre.co.uk

Last chance

Boldly Go Until 8th October  Regent's Park

Frieze’s first-ever summer display brings together 25 new and significant works by leading 20th-century and contemporary artists in Regent's Park. It's a fantastic chance to explore a range of world-class art in a relaxed setting - ask the kids what they like and why, and get their little imaginations fizzing. frieze.com 14

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Join Mouse on his adventures 24 -29th October Artsdepot, London

Th is adaption of the classic picture book is full of songs, laughs and frights, and perfect for little ones aged 3 + Tallstories.org.uk

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WHAT'S ON

Edtor’s pick

Handa’s Surprise 20th September - 1st October The Polka Theatre

Follow in Handa’s footsteps as she journeys to see her best friend Akeyo.

Handa is taking seven delicious fruits as a surprise – but seven different animals have seven very different ideas. Physical performance, puppetry, live music and song make this intimate production a delight for the little ones. Audience participation is encouraged!

Polkatheatre.com

GO LARGE

DOT

Until 28th February Natural History Museum

22nd - 28th October Part of London's Umbrella Dance Festival

ive straight into the world’s most compelling evolutionary journey to learn how the whale became the complex, sociable, aquatic mammal that it is today. Over 100 specimens are on display, including pieces of the sperm whale, small harbour porpoise and dolphin, plus, of course, the colossal blue whale skeleton gracing the Hintze Hall. nhm.ac.uk

D

ombining a sequence of precise digital projections, incredible choreography and a bespoke score, DOT is a clever and mesmerising performance for audiences of all ages.

The story is that of a girl obsessed with keeping everything just so, and a boy who isn’t. With inspiration from artist Sol LeWitt, spectators are treated to a hightech/lo-fi gem. danceumbrella.co.uk

C

3 must-sees for bookworms TH E G R U F FALO, D R AGO N S AN D OTH E R C R E ATU R E S Discover Children’s Story Centre 21st October

This immersive exhibition brings 12 of Axel Scheffler and Julia Donaldson’s enchanting picture books to life discover.org.uk

WI M B LE DO N B OO K F E ST

M I C HAE L M O R PU RGO

The Big Tent on Wimbledon Common 5th-15th October

V&A Museum Until 25th February 2018

A special children's programme includes Alice Tait, Coralie BickfordSmith and Polly Faber and Clara Vuillamy wimbledonbookfest.org

Learn about the life and writing of the inimitable Mr Morpurgo through manuscripts, photos, notes books vam.ac.uk

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Best new

BOOKS Do you know your monsters from your imps?

Plus explore Ancient Egypt

Like an Egyptian

W o r d s H O L LY K I R K W O O D

Th is lift-the-flap book tells a heartwarning tale about a little girl who has lost her mummy. Readers can have fun joining the search, and perhaps fi nding some unexpected relics along the way. £7.99 nosycrow.com

MUMMY!

by Lerryn Korda

IT'S MAGIC AN A TO Z OF MON STERS A N D M AG I C A L B E I N G S

by Rob Hodgson & Aidan Onn

What's the difference between a hobgoblin and an imp? How do you avoid the sharp claws of the ancient Eloko monster? Th is guide to the strange, scary and wonderful world of monsters and ancient mythical beings is wonderfully creative. £11.95  thamesandhudson.com

Editor's pick

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BOOKS

Editor's pick

Rock solid PETRA

by Marianna Copo

Petra is a mighty mountain who can’t be moved by the wind or time. Until we discover that she’s actually even more astonishing than that, as her imagination takes fl ight. £9.95  thamesandhudson.com

TR I E D A N D TE STE D O I C AT !

by Kes Grey and Jim Field

Hear me roar PINK LION

by Jane Porter

Arnold is a pink lion living happily with his flamingo family, until he meets a pride of more traditional lions, and starts to wonder where he belongs. But he learns a valuable lesson about who he really is when a mean old crocodile turns up to threaten his old family. £11.99  walker.co.uk

HISTORIC EGYPTO MAN IA

by Emma Giuliani and Carole Saturno

Th is big, bold, beautiful lift the flap book takes you straight into the heart of ancient Egypt. Learn what people wore, what’s inside a pyramid, how a mummy is made and much, much more. We love the fresh design, the colours and the tactile nature of this incredible history book. £18.99.  laurenceking.com

Oi Cat follows closely in the footsteps of the ever-popular Oi Dog and Oi Frog – which are both beloved of preschoolers. In this next instalment cat doesn’t like sitting on gnats: they keep biting his bottom! But can Frog and Dog help him change the rules? £12.99  hachettechildrens.co.uk

APP

of the month

B E SA F E A ZOOM EE

If you’re concerned about safe screentime, Azoomee offers fi lms, TV shows, games, audiobooks and parent-approved chat, all in one safe place, with no ads, and no in-app purchases. Online safety is threaded throughout, and the app has the support of the NSPCC.  azoomee.com

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THE CULT OF DOT

AM: Were you inspired by any existing titles or books?

CO: Yes by vintage children's books but nothing contemporary. What I had in mind simply didn’t exist so we had to create our own rules and our own aesthetic. When I launched Anorak, someone mentioned that it was like 'The Face for kids'! It had never occurred to me before that one of the magazines I had worked on in the 90s could have been such an influence over my kids mag but it had!

AM: How would you describe Anorak, and DOT respectively?

CO: They both champion creativity and imagination. Anorak is aimed at children aged six+ and it is about all that encompasses a child’s world, from books to culture, stories, activities and jokes. DOT is for pre-schoolers and follows the same ethos of learning about things while having fun.

Anorak and DOT changed the way we think about children's magazines. Designed to last, they are things of beauty. Mama chatted to creator Cath Olmedillas about the inspiration behind the publications.

ABSOLUTELY MAMA: You’ve worked in publishing for your whole career. What is it about magazines that you love so much?

CATHY OLMEDILLAS: When I was a child I loved reading comics and pop music magazines. Before the internet came along magazines were crucial as they were the only places you could read about fashion and music. So I guess they have been a constant throughout my whole life.

AM: How did Anorak, and then DOT come into being?

CO: I always wanted to launch my own magazine but the idea crystallised when I became a mum in 2002. I looked at the children’s magazine market and realised all titles were very homogenised and super commercial. I set about creating a magazine that was closer to the annuals I used to read as a child. That’s how Anorak was born.

DOT came along seven years later.

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PROFILE

CO: The most important thing to me was that they looked like boys and girls could enjoy them and that they couldn’t be throwaway with useless plastic stuff on the cover.

AM: Do you think we underestimate our children sometimes?

CO: Absolutely! Children are sponges, they understand the world in different ways than adults do, but it doesn’t mean they are less clever. In fact I would argue while they might know less, they understand more.

They are more tolerant, more imaginative and just more fun than a lot of grown ups.

AM: Your magazines are a lovely alternative to screens for little ones; how do you feel about screen time?

~

AM: Do you get a lot of feedback from your readers?

How does this inform what you do in future issues?

CO: We do get lovely drawings and beautiful handwritten letters sent through the post.

So old fashioned, but so good!

“OUR MAGAZI NE S ARE E XACTLY THE OPPOSI TE OF THOSE YOU WI LL FI ND I N A S UP E RMARK E T.”

AM: How do your little editors work?

CO: We have around 250 Little Editors who contribute in many ways. They review books and take part in drawing missions.

Some have even written stories.

Our 5th anniversary edition for example was written entirely by children. Send us an email with your postal address and child’s age and we will put them on our database, send them books and special fun missions.

~

AM: The magazines are very different from what you see in the supermarkets - what do you think are the key points of difference?

CO: Our magazines are exactly the opposite of those you find in a supermarket. They are beautifully produced, not obsessed with current trends or cartoon characters and they don’t try to sell anything. They get passed on. In a sense they are more like books than magazines.

AM: Where do you get your inspiration from for the themes for the magazines?

CO: Everyday life. From reading a book, having a discussion with my son, watching a documentary or travelling somewhere. I try not to overthink it too much!

AM: The titles are all very visual, was it something you were deliberate about from the start?

CO: Technology has been a massive enabler but it has a strange hold over us all. I think we need to be fair with children and screen time, and for that we grown-ups need to tame our use too! I don’t think screens will never replace a book or a printed magazine.

Only yesterday I read that ebooks sales were down and that was driven by children and young adults favouring printed books over electronic version.

AM: What’s next for Anorak and DOT? CO: I would love to create books. We've done a few over the years and they always sell really well. This Autumn we are branching out beyond the printed matter thanks to an exclusive collaboration with Made.com and will be launching our first homeware range.

We celebrated our 10th anniversary last year and it feels like Year Zero in a sense as we have learnt so much on the way. So unto another 10 years of fun at least I hope!

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Patchi silver collection hi silver Patchi Patchi silver silver ction collection collection

PATCHI CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE AND CONFECTIONARY ROOM GROUND FLOOR AT HARRODS

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No Limits  MOUNTAIN BUGGY

Made from a soft fabric in a striking geo print, this modular 4-wheel drive delivers a stylish, comfortable travel system, without compromising the integrity of Mountain Buggy’s DNA of maneuverability, simplicity, adaptability and durability. £749 buggybaby.co.uk

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1

In

3

The Know

24 Latest must-haves for babies

Wo r d s H O L LY K I R K WO O D

5

1. Eco-friendly

2. Into space

3. Panda eyes

4. Rock on

5. On the move

Baba + Boo The new summer collection of cloth nappies and storage bags from this reusable nappy brand are pretty and practical; new prints are bright and cheerful and the nappy bags have a clever double zip. Order newborn or one-size. From £10.95 • babaandboo.com

Wex Baby In the fi rst special edition of The Pepe Stories from Wex Baby, the charismatic Frenchman fi nds he’s off to space. Th is gorgeous handdrawn tee comes with a limited edition comic print, in sizes from 3 months to 6 years. £14 • wexbaby.bigcartel.com

MORI Featuring unique handdrawn designs, the new unisex Panda collection from MORI is adorable.

Plus, there is an ethical angle to each purchase: £1 from every panda product sold online will go towards adopting real pandas.

• babymori.com

Charlie Crane A quality baby rocker is a must have for all little ones in their fi rst few months, and this Charlie Crane Levo bouncer is our latest favourite. Made of natural beechwood and cotton, we love it in Aruba blue. £169.95 • naturalbabyshower.co.uk

Go Baby Go Ideal for those crucial wobbly fi rst steps, these socks feature non-slip soles and rubber traction bumps on top of the toes. They help to develop motor skills and confidence, and, come in pretty pastels from pink to grey and blue. £7.74 • en.smallable.com

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6. Make memories Meminio These memory cases make fantastic gifts for a baby shower, or treat yourself to one before your new arrival. Each one can be personalised: we love the nostalgic linings and the pretty colours including this duck egg blue. From £125 • meminio.com

7. Baby teeth

8. For tiny tots

9. Modern classic

10. Sleep tight

Blossom and Bear These are the prettiest teethers on the market by far, and they're also super safe. We also love that the wooden ring is a natural hardwood polished with an organic coconut oil and beeswax balm to protect it from drying out. £9 • indiandwill.com

Cusk Miniboo The multi-award winning Miniboo has been designed specifically for premature babies who have to spend time in incubators. Made from 100% bamboo rayon they are classed as nonplush toys so allowed in with tinies. From £24.98 • cuski.com

Freya Lillie Made with super soft linen, these rompers are handmade here in the UK. The bubble-style bottoms and adjustable fastenings mean they will fit your little one for longer. We love the mix of modern and traditional style. From £19 • freya-lillie.com

Sleepyhead This baby pod has revolutionised sleep for littles; many new mums, can't live without theirs.

The new Autumn collection features floral, tropical and marble-inspired designs which are totally lustworthy.

• sleepyheadwebshop.com

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Autumn

Colours

A perfect city stroller, and some lust-worthy Autumn togs Wo r d s H O L LY K I R K WO O D

Small is beautiful SMALL S

We love everything this merino wool label makes: their current mustard and navy pieces are to-die-for; also look out for their Au Natural line in the spring. Meanwhile, the debut adult capsule range launches in November – sign us up now please.. lovemysmalls.com

Pepp Talk

PIN UP

PEPP

This buggy is a sort of miracle for city living. It folds up into a surprisingly small space – ideal when square footage is at a premium - and it opens with just one hand like a flip phone.

It's also very pretty: choose between Night, Blackberry or Midnight Blue. £275 Nuna.eu

TITLEE

Last year’s (still available) Little Titlee collab with Christine Roussey had us falling head over heels for this pretty French jewellery maker. This year we’re lusting after the beautiful range of pins, from robots to snowflakes. From €20.

