Mama AU G U S T 2 0 1 9 • I S S U E 3 1
MODEL MAMA The Magazine for Stylish Mums
Natalia Vodianova’s new business venture
FUN FOOD
Angellica Bell’s new cookbook
GET OUTSIDE NON-PLASTIC OUTDOOR TOYS
Mother MILK
BREASTFEEDING TIPS AND ADVICE
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Green FUTURE Helen Skelton on being more eco
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mama WELCOME
contents 87 AUGUST 2019
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AGENDA 12 What’s On
Arts and entertainment for the month ahead
14 New Books August’s best new releases ESSENTIALS 20 Tot Gear
Key kit to make parenting easier
MAMAHOOD 26 Insta-Mama
Anastasia Yakhnina on sustainability
ON THE COVER: @ayakhnina ayakhnina.com
28 Woman in Work
Kim Palmer on launching a hypnotherapy app
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30 Mama Interview
62 Mother Milk
FASHION 38 F resh Air
HOME & INTERIORS 72 Nursery Notes Beautiful decor and furniture for
Natalia Vodianova on investing in Little Tummy
Mama and mini twinning from Bobo Choses
Breastfeeding tips from Henrietta Norton
your little one’s space
44 Kids Fashion Notes Th e best looks and launches for
74 Dreamy Decor Inside Coral Atkinson’s mid
46 Making A Garden Play-ready pieces for a summer
RESOURCES 89 Holiday Fun Interactive activity books from
little ones
outside from Bobo Choses
WELLNESS 56 Fantastic Eats
Recipes from Angellica Bell’s new kids cookbook
century modern home
Agnes & Aubrey
92 Food Warriors Reducing food waste in London schools
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mama WELCOME INSTA MAMA P. 26
Editor’s
LETTER MAMA STYLE P. 36
INTERIORS TOUR P. 74
T
he thing that links the mamas in this issue is that they are all on a mission to do good. Whether it’s making the planet a better place for the future, or helping the sisterhood, they all have positive vibes by the bucket load. It was so inspiring speaking to every single one of them. In my interview with model, entrepreneur and all round superwoman (read: mama of five!) Natalia Vodianova, she tells us about the philanthropic causes she supports. TV presenter Helen Skelton explains why she is on a mission to get the nation to be more energy efficient at home. Photographer (and our cover model) Anastasia Yakhnina talks to us about why she endeavours to work with eco brands. Elsewhere, Henrietta Norton, founder of Wild Nutrition, gives her breastfeeding tips ahead of World Breastfeeding Week. We also round-up the best nonplastic outdoor toys for the sunshine. And finally, our second annual Mama Awards is now open to the public to vote, so go to our website to support your favourite brands.
C a rly Gl e n di n n i n g
BOOKS P. 14
E DITOR
@carlyjglendinning carly@zest-media.com
Part of the
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T h e M a g a z i n e Fo r S t y l i s h M u m s @ A B S O L U T E LY M A M A
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August 2019
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10 things we Absolutely
LOV E The products and brands getting our attention this month
Flower Power Justine Ta ba k Made entirely in the UK, we love Justine Tabak’s romantic collection of dresses. This floral version of her Primrose dress is crafted from leftover fabric from big fashion houses, with the aim of reducing waste.
H EY MAMA
Bobo Choses Perfect for mama and mini matching, the Bobo Choses womenswear collection is full of easy-to-wear pieces. We love that everything is made locally in Spain, where the brand is based. bobochoses.com
justinetabak.co.uk
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Coasting Along
FELLOWSTE A D A new candle brand to add to our list of favourites. Fellowstead’s ‘Strand’ scent is inspired by a bracing walk along the Danish coastline with notes of sea salt, tidal grasses and seafoam. just.maison
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FACE TIME Ma d o
Mado is the brainchild of two Copenhagen-based design companies, All the Way to Paris and Paper Collective. Their playful ‘Zen’ print would make a cute addition to a playroom, nursery or even your living room. madomado.com
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ma m a LOVES
Beach Ready Liewood If you’re headed to the beach this summer, Scandi brand Liewood has everything you need. Little ones will love their swimwear (covered in cute prints – from pandas to cats), and their beach toys, ponchos, and hooded towels are adorable too. scandiborn.com
WOOL GANG Fra n ces c a Ge ntil l i
With the trend for Beni Ourain rugs not going anywhere, it’s refreshing to see designs in brilliant shades. This one-off style is handwoven by the Berber Tribes of the Atlas Mountains. francescagentilli.com
FALLING ASLEEP Ho n n a
A new sleepwear brand, we’re already in love with Honna’s beautifully classic cotton pyjamas. Each style is made in a family-run factory and their fabric dyes are carefully selected to make sure they are safe. honnalondon.com
Little Rainbows
Hibou Hom e Hibou Home has launched a new rainbow-themed wallpaper. All of the brand’s designs are printed on paper that has been sustainably and ethically sourced from FSC and PEFC accredited suppliers. hibouhome.com
Palace Life
Le Toy Va n Launching exclusively at Harrods for the month of July, the Palace House from Le Toy Van is the grandest dollhouse the brand has ever designed. Hours of imaginative play to be had. harrods.com
FRESH S C E N TS
Abel Vita Odor We’re huge fans of 100% natural and vegan perfume brand Abel Vita Odor – created by a former winemaker. Their new scent is a radiant blend of iris (from the root of the plant), mixed with rose, jasmine, and natural musk. contentwellbeing.com
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spin 360™ signature Welcome to a luxurious world of soft, textured, quilted fabrics; aged cognac leatherette touches in all of the most elegant of spaces; and beautifully tailored lines; all exquisitely crafted to make memories of each moment with baby last forever.
A SIMPLY TIMELESS GROUP 0+/1 SAFETY SYSTEM WITH A 360° SPINNING SEAT.
joiebaby.com/signature Available from Argos, Boots, Halfords, John Lewis, Mamas and Papas, Mothercare, Very and all good independent nursery retailers
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In Real Life • TATE MODERN •
Olafur Eliasson returns with an absolutely unmissable, sure to be unforgettable exhibition at Tate Modern. In a series of captivating installations you’re invited to consider your senses, the people around you and the world beyond. tate.org.uk
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W H AT ’S O N
The final fesitvals of summer and a giant bouncy castle keep us busy in August
Pandemonium August 26-29 Shrewsbury
Tucked away on a glorious riverside site in Shrewsbury is a little piece of heaven playing host to a children’s folk festival. Aptly named ‘Pandemonium’ this year’s theme is bees and the environment. There’ll be music, dance and crafts to keep little ones entertained while you dance under the stars to the UK’s finest musical acts. shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk
we love
Little GYM Ongoing • Various Locations
The Little Gym provides gymnastics classes to develop resilience in children. As summer stretches on and on, why not book your little one into a summer camp? Parents can choose half days, full days or full weeks and there’s a theme to suit everyone - including Pirate Party, Dinosaur Adventure and Superheroes. thelittlegym.com
Out In The Open 25 August Regents Park Open Air Theatre
The Luna Cinema returns to the Open Air Theatre with the long awaited sequel to Disney’s musical, Mary Poppins Returns. Rejoin the Banks family and wonder in the magic of the mysterious nanny making her mark on a new generation of children. openairtheatre.com
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THE BIG FEAST
August 26-28 Alex James Farm, The Cotswolds
Little chefs are encouraged to cook at this mouthwateringly good weekend. Held in the picturesque Cotswolds, the Big Feastival is a guaranteed mix of fabulous food, high-end celebrity spotting and considerate child-sized portions. For the fussy eater, face painting, jam sessions and giant haystacks are also on offer. thebigfeastival.com
EVENTS
BEST IN SHOW
Underwear-loving aliens, suitcaseriffling puppets and fun for little monsters
S PAC E CAD ET
13 August - 1 September Troubadour White City
Straight from the West End, Aliens Love Underpants comes to the Troubadour for a limited season. Follow Timmy as he journeys to Planet Janet to discover that human underpants are revered by aliens. Expect magic and mischief in this excellent family show. troubadourtheatres.com
PO P U P PU PPET August 17 The Cockpit Theatre
Join Tee and Gee as they sort through the lost and forgotten suitcases of Sprinkle Dinkle International Airport. This enthralling tale tells the magical stories hidden within each bag. Expect your imagination to run wild in this colourful puppet show for the family.