Titlee.fr CAMP BESTIVAL: THE GRANDADDY

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essentia ls TODDLER

editor's pick

Walk tall BORROW MY DOGGY

For families thinking about getting a dog, this is a brilliant way of seeing how regular walks can fit into the family day. Plus, spending time with animals is good for everybody. This website connects would-be dog walkers with nearby pups, for a match made in heaven borrowmydoggy.com

BE PREPARED LEÇONS DE CHOSES

Quirky and colourful, the newest collection from this fun brand has tons of backpacks and pencil cases - ideal for back to school. The bright colours are unisex and easy to spot in the playground! £38.70 en.smallable.com

GO RETRO QUESTION EVERY THING

The retro Peter Pan collar on this beautiful dusky pink Lucinda dress gives it a more formal edge, but you could pair it with trainers and chunky tights for a weekend day out. From £37.99 questioneverythinglondon.com

Hear me roar BONNIE MOB

The majestic tiger is the inspiration behind this season’s standout knits from The Bonnie Mob. Expect stripes in bold hues or crossstitch, intarsia knits and badge detailing. From £19.99 thebonniemob.com

Paws for thought WHITE STUFF

With an array of hand-drawn characters, from skiing bunnies, to these cute pups, this collection harks back to where White Stuff started – on the slopes. £22 whitestuff.com

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Tribe leader MAMA TRIBE

Describing her new website Mama Tribe, founder Danielle McCabe says she wants to create "a community of strong women, hustling away, crafting a life with passion, whilst raising their own little tribe." Log on and explore for yourself. mamatribe.uk

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FLEX APPEAL

Mama talks to the mums bravely changing the world of work for the better, for everyone.

Wo r d s H O L LY K I R K WO O D D i g i t a l M u m s I m a g e s A N A C U B A

I

f there is one thing which got us all talking this year, it has to be flexible working. In almost every city-based sector, the world of work is changing rapidly, from hotdesking to conference calling, with employers scrambling to keep up with the implications for the future of desk-based roles.

Happily, these changes also present an enormous opportunity to rethink the way we all put in our hours.

For three years, many employees have had the legal right to request flexible working, but, a lot like with paternity leave applications, this change in the law is taking a long time to work itself into people’s consciousness. Over the past couple of years a growing network of mums has seized this pivotal moment to try raise the profile of flexible working across the board.

Because, despite the seismic changes in our working landscapes, ostensible support from the Government, and a lot of apparent goodwill, we have a long way to go before flexible working becomes a reality for most of us. Employers are still getting their heads around what the future of work looks like, so it feels like a good opportunity for a proper discussion.

And who better to talk to about flexible working than a mum? When a woman returns to work after having a baby she’s already learned more multitasking skills than most men will forget in their entire lives (sorry boys). Add work responsibilities into that equation and working mums become

NIKKI COCHRANE AND KATHRYN TYLER, FOUNDERS OF DIGITAL MUMS

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a formidable force, coming as they do preloaded with formidable time management, laser focus and a genuine can-do approach to almost anything you put in front of them.

Not to mention an admirably low threshold for bullshit.

Juliet Turnbull is the founder of website 2to3days.com, which matches professional working mums with part-time jobs.

"Working and having children should not be mutually exclusive. Work is part of your life, not outside of your life and of course children are also part of your life. I don’t believe in separate work and home life – they need to work together," she says.

"When you become a mother you learn new skills: conflict resolution and time keeping are just two of these. I can tell you right now that a mother who chooses to work is the best time-manager on the planet. I work more efficiently now I am a mother: when you have less time you are more focused," she continues.

"And a lot of mums reach a stage where they want to work, whether that’s when their children are six months or six years old."

FLEXIBLE WORKING

DIGITAL MUMS PROVIDE TRAINING AND ALSO A COMMUNITY FOR MAMAS

~

“ WHO BETTER TO TAL K TO AB OU T FL EX IBL E WORKING THAN A MUM?”

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These sentiments are borne out by research from Digital Mums, the online community offering advanced social media training, while providing businesses with highly-skilled digital talent. Their campaign 'Work Which Works' launched last year with some fascinating research.

They found that 7 in 10 stay-at-home mums said they would go back to work if flexible work around childcare was an option. And it’s not just mums: 7 in 10 UK employees (and 8 in 10 millennials) say they would prefer flexible working hours. However, back in the real world, only 12% have requested flexible working, because they’re worried people think it’s copping out.

“Too many mums are still forced into having to choose between a fulfilling

career or being there for their children.

Indeed 54,000 women lose their jobs every year due to maternity discrimination and there are currently 2.6 million mums not working in the UK. At the same time, 64% of mums have taken work below their skill level simply because it is flexible” according to Kathryn Tyler, co-founder of Digital Mums.

Blogger Anna Whitehouse, better known as 'Mother Pukka' on social media, knows all too well what sort of discrimination women returning to work can still come up against.

“I was asking for 15 minutes at the beginning and the end of the day so I could pick up my child, and they wouldn’t do it.

It’s just short sighted!” she explains.

“In reality, flexible working is actually something where the employer can get more out of the employee.”

Anna’s Flex Appeal campaign, aligned completely with Digital Mums, has seen flashmobs all over the UK dancing to ‘Lets Talk about Sex’ and singing ‘Let’s talk about Flex,’ from Traflagar Square to Manchester Town Hall. Her next event is in Bristol, and the aim is to raise the profile of the issue for everyone, not just for mums or working parents. Just follow the hashtag #Flexappeal to find out the latest news and September / October 2017 | 29

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info@hauckuk.com info@hauckuk.com info@hauckuk.com info@hauckuk.com info@hauckuk.com info@hauckuk.com +44 +44 (0)1978 (0)1978 664362 664362 +44(0)1978 (0)1978664362 664362 +44 +44 +44(0)1978 (0)1978664362 664362 life life is is for for living living lifeisisfor forliving living life life lifeisisfor forliving living HAUCK.indd 1

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FLEXIBLE WORKING

RESEARCH HAS FOUND THAT MANY MUMS WANT TO WORK

MOTHERPUKKA'S #FLEXAPPEAL FLASHMOBS ARE COLOURFUL AFFAIRS

events. Another infuencial bogger, Steph Douglas from Don’t Buy Her Flowers is also fully on board, because she believes flexible working benfits the whole family.

“A couple of years ago my husband Doug asked his boss if he could come in slightly later two mornings a week in order to take our son Buster to school, " she explains.

"He works in the City, it’s very male-dominated and very few

~

or working from home,” is unhelpful because it focuses only on the benefits to employees rather than employers.

And of course flexible working has multiple benefits for employers. For instance, a recent six-month study from MIT Sloan School of Management showed that when employees were given the option of working from home and allowed autonomy over their time - for example, not requiring them to log in at a certain time - their productivity significantly increased, while stress decreased.

It makes sense: less stress means happier people, and the happier people are at work, the more productive they become. You're also more likely to retain hard-to-find talent. But this is only the beginning. From cost-saving on desks and equipment to HR the benefits to the bottom line are also an incentive.

Big companies move notoriously slowly but it feels like there is real momentum here, and we can all play a part in raising the profile of this issue, from sharing on social media to going along to events. There is definitely a change on the way.

“ TH ERE ARE A HUGE N UM BE R OF B E NE FI TS TO EMPLOYE RS WI TH A F L EX IBLE WORK FORC E .”

~

companies do flexible working. I can’t emphasise enough the difference Doug doing those drop-offs made. Not just for the additional hours I could put in to my job, but for his being part of our son’s school day. It also hugely helped our relationship.”

The next step for Digital Mums is to affect change through mobilising other mothers, and then everybody else possible, with their Clean up the F Word campaign.

The aim is to get 10,000 signatures on their petition to change the definition of flexible working, as set out by the Government. This is the minimum number of names required to get an acknowledgement from Number 10.

Digital Mums say they feel the current description: “Flexible working is a way of working that suits an employee’s needs, e.g. having flexible start and finish times,

Flexible working: need to know

SO CIAL M E D IA FO LLOWS @mother_pukka @steph_dontbuyherflowers @digitalmums WE B S ITE S workingfamilies.org.uk digitalmums.com motherpukka.co.uk 2to3days.com timewisejobs.co.uk HA S HTAG S #workthatworks #flexappeal #thefword G ET I NVO LVE D ** For the next #Flexappeal event @mother_pukka ** Sign the Digial Mums petition at change.org ** Study with Digital Mums: learn innvovative social media and work on your terms

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A Losing

THE PLOT Tantrums are something we all have to deal with, but you can minimise their impact Wo r d s H O L LY K I R K WO O D

ren't children amazing?

Their ability to keep you on your toes is almost uncanny. Just as you’re emerging from the fog of sleep deprivation and uncertainty which marks your child’s first year on the planet, and perhaps feeling you can actually manage this mum business after all: Boom! Your little angel becomes a demon and they enter the age of the tantrum. Unfortunately tantrums in toddlers are pretty much unavoidable, but thankfully there are a few things you can do to make these years easier for everyone.

Tantrums can start at any point from around one, and continue until children are six or seven. Many parents dread the ‘terrible twos’ and the ‘threenager threes’ but in fact they are entirely necessary. It’s important to remember that a lot of behaviour we value in adults, from assertiveness to individuality, has its roots in 'difficult' toddler behaviour.

When you look a little bit closer, there are two types of tantrum: one type results from anger, where the child stamps, kicks, hits and screams, and the other type is distress-related, where little ones cry, sob and throw themselves on the floor. It’s been estimated that tantrums occur at least once a week in to up 80% of children, and one-in-five two-year olds have two or more tantrums a day.

Parent coach and behaviour expert Livvy Gormally says this is all completely normal. According to her, between 18 months and two-three years old is a really important age for toddler development.

“At this age, children are literally creating new pathways in their brains daily - they are learning enormous amounts of new information and behaviours. It’s an amazing time for our little ones, but it’s also a very challenging few years,” she explains.

“Frequently a toddler's language just can’t keep up with their understanding and their own desire to communicate. This means breakdowns occur in the gaps between what our kids are trying to say and what they are able to say – particularly when they are angry, overtired or emotional.”

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“ T HE RE ARE T HI NGS YOU CA N ANTI CI PATE : OF T EN FACTORS L IKE HUNGE R AND TIR EDNE SS ARE I N PLAY ”

~

So tantrums are an essential part of toddler development, but is there anything we can do to minimise them, or contain them once they happen?

“If they are affecting your quality of life on a regular basis, there is no shame in saying ‘perhaps we need a little tweak here or there to try and help our child out'," Livvy says.

Every tantrum has a clear function: they are always either about frustration, or trying to get attention. “Sometimes something is too hard; sometimes something is even too easy, and there are often factors like tiredness or hunger at play.”

She also says that how long a tantrum lasts, and what form it takes ultimately depends on how much the child thinks he or she is getting out of it. And toddlers can be very clever about getting want they want.

Livvy mentions a little girl who started acting up when her sibling was born – she would have a tantrum when she felt all the attention was focused on the new arrival. And it was working: she got her way because her dad would take her for time out somewhere else in the house, which meant she would get his undivided attention. So although the parents thought she was being punished, in fact she was getting exactly what she wanted.

Livvy also says children are canny: they’ll wait until you’re at your most vulnerable, or tired, to throw a wobbly. “This is often why tantrums occur at the end of the day, when everyone’s had enough,” Livvy explains.

Every child is different, and will tantrum at different times for different reasons, but there is often a pattern. So next time your child loses the plot, try to work out what caused it, and what eventually stopped it, once it’s all safely over, and make a note. "Try to think what it was that they were really after."

And finally, don’t be upset if your child saves up their tantrums especially for you.

As mums we need to LIVVY HAS OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE AS A CHILD remember that this BEHAVIOR EXPERT is a compliment: your little one feels secure enough with you to act out, because they believe that you’ll still love them no matter how they behave.

It’s very common for two-or threeyear olds to be model children all day long at nursery, come home and lose their marbles over something tiny. Just remember: it's all because they love you!

TANTRUMS

Tips for dealing with

TA N TRU M S from Livvy Gormally

You need to agree as a family on consistent strategies for coping with tantrums. There is no point in one parent responding one way while a granny has a completely different approach. So it’s really important to have clear, boundaries which everybody sticks to.

Time out only works if you are taking children away from something they enjoy. You need to use it properly.

Tantrums follow a pattern and a model – you’ve got to get up the mountain to come down the mountain.

Know that you won’t be able to speak to your toddler until they’re a lot calmer, and in fact it’s not a good idea to speak too much to them until they are calm enough to listen.

Don’t dwell on the bad behaviour – reward the good behaviour.

Try not to get too upset yourself.

A few minutes after it's over your toddler won’t remember how they felt, but they will remember whether they got their way or not.

Don’t just say no without suggesting alternative behaviour. So don’t say ‘don’t take that toy from James,’ ‘Say why don’t you give James back the toy and wait for your turn?’ Give little ones options.

If your child has problems when screen time comes to an end, try using an app like Toddler Fun Learning (toddlerfunlearning.com). With fab, educational content, TFL also comes with a timer which parents can set.

When screen time ends the characters say goodbye, saving parents a battle. letsasklivvy.co.uk

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Family First We caught up with busy mum of two Una Healy to talk family and life afterThe Saturdays

Wo r d s H E L E N B R O W N

U UNA WITH HUSBAND BEN FODEN

34

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na Healy is one busy lady.

In between mummy duties she juggles a solo music career, the occasional presenting stint, partaking in school sports day, date nights and dinners with ex-band mates from The Saturdays.

Recently she teamed up with Cancer Research and Nivea Sun, adding yet another string to her bow, as skin care ambassador.

Nonetheless, she is bubbly and glowing when we meet - all glossy hair and dewy skin.

She looks much younger than her 35 years, without a wrinkle or dark circle in sight.

Despite being slightly sleep-deprived she’s blissfully smitten with motherhood. “I always imaged I’d have kids. I always wondered who my husband would be and what our kids would look like,” she says. "You don’t think it’ll be a reality until it actually happens but it was constantly in the back of my mind.”

Una found her Prince Charming in England rugby player Ben Foden. In true showbiz fashion, Ben got his agent to call Una’s record label to arrange a date and the rest is history.

The two welcomed baby number one, Aoife,

5, in 2012 and married in a church ceremony in County Tipperary, Ireland not long after.

Two year old Tadhg (pronounced Tiger minus the r) is the reason Una’s had a few nights of interrupted sleep this week, though she says she's not fussed about missing her beauty z’s in the slightest.

The thing is, she’s been feeling a bit jealous of Ben recently. “He’s the fun one, the one that lifts them up and swings them onto his shoulders and I’m the strict one,” she says.

“We went to Hyde Park at the weekend and they all wanted to hang out with him because mummy isn’t cool enough; they are going through a 'daddy phase',” she laughs.

And when Tadhg was having trouble sleeping recently, Una was more than happy to comply. “I don’t even mind getting up at 3am - I’m loving it. Although I was thinking 'thank god he doesn’t ask for Ben' because I’ve been feeling a bit rejected recently,” she jokes.

The Healy-Foden brood are a big fi xture on social media and Una’s Instagram account is crammed with cute snaps of the foursome enjoying quality family time together.

With Una being this loved-up with mamahood, it’s hard not to imagine a third baby entering the scene. But she is sure her family is complete. “I was one of the fi rst to have children amongst my friends but recently there’s been a whole load of them having kids, literally in these last two months,” she says.

“I’ve just been made Godmother and I love doting on my friend’s little girl, but it doesn’t make me broody, I’m happy with my two now. And it’s just so hard, dealing with those early days.”

Recently Una spoke out about the struggles she faced with post-natal depression after the arrival of Tadhg. “I didn’t experience it when Aoife was born,” she said in a recent interview.

“It was a lonely time and I wasn’t helping the situation. I was moving to a new house, Ben had suffered an injury at work, and I had jumped back into work a lot sooner than I did when I had Aoife."

For Una, talking - whether to her GP, to friends or to other new mums - was what got her through. And for someone who spent years surrounded by the close-knit companionship of fellow Saturdays members, having an established support network is important for the singer.

“I get very involved in the school. I’m not quite the PTA mum but I’m very aware of what’s going on and I try to attend every event and do everything that I can do to help."

Indeed, just the day after our interview she’s off to get her hands dirty with a shovel

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together,” says Una. “I’ve found that I’ve really bonded with friends and neighbours who also have children; there are always family gatherings to go to.”

Home life includes helping Aoife with her homework. The proud mum says Aoife actually looks forward to her spelling tests each week. “It’s mad to think that she’s only five and already they’re starting to read and spell, it happens so quickly - they’re like sponges.”

And Una’s work schedule? “It’s jam-packed.

I love to keep myself busy with my music and work,” Una says.

" I'V E J UST B E E N MADE A GOD MOTHE R AND I LOVE DOT ING ON MY FRI E ND' S L IT TL E GI RL , B UT I T DOES N' T MAK E ME B R O O DY. I'M H APPY WI TH MY TWO."

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and a spade to clear space for the school playground. Sports day was a couple of weeks ago and of course Una and Ben took part in the parents race. “I love that I almost get to relive my youth again and do all the fun family stuff. It just brings people all

UNA HE ALY

She also secured a high-profile gig as a judge on The Voice, Ireland not long after Tadhg was born.

“I like to have a balance and set an example for the kids that I still have to go out and work,” she explains. Una’s debut album, The Waiting Game, came out earlier this year and she opened the main stage at Flashpoint Festival this summer.

“I’ve branched into a country direction with my music and I’m really enjoying at the moment,” she explains. “It’s a little bit more flexible now I’m doing my own thing.”

With each Saturday having set sail on solo adventures, a reunion seems a long way off. “I get asked constantly” Una laughs. “Recently we had dinner together and it did not come up, not at all. So it’s not on the cards but hopefully in a few years it might be.”

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W W W. N I N E I N TH E M I RRO R. CO M 3 .1 P HILLIP L I M • AL E X AN D E R WAN G • L AN V I N • M I SSO N I • VAL E N TI N O • AN D M ANY MOR E

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Denim Dreams  GESTUZ

Walking the line between timeless and trendy, Danish-born brand Gestuz is our fave under-the-radar brand. Known for their cool Scandi spin on new season styles, the SS17 collection was a riot of vibrant prints, balanced by minimalist separates. gestuz.com

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6 of the best WO R KO U T W E A R

t mus e hav MOVE YOUR FRAME X MAMAS & PAPAS Grey Supersoft Jumper £34, moveyourframe.com

mama

ST Y LE NOTES

Back to the school run? Try these easy-to-wear ideas

SILOU Maria White Tank £95, silouactive.com

Autumn leaves

MOVE YOUR FRAME X MAMAS & PAPAS Geo Leggings £29, moveyourframe.com

• TOA ST •

LULULEMON Enlite High Support Bra £78, lululemon.co.uk

We feel all fresh and autumnal just looking at the rich colour palette Toast has chosen this season; all these pieces are versatile – they’ll go with a ton of things already in your wardrobe, giving you a range of whole new outfits. toa.st

SWEATY BETTY Grey Sweatshirt £125, sweatybetty.com

NIKE AIR Thea £114.95, store.nike.com

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fas h i on

MAMA

FLOWER FAIRIES • Wo l f a n d M o o n •

Inspired by lemon groves and wildflower meadows, the new collection features floral-themed earrings, necklaces, brooches and headpieces which are perfect for an injection of colour. wolf-and-moon.com

d Branus Foc

BRIT GIRLS Alexa Chung's collection: the reviews are in

E

SUPER STRUCTURE •Rejina Pyo•

Effortless and minimal with a feminine aesthetic, Pyo’s shapes are always ultra-elegant. The clean lines of the shirts, and the long tailored coats will mean you look sharp at the school gates even if you’ve just got your PJs on underneath. libertylondon.com

we love

Speak my LANGUAGE Lingua Franca

t started with hip hop but her ‘I miss Barack’ design took Rachelle Hruska’s hand-embroidered cashmere in another direction entirely. We want. £300. libertylondon.com

I

TOE THE LINE •Dune Black•

Thank heaven the shops are full of flats – the ones we want for the new school year are these Guilde backless loafers. With a round toe and classic apron stitching they’re effortlessly smart. £85. selfridges.com

veryone’s favourite It-girl has done it again. After months of anticipation, Alexa Chung’s eponymous fashion label officially launched into the fashion sphere back in the early summer.

With nearly a decade of experience designing clothes for other brands including AG jeans, Madewell, and Marks & Spencer, everyone’s favourite style icon designed a collection she said she really wanted to wear – and nobody was disappointed.

With over 150 pieces from It-girl worthy party dresses to cool daywear, shoes and accessories, this is far from a capsule collection: a lot of work has gone into creating a fully-fledged new brand. Chung has successfully combined masculine and feminine tailoring with a very British sensibility, which, as it turns out is ridiculously easy to wear.

Key pieces include trench coats, floral blouses, leather skirts, dresses, and lots of denim. We particularly love the high-waisted trousers.

Structured shirts can be layered with long dresses and dungarees, and almost everything can be worn from a weekend brunch to a work function.

The line is also affordable, particularly when you factor in cost-per-wear.

Jeans start at around £200 and dresses are from £450. alexachung.com

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Ricky Slip Dress $278

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New ERA US label Hatch has redefined maternity wear Moving away from the limits of ‘maternity wear’, these pieces all look great before, during and after pregnancy. We love the casual East Coast style, and the soft colours and flowing shapes of the Hatch pre-Fall collection

hatchcollection .com

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Layla Fringe Dress $268

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Ryan Top $148 New Boyfriend maternity jean $268

Facing page:

Shirt: Valentino – Tropical Print Silk Pyjama Shirt £878 Trousers: Valentino – Tropical Print Silk Trouser £878 Slides: Gianvito Rossi – Frayed Satin Slides £440 This page:

Top: Missoni – Off-theShoulder Knit Top £310 Skirt: Missoni – Pleated Elasticated Skirt £790 Shoes: Proenza Schouler – Fringed Woven Canvas Mules £425

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Facing page: Eden Garden Dress €520

Ryan Top $148 The Rib Trouser $158

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15/08/2017 12:40

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The new Quantum stroller. xl seat capacity

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with code MAMA17 Offer ends 30th September 2017 FREE UK RETURNS

Wildly gorgeous clothes for girls and boys aged 0 -15

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boutique we love

PRETTY, EASY-TO-WEAR DRESSES ARE A STAPLE OF THE BRAND

French

fas h i on

MAMA

FLAIR

Absolutely Mama meets founder of maternity wear label Seraphine, Cecile Reinaud

ABSOLUTELY MAMA: How did you come to work in women’s fashion?

CECILE REINAUD: I was always interested in fashion and style – my grandparents owned a factory which supplied the top Parisian fashion houses, and growing up, I remember my grandmother teaching me how to sew and customise my own clothes.

~

“I ALWAYS SAY THAT WE D R ES S EVERYO NE F R O M R OCK STARS TO R OYALTY. ”

~

THEXXX PIECES REPRESENT XXXXXX XX XX XXX 'TRADITIONAL TIMELESS XXXXX XXXX XXX FASHION'

THE LABEL PIONEERED STYLISH MATERNITY WEAR IN THE UK

AM:How did the brand come into being? planning our range we always incorporate CR: I had lots of pregnant friends and styles to suit these different tastes. colleagues at the time, and I would hear them complaining that they couldn’t fi nd AM: What's been your biggest challeng? any stylish maternity clothes to wear to CR: Finding the right work-life balance is work. I did some market research and something I’ve had to really work on. I’m realised that there was a serious gap in the a perfectionist by nature and have had to market. That’s when Seraphine was born. learn a few tough lessons about letting go

of the things I can’t control.

AM: How did you come to base yourself in London rather than France?

AM: What’s the most fun thing about CR: I’ve always been split between your job?

London and Paris – I was born CR: I thrive on new challenges, so in France, but we moved to the for me the best thing is that no two UK when I was 10. I love both days are ever the same. I think cities, but London has been my my favourite aspect of my job is home for many years now. It was getting to dress famous pregnant defi nitely the right place to set celebrities. Seraphine is a up my business – the city is a favourite brand of a whole fantastic creative hub, where host of A-listers from entrepreneurship is nurtured Marion Cotillard to the and encouraged.

Duchess of Cambridge.

AM: What are your style AM: What’s next? inspirations?

CR: We’ll opened a new CR: Our core aesthetic is flagship store in Paris Parisian chic, but we design this summer, and I’m for several different styles also looking into possible within that basic framework. locations for new stores in CECILE SPLITS HER I always say that at Seraphine New York and LA as well!