Peter Rabbit
thecockpit.org.uk
20 July - 1 September Theatre Royal Haymarket
ollowing a sell out run in April this year, the critically acclaimed Where is Peter Rabbit? returns to the West End by popular demand for a limited season. The shows will feature - for the first time - the delectable voice of TV presenter Myleene Klass as the narrator, alongside Olivier Award-winning actor Griff Rhys Jones.
F
peterrabbitlive.com
JUMP UP 27- 28 August Alexandra Palace
t’s big, it’s bouncy and it’s back. Following two sell-out years, the world’s biggest inflatable obstacle course and bouncy castle returns to the UK this month, with two days dedicated specifically to children and families. Food trucks are on standby so no one’s going hungry, and we particularly recommend a spin on the Inflatable Unicorn.
I
M O N STE R M AY H E M
Until 11 August Troubadour White City Theatre
Follow young inventor Monty as he creates incredible monsters and wacky inventions. But once he’s made them all, what is he going to do with them? With plenty of opportunities for little monsters to get involved, the whole family will have a monstrous time. troubadourtheatres.com
themonsteruk.com
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We love
BOOKS
Monsters and Martians make for mysterious reading this month. Plus, some gorgeous gift ideas
Wo r d s F L O R A T H O M A S
PARTY POOPER B I L LY A N D T H E D R AG O N By Nadia Shireen
Billy’s at a fancy-dress party when her loyal sidekick is kidnapped by a massive, fi re-breathing dragon! She embarks on a brave rescue mission along with her animal friends, but can they save the day – and the party? This is a sweet story with bright, colourful illustrations. Perfect for reading out loud. £6.99 penguinrandomhouse.com
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BED TIME
WHO’ S GOI NG TO B ED? By Abie Longstaf f Illustrated by Eve Coy
A soothing story, brilliant for bedtime. Meet a cheeky baby who is adamantly NOT tired and watch as the baby wreaks havoc among the sleepy animals and pirates of a whimsical fairytale land. Is anybody going to get any rest? This atmospherically illustrated, rhythmically written story is the perfect read just before bed. £6.99, penguin.co.uk
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BOOKS
BACK TO SCHOOL
CO LOU R M O N STE R GO E S TO SCH OO L By Anna Llennas
The Colour Monster is back and this time he’s heading off to school. But what exactly does school look like? Is it a huge scary castle, or is it nestled in the sky among the rainbows and clouds? Take your little one on a journey of self-expression as Colour Monster navigates music lessons, lunchtime and forging friendships. £6.99, bonierbooks.co.uk
M A RTI A N M U D D LE LIFE ON MARS By Jon Agee
THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY THE LITTLE MOLE WHO KNEW I T WA S N O N E O F H I S B U S I N E S S By Werner Holzwarthn and Wolf Erlbruch
The Little Mole turns 30! In a year full of picture-book anniversaries, this cult classic children’s tale is back. For those who don’t know, the hilarious story follows a little mole who wakes up to fi nd one of his animal friends has done its business on his head. The Little Mole embarks on a revenge-seeking mission. £6.99 pavilionbooks.com
A daring young astronaut lands on Mars in search of life. He has even brought cupcakes for whoever he finds. Alas, he doesn’t discover any new friends, and soon gives up… If he would only turn around, he’d discover the friendly Martian who’s been following him! £12.99 skallywaypress.com
BEAST IN WAITING
WA LK TH I S WAY
TH E BABY B EAST
WA L K T H I S U N D E R G R O U N D
By Chris Judge
WO R LD By Kate Barker
What should Beast do when an egg arrives on his doorstep? Feed it? Take it for a walk? According to the doctor, he should keep it warm and wait for an arrival… But what’s he waiting for? Children will laugh out loud while adults will recognise some of the fi rst-time childcare blunders in this hilarious story. £11.99 penguin.co.uk
This artful book invites you on a trip underground. Discover hidden worlds teeming with life, from ant cities to treasure-filled tombs. Each spread is packed full of details to explore. It is a worthy addition to any stylish nursery. £14.99 templarco.co.uk August 2019
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Softly Softly BINIBAMBA
Handmade in England, Binibamba’s merino pram liners keep babies cool in the summer (and toasty come winter). We love the beautifully dusky hues the range is available in. binibamba.com
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Outdoor
Play
Carly Glendinning rounds up the best non-plastic toys for getting out in the garden
Hide And Seek PLUM PLAY
Editor’s Pick
The most stylish of garden dens, Plum Play’s teepee can become whatever your little one wants to make it – from a playhouse to a fort. Crafted from FSC-certified wood and made with sustainability in mind. £399.95; scandiborn.com
It’s A Strike NOBODINOZ
A classic game that’s great for honing hand-eye coordination skills and perfect for encouraging them out into the garden this summer. Made from solid European beech wood. £44.95; nubie.co.uk
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LET IT SLIDE ARTHUR AND FRIENDS
A beautifully simple design from young Belgian brand Arthur and Friends, this slide will provide hours of fun. Made in Europe from sustainable wood. £224.95; scandiborn.com
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essentia ls OUTDOOR
Pull along OLLI ELLA
With vintage-flair, little ones will love carting their favourite toys around the garden in Olli Ella’s signature Luggy. Hand-woven from natural rattan. £49; cottagetoys.co.uk
SWING TIME SOLVEJ
Made from natural timber, rot proof canvas and using non-toxic paint, this stylish swing from Solvej can be happily used indoors or outdoors. Suitable for little ones up to six years. £159; beyondthestork.co.uk
Grow Up LE TOY VAN
These cute stacking veggies from Le Toy Van would make a fun addition to a sand pit or play area. Made from solid rubberwood and finished with hand-sewn fabric leaves. £19.95; letoyvan.com
ROCK OUT FERMOB
From French outdoor furniture designers Fermob, this minimal rocking horse is a stylish twist on the traditional designs. Available in an array of colours and made from aluminum. £178; smallable.com
Skip To It LES JOUETS LIBRE
A classic garden toy, we love this beautifully simple skipping rope from Les Jouets Libre. Made from wood from an ecological forest and comes with an organic cotton bag. £14; smallable.com August 2019
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TOT GE AR
ROLL ON SUMMER
ent d r a p rove app
M A M A S & PA PA S
Brand new for AW19, Mamas & Papas has just launched a tropical palm print version of their popular lightweight Acro buggy. At 4.9kg the design is their most compact lightweight fold – making it ideal for summer holidays. £199; mamasandpapas.com
TOT GEAR CLEAN MACHINE
Inspired kit to make parenting easier
V I TA L B A B Y
Using only UV light, the clever Nurture Pro UV Steriliser and Dryer from Vital Baby kills 99.9% of bacteria. Perfect for bottles, teats and even make up brushes, it also has a drying mode so you can pop everything straight in after washing. vitalbaby.com
PRETTY PRINTS M A M A S & PA PA S
Lilybelle is a new nursery collection from Mamas & Papas. With lots of practical must-haves including this changing mattress, we love the nostalgic floral prints. mamasandpapas.com 20
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LAWSON COTBE D Reviewed by Mirlah Richardson of the Mamas & Papas Parent Approved Panel
W
e were kindly sent a Lawson Cotbed from Mamas & Papas to complete our nursery furniture. We already have the wardrobe and drawer/changing unit and now the cot is up the nursery really feels complete. I absolutely love the Lawson collection. Its simple Scandi vibe is right up our street and I feel the style will last for many years to come. It looks great in a baby’s nursery but this furniture will adapt and be ideal for Ellis as he grows to a toddler and beyond. The cotbed was super easy to put together. There weren’t any fallings out between my husband and I – so that’s got to count for something. The cot feels so sturdy and you can tell it’s a quality product and built to last. When the time comes we’ll be able to take the sides off, and using a few other fixings we can turn it into a toddler bed. Whilst I can’t say this new addition to the nursery has magically made Ellis sleep through the night (I’m still holding out for a miracle) it sure has made his bedtime cosy, comfortable and super stylish. Thanks so much again Mamas & Papas, Ellis loves his nursery and it’s my favourite room in the house. themrsproject.com @themrsproject
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Good Vibes
IN THIS SECTION
This month it’s all about inspiring mamas who are making the world a better place. Model Natalia Vodianova talks about her philanthropic endeavours. And we talk to Insta mama Anastasia Yakhnina about working with eco brands. Enjoy!