TIME BETWEEN we dress everyone from rock LONDON AND PARIS seraphine .com stars to royalty, and when September / October 2017

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6 of the best BITS OF BUBBLE

SMAFOLK Colourful jacket juicytots.co.uk

kids

FASHION NOTES Our highlights from the Bubble London show in July

MAR MAR COPENHAGEN Anorak scandiborn.co.uk/ cam-cam IGOR Navy wellies basefashion.co.uk/ brands/igor

KITE Fox dress & socks kite-clothing.co.uk

DOTTY DUNGAREES Spotty baby dungarees dottydungarees.com

A-List Approved •Wild and Gorgeous•

It's not hard to see why Kate Moss, Nicole Kidman and Sienna Miller are all fans of this beautiful fashion label who specialise in party wear.

Perfect for special occassions. wildandgorgeous.co.uk

DOODLEDOO Palm trees jumper ilovedoodledo.com

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fas h i on

KIDS

SWEET AS CANDY •Hollyz•

Nothing beats cashmere for keeping your little ones cosy. We love the super-cute pieces from childrenwear brand Hollyz that come in a range of gorgeous shades with accesories to match. hollyz.co.uk

HONEY & TOAST

COLD SNAP •Rockahula Kids•

Colourful and quirky characterises the accessories lines from Rockahula Kids.

They make jewellery, bags, and purses but the bobble hats and earmuffs are our favourite. Just look at those colours. rockahulakids.com

we love

Products and brands to bookmark

MONKEY AROUND •Barn of Monkeys•

Winner of the Rising Star Award at Bubble, Barn of Monkeys has gone from 0-100mph in under a year. We wish we could wear it. Watch out for their SS18 pieces: they are to die for. barnofmonkeys.com

Shop to it Shopetino

elcome to a new shopping experience...

Shopetino is a new online concept store for children focussing on clothing, accessories and interiors. Just launched, this multi-brand platform will offer a selection of carefully curated and exciting products for babies and children up to the age of eight. shopetino.com

W

d Branus Foc

“Bags was definitely an area which was neglected when it comes to kids – there wasn’t anything out there that wasn’t cupcakes and flowers for girls, or fire engines and superheroes for boys,” founder Emma explains about her inspiration to start Honey & Toast from her home in Peckham.

Emma feels that bags should last a lot longer than cheap backpacks do.

“The thing about bags is they don’t get outgrown like clothes: instead a child can keep them for years, from before they start nursery well into their school years.”

We love the little touches, which include soft, suede-lined flaps, antique brass hardware and gold foil details.

All the pieces are gender neutral – Emma says she’s pleased to see boys loved the new leopard print design.

H&T also offer a bespoke service: parents can order bags to be initialled, or, for something even more personal, you can print everything from doodles to signatures onto the pieces - a perfect gift for a godchild perhaps? honeyandtoast.co.uk

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Bloom Wind Print Dress, £185; Pink Leather Mary Janes, £145; Socks, £18.

In your

Dreams

There once was a little girl who loved fashion, adored dressing up and had a quirky, individual style.

Wonderfully creative and inquisitive, she was always looking for the next adventure. mariechantal .co.uk

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Above: Pale Pink Silk Dress, £250 Right: Dove Grey Wool Cashmere Dress, £185; Black Velvet Slippers, £90.

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Mini Bloom Wind Print Dress £135; Pale Pink Long Silk Princess Dress, £320; Heather Grey Coat with Hood & Fur Trim, £350.

Marie-Chantal; mariechantal.co.uk Photographer: Abi Campbell @abicampbellphotography for Marie-Chantal @mariechantalchildren Art Direction by Tracey Jacobs @traceyjacob1 Styling and probs by by Bob Hair & make up by Amy Atkins @amyatkinsmakeup The Marie-Chantal campaign was shot in a house in Suffolk.

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Newborn Helper Service

Don’t miss out on the moments that matter Let us help you with your childcare and household tasks.

So you can feel relaxed, rested and happy 020 3002 3637 www.helperbees.co.uk HB.indd 2

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THE MAKING OF US

Outside the Lines is a girlswear label established in last year by Philippa Cloete and Kate Please offering a carefully considered clothing for girls.

Wo r d s H O L LY K I R K WO O D

COSY KNITS FOR AUTUMN/WINTER '17

ABSOLUTELY MAMA: How and why did you launch Outside the Lines?

OUTSIDE THE LINES: Our other halves have been close friends for years, and we fell into a natural friendship. We initially had the idea sitting in a restaurant in Paris brainstorming ideas. We wanted to create a brand that doesn’t compromise on quality but also doesn’t break the bank. The name Outside the Lines comes from the ethos that it’s ok for children to colour ‘outside the lines’; essentially to be creative and develop their own unique style.

AM: What made you want to design for children?

OTL: As parents ourselves to two girls (Philippa) and two boys (Kate), we dreamt of working together to create our own childrenswear label. We always loved kids’ fashion but struggled to find good quality, stylish pieces for our own children which were still accessible. We are big fans of soft muted colours and the little finishing details that really make clothes stand out.

AM: What are the motivations or inspirations behind this year’s designs?

For Spring / Summer ‘17 we created a 30-piece collection that is inspired by global travel combining elements of bohemian ‘70s style with a more contemporary look for free-spirited girls who wish to explore their own style.

With a nod to the folk trend, handicraft touches complement the strong denim chambray workwear and refined essentials all with their own twist. We also increased the age range up to 12-13 years.

The Autumn/Winter collection features our signature embellishments, trims and intricate detailing. The 40-piece collection is crafted from rich and interesting fabrics in a muted colour palette with pops of colour and shimmer. Offering longer length midi skirts in lurex and tulle, embroidered pieces, joggers, embellished knitwear and plush faux fur jackets, gilets and sweatshirts add a tactile and luxurious look.

Highlight pieces include the black lace trim swing dress, the navy faux fur coat, the tapestry fringed jacket, plisse skirts in midnight or gold, the tribal print sweatshirt and the plush faux fur sweat.

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fash ion

PROFILE

~

WE WAN TE D TO CRE ATE A BRAND THAT DOE SN'T COMP ROMISE ON QUAILIT Y, BUT ALSO DOE SN ' T BR EAK THE BANK

~

THE DESIGNERS AT WORK

LAYERING IS A KEY LOOK

AM: What makes your label stand out in the industry?

We have spent a long time ensuring we offer great quality yarns and fabrics that are soft and luxurious in beautiful textures and cool patterns. We like to design classic pieces for girls that can be dressed up or down and won’t date.

AM: Why just girlswear not clothes for boys too?

We hope to branch into boyswear in the future. Kate has two boys so it is something we feel quite passionately about.

AM: What inspires you?

We are constantly inspired by our travels. Whether that’s trinkets in a market in Dehli, bolts of gorgeously coloured fabrics or a stunning

glass ceiling in an old railway station.Beautiful things inspire us every day.

AM: Would you say your aesthetic is very British, or do you get a lot of inspiration from international styles?

Our taste is very British but we are naturally absorbing influences from everywhere we go.

The skill is to pull all of them together to create an aesthetic

that appeals to our customer.

AM: Do you try to design pieces which will last across seasons, or are you very trend-led?

We try to design pieces that work together, but which are easily absorbed into your existing wardrobe. We always have a nod to trends but we believe that a beautiful clothes can easily be carried across seasons and handed down.

AM: How do you balance work and parenthood?

We actually started the brand as a direct result of needing more flexible work/ home life. We are both in the same situation and life is a constant juggle but we make it work and wouldn’t have it any other way.

AM: What are your aspirations for the next couple of years for Outside the Lines?

We hope to see the girlswear collection grow: We are now stocked in 11 countries worldwide and this is another area we would like to develop on.

We are also always being asked for women’s versions of the girls range which makes us excited, so maybe that will be the next thing we will tackle. out side-the-line s .co .uk September / October 2017 | 57

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TAL ANTENA CLASSES Mondays 5pm from 5.4 m to 7.45p

Intensive Care Units

24/7 Consultant Obstetric Anaesthetist

Midwife-led Care

Offering you the luxury and comfort of private care, with the peace of mind that comes with being in the hands of the professionals at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

Community Postnatal Package

Physiotherapist After-Care

The Kensington Wing Private Maternity Unit To find out more about our services, please call us on 020 3315 8616/18 Kensington_Suite_Ad_V3.indd 1

kensington@chelwest.nhs.uk www.thekensingtonwing.co.uk 09/08/2017 15:15

wellness

B E AU T Y N E WS : O R G A N I C PA M P E R I N G A N D T H E B E ST E Y E C R E A M S p .6 0 FO O D N OT E S p .6 3 • H OW K E E P I N G F I T C A N B O O ST YO U R H A P P I N E S S p .6 4

LA confidential VARLEY

Co-founder of Varley Lara Mead was a serious athlete in her teenage years, which may be giving her designs an edge.

We adore their elegant sportswear, which is fashioned in tonal prints and classic shapes – a perfect hybrid of style and performance. varley.com

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7 of the best EYE CREAMS

DR HAUSCHKA Daily Hydrating Eye Cream, £29.50; dr.hauschka.com

CLINIQUE All About Eyes, £27; clinique.co.uk

mama’s

BEAUT Y NOTES

A magic cream which smells divine, and a bespoke organic facial

BENEFIT Puff Off Eye Gel, £24.50; benefitcosmetics.com

THIS WORKS Light Time Open Eyes, £25; thisworks.com

VICHY Slow Âge Eye Cream, £25; vichy.co.uk

ESTÉE LAUDER Advanced Night Repair Eye, £42; esteelauder.co.uk

Good To Glow •Chanel•

For her fi rst cruise collection Lucia Pica has created a make-up line which encapsulates the beauty and warmth of summer. Les Indispensables de L’ete is composed of glowing face, lip, eye and nail products inspired by sun-baked landscapes. It's ideal for extending your holiday glow a few more weeks. chanel.com

ORIGINS GinZing™ Refreshing Eye Cream, £20.50; origins.co.uk

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PRESERVE YOUR MODESTY •Modesty Company•

The clever Velcro strap closure on this towel is a genius idea for those multitasking mornings when you're dressing four people all at once against the clock. £49.50. themodestycompany.com

THE EXPRESS FACIAL

we love

Organic Pharmacy Words: Holly Kirk wo o d

LONG PLAYER

T

•Stila•

The award-winning Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick promises cheerful colour that feels weightless and soft on lips – and lasts all day. Swipe and go for an instant lift. £16. stila.co.uk

DREAM CREAM •Sister & Co•

This wonder-balm contains a blend of raw shea butter, cold-pressed apricot and sweet almond oils.

It smells incredible, and addresses nappy rash, and dry skin in babies; for mama it's a stretch-mark reducer, lip balm and hand cream. £28 sisterandcompany.com

Tea time Jo Malone

he experts at Jo Malone scoured the world’s ancient tea regions to come up with a range of scents which are subtle, but sophisticated. From the delicate silver needle to the smoky midnight black, there’s something divine to suit all tastes.

• jomalone.com

T

he Organic Pharmacy is a firm favourite for those who love a natural approach to products, but still appreciate some serious science when it comes to their application.

I was booked in to their Great Marlborough Street property for the express facial, but my consultant tweaked the menu, as I was pregnant and not all the elements of that treatment would suit. Instead we came up with a bespoke plan to address my specific concerns (tiredness, pigmentation, and city skin syndrome).

We stuck to a 45 minute treatment which kicked off with their Carrot Butter Cleanser which successfully prised the city grime out of my pores; this was followed by the gentle Rose Cleansing Gel, the Spritz Toner, and the Antioxidant Face Gel. I was then treated to an application of Face Firming Serum - otherwise known as ‘the instant face lift’ ( I could still see the difference days later). The oxygen blast at the end was an invigorating boost and left my skin feeling younger and fresher. These express treatments are designed to be short, regular appointments for busy women keen to keep on top of their skincare, while not taking great chunks out of their day I'd say they're a fab idea. theorganicpharmacy.com

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1 2 3 4

Organic New recipes Steam cooked Best for texture and lumps 5 Great value

Try our new no added sugar breakfast and 100% fruit jars with an extra wide opening – perfect for feeding with a spoon. Our organic range of 60 tasty, nutritious jars are sure to meet the needs of your little one’s taste buds.

The m ment they’re ready for weaning 1735_HiPP_JARS_2017_Campaign_Ad_220x285_5_IN_1.indd 1

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wellness

FOOD & DRINK

Give back Piccolo plates

Need a thoughtful present for a busy friend with a baby?

Send a week’s worth of fresh, homecooked organic children’s meals straight to their door as a gift. Choose five dishes from the fab selection at Piccolo Plates and they'll do the rest piccoloplates.com

mama’s

FOO D N OTES

Hot news, fresh from the kitchen Ed's pick

SPIN OUT

TOP UP?