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m am ahood INTERVIEW
Q &A
Green
FUTURE TV presenter Helen Skelton on why she’s backing the Smart Energy GB campaign
I n t e r v i e w C A R LY G L E N D I N N I N G
Q Do you think having a young family has made you feel differently about the environment and being more sustainable and energy efficient? A Definitely. My children love being outside; they and I are better people after a run around the park. I spent my childhood ankle deep in mud, halfway up a tree or wading in water. It sounds very Famous Five and it was. I want my children to have the chance to do that and quite simply if we don’t start looking after our planet, our kids won’t have a ‘great’ outdoors to explore. Q Tell us about the Smart Energy GB campaign and how you got involved? A I’m passionate about creating a sustainable future for our planet and encouraging people to appreciate the small steps that we can all take to achieve that. I’m delighted to be playing a role in celebrating those areas and communities around Great Britain who are taking their future into their own hands. It’s nice to be involved in something that is recognising what people are doing right. 24
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“If we don’t start looking after our planet, our kids won’t have a ‘great’ outdoors to explore”
I have two young children, I feel that it’s important to take responsibility, in our homes and communities, and show our children how to do the same. I particularly love this campaign because it’s celebrating the positive steps that people are taking – getting a smart meter installed and recycling. Q What have you been doing to tackle energy efficiency and being more sustainable in your own home? A Well, we had a smart meter installed, which helps us monitor our energy usage in nearreal time, which has prompted us to make small changes to be more energy efficient. For example, I LOVE a cup of tea. I probably drink
more than I should. But I’m now very mindful of not filling the kettle to the top if I’m making myself a cuppa. Our kettle is only ever filled for the amount of tea we’re drinking. I’ve started buying toilet paper, kitchen towels and pocket tissue made from bamboo and the packaging is recyclable. I also take shorter showers. When training for the marathon, after a long run it was really tempting to have a long shower, but shorter showers are so much more energy efficient and use less water (and turning down the temperature to make it cool was good for my muscles). Q It’s been a year of good causes for you, between running the London Marathon and swimming the English Channel. What do your family think about your achievements? A I don’t really go on about it, so they don’t say much! They like that my swimming means we go to the beach a lot – I swim for 30 minutes then we play in the sand for hours so they are happy about that! When I was running, I just used to run up and down hills with them in the park, they thought it was hilarious!
Helen Skelton, together with Smart Energy GB, is encouraging everyone to get a smart meter. Search: ‘I want a smart meter’ or call 0300 131 8000. By getting a smart meter, you’re taking a small step towards a more sustainable future for everyone smartenergygb.org
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“I believe sustainability is everything! The way you’re bringing up your kids should be sustainable!”
Q How did you get into photography and what do you love about it? A I’ve been doing art direction and photography since graduating from London’s University of the Arts ten years ago. I love the magic of the shooting process, making a moment timeless, capturing realities that have never existed. Playing, even though I’m a big girl now.
INSTA MAMA
Photographer and creative director Anastasia Yakhnina ayakhnina.com • @ayakhnina
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Q What’s it like working with eco-friendly brands and is sustainability something that’s important to your family? A Working with eco-friendly brands and being a part of this conscious community came naturally. I’ve always been excited about truthful and natural things in fashion, trying to give them an edge which will inspire younger people too. I believe sustainability is everything. The way you’re bringing up your kids should be sustainable! Not teaching them about consequences isn’t great whether it comes to the everyday relationships within the family or within our planet. Q How important is Instagram to your work as a photographer and what do you like and dislike most about the platform? A Instagram is obviously a great platform to find and connect to the brands and
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mama h ood Q & A
creatives you love – but even more than that I appreciate the opportunity it’s giving us to share our imaginary universe and our unique personal vision of this world. I’m really happy to have done some inspiring work with brands that I’ve met through Instagram – a lot of cool things are coming, so stay tuned! Generally, when I see another girl-in-aflower-field image on top of my feed, I’m thinking that IG is getting quite repetitive. However, every day the platform is teaching me how human perception works and what makes us tick – so that’s very interesting! Q How is it raising a family in Portugal and what’s your lifestyle like there? A Originally I’m Russian, but my daughter has grown up in Portugal and I believe this place is one of the best in the world to do so. The ocean is always close, the beaches feel infinite and the whole pace of life is beautifully slowed down.
Q You travel a lot as a family. What has your greatest adventure been so far? A We’re very young and adventurous as a family so we naturally felt settled moving to Bali this winter and it’s been great for me both as a photographer and as a model. I guess the biggest adventure is happening now, when the only place we can call home is the world. This summer, I’m going to work in Germany, camp in Spain, dance in the Netherlands and then fly back to Bali – who knows how long for! Q Favourite way to spend a day as a family? A We love brunches and beaches and you cannot blame us for that! Q And finally, best and worst bits about motherhood? A Motherhood is incredible! It’s a constant study of human nature. It’s when you really learn to LOVE. Because you need to teach love. Motherhood is a celebration of life in its continuity. It’s actually the most exciting journey I’ve ever been on so far. And I’m really inspired to be documenting and sharing it with you.
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“I wanted to help women with their everyday struggles with sleep, anxiety, confidence, and stress”
woman in
WORK Kim Palmer on launching her hypnotherapy app Clementine, aimed at helping women
I n t e r v i e w C A R LY G L E N D I N N I N G
Q Tell us about how you came to build a hypnotherapy app… A Well it’s a bit of a long story. But here’s the short and snappy version. I am a recovering perfectionist, people pleaser, and workaholic, with massively high ambitions for what I should be achieving in life. I used to take all of my sense of self worth from work, which is incredibly unhealthy. I spent my whole working career climbing the corporate ladder and never once being really pleased with what I had achieved. I was obsessed with work. It caught up with me five years ago when I had a panic attack at work, in front of my colleagues. This traumatised me. Then my confidence started to unravel. I developed acute anxiety and panic attacks and basically stopped doing normal things like talking in front of friends and family.
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mamah o o d
INTERVIEW
“It’s super simple which is why it’s so great for mums” Hypnotherapy was part of my journey to recovery. It made me feel lighter and helped me disconnect from the trauma of my first panic attack. When I decided that it was time to start a business (I’d been thinking about it since I was very small), it became clear very quickly that I wanted to help women with their everyday struggles with sleep, anxiety, confidence, and stress. Q How does the app work and what makes it so great for mums in particular? A It’s super simple which is why it’s so great for mums. It has a range of hypnotherapy sessions designed to help women when they have a specific need. So for example: when you can’t get to sleep, or you can’t get back to sleep, or you need a nap, or you’re really nervous before meeting some new people, or you’ve had a tough day with the kids and you need to reset. The sessions are different lengths so they can fit with whatever you can squeeze in. We strongly believe that hypnotherapy works better for mums because when you are tired, stressed, or feeling a bit low, it’s easy to listen to, relax and get a boost of energy, reassurance, or some calm.