Spun Candy parties

Scavi & Ray

The brilliant people at Spun Candy channel Willy Wonka 24/7. Their Spitalfields party room is fi lled with candy cocktails, free-flowing fudge, and lollipop trees. Little ones will adore the candy-making workshops - they will never want to leave Spun-candy.com

Cleverly made from the same grape as its award-winning prosecco, Scavi & Ray's new alcohol-free sparkling drink is pleasantly refreshing. The taste is delicately fruity, with notes of pear, citrus and vanilla scavi-ray.com

Pure mama PURE EARTH CLEANSES

P

ure Earth are geniuses with nutrition, and their plans for would-be mamas, mamasto-be and new mamas are second-to-none.

Programmes offer extra nutritional support while you’re planning to get pregnant, throughout the duration of your pregnancy, and on into the post-natal period, to help with everything from breastfeeding to

getting a good night's sleep.

With tailormade plans for each trimester until the birth, the new mum plan then kicks in, providing vital vitamins, minerals and enzymes during those very first important days. Having orders delivered straight to your door, is particularly helpful in the first few weeks. They're also stocked in Planet Organic.

• purearth.co.uk

PURE EARTH MAKE RAW, COLD-PRESSED ORGANIC JUICES AND CLEANSES

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I

t’s a proven relationship: taking care of your body helps you take care of your mind. And after you’ve given birth, once you’re ready, exercise can also help you cope with all the demands of your life with a new baby - mentally and physically. This month, for our fitness special, Absolutely Mama spoke to Gemme Guise, a personal trainer and mum, about her own experiences, and how she now helps other new mums get their mojo back postnatally.

Gemma’s Story

Need to know

GENTLE PRENANTAL EXCERCISE HELPS PREPARE FOR BIRTH

All in the

MIND

How your physical health affects your mental health.

W o r d s H O L LY K I R K W O O D

Gemma exercised regularly right up to the birth of her baby and found it a good way to unwind as well as keep fit.

Sadly she found things a lot more difficult once the little one arrived. She had a c-section delivery, which left her unable to exercise for longer than she expected – when she tried she only hurt herself. Alongside the 'baby blues', lack of sleep and so on, the mood-lifter which had worked for her, exercise, wasn't possible.

It was at this point Gemma says she saw up close the well documented link between physical and mental wellbeing.

Many mental health organisations, from Mind to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, hail the huge benefits of exercise for those with mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety. For new mums, there is the added risk of post-natal depression.

Many find that exercise can help enormously with this condition in a preventative way, and also for those who are suffering from PND. In Gemma’s case, her recovery from surgery forced her to take things slowly, but once she started exercising gently, she began to feel more like herself.

There were so many benefits that Gemma discovered. Not only did she enjoy the physical effects, such as shedding her baby weight, it was also nice to have some time to herself when she wasn't being just a mum.

Because she had always been a runner, she says her running buggy was instrumental in helping her recovery. “I really only started feeling back to normal once I was able to get out and about with the buggy, and from that point on, local mums would see me running and would ask whether I could train them as well,” she explains.

Gemma then decided to build on her love of personal training and began a course in teaching pre-and-post natal exercise. Then she

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mama

decided she would offer classes to mums to help them to stay in shape all the way through their pregnancy, and then also afterwards.

But it was a long road, from chocolate biscuits back to snacking healthily and reestablishing herself in work - it wasn’t easy.

But now she now runs popular classes in a number of venues around Kent and Sussex, as well as in London. What she teaches is essentially a modified form of HIIT training, suited to the fi ntess and ability levels of the mums she’s working with. Classes are pay-asyou-go so it doesn’t matter if some days you just can’t make it out of the house.

“In the end a lot of what my pupils end up taking away is a form of self-esteem, of confidence,” she says. “So many mums I talk to fall prey to the Instagram hole, where they see really fit mums back in their size six jeans after two weeks, but that’s just not the reality for most of us, and that’s completely fi ne.”

It can be tough to get motivated post natal. Not only are you dealing with sleep deprivation, but you are also getting to know your new arrival.

Of course exercise is the perfect tool to combat many of these challenges. It’s a cycle: if you work out regularly, you sleep better, and then you have more energy for the day. It also builds your mental strength, which helps you

FITNESS SPECIAL

Gemma's exercise tips for new mums

Once you’re healthier you have more energy to deal with everything life throws at you Set yourself small, achievable goals Put the biscuits away, but don’t beat yourself up if you’ve spent the day on the sofa eating toast If you take things a day at a time you will notice a difference, and so will everyone else.

WORKING OUT WITH YOUR CHILD IN TOW CAN BE FUN

Take people’s Instagram posts with a pinch of salt, and do not compare yourself with other people on there who apparently have perfect lives Exercise to do at home: water bottles as weights, skipping rope, long walks, moves with the pouch, running buggy mammafit.co.uk

deal with all the different challenges a new baby presents.

Her training also gives clients the information and confidence to work out at home if they are unable to make it to a class.

“Even just doing twenty minutes at home, while the baby naps, using some water bottles as weights or your own body strength can make a difference,” she points out. It’s something you are doing for yourself; you will feel enormously better for having done it.

P R E A N D P O S T N ATA L F I T N E S S C L A S S E S I N L O N D O N We've tried out some of the best pre and post natal fitness classes in London.

Move Your Frame

Xtend Barre

Lomax Chelsea

St Johns Wood, Notting Hill, Islington

Camden, Chelsea, Soho, Covent Garden

Specialised classes and workshops tailored to mums. Pre-natal classes include yoga and pilates, post natal classes also offer the addition of HIIT and ‘tums’ and focus on slowly getting things back to normal exercising the pelvic floor

A full body dynamic workout where the baby is invited to join you.

Exercises work through the whole body followed by stretching, all with baby joining you on the mat or in a sling. A great chance to sweat, and have fun with your little one.

Bumps and Burpees is a dedicated pre and post natal space within PT. Sessions are run by experienced trainers. The space is equipped with bouncers, carriers and endless toys to keep the little one happy while you workout.

Super-fun ballet classes for mums and mums to be, where babies are fully welcome. This is very much real ballet - barre warm up, pliés, tendus, glissés, and relevés. But beginners are welcome and babies are given time for a warmup and stretch too.

Pre and post natal yoga classes.

Pre natal yoga classes combine traditional yoga postures, with safe and gentle modifications, to help mamas connect their breath with their body. Babies are welcome in post natal classes.

moveyourframe.com

xtendbarre.com

lomaxpt.com

barreandbaby.com

triyoga.co.uk

Shoreditch, Kings Cross, Queen’s Park, Victoria

Marylebone

Barre & Baby

Triyoga

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From stylish baskets, perfect for storing dinosaurs after a busy day of play, to hobby horses and cuddly octopuses. JJ’s WIGWAM is the place to find something a bit different.

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home &

G E T C R E AT I V E W I T H YO U R WA LL S p .6 8 A N I N T E R I O R B LO G G E R S H A R E S H E R S C A N D I ST Y LE T I P S p .70

N e e d to Kn o w

 BUNNY & CLYDE X MAMAS & PAPAS

Art Deco-inspired, with geometric shapes influenced by architecture, all three pieces in this collab are handcrafted from solid birch.

The limited-edition range is in selected stores and online - but there are only 100 of each so get your skates on. mamasandpapas.com

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mama’s

5 of the best P L AY M A T S

1

Top playmats and striking artworks for the nursery

2

Sweet dreams •Leander Cradle•

4 r’s editock pi

N UR SERY NOTES

3

The snug oval shape of the Leander contributes to its magical sleep-giving properties. Offering freedom of movement in all directions, the cradle relaxes your child, and looks fantastic. £345. naturalmat.co.uk

5

1. Sebra playmat, £59.95, minideco.co.uk 2. Noe and Zoe Star playmat, £48, libertylondon.com 3. Kidsmill playmat, £79, naturalbabyshower.co.uk 4. Elephant playmat, £55, my1styears.com 5. Panda playmat, £79, notonthehighstreet.com

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h o me & interio rs NURSERY

we love

NOTES

ART ATTACK • T i n y To e s •

Using a unique technique combining watercolor markers, pen and ink, Brett Blumenthal creates arresting portraits of animals – a selection of prints on a single wall has a powerful impact: this is art which can grow with your children. £27.50 scandiborn.co.uk

SMART STORAGE La Basketry

L

Words: Mi ri a m Ca re y

FEEDING TIME •Baby Bjorn•

Th is clever highchair keeps your little chomper safe through mealtimes with its unique safety solutions to prevent your tot from wiggling out. kidly.co.uk

MIRROR MIRROR •La La loves•

Bring a bespoke element into your nursery with these custom mirror acrylic name signs. Choose from silver, gold pink or blue - they're gorgeous for siblings or twins sharing a room lalalovesdecor.com

Playtime Little Bird

ow pretty is this nostalgic quilt from Jools Oliver? The mum of five continues to wow with her gorgeous children's range. Th is retro bed cover is super cosy for winter, and a great pop of colour if that's what your nursery needs. £50. mothercare.com

H

a Basketry is a new brand that sisters Tabara and Mama N'Diaye only began at the start of this year. Importing traditional handcrafted baskets from Senegal, La Basketry was one of the hits of Bubble London back in July.

Tabara and Mamy grew up in Paris but have roots in Senegal, a country known for its crafts from sculpture and printing to weaving and basket-making.

Handcrafted from a local grass called ‘ndiorokh’ with recycled colourful plastic weaved in, these gorgeous baskets are high quality, longlasting, attractive and useful. Ranges include the etoile and the diamond, which build in colourful, geometric patterns to the weave.

Super versatile in the home, the larger baskets are perfect for storage while the smaller models can be fruit bowls or hold accessories.

La Basketry is a fair trade brand, working directly with a group of talented women in a village called Ndiakhate, east of Dakar, which is where the sisters' family still live They have also partnered with the charity Village Pilote, donating 10% of their profits to provide global support to youngsters around the world. labasketry.com villagepilote.org

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C Boy TALK When this interiors blogger designed a room for her son, she was aiming for innocence and fun. Here's her story.

Wo r d s R U T H M AT T H E W S

reating a room that combines the things your toddler loves and your own taste in interiors can be something of a challenge when you like your style without a heavy dose of plastic attached.

Ted's room has been gently evolving since we moved in 18 months ago. His was the first room we painted (within a fortnight) thanks to the harsh and bright lime green space he’d inherited from the previous owners.

We neutralised the space with one of my very favourite greys, Farrow & Ball’s Cornforth White, which I’ve now used in three homes and loved the result each time. It's such a perfect colour, the tone is really natural and beautiful. Farrow & Ball describe it as a 'hushed, calming colour' and it is a part of their Easy Neutrals range.

I particularly recommend it in north-facing rooms, which is where we’ve always used it, as it brings out the grey tones so beautifully.

I have accumulated quite a number of Scandi kids pieces since Ted was born, and a sizeble dinosaur and animal collection, so they were the starting points when thinking about how the room would come together.

But it wasn’t until I went on a trip to Dorset for Farrow & Ball's wallpaper launch that I knew exactly how the room would look. When I saw the papers unveiled,

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h o me & interio rs S CANDI

ST YLE

ADD PRINT AND COLOUR IN SMALL DOSES

it was a design-adrenaline rush moment for me: there was no question in my mind that this was the right design for Ted’s room.

With its charming bucolic rural scene (one that I would happily live with in my own space, perhaps in pink) there’s no design I can think of that’s more joyful or comforting for a bedroom.

It has such a cosy feel to it, based on a 1950s design, but quite timeless, with a touch of naivety to it. We talk about it often during winding down time; Ted likes the animals and spends ages spotting and counting them.

The wallpaper is such a statement so I didn’t want the design of the rest of the room to argue with it. Therefore, I’ve kept everything else pretty pared back in monochromes with the odd flash of colour for fun.

Unlike the rest of my home, I didn’t want the space to be too knowing or kitsch so it’s just innocence and fun in here. A mix between vintage wood and Scandinavian

~

“I DIDN'T WANT THE SPACE TO BE TOO KNOWING OR KI TSCH – SO IT'S JUST INNOCENCE AND FUN IN HERE”

~

toys that I bought when Ted was really tiny, and more colourful fun pieces that I’ve added to as he's grown.

There are so many things that Ted loves (plastic aside) so we don’t have any theme in here at all, though there is quite a hefty animal slant. The biggest statement (after the wallpaper) is the central back wall which has had things that we like thrown upon it pretty randomly. But I think it works.