Q How long did it take you to get Clementine up and running? And what were the biggest challenges? A I decided to start a business in December 2016. I gave myself three months to decide on the idea and then I launched the app in November 2017. The biggest challenge whilst launching was trying to get everything done and learn all these new skills that I had no idea I needed to know. It was a bit overwhelming at times. I just had to chunk out the work in tasks so that I could cope. Q How did your motherhood journey play into your decision to change career paths? A This played a massive role. My husband and I have a family vision – part of this is that I can spend the school holidays with him and my two boys, as he is a teacher. I knew that a traditional 9am – 5pm job was not going to fit with this vision. Plus I wanted to be financially independent. I also wanted to create multiple income streams. And I just wasn’t interested in climbing the corporate ladder anymore.
Q What’s it like working in the fem and health tech industries? A I’ve only really just started involving myself with the fem tech and health tech community and I’m so inspired and feel very supported. It’s amazing to see so many female entrepreneurs owning this space. Which they should. The downside is that investment is still very difficult to secure. The VC world is a man’s world. They fundamentally do not understand the female opportunity and what innovation looks like in this space. Q Do you have any exciting plans coming up for the business? A I am working solely on securing investment. For us to create a viable business model and to reach millions of women we need a huge wad of cash. So that’s my focus. If we get the money then we can evolve the product – I have some really great plans for how to help women more. And we can finally spend money on marketing.
clementineapp.co.uk @clementineappuk August 2019
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M O D E L M A M A Model and entrepreneur Natalia Vodianova on being a mama-of-five and why she’s invested in baby meal delivery service Little Tummy
Q How did you come to work with Little Tummy and what made you want to invest in the business? A This business decision has some very personal roots actually. As a mother of five children, I’ve gone through choosing and selecting baby food a good number of times in my life. As a matter of fact, I’ve always found myself at the same conclusion: there is no baby food available on the market that even barely matches what I would prepare for my children at home. When you feed your baby, you become more and more conscious that the food they start tasting today is the foundation of their future healthy habits. Fresh and organic become essential criteria. You can’t ignore that most of the baby food available on the supermarket shelves (whether organic or not), is older than your baby itself and was possibly there before you even got pregnant. Furthermore, shelved baby food is cooked at high temperatures, which is known to destroy nutrients as well as natural flavours and textures and to increase the sugar content. Which is also pretty bad, considering that childhood obesity is on the rise. Little Tummy is exactly what I’ve always thought was missing on the market. As an angel investor, I clearly saw the potential of the business to become a little daily revolution for parents. I also strongly believe in the project’s two amazing founders and their vision: Dr Sophie Niedermaier-Patramani and Nadine Hellmann. I immediately loved Nadine’s energy, passion, and attention to detail, plus the professional expertise of Sophie as a paediatrician. Their ambition is not simply to create a great new product to sell, but they aim to become a point of reference for a fast-growing community of mothers. That’s why, on top of being their lead investor, I am also very happy to work hands-on with them providing my vision, my insights, and my experience, both as a mom and entrepreneur. Q Do you cook at home with your children? A I actually take over the kitchen only with my children! I like cooking when it becomes a fun playful experience to do all together, like when we do Pel’meni, the special Russian ravioli we all love so much. Neva has much more patience than her brothers. They are easier to engage with desserts like cakes, cookies and cupcakes: whatever we can decorate together and have fun with! Cooking together as well as eating together is the perfect moment to start a conversation around food and to establish the first healthy
habits for our children. But in the reality of the daily routine, I know how hard it can be for working parents to make it happen as often as one would want. A recent study has confirmed that parents now have less time than ever, but they are still increasingly returning to home cooking methods. It’s like we’ve rediscovered the need to personally cook a healthy meal for our family, right when we felt we were losing the possibility to do it. Q What’s it like being a mama-of-five? And did you always want a large family? A It’s challenging. Constantly, unstoppably challenging, but of course full of joy. Every day something new happens, every day someone discovers a new thing, every day
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mamah o o d INTERVIEW
“That’s exactly my focus: pushing the agenda for women, mothers and children”
everybody is different from the day before… it’s exciting! The age difference of my children also brings me to live at the same time all the phases of growth, from childhood, through preadolescence, to the full teenage years. All phases have their own dramas and their own achievements so I can definitely say that there is a lot going on under our roof! I’ve always loved the idea of a big family but most of all, I’ve always loved babies. I like the honest and direct connection they are able to build with others, I like their enthusiasm, their open way of sharing love, I just can’t imagine my life without them. Q What’s it like bringing children up in Paris? A Paris is an incredible city. It’s both cosy
and international. It has the personality of a metropolis without being frenetic. I think it’s a great city to raise children. There is always something new to do together and they never get bored. Plus, I like the fact they have the chance to make friends from all over the world. I’m pretty thankful to Paris because I know my children are really happy here. Q Best and worst bits about motherhood? A Becoming a mother, especially at a young age, can also mean making some big sacrifices. I never really had a chance to focus on myself or had time to myself or neither I had really worked out my individuality. But, each of my five children has brought something more to my life, not something less.
I am not going to say it is not complicated, it is. But the fulfilment it gives me when I kiss them, when I listen to them, when I hug them or even when I miss them, has no equal. It’s the most exciting feeling in the world. Parenting is also a personal journey of selfimprovement. You become a better person every day, it’s part of your growth as an adult. But I know from my own experience that the biggest enemy to a mother is time – all mothers need more of it! That’s exactly why I am so happy to invest in Little Tummy, to make motherhood the wonderful experience it deserves to be. On top of putting all my energies into Elbi, my platform supporting charities at a global level, more recently I’ve become the first female board member at Flo, a women’s health tracking app and the world’s largest female community online where women can find the support they need in taking care of their own health. Now, with Little Tummy, I really felt it was time to help mothers, providing them with the smartest solution to receive the very healthy, fresh and organic baby food they cannot prepare themselves at home. That’s exactly my focus: pushing the agenda for women, mothers and children through investing in female-centric businesses, where technology can not only support their lives but offer to them a space where they feel more and more sustained and represented. From £20 for seven meals littletummy.co August 2019 | 31
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“I pumped like crazy, getting a few millilitres for hours of effort and returning to bed crying, feeling like a failed dairy cow”
real mum talk...
Telling it Like it is Alexandra Hunter on the pressure to breastfeed
I
always thought I would be able to breastfeed, it never occured to me that I might not. Society ingrains it in us – we are expected to breastfeed, it’s natural to breastfeed, we should all breastfeed. My antenatal class demonstrated clearly, with carefully knitted breasts of varying sizes (who is it who knits those?), exactly how the baby would latch on. No other options were discussed in any detail and I assumed I would have no problems. My beautiful baby arrived and from day one he wanted to be fed all the time. Literally all the time. He lost weight initially but we’re told that’s to be expected. He was latched onto me for most of the day and most of the night for months and he barely
gained any weight. Neither of us slept much. I remember lunch with my NCT friends and our tinies about a month in. They fed their babies in a few minutes and put them back in their prams, complaining of leaky boobs. My boobs never leaked and my baby remained latched on for the duration of the meal. He wasn’t getting enough food from me and I couldn’t see it. I tried so hard. I pumped like crazy, getting a few millilitres for hours of effort and retiring to bed crying, feeling like a failed dairy cow. On reflection it was definitely bad for my mental health. When I went for the three-month check, the nurse was worried by Seb’s weight, and referred me to paediatrics at the local hospital. I got home from the check-up and got Seb ready to
leave. As we were walking out of the door, his nappy exploded (of course it did), so I rushed him back upstairs and tried to deal with the poo covering his legs, torso, baby grow and changing mat – as well as my arms. Having finally got him dressed again, I left for the hospital with my tiny boy. It was the consultant who kindly pointed out that I had poo on my face. That just about sums up that period for me. That day, I was told to start using formula to feed Seb, and although it made me desperately sad at the time, I did as instructed. Sure enough, my baby started gaining weight, sleeping for longer and looking healthier. I too was able to sleep for longer between feeds and that meant I was happier. And as we know, a happy mum means a happier baby. Mums are not failing if they can’t feed their babies via our own bodies. It matters that babies get what they need, not how they get it. If you choose not to breastfeed, that’s your choice and others should respect that. If I had my time with my baby again I would have stopped making us both suffer much sooner. I thought I was doing the right thing but I wasn’t. I have always trusted my instincts, but in my sleep-deprived, hormone-addled state I allowed society to tell me what it thought was best for my baby. We, as mamas, are the ones who know what’s best for our babies. Just keeping a tiny alive and happy is a tremendous achievement. If the baby’s full of milk from bottle or breast, excellent. Feeding a baby is still such a difficult topic to discuss – and it shouldn’t be. August 2019
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Pretty Prints DÔEN
Our favourite California-based brand for feminine dresses has launched at Net-a-porter with an exclusive 15-piece capsule collection for mamas, as well as three beautiful kidswear pieces for girls. The collection is full of vibrant pops of colours, pretty prints and lightweight fabrics. net-a-porter.com
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ST Y L E NOTES
The month’s best styles, collaborations and collections
DESIGN D E TA I L S
we love
PINK CITY PRINTS
Our new favourite discovery for the prettiest summer dresses, Pink City Print’s unique designs are ethically made in Jaipur. Each piece has been worked on by hand (whether it’s handspun, printed or embroidered) and only uses natural fabrics – such as handloomed khadi cotton and silk. pinkcityprints.com
BIG SPLASH MARYSIA
With the brand’s signature scalloped detailing, we love Marysia’s tie-up styles, which are ideal if you need a bit of extra support. Perfect for the poolside or the beach this summer. marysia.com
Cult Buys KITRI
Kitri’s accessibly-priced, dreamily-designed pieces have quickly gained the Londonbased brand a cult following. If you see something you like don’t delay adding it to your basket, as they manufacture in limited quanities to avoid over saturation. kitristudio.com
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Finishing Touches LO E F F L E R R A N DA L L
High up on our wishlists this summer is the accessories range from US-based brand Loeffler Randall. Each piece is crafted by a real person, using timehonoured techniques. loefflerrandall.com
THE-ACEY A forward-thinking approach to sustainable style
A
FOREVER PIECES ARELA
Arela’s beautifully minimal pieces are designed to last. The brand’s ‘For Good’ initiative teaches you how to care for your garments, making sure that they’ll be worn well beyond one season. arelastudio.com
5 o f t he b e st STAT E M E N T E A RRI N G S WOLF & MOON Corbero Earrings, £85; wolfandmoon.com
A WEATHERED PENNY Abstract Earrings, £17; aweatheredpenny.com
ASTRID & MIYU Crossing Line Hoops, £120; astridandmiyu.com
MISSOMA Convex Hoops, £79; missoma.com
trailblazer on the sustainable style scene, The-Acey launched in 2014 and quickly became one of our favourite places to discover new eco-friendly brands. Fast forward five years and founder Holly Allenby has decided to re-launch the business with a clever direct-toconsumer capsule collection. On a mission to encourage mindful consumption, each piece is made to order from a factory just 30 minutes away from the brand’s East London-based studio. The move away from the traditional seasonal model is inspired by the problem of over production in the clothing industry. Allenby’s forward-thinking approach creates a zero waste supply chain and no surplus stock. Everything is crafted from singlefibre natural fabrics. And releases will be in small monthly collections, with a focus on what Allenby likes to call ‘useful clothing’ (read: the kind of pieces you’ll want to keep forever). A beautifully cut jumpsuit, the perfect white ruffled blouse and a day-to-evening maxi dress – just a few notable designs in a collection that we could happily fill our entire wardrobes with. the-acey.com
MOTLEY X ANONYMOUS Fan Earrings, £185; motley-london.com
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AIR A summer of family adventures awaits with easy-to-wear basics b o b o ch o s e s .c o m
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kid s
FA S H I O N NOTES Carly Glendinning rounds up the month’s best styles, looks and launches
S LOW STYLE
P I Ñ ATA P U M
Barcelona-based brand Piñata Pum pride themselves on their artisanal manufacturing process and the fact that every garment is made locally. Their colourful and fun pieces are made using environmentally friendly, plant-based pigments and natural fabrics.
we love
pinatapum.com
SUMMER KICKS PA L L A D I U M
Perfect for mini festival goers (or little adventuers), iconic brand Palladium has launched a kids’ version of their cool ‘Pampalicious’ boots. Your mini-me will love the bubblegum colour range, with shades including pink, green, yellow and baby blue. palladiumboots.com
Print Makers MAIN STORY
The summer collection from British brand Main Story features art-inspired prints and minimal utility-style detailing. A muted colour palette makes it easy to mix and match everything – simple design at its best. main-story.com
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MAED FOR MINI
Rotterdam-born, Amsterdam-based brand Maed for Mini’s super-cute collection is full of animal prints, ruffle-detailing and dusky hues. Made for play-filled summer days. maedformini.com
PEPA & CO
A beautifully traditional Anglo-Spanish brand for little ones
OCEAN F R I E N D LY
W
MARKS & SPENCER
British high street favourite Marks & Spencer has introduced a range of swimwear made using recycled plastic. The stylish collection has been endorsed by the British Skin Foundation with UPF 50+ sun protection. marksandspencer.com
5 of t he b e st SU M M E R H OL I DAY THE ANIMALS OBSERVATORY Tote Bag, £40; alexandalexa.com
LIEWOOD Swim Tee, £31.50; liewood.com
ROCKAHULA KIDS Bucket Hat, £12; rockahulakids.com
IZIPIZI Sunglasses, £23; smallable.com
ith a summer filled with events from weddings to Christenings ahead, there are few brands that do special occasionwear as well as Pepa & Co. For little ones from newborn up to 8-years old, the collection is the brainchild of Spanish-born, Londonbased designer Pepa Gonzalez. Think traditional and timeless, without any fussiness. It’s the go-to for flower girls and page boys and their site is definitely bookmarkworthy if you’ve got a long list of newborn gifting to do. This season’s colour palette is fresh, full of shades of primrose yellow and cornflower blue, punctuated with dashes of bold brights. And spriggy floral prints, ruffles-galore, not-to-mention handsmocked detailing, make for the sort of pieces that you’ll want to keep and pass along. And if your biggest event this summer is your holiday, the brand has created a gorgeous capsule collection of swimwear. Nostalgic and sweet, it’s definitely the stuff that memories get made in. pepaandcompany.com
STELLA MCCARTNEY KIDS, Strappy Sandals, £114; alexandalexa.com
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Maki ng a
GA R D E N Get outside in the sunshine with pieces to play in all summer long
bobochoses.com
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Great Lengths 05 STUDIO
Bulgarian brand 05 Studio make beautiful and eco-conscious swimwear that’s perfect for getting some lengths in this summer. Their flatteringly cut styles are made from Italian dead stock material (to reduce waste in the fashion industry) and the fabric is chlorine and UV resistant too. the05studio.com
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THE AWARD-WINNING HARLEY STREET COSMETIC AND PLASTIC SURGERY CLINIC Harley Street Skin has been the capital's premier beauty destination for nearly twenty years and offers the most up-to-date skincare and aesthetics treatments on the market for the face, body, skin and hair. Whether you're struggling with acne, sun damage, scarring, hyperpigmentation or premature ageing, our expert team of doctors can help you achieve beautiful, clear skin. Contact us to find out more about the latest surgical and non-invasive treatments to plump, nip, sculpt and define your way to a face and body you can't wait to show off.