The cacti wall hooks and shelf were my decision, but a lot of the pictures have meaning: the vintage Super Ted covers were framed for him by my good friend Lucy; there’s a handmade ceramic dinosaur plate called 'Tedosaurus' from Aunty Kathryn and a print in vintage style by children’s illustrator Paul Thulby.

I’ve tried to keep a pretty retro feel to the items on the mantelpiece, simplicity in wood and a few more colourful pieces which really pop against the wallpaper. There’s a bit of a vintage theme going on in the corner that's home to Ted’s chest of drawers - a bargin that I picked up on ebay for £100 and painted a bright mustard yellow. On it are some vintage children’s books, the 50s style swinging rocket toy and the retro dressed animal plates from West Elm that people always comment on.

With my ever growing love for house

plants, Ted has an aloe which is good for cleansing the air and a mini terrarium complete with a polar bear figurine.

Everytime I go into his room, I feel so happy with how it turned out and, most importantly, so is Ted. de si g n so da .co .uk

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The Dream Baby Box is inspired by the celebrated Finnish baby box, which has been providing a safe sleep medium for around 80 years.

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MY STYLE Emily Sunderland Sutter creator Nibbling Jewellry shares her favourite things nibbling.co.uk

DREAM DESINATION The Grand Velas on the Caribbean coast is the best family resort. rivieramaya. grandvelas.com

MO-MA GLIDER CHAIR I have spent endless hours breastfeeding my three babies here. olliella.com

DE GOURNAY WALLPAPER We have this in our bedroom as the accent wall and I love it. degournay.com

FAT BOY ACRYLIC CHANDELIER I love this. It’s low maintenance and the red wiring gives it a cool look. fatboy.com

LOMBOK FURNITURE Their range is timeless and high-quality, Every room in our house has some in it. lombok.co.uk

HEIDI KLEIN SWIMWEAR Her one piece swimsuits are a must have in every holiday wardrobe.

They are a great and are made of the most luxurious fabrics. heidiklein.com

RESTAURANT Their first concession in London is part of a contemporary refresh of the Harrods home and interiors department. tomdixon.net

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T r è s ch i c  CHÂTEAU SAINT-MARTIN

This stunning Château was home to the Knights Templar back in the 12th century, but now it's an idylic, five-star hideaway tucked in the hills overlooking the Côte d’Azur offering access to a private beach on Cap d’Antibes. Enjoy the views while dining in the Michelin-starred restaurant.

This is a haven of tranquility that is best enjoyed sans enfant. chateau-st-martin.com

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The innovative travel backpack with removable cushion for your little ones.

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Leave all your troubles behind when you step off this jetty, and enter the world of private island Jumby Bay. Let the little ones loose to explore (they cannot come to any harm; quite the opposite) and kick back. Everything else is taken care of. We promise. rosewoodhotels.com

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With a quick and compact fold, a removable changing mat, and a raised level for tinies, this travel cot keeps your children safe whether at home or on the move. £139.99 Icoo.de

High-quality, narrow-lined paper stock and a lightweight, durable cover for portability, make these illustrated notebooks make stylish travel companions. £6.69 shop.lonelyplanet.com

3 PLACES FOR OCTOBER HALF-TERM SUN The Lux* Resorts

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Stay at one of the three Lux* resorts on the island. Designed by interiors guru Kelly Hoppen, expect the dream combination of colonialchic luxury alongside breathtaking golden beaches. luxresorts.com

For long pristine beaches and fivestar style, head to the Ritz Carlton in Naples. On the Gulf Coast, this top resort has a ‘Nature’s Wonders’ kid’s programme run by environmentalists where your little ones can learn about the local ecosystem. Fun and educational. ritzcarlton.com

Crystal clear waters with the backdrop of Oman’s rugged mountains have made this place the travel experts' favourite. Each of the 82 villas has a private pool, but if you feel like venturing out then trekking, off road excursions and even paragliding can be arranged. sixsenses.com

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A Mexican Wave From golden beaches to exciting excursions, these five-star hotels offer the very best family holidays in Mexico.

Wo r d s CA S S C H A PM A N

M

exico is a vast, expansive and, at times, overwhelming country.

Neon colour, a vibrant culture and delectable food collide; the result is a place you can spend months in and barely scratch the surface of, particularly as it is so very big in size. It doesn’t always leap out as a destination to pack up the bags and fly to with the kids but, honestly, it should be top of your list.

And two areas in particular are very welcoming of families, offering luxurious amenities for parents and little ones, alike. The Riviera Maya stretches along the Caribbean coastline of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula to the south of Cancun. Home to the Mayan ruins, the beaches of Tulum, the hedonism of Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morelos, Puerto Aventuras and Solidaridad, this strip along the northeast coast of the country is fabulous fun at any age. Diving in the cenotes is a must for those who are qualified, while snorkelling along the small coral reefs near the shore of Tulum is a great way for little ones to get used to the ocean.

The Riviera Maya offers a plethora of luxurious, very family-friendly hotels, but there are a few that stand out head and shoulders above the rest.

First off, the Hotel Esencia, perfectly located as it is between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, offers garden view and ocean view rooms, which are particularly good for families as they offer so much space. That said, if you can stretch to one of the cottages, you will want to move in. Spread across two floors and situated within the estate’s tropical gardens, the second bedroom is perfect for children - it goes without

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escap es MEXICO

ONE AND ONLY POOL VILLA

~

“ THE BEACH IS PERFECT FOR TOTS: NOTHING BUT WHITE , SOF T SAND THERE'S NOT A ROCK OR REEF IN SIGHT.”

~

POOLSIDE AT THE ESENCIA

saying that they’ll love the high-tech media room. Junior cookery classes offer pastry and bakery lessons for younger children, while the junior classes for 9 – 12 year-olds will teach them how to make Mexican favourites such as guacamole, gorditas and tortillas.

The beach is perfect for tots: nothing but white, soft sand - there’s not a rock or reef in sight. The hotel provides children’s beach toys and snorkeling gear too.

If your litte ones are spa-lovers, they are made welcome with treatments of their own and, if you fancy some pampering , you’ll find yourself happily whiling away hours between the juice bar and state-of-the-art treatment rooms.

Foodies can join the kids with their own two-hour cookery classes; you’ll return home armed with a fervent knowledge of Yucutan’s gastronomy, as well as a recipe for their in-house signature cocktail. Babysitting sessions for two hours are complimentary if you want some time out or September / October 2017 | 79

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is here to help!

We all know how unpredictable babies can be!

Even if you follow a regular routine, no two days are the same, and there are certain trigger times1 when your baby may be more prone to nappy rash 1.Morris H, The bottom line on nappy rash, British Journal of Midwifery, September 2012, Vol 20, No 9, pages 540-543

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Metanium Nappy Rash Ointment is a medicine. Always read the label.

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13/12/2016 12:01 13:49 07/12/2016

~ escap es MEXICO

THE BEACH AT THE ONE AND ONLY PALMILLA

book dinner “a deux” at Esencia’s Beach Restaurant.

Another hotel to visit is the Fairmont Mayakoba. Split across jungle, beach or the lagoon, it is as good as any Fairmont property gets. It's a resort but it doesn’t feel like one, set as it is right on the edge of dunes, water canals, tropical forest and dense mangroves so it’s utterly unique.

While it isn’t far from bustling fun of Playa del Carmen, rooms are extremely tranquil so perfect with young children.

They will love the kids' camp, which has been beautifully designed to look like a tree house. Activities include baking, recycling and “Fairmont Fit for Kids” sports.

There are excellent facilities for teenagers too and accommodation made

THE FAIRMONT

~

““OLDER CHILDREN CAN ENJOY THE KAYAKING, PADDLE BOARDING AND SNORKELING THAT IS READILY AVAILABLE”

~

available for nannies if they travel with you. If not, the family rooms are interconnecting and the hotel can happily provide cots and babysitting facilities.

And while the little ones are busy in that aforementioned kids’ club, you can enjoy the El Camaleón golf Course, home of Mexico’s only PGA Tour course, the Willow Stream Spa, any of the hotel’s fabulous restaurants or, of course, the beach.

Head west to the other side of this vast nation and tucked away at the base of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula sits lovely Los Cabos. Comprising of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, there is a corridor that sits between the two that houses some seriously gorgeous, luxury family hotels. Whether you fly in

to enjoy the food, sensational accommodation and first-class service of a familyfriendly hotel without moving, or start in Los Cabos and work your way north to explore California, there are endless options of places to eat, stay and play that will keep the entire family happy, no matter the ages of your children.

First up is the One&Only Palmilla. Featuring a signature 27-hole Jack Nicklaus golf course, it inevitably attracts golf lovers from around the world, but there is far more than good greens to pull you in.

One&Only Palmilla resort offers all the luxurious extras one would expect from this revered brand: complimentary goodies include 24-hour butler service, laundry services for all children under 2 years old, a suncare bag filled with goodies, tequila on arrival (the good kind – not the stuff that made you sick at university) and the staff there will even unpack for you so you can head straight on to dinner, drinks or the pool, depending on what time you arrive.

Your little ones will love the One&Only Palmilla ice cream bar and the fantastic KidsOnly program, which is a wonderful kid’s club loaded with supervised games and activities.

Older children can enjoy the kayaking, paddle boarding and snorkeling that is readily available.

And while they’re busy making friends, you can relax in the awardwinning spa, try out the the tennis courts or book one of the wonderful day excursions that include a desert trip by Hummer, a cruise of the local waters by yacht or horseback riding, all organised by the hotel’s concierge.

Wherever you head in Mexico, you’ll find warm locals, sensational cuisine and beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see. It’s a vast place, but so worth the long-haul flight and one you’ll be ready to do all over again once you get a taste for this spectacular place.

Cass Chapman is a food and travel journalist. She has written for GQ, Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, The Telegraph, The Times and Conde Nast Traveller, amongst others. She is the founder and editor of kodomo. com, a site dedicated to luxury family travel.

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esca p es WALES

T TENBY HARBOUR, PEMBROKESHIRE

Go wild in

WALES Mama discovers a glorious Pembrokeshire resort to suit the whole family.

W o r d s H O L LY K I R K W O O D

hings you never thought you’d say in Wales #94: “It’s too hot to go to the beach”. This summer we were fortunate enough to ship out of London the same week the mercury in town hit 34 degrees – the timing could not have been better. We headed west, our destination the Bluestone National Park in Pembrokeshire.

It was our first staycation with our nearlythree-year-old, Freya. We drove to Bluestone feeling frazzled and looking for a week of R&R with our daughter, but also a little bit of time to recharge our batteries.

The site is a 500-acre former dairy farm in the incredible Pembrokeshire countryside, which has been converted into a holiday village offering accommodation from old farm cottages to modern two-and-three bedroom 'upside-down' lodges.

Launched in 2006, the park has proved to be a huge success; making the most, as it does, of amazing location amongst the rolling hills and legendary beaches of the region. The model will be familiar to visitors of Center Parcs: you rent accommodation, and then let yourselves loose on the activities on offer, but Bluestone is a bit different.

Our lodge was in the Forest View area of the site (Bluestone has nearly 300 properties in total, not that you’d ever know) which we loved – it’s the most secluded of all. The house was a not-quite-new ‘upside down’ lodge with the bedrooms on the ground floor and open-plan kitchen/living room area upstairs. We had great views of the woods at the bottom of our garden.

Outside was a cute picnic bench which got the evening sun and became one of our favourite places to sit and have a drink at the end of the day, while the little one chased the remarkably tame (and Disney-cute) rabbits who emerged from the trees every morning and evening.

The site is centered around the village which has two immaculate playgrounds – one, the tree tots playground, is almost completely undercover and offers treehousethemed fun; the newest toddler playground is excellent, and offers something for littles September / October 2017 | 83

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esca p es WALES

THE SALT ROOM

LOCAL BEACHES ARE WONDERFUL

~

“ THE WOODS ARE A RIOT OF WILDFLOWERS IN JUNE”

~

quality in both the restaurants and the shop - and local towns are within easy reach for further supplies.

Another lunch option is Camp Smokey, a rustic cabin which is a 20 minute walk (toddler depending) through the woodland. The woods themselves are delightful: in June they were a riot of greens and wildflowers, going on for miles outside the park itself - perfect for a morning run. We meandered along the path, stopping to play Poohsticks on the bridges. There are hobbit houses and an enchanting fairy village built into a bank of trees to explore: you can book your little ones into activities to see these in more detail. Freya enjoyed a couple of mornings at the crèche and we also booked a babysitter for a birthday dinner in The Grill.