BOOK YOUR FREE CONSULTATION TODAY: 0207 436 4441 48 Harley Street, London, W1G 9PU www.harleystreetskinclinic.com
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HE ALTH
LITTLE FOODIES MAMAMADE
Founded by ex-Vogue journalist Sophie Baron, mamamade provides parents with plant-based, fresh and nutritionally-balanced meals for babies. mamamadefood.com
mama’s
WELLNESS NOTES Plastic-free plasters and a new plant-based meal delivery service
BA N DAG E U P
SUMMER RECHARGE
PAT C H
Designed for bumps, bruises, burns, blisters and even bites, PATCH is the world’s first plastic-free, hypoallergenic and 100% compostable plaster. We love that the range environmentally-conscious and it’s great for little ones who are allergic to normal plasters too. patchstrips.eu
RE:CENTRE
Situated right on the river in Thames Wharf, Re:Centre is designed to be a sanctuary of rest and restoration. There’s a great programme of yoga classes (aimed at pregnancy, mum and baby, and kids) and the cafe serves delicious seasonal and sustainable food. recentre.co.uk
Happy Eaters FOR AISHA
For Aisha’s baby meals are dietician-approved and cater for all dietary and religious needs. Using 100% natural ingredients, you can be sure that there’s no added nasties. foraisha.com
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“Children are so open and honest and I loved entertaining them for those years”
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Q &A
Fanta stic
EATS! Angellica Bell’s recipes encourage children to get cooking
gave my showreel to the right person in their office and a few months later I was presenting live television on BBC1 afternoons. It was a dream come true.
Inter view HELEN BARON
Q Is there a point in your career that you can say you’ve enjoyed the most? A I have loved every moment of my career for different reasons. There were times after CBBC that work was quiet, but hindsight allows you to see that those periods are part of your growing and make you appreciate the good times even more. I worked on shows that allowed me to travel and see the world, and people, from a different perspective. And then I worked on shows that I knew I didn’t really want to do and that taught me to understand what was right for me and that it’s okay to say no sometimes. CBBC was so much fun and I laughed so much doing it, and right now I’m loving my life and my career. I still laugh a lot behind the scenes but not so much on camera as I work on different types of programmes like The One Show and the Martin Lewis Money Show!
Q How did you break into TV? A I’m not keen on this phrase, but I was in the right place at the right time! I had always enjoyed performing arts at school and at university tried a bit of student radio. I was also a member of the drama society and one of the plays I was in went to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. I guess it was something I thought was an option but never believed it would happen. I ended up temping at the BBC in an administrative job at the top of East Tower where CBBC [Children’s BBC] was based. My role was to organise meetings for execs from all departments across the BBC and one day, after one of those meetings, I was told CBBC had been looking for a new presenter for quite some time and I should put myself forward. I
Q What’s the best thing about working in children’s TV? Would you like to carry on working with children in some capacity? A Children are so open and honest and I loved entertaining them for those years – now that audience are in their midtwenties and often I have them come up to me on the train or in supermarkets and tell me I was their childhood and they used to rush home every day for 3.25pm to watch me. It’s so strange to hear that but it makes me feel so good to know they enjoyed what I was doing back then. I think I’ll always work with children in some capacity – my cookbook is aimed at young people and I often speak at schools. I appeared on Blue Peter a few months ago and was awarded a silver badge – that was a big moment for me! Q You have children with fellow TV presenter Michael Underwood. How do you both juggle your TV schedules as parents? What for you is the key to making it work? A It’s about having a huge calendar up August 2019 | 57
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on the wall with everyone’s schedule on it so there is a clear overview of what’s happening, which means there are no clashes in the diary. If I’m honest I am super-organised, and I won’t take a job if it compromises the family. Michael and I do everything ourselves and it helps that he is now a part-time teacher and therefore can keep an eye on everything when I go through a busy spell at work. Q You won Celebrity MasterChef back in 2017. What did you learn from the show? A I still can’t believe I won the show; it was a massive achievement for me as I worked so hard whenever I was presented with a task. The main thing I learned from that experience is that sometimes we need to face our fears and take on challenges that scare us. I said no to doing the show twice
“my gran was a cook - and I loved spending time with her”
before finally saying yes – if I hadn’t gone for it, I wouldn’t have the trophy sitting on my mantlepiece right now or even have my own cookbook. Q Is that when your passion for food was ignited? A I’ve always loved food – my gran was a cook and I loved spending time with her as a child especially after my parents split up. She was always in the kitchen and that’s where I picked up a lot of my basic skills and intuitive cooking. Sadly, she’s no longer with us but I remember those days like yesterday. Q Would you like to work with food more? A Yes, I’d love to. I loved working in professional kitchens while on MasterChef. It’s high-pressure but the rewards are amazing especially when you know you’ve satisfied someone’s appetite! If I was to train it would be in pastry as I have a sweet tooth and there’s a real technique to it. I’d quite like to work on a family recipe cookbook at some point but that’s just a dream right now. Q And what led you to do ‘Fantastic Eats’?
Omelette Bites makes 12
T
his is a fun way of making an omelette. You can mix different flavour combinations using your favourite ingredients, giving you some chef creativity (I’ve given you some suggestions in the ingredients list). I’ve kept this vegetarian, but feel free to add some ham or leftover cooked chicken (just use up anything available in the refrigerator). These fun little individual omelettes are perfect for breakfast, lunch or a snack on-the-go! Just be careful lifting the muffin tin in and out of the hot oven, and always wear your oven gloves.
Ingredients
olive oil, for greasing • 1 small onion • 150g (1 ¼ cups) frozen peas (you can also add chopped spinach, mini tomatoes or finely chopped mushrooms) • 120g (1 ¼ cups) grated Cheddar cheese (or your favourite cheese) • 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs • 6 large eggs • 4 tablespoons milk • salt and black pepper
DIRECTIONS
1 Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. 2 Drizzle some olive oil into each hole of your muffin tin and rub it around with your fingers until all the sides are well coated – this will stop your omelettes from sticking. 3 Peel and finely chop the onion into little pieces, then divide it equally between the muffin holes. Place the tin in the oven for 5 minutes. 4 Meanwhile, put your peas and cheese (and any other ingredients you’ve chosen) into a medium bowl, then add the dried herbs and mix with a wooden spoon. 5 Crack your eggs into a small bowl (see page 17), beat with a fork, then pour over the vegetables and cheese, stirring everything to make sure the peas separate. Add the milk, plus a pinch each of salt and pepper, then mix again. 6 Carefully take the muffin tin out of the oven. 7 Use a ladle to pour your omelette mixture into the 12 holes, then use a teaspoon to mix the contents of each hole. 8 Pop the tray back into the oven for 15–20 minutes until the omelette bites are cooked through and just turning golden. Let your omelette bites cool in the tin before serving.
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VO T E N O W
Absolutely Mama is proud to announce the second annual Absolutely Mama Awards! We’re celebrating the best in the business, from everyday must-haves to kids fashion, travel essentials and the toys your kids love the most. Your voice is important to us and we want to know the brands you’re coveting now. By voting, you’ll automatically be entered into a competition for an exclusive Green People hamper worth over £100.
Win!