The amenities on site are impressive.

The water park has water slides for older children, a wave pool and a lovely, safe, baby pool alongside a café for spectators; the

THE LODGES ARE RUSTIC AND SPACIOUS

THE POOL WAS A BIG HIT WITH KIDS

of all ages in a location where parents can easily keep watch from the pub or café.

The café sells coffees, soups, sandwiches and wicked ice-cream sundaes; The Knight’s Tafarn has good pub food and local beers. Other choices for lunch or dinner include The Oak Tree for pizzas, steaks and chicken, while The Farmhouse Grill offers US-style meat and fish. Importantly, all the dining options have a never-ending supply of crayons and colouring-in sheets. If you only want to selfcater then village shop sells everything you could possibly need.

Bluestone source a lot of their meat and fish from local businesses which ups the

adventure centre offers rock climbing, a lego wall, tree top walking, and a café, as well as a crèche for up to three year olds which is run by lovely, fully-trained staff (book older children into forest rangers activities a half-day at a time, which they will never want to leave).

In addition the whole place is clearly geared up for inclement weather - well it is Wales afterall. There is still absolutely loads to do, whether you mind getting soggy or not. Activity afternoons for 4-8, and then 8-16 year olds are all based in nature, from learning to pan for Welsh gold to brushing up on Ray Mears-style survival tips, building dens and making campfires. Allowing parent to take time out and relax.

The site is large: it’s car-free so most families hire golf buggies, or bikes with handy little tagalongs for getting up and down the hills with toddlers; in addition a land train tours the whole site at half-hour intervals, and is super-easy to hop on and off.

There is more to do than any one family could manage in a week – most of the guests we met were regulars – but we felt we had to get out and see the numerous beaches within a half-hour drive. We spent a couple of happy afternoons pottering around on some perfect Caribbean-style white sand beaches. We even swam in the sea. Yes. In Wales. In June.

Previously the words ‘holiday park’ merely conjured up images of places which are completely manufactured and designed to relieve you of as much money as possible, but the links Bluestone maintains with its location and community make it feel really special.

The staff are all genuinely lovely locals; nothing we asked for or needed to know was too much trouble for them.

We left feeling a little sad, but it was great to return home feeling refreshed, relaxed, and yes, quite smug about the weather.

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Teaching fledglings to fly Individual attention gives them wings. Play and adventures keep them chirpy. Knowledge teaches them the sky’s the limit. Creative teaching takes them to greater heights. But it is achievement that makes them soar.

Our three schools differ in character but share the same single-minded focus: teaching children to fly.

The higher and happier the better.

OPEN DAYS Bassett House 5 October, 6pm - 8pm Orchard House 7 October, 10.00am - 12.00 Prospect House 7 October, 9.30am - 12.00

Notting Hill | 020 8969 0313 bassetths.org.uk

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Chiswick | 020 8742 8544 orchardhs.org.uk

Putney | 020 8246 4897 prospecths.org.uk

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resources

A S K T H E E X P E R T S p . 8 8 • A C H I LD R E N ' S AU T H O R O N T H E M AG I C O F B O O K S p 9 3 • P R I N C E LY P R E P S : T H E OT H E R S C H O O L S F I T FO R R OYA LT Y p . 9 7

Sn a p Happy  KIRST Y LARMOUR

Lifestyle photographer Kirsty Larmour is based in Abu Dhabi but a fullyfledged global nomad. Her e-book outlines how to capture great moments on family holidays you'll be able to keep forever, plus get your Instagram properly swoon-worthy. kirstylarmourblog.com

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Caitlin BEGG Caitlin is a part of the global marketing team for the multi award winning nursery brand Mountain Buggy. With a background in industrial design and textiles, she plays an integral part for the New Zealand brand, specialising in ergonomic babywearing. mountainbuggy.com

Ask the

EXPERTS Q

&

A

Parenting professionals and leading mumpreneurs answer some of your most pressing questions

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|

Q What are some key features to look out for when choosing a carrier which is going to have ergonomic benefits for both parent and child?

A Head to your local nursery store and allow yourself a decent amount of time to trial a few. There are lots of different looks out there, and you’ll most likely be wearing it day-to-day, so it makes sense that your carrier matches your own sense of style.

An ergonomic soft structured carrier (or SSC) should have features which offer benefits for both child AND parent. A properly padded waistband and shoulder straps will help to distribute the weight and alleviate back strain. Also a wide seated area for your child will offer knee to knee support - taking weight off their hip joints, allowing for longer lasting comfort. Th is is a bonus for you too, as their legs will be positioned to wrap around your waist, pulling their weight inward towards your core, making it easier for you to carry.

Lastly, a soft structured carrier with an acknowledgement from the International Hip Dysplasia Institute will leave you with peace of mind that your new carrier ticks all the ‘hip healthy’ safety boxes. For more helpful babywearing safety tips (or T.I.C.K.S, as they’re called) make sure to check out www.babyslingsafety. co.uk/ticks or look at www. mountainbuggy.com.

Fortunately for you the Mountain Buggy Juno ticks all the above. Well worth a visit to your local John Lewis or Mothercare to try one on!

absolutely-mama.co.uk

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reso urces ASK

Nicole HASTIE Nicole Hastie is a Carrying Consultant and Director of Kangaroo Care UK. She is passionate about helping parents understand the incredible benefits of skin to skin contact with their babies.. vija-design.co.uk Q Should I put skin to skin contact in my birth plan?

A Where possible, mother and baby should spend time skin to skin for an uninterrupted hour immediately after birth. Once essential checks have been made, ask for the noise levels and lights to be kept low, giving you and your baby time to rest and get to know each other. Ensure you are both warm enough and comfortable by wearing something

that supports baby on your chest and covers your body to maintain your own temperature. Baby’s heart rate, body temperature and respiration will usually stabilise during skin to skin contact, easing their transition from the womb to the world. Being held against mum’s skin can help baby’s immune system, reducing the risk of infection.

Requesting skin to skin contact as part of your birth plan, and packing a comfortable and supportive kangaroo care top or wrap, will help you enjoy this simple but powerful way of welcoming your baby into the world. Births don’t always go to plan but skin to skin contact has many benefits even when it cannot happen straightaway.

Choosing what to wear for skin to skin contact doesn’t have to be expensive. There are comfortable options, such as the Bandeau from Vija Design which starts from just £17.99.

T HE EXPERTS

SAY NO TO PAIN We asked Mark Cox, Lead Obstetric Anaesthetist at The Kensington Wing, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London about the role of an anaesthetist within your pregnancy journey.

What is your role at the Kensington Wing?

I oversee a group of 14 handpicked Consultant Obstetric Anaesthetists from London teaching hospitals. We provide a 24/7 resident service and assist with nine out of ten deliveries in The Kensington Wing. This may be either with pain relief or an anaesthetic for an assisted vaginal delivery or caesarean section.

What are my options for pain relief?

Normally you would consider a range of pain relief techniques and discuss these with your midwife. These include distraction, massage, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and gas and air. However most women in the Kensington Wing choose the complete pain relief offered by an epidural.

When would I need to decide what pain relief method I want?

Anytime you like. As mentioned earlier we are available 24/7 to come and discuss this with you.

What happens if I have a really fast labour and want pain relief?

Usually we can provide pain relief quickly even in the more advanced stages of labour. In a few women with precipitous labours it can be too late if the baby’s head is presenting when we arrive.

At which points throughout my pregnancy and stay will I see a member of the anaesthetic team?

We provide the option to talk to us antenatally about your pain relief. However, most women meet us when they attend the Kensington Wing for the birth of the baby.

What is the best thing about working at The Kensington Wing?

I am really proud to have developed this truly excellent service within my own hospital. I feel very safe practising somewhere with all the resources I might need to look after any of my patients.

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Heather MORRIS Heather Morris is a Registered General Nurse and State Certified Midwife. She is mum to Freddy, Harry and Jack. metanium.co.uk Q What’s the best way to treat nappy rash?

A No matter how careful you are, most babies are likely to get nappy rash at some time. Nappy rash is usually mild and can be managed with a good skincare routine and a barrier ointment. Taking care of your baby’s delicate skin is essential in treating nappy rash. These simple steps will help: • Lie your baby on a towel and leave your baby’s nappy off as often as you can, to let fresh air get to the skin.

Helen GARDINER Helen Gardiner is an experienced nutritionist who works with one of the UK's most popular baby food brands, Hipp. hipp.co.uk Q When is best to introduce lumpy food when weaning?

A Learning to chew is an important stage in your baby’s development, helping with the correct muscle development and use of the tongue needed for speech, and of course is also a vital step in them adapting to family-style meals. There is a critical period in the second half of infancy during which babies more readily accept new tastes and textures. It can be tricky at fi rst, but it's important to

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• Change wet or soiled nappies as soon as possible.

• Clean the nappy area thoroughly using plain water or alcohol and fragrance free wipes.

• Don’t use talcum powder as it contains ingredients that could irritate your baby’s skin.

• Try to bath your baby every day, but don’t use soap or bubble bath.

• Gently pat rather than rub your baby’s bottom dry and avoid vigorous rubbing.

• Use a suitable barrier ointment at each nappy change.

“NAPPY RASH IS USUALLY MILD AND CAN BE MANAGED WITH A GOOD SKINCARE ROUTINE." Most mild cases of nappy rash can be easily treated with an ointment recommended by your pharmacist, but if you are worried always seek the advice of a healthcare professional.

persevere with lumpier foods from around 6-7 months of age. Research has shown that babies not given lumps until after 9 months are more likely to be difficult, picky eaters.

These problems are still evident at 15 months and even at 7 years of age.

If you’re preparing your own baby foods then you should adjust the consistency according to what your baby can cope with, aiming for more and more lumps and a coarser texture as you go.

Start by mashing soft fruits, cooked vegetables or cooked pasta, perhaps with some mashed fish or pureed meat. If you are using ready-made baby foods, switch from Stage 1 to Stage 2 foods that are specially designed for this next phase of feeding. Don’t be surprised if your baby spits out lumps to begin with this is normal. Just leave it for a few days and then have another go. They will get there in the end!

Of course, there is always the possibility of choking, however, so never leave your baby on their own whilst they are eating.

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resources ASK

THE EXPERTS

Our top tips Our number one tip is to have fun at this exciting time in your baby’s development Let your baby play with their food. Expect and plan for mess (especially as they start to explore the food in their bowl) Messy is good! It helps your baby learn and explore the new textures Always smile- this will show you are enthusiastic and your baby will be excited and will want to try the food you are giving them Start with small spoonfuls and work your way up. Gradually you’ll be able to increase the amount and variety of food your baby eats until they can eventually eat the same as the rest of the family, in smaller portions

FOODIE FUN The “for aisha” guide to the wonderful weaning adventure…

WHY IS WEANING IMPORTANT? During the fi rst year your baby grows more quickly than any other period of their life. At around six months-old, they need more than just milk to satisfy their growing appetite, so this is the time to begin weaning. The fi rst stage of weaning lays the foundations for happy, healthy eating habits and teaches your baby how to eat from a spoon, swallow and eventually chew.

Weaning is important so your baby can get all the right nutrients from the food they eat.

The different textures offered enable biting and chewing to help develop the muscles needed for speech development.

Weaning isn’t just about fi lling their tummies up; it helps to lay the foundations for healthy balanced eating for the years ahead.

INTRODUCING VARIETY TO YOUR WEANING ADVENTURE A baby’s tummy is small, making it vitally important that every spoonful your baby eats is packed full of the right nutrients and goodness. Th is is the main reason that babies eat little and often throughout the day. It is important to introduce and keep offering different tastes and textures throughout your baby’s fi rst year.

Try to offer variety - even if they refuse a new food the first time. It can take a number of tries before they get used to a new taste and texture Don’t worry if the food comes back out after the initial spoonful, it’s a new experience for your baby Never leave your baby unattended when feeding because of the risk of choking

IS IT OK TO USE COMMERCIAL BABY FOOD IN THE WEANING JOURNEY? Yes. As a parent you may fi nd them convenient and an excellent way of introducing different tastes and textures. Try and avoid relying too much on sweet baby foods, as this can lead to a poor diet. There are great savoury weaning baby foods available which you can introduce.

WHEN TO BEGIN YOUR WEANING JOURNEY Current NHS guidelines recommend that you start weaning your baby at around six months, however all babies are different so please ask your health advisor with any questions. All babies are different so it’s important to let them set their own pace.