To cast your vote and be in with a chance to win, visit www.absolutely-mama.co.uk/mama-awards-2019 _MAMA_April19_COVER_awards.indd 6
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wellnes s RECIPES
A I learned to navigate my way around a kitchen at a young age with the guidance of my grandmother, so I feel it’s important that children are exposed to this important life skill as soon as possible. The book is aimed at children, but I’ve had adults who can’t cook say they use it as the recipes appeal to a wide audience and there are some classic favourites too. I’m really proud of the book and the team who worked on it with me as together we think we created something timeless so that children can still use it when they either go to university, leave home or simply want to rustle something up without much fuss. Q How did you come up with the recipes you wanted to feature? A I simply thought about what I liked to cook when I was young, things I learned when I was in Home Economics at primary school and what I like to eat! I researched everything myself, tested the recipes a few times and wrote every word. I also wanted to try and cover as many basic skills as possible, so it’s a learning experience but fun at the same time. Q How do you encourage healthy eating at home? A We have a rule in our house – you must try something at least once before saying it’s disgusting! Most of the time my children will go in for a second taste and then they’re hooked. Because they have a get-out clause, they’re more open-minded, and think they’re in charge. I’m also a firm believer in everything in moderation – I love a takeaway now and then and a bag of crisps with a sandwich too but I just balance it all out with fruit and veg. Food is amazing and for me, I’d be unhappy if I cut certain things out. This applies to all aspects of life, you must do what’s right for you.
Monster Crispy Treats makes 12 large or 16 small
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ou won’t believe how easy it is to rustle up these little monsters and they look awesome. They are so yummy, having both a delicious sweet marshmallow flavour as well as a crispy texture. But be warned, this is a sticky affair! You will need to use the stove for one part of the recipe, so if you’re not yet at the stage to cook over a stove, just get an adult to help with that bit and you can finish off. The monster decoration adds to the fun and makes these great for Halloween or even a party, but they are just as good served plain – whatever takes your fancy!
Ingredients
FANTASTIC EATS! And How to Cook Them by Angellica Bell (Quadrille, £15.00) Photography: Ellis Parrinder
40g (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing • 150g (6 cups) puffed rice cereal • 1/8 teaspoon salt • 285g (7 cups) miniature white marshmallows • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract • 90g (1/2 cup) of each colour of candy melts you want to use • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil for each candy melt colour, plus extra if needed • edible candy eyes (or chocolate chips) 1 First things first, you need to grease your equipment. Melt a large knob of butter in a small bowl in the microwave, or in a small saucepan over a low heat. Dip a pastry brush into the melted butter and brush it
all over a 23cm (9 inch) square baking tin, a medium saucepan, a spatula and also a large mixing bowl (one that will comfortably hold all your cereal). This is to stop everything sticking! 2 Pour the puffed rice cereal into the greased mixing bowl. 3 Put the 40g (3 tablespoons) butter and the salt in the greased saucepan over a medium–low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir constantly with your greased spatula until the marshmallows have completely melted. 4 Add the vanilla extract to the pan and mix again. Pour the mixture over the cereal in the mixing bowl and stir with the spatula until the cereal is coated in the marshmallow gloop. 5 Pour the mixture into the greased baking tin and, with the greased spatula, gently press it down until you have a flat surface. Put the tin into the refrigerator until the mixture is firm. When it is completely cold, use a knife to cut the mixture (still in the tin) into 12 or 16 rectangles. Remove the treats from the tin. 6 For the monster coating, put one colour of candy melts in a small bowl and melt in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir with a small spoon and then microwave again for 30 seconds at a time until completely melted. Repeat with the other colours. 7 Add the oil to the melted candy melts and stir until it is completely mixed in. Add a little more oil to make the melts smoother if you need to, but only add it a little bit at a time. 8 Holding a treat by one end, carefully dip it into the candy melt mixture, then place it on a cooling rack or plate. Gently press some candy eyes or chocolate drops into the candy melt icing. 9 Continue making more little monsters with the same colour, or repeat steps 6–8 for each different candy melt colour. 10 Wait at least 45 minutes, until your treats have hardened, before eating! August 2019 | 61
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Gretchen M. Greer took this photo a few days after giving birth to her daughter. She says “Breastfeeding has been a process – I struggle with something called Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflect (D-MER) and intense nausea while feeding, but she’s twenty months old now and we’re still going strong!” @gretchenmgreer
mother
MILK Henrietta Norton, nutritional practitioner and founder of Wild Nutrition, shares her breastfeeding tips ahead of World Breastfeeding Week this August
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reastfeeding is encouraged by midwives and health visitors to sustain your baby’s development and support your baby’s future health. Some of these benefits include reducing your baby’s risk of developing conditions such as eczema if you breastfeed exclusively for the first three months. It may also reduce the risk of your baby experiencing obesity or diabetes in later life. Breastfeeding also has benefits for you. It has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, osteoporosis and postnatal depression as well supporting the contraction of the uterus and healthy weight loss after pregnancy. If you are breatfeeding your baby, here are some things you can do get the most out of your milk.
Boosting breast milk production
Making breast milk is an energy-hungry process for your body and for this it needs the support of a healthy diet. During breastfeeding you will need to consume an extra 500 calories (150 calories more than you needed in your third trimester) per day for the first six months. Eating a diet to support your blood sugar will support this milk production as well as your energy. When blood sugar drops too low from not following a balanced diet low in refined sugars or carbohydrates, not eating
enough or leaving long gaps in between meals, eating will trigger stress hormones. This in turn reduces the production of hormones that initiate milk supply and the ‘let-down’ reflex when your baby is brought to the breast. Eat little and often, preferably three main meals and two snacks per day. Eating a wholesome breakfast will replenish your reduced stores of glucose from feeding at night. You will also need to make sure that you are drinking enough water, around 6–8 glasses a day and this can include herbal teas, such as peppermint or fennel. It is thought that the diet you eat during breastfeeding is the first stage of weaning for your baby.
What about supplements?
The diet for healthy breastfeeding remains the same as that during pregnancy, but requires 500 more calories per day than your pre-pregnancy levels. If you have been eating a nourishing diet throughout your pregnancy your breast milk will be nutrient-rich. The Department of Health recommends specific nutrients that are required in higher amounts during breastfeeding. A supplement designed to support breastfeeding can improve your intake of important nutrients and recovery from birth, especially if you are vegan or vegetarian. With our Breast-Feeding Complex I wanted to look beyond the standard formulas that simply address poor milk production through fennel or fenugreek and address the wider issue. In order to support our babies, we as the mother require energy
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welln es s ADVICE
and enough of the right hormones in order to improve milk quality, and where necessary, milk quantity too. Breast-Feeding Complex is a unique complex of Food-Grown® nutrients and botanicals to support milk quality supply, the nervous system and the energy requirements of the breastfeeding mama, nourishing the skin, hair and nails. Stinging nettle (or Urtica Dioica) and fenugreek have been used for centuries as galactagogue herbs (breast milk enhancers) to improve milk supply and quality for lactating women. Their natural supply of iron and other minerals means that they are also used as a nutritiously rich plant to nourish the new mother after birth. Alongside these herbs the formula also provides lutein, the primary carotenoid found within breastmilk to support the development of the brain and eyes during infancy. Supply in breastmilk is dependent on a mother’s intake during pregnancy and breastfeeding and recent research has shown that supplementation with lutein during breastfeeding can enhance supply to the breastfed baby.