M A R K SA LT E R

Founder of Aisha baby food. You can read more from Mark at www.foraisha.com

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Book of the month

reso ur c es

BOOKS

Magical

THINKING Jen Campbell, author of Franklin’s Flying Bookshop, shares how important early experiences of books and reading can be to children.

Wo r d s J E N CA M PB E L L

C

hildren are the best thing about being a bookseller. Working in the book trade for ten years, I never tired of the look of wonder on their faces as they edged into our bookshop, inhaling that intoxicating bookish scent.

A young girl called Imogen once asked me if she could get to Narnia through one of our bookcases. When I told her sadly not, she nodded bravely - looking wise beyond her years - and declared her wardrobe at home didn’t work for getting to Narnia, either; she suspected it was because her father had bought it at IKEA.

Instances like this were common: children would act out their favourite scenes between the bookshelves and it was a pleasure to see them grow up via the books they read.

Books also saw them through difficult times: we saw Matilda devoured by a seven year old who was being picked on at school, and Grandpa’s Island, was the go-to for parents helping toddlers cope with the loss of a grandparent.

Books aren’t just for the bad times, of course - and nor are they substitutes for important conversations we should be having with our children - but they do offer a way to explore worlds and situations we will never encounter ourselves. Books breed empathy and understanding; they offer us adventure and possibility.

JEN WORKED IN THE BOOK TRADE FOR TEN YEARS

~ ~

“B OOKS BRE E D EMPAT H Y AN D UNDE RSTA NDI NG ” One day, as I was getting ready to close up the bookshop, a young boy came up to me and said: ‘You should get a dragon to guard the bookshop when you’re not around.’

I grinned: ‘Wouldn’t a dragon be a fire hazard?’ He rolled his eyes, bemoaning my adult concerns. ‘No,’ he said, slowly. ‘Not if you get a trained one.’

Franklin’s Flying Bookshop is my fifth book, but my first for children. Its characters embody the power of books, and the importance of listening. And, as Franklin and Luna point out, sometimes a good book is just what we need.

Jen Campbell is author of the ‘Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops’ series.

‘Franklin’s Flying Bookshop’ is her first picture book for children.

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INTO THE CLASS ROOM FOR THE FIRST TIME

Making the

LEAP

Starting school can be emotional for children and parents. Here Mama asks an expert how to best prepare your little one - and yourself - for the big day.

Wo r d s H O L LY K I R K WO O D

CAROL EVELEGH

has taught children aged 2 to 13 for nearly 40 years, and spent the past 33 years working with Thomas’s London Day Schools to become inaugural Head of Thomas’s Clapham. She now runs The Kindergardens, a family run group of nursery schools in central London and one of the first group of nurseries in the Capital to set up its own Forest School.

E

UP, UP AND AWAY! STARTING SCHOOL IS AN EXCITING TIME FOR KIDS

ach new life stage for children is inevitably a teary day for their parents, and the first day of school has to be up there as one of the most emotional. Waving them off as they start their own journey, it’s a big deal for everyone.

But once you know where your child is starting school, the run up begins and many parents feel concerned that they’re not doing enough to prepare their kids for that seminal first day.

We talked to education expert, and head of The Kindergardens nursery group, Carol Evelegh, to find out what parents can do to make the transition as easy as possible.

“The first thing I’d say is that a happy child has the most chance of being a successful child, ” she points out.

Carol’s philosophy is that if a child starts school feeling confident and not worried about failing, or putting their hand up to

ask a question, that is the best preparation they can have.

“London can be a terrible hothouse and the best thing that parents can do is to relax: make sure your child knows from an early age that having a go at something is what it’s all about," says Carol. “What you want to do as a parent is encourage their natural curiosity; this enthusiasm for learning is far more valuable than the ability to excel at sports or exams.”

Carol is also keen to stress that you won’t be able to control all their choices, or what they are good at. You might want your child to shine at clarinet, or coding, but if they’re not keen you won’t be able to force it.

“Give them the space to explore and develop themselves.” Another crucial thing to remember is not to compare your child to other children, however difficult it is to make yourself stop," she explains.

What should they be able to do?  In terms of literacy and numeracy there will be an enormous disparity in where four and five year-olds are, but most children will

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reso urces

S CHOOOLS

EDUCATIONAL APPS CAN REALLY HELP PARENTS MAKE LEARNING FUN

ENCOURGE THEIR IMAGINATION WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

be able to count to 20, recognise their own name written, and perhaps write their own name. However, it's more imporant that little ones are independent. They should be able to put on their own coat and shoes and get their schoolbag without assistance.

In addition they should be confident going to the toilet alone, be able to sit still and concentrate for at least ten minutes. Hopefully they will already be doing this as most nurseries will be teaching pre-schoolers these skills anyway.

Making friends is also crucial. "It’s great to start school with a few people you know, but it’s also a real skill to be able to expand your world and add to your friendship groups as you develop new interests and experiences."

As parents, Carol says you can encourage this by exploring the world around you. She suggests you look at signs, numbers and shops on the street. When you read to them, make it fun and don’t correct them too much.

~

“ YO U NEED TO P RES ENT SC HO O L A S THE NEXT NEW ADVENTU RE .”

~

Certainly don’t give young children the answers, let them take the time to try and figure things out for themselves.

Are children young for their year at a disadvantage?  Don’t worry too much about where your child is in the year is Carol’s advice – a mixed bag of ages actually makes for a really good environment for learning: it lets older children who are slower academically feel at ease, while younger children who are bright can also find their own level.

How to talk about starting school

MAKING FRIENDS IS A CRUCIAL PART OF YOUR CHILD'S DEVELOPEMNT

 You need to present school as the next new adventure. Make sure you take them to visit the school more than once before they start so it's familiar. And for your part, don’t stand at the door weeping: give them a huge smile and turn around and walk away - even if it's hard. Positivity is what they need to see.

Once they are in the routine, don’t expect a full download of their day when they get home. Let them come to you if they want to, but don’t give them the ninth degree. They

will be exhausted - probably for the whole first term - and will need lots of rest and gentle encouragement from you. You can also expect that after the novelty wears off they’ll go through a phase of not wanting to go: this is completely normal and they will get over it.

Once they are settled in you should feel confident about where they are spending their days. “You’re at the wrong school if you don’t feel you can approach the teachers about any of your concerns,’ Carol points out. “Similarly, the teachers should come straight to you if they feel there is anything you need to know”.

If you do have concerns about anything, you should make an appointment straight away (don’t just show up at the end of the day demanding a meeting). And feel free to talk to the head – Carol stresses that heads are not to be feared; they should be involved.

It is also helpful to build up a relationship between home and school, so if your little one has a success at school, they talk about it at home, and, similarly, if they won a match at the weekend or had a special day out, make sure the teachers know, and can talk about it. There must be continuity between the two worlds.

But also try to relax. This is a well trodden path and should be a positive experience for both children and parents.

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S CHOOOLS

~

“ THE BOYS A ND GI RL S STUDY FRE N C H , L AT I N AND M ANDE R I N A ND GO ON SKI TRIPS I N T H EI R SPARE T I ME . ”

~

are taught separately, but spend break times and extra-curricular times together. It offers everything from dawn chorus to robotics, and all children skip off to London day schools and boarding schools further afield.

Where is it? Chelsea, SW3 Who is it for? Boys and girls, 3-11 Who is in charge? Julia Adlard (headmistress of lower girls), Charlotte Faber (headmistress of upper girls) and Christian Warland (boys headmaster) How much does it cost? Kindergarten, £4,500 per term; preparatory, £7,000 per term; junior school, £7,150 per term; upper school, £7,200 per term. gardenhouseschool.co.uk

Fit for a

PR INCE

BOYS AND GIRLS AT EATON SQUARE

As Prince George gets ready to start school at Thomas’s Prep in Battersea, Mama takes a look at others that may well have been on Kate and Will’s list.

Wo r d s E L E A N O R D O U G H T Y

The Hall

 In leafy Belsize Park stands The Hall, where it is recommended that you have your son’s name down from birth. The young chaps play rugby, football and cricket, and study Classics, before whooshing off to all the best schools - not just Eaton and Westminster, but academic schools all over of the country. Pupils at The Hall live ‘distinctive lives’, says headmaster Chris Godwin, which sounds right up our street.

Where is it? Hampstead, NW3 Who is it for? Boys, day only, 4-13 Who is in charge? Headmaster Chris Godwin

How much does it cost? Reception and year one, £5,980 per term; Year two and above, £6,162 per term hallschool.co.uk

Garden House School

 You may think you don’t know Garden House, but you might well. You’ve probably seen the tiny girls bouncing along the King’s Road wearing their velvet-collared coats and thought, where do THOSE lovely children go to school? Garden House is just around the corner from Sloane Square. The boys and girls

Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School

 If you're looking for a solid local school, Ravenscourt Park ticks the box. The boys and girls stay local too, toddling off to Latymer, Francis Holland and Goldolphin & Latymer after Ravenscourt has finished with them. And by finished, we mean “make wonderful beyond belief”, because there’s a huge amount to do: judo, lacrosse, ski trips, rugby… you name it, Ravenscourt offers it.

Plus, there’s an actual park nearby, which September / October 2017 | 97

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r es ou rc es

S CHOOOLS

'A WETHERBY BOY IS ONE FOR LIFE'

Wetherby Pre-Prep School

 Ah, Notting Hill. Home to one heck of a carnival, a certain Richard Curtis film set, oh, and Wetherby pre-prep, the smartest in the land. This is an ultra-hip and brilliant outpost in the middle of W2. They’ve got French and music teachers even at nursery level – that’s how good it is – and the boys trickle off to Wetherby prep in Westminster, before they pack off to Wellington, Harrow and Westminster, if not to their own Wetherby senior school in Marylebone. A Wetherby boy is one for life.

Where: Pembridge Square, W2 Who is it for? Boys, day only, 2-8 Who is in charge? Headmaster Mark Snell How much does it cost? Little Wetherby, £3,280 per term; rest of school, £6,865 per term wetherbyschool.co.uk

Eaton House Belgravia

means there’s plenty of room to run around – rare in London and not to be sniffed at.

Where is it? Chiswick, W6 Who is it for? Boys and girls, day only, 4-11 Who is in charge? Headmaster Carl Howes How much does it cost? £5,625 per term rpps.co.uk

Eaton Square School

 It's actually round the corner, on Eccleston Square. And very nice it is too. The boys and girls study French, Latin and Mandarin, and go on ski trips in their spare time. A new senior school opens this term at 106 Piccadilly, which will educate the luckiest children from 11 to 18, meaning there’s no change in the direct debit - EVER. Where is it? 79 Eccleston Square, Belgravia Who is it for? Boys and girls, day only Who is in charge? Headmaster Sebastian Hepher How much does it cost? Reception - year two, £6,875 per term; year three to year eight, £7,090 per term eatonsquareschool.com

Bassett House School

 “Every child can learn to fly”. So says Bassett House, a charming little co-ed school in North Kensington, founded with just six pupils in 1947. It’s got two sisters schools –

~

“AL L CH ILDRE N SKIP OFF TO LONDON DAY SCH OOLS AN D BOARDIN G SCH OOLS F URTHE R AFIE LD”

~

Orchard House in Chiswick, and Prospect House in Putney, so there’s a house wherever you are ready and waiting.

They believe that different children learn in different ways, so there’s a bit of Montessori looped in alongside regular methods of teaching. Evidently it works: girls go off to big schools including Tudor Hall, Woldingham and Queen’s Gate and boys head off to Latymer Upper and the Harrodian.

Where is it? North Kensington, W10 Who is it for? Boys and girls, day only, 3-11 Who is in charge? Headmistress Philippa Cawthorne How much does it cost? Nursery, £2,895 per term; reception, form one and form two, £5,790 per term; forms three to six, £6,040 per term bassetths.org.uk

 There are quite a few Eaton House schools across London, but this one is their Belgravia pre-prep on Eaton Gate, a gem of a school for boys of four to eight, and it’s jolly lovely. It’s non-selective and chess is on the curriculum, alongside, library studies and music. Plus a full complement of swimming, hockey and tennis for the bigger boys. There’s a prep school opening in Belgravia this term, so no need to move schools until it’s time for seniors.

Where: Eaton Gate, SW1W Who is it for? Boys, day only, 4-8 Who is in charge? Headmistress Annabel Abbott How much does it cost? £5,130 per term eatonhouseschools.co

IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO FIND THE RIGHT PREP SCHOOL FOR YOUR CHILD

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