PHOTOGRAPHY: GRETCHEN M. GREER, @GRETCHENMGREER
Fatty acids and breastfeeding
Your baby will rely on your consumption of omega-3 fats in your diet for the fatty acids DHA and EPA. These fats remain as vital as they were in pregnancy for the healthy development of the brain and eyes. Follow the guidelines on fats in pregnancy by eating eggs, nuts, seeds and their oils, oily fish and eggs regularly. You may also benefit from taking an omega-3 supplement, especially if you do not like to eat fish. Breastfeeding can be one of the most profoundly intimate and loving exchanges between you and your baby but what if you can’t breastfeed? Some women who have their hearts set on breastfeeding become distraught at being unable to nurse their baby, as it is commonly believed to help with the bonding process. Whatever method of feeding you use, there is nothing to stop you bonding with your child and skin-to-skin contact is often recommended for mothers of premature babies who are unable to feed at the breast. What is most important is the love and care you give to your baby while you are feeding. However you are feeding your baby, take the time to listen and watch for your baby’s cues in the early weeks. In time you will start to do this subconsciously and it will soon become a rhythmic, symbiotic process for you both.
H E N R I E T TA N O R T O N founder of Wild Nutrition wildnutrition.com August 2019
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Sun Safe The best products for protecting little ones from harmful rays this summer
Editor’s Pick
COOL SPECS IZIPIZI
Not just for looking the part, a pair of protective sunglasses are a summer essential. This style from French brand IZIPIZI has polarized lenses that provide 100% UV protection. £25; izipizi.com
Shield The Rays TOCOTO VINTAGE
Perfect for water babies, this sweet swimsuit from Tocoto Vintage is made from fabric with UPF 50+ protection. We love how the long sleeves provide extra coverage too. £50.10; tocotovintage.com
COVER UP
FABELAB
Fabelab’s muslin ponchos are a must-pack for the beach. Made from organic cotton, they are light and breathable, and can be thrown over swimwear when the sun is at it’s hottest (but you can’t keep them in the shade). £22; beyondthestork.co.uk
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wellness SUN
PROTECTION
5 o f t h e be s t ORGANIC S U N S C R EENS
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HATS ON LIEWOOD
The style of the summer in miniature form, we love this organic cotton bucket hat from Liewood. Perfect for protecting little heads and faces. £22.39; liewood.com
SKIN SAVER SAV VISAND
An absolute lifesaver when you’re reapplying sunscreen at the beach, Savvisand is a clever new gadget that effectilvely bristles away wet sand from the skin. It also applies a 100% natural formula that soothes and protects against insect bites. £19.99; savvisand.com
Shade Seeker SUNNYLIFE
Make the ultimate beach base camp with a stylish parasol. This one from Australian brand Sunnylife has a UPF 30 sun protection coating and is plenty big enough for the whole famiy to get under. £57; sunnylife.com
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1. Green People, Sun Lotion, £19; greenpeople.co.uk 2. Childs Farm, Roll On Sun Lotion, £10; childsfarm.com 3. COOLA, Mineral Sunscreen Stick, £23; spacenk.com 4. Green People, Reef Safe Sun Lotion, £22.50; greenpeople.co.uk 5. Organii, Sun Milk, £23.95; pravera.co.uk August 2019
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wellness PARTNERSHIP
A Light
TOUCH Is the milk you buy delivering the nutrients you expect and need?
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e expect things to do what they say they will and we deserve to get what we pay for. When it comes to milk, for example, we’re promised that it will nourish our children and provide them with nutrients such as calcium, vitamins A, D and B2. You might not know that light causes some of these nutrients to degrade. Nutrient-rich milk, fresh from the farm, may arrive in your fridge with less of the good stuff than you’d expect. Indoor lights in the supermarket as well as lights in your fridge can damage the vitamins in your milk. After just two hours of exposure to LED lighting, fresh milk begins to lose vitamin A. After 16 hours, milk found in conventional bottles will have just half the Vitamin A it started with.
“Buying milk in light-protected packaging keeps the nutrients safe”
THRIVING CHILDREN NEED SPECIFIC NUTRIENTS
of exposure. Just one hour is enough to cause a 28% loss in Vitamin B2 levels in pasteurised whole milk. After 16 hours, the level of Vitamin A in non-fat milk in a typical plastic bottle could drop by half.
NOLUMA – KEEPING THE LIGHT OUT AND THE GOODNESS IN The solution lies in the bottle. Buying milk in light-protected packaging helps keep the nutrients safe and ensures you get the nutrition you deserve.
LIFELONG HEALTH Milk is an excellent way to give your child the very best start in life. According to the NHS, half a pint of full-fat milk per day meets the calcium needs of toddlers. Vitamin A boosts the immune system and encourages healthy eyesight. Vitamin B2 keeps the nervous system healthy and helps the body release energy from food. Vitamin D is essential for bones, muscles and teeth.
LIGHT DAMAGE: PACKAGING PROBLEMS The degree of damage varies according to the type of milk, its container, and the length
Noluma is fighting for the goodness in milk by advising clients on how to improve the light-protection of their packaging. It uses patented state-of-the-art technology to measure the level of lightprotection in packaging and suggests improvements to ensure the protection of milk and other products throughout their entire shelf life. So next time you’re picking a bottle or two from the supermarket fridge, check the packaging. When you see a Noluma-certified bottle, you can be sure you’re giving your family the gold standard in nutritious and delicious milk.
NOLUMA LIGHT PROTECTI O N Learn more about light damage at lightdamageisreal.com August 2019 | 67
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mama’s
B E AU T Y NOTES Hair, make-up and beauty news for the month ahead
summer
SLIDES
we love
WOLF & MOON
The most-Instagrammed accessory of the summer is going nowhere. Perfect for beachy waves, we love this mother-of-pearl and painted wood hair clip set from Wolf & Moon. £34; woolfandmoon.com
SKIN DEEP NESSA
This new vegan skincare brand is on a mission to change postpartum recovery. The two unique products in the range tackle sore nipples and scars (be that stretch marks or C-section scars). Certified organic and packed with vitamininfused, moisture-boosting ingredients. Scar saviour. £25; nessaorganics.com
Nature’s Wonders VO TA R Y
Good enough to eat (literally), Votary’s range is chock-full of nature’s super ingredients, designed to treat skin that is sensitive or in hormone-flux. Perfect for bringing back the glow to stressed out pregnancy or postpartum skin. votary.co.uk
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Eye eye
BE AUT Y
n Salo w e i Rev
VERSO
This rich cream from Verso is aimed at providing long-term hydration to the delicate eye area. It’s packed with antioxidant and skin soothing ingredients to refresh tired peepers including fermented oat, hyaluronic acid and boosting yeast extract. £60 cultbeauty.co.uk
C LO U D T W E LV E
T
W o r d s C A R LY G L E N D I N N I N G
BE AUT Y BOOSTER NUORI
Designed to repair skin damage caused by free radicals, this intensive serum from Nuori has a clever dispensing mechanism that mixes 100% pure vitamin C powder into the other ingredients before the first application. The perfect skin quencher. £98.50; shop.nuori.com
5 of t he b e st SU M M E R G L OW DRUNK ELEPHANT Facial Oil, £34; cultbeauty.co.uk
DR ROEBUCK’S Hydrating Mist, £22; cultbeauty.co.uk
Detox programme prices: Monday – Thursday: £250 | Friday – Sunday: £275
HERBAL ESSENTIALS Hydra 5 Gel, £19; herbal-essentials.com AURELIA Revitalise and Glow Serum, £64; aureliaskincare.com
urn into a pretty little mews in Notting Hill and you’ll discover Cloud Twelve. A sanctuary in the city for unwinding, detoxifying and rejuvenating body and mind, the Family Space might be members only, but their Wellness Clinic, Salon, Spa and Brasserie is open to nonmembers too. I am visiting to try out their brand new detoxifying programme (which combines herbal cleanse protocols, nutrition and treatments). I’m booked in for the Green Coffee Sculpting Treatment, which I’m told will help to facilitate lymphatic draining and improve circulation. The treatment room is heavenly and I get cosy on the bed. My therapist dry brushes my skin and gives my limbs a deep massage, which is quite vigorous. The products she uses include beneficial ingredients such as green coffee and chilli oil – to stimulate detoxification from the outside in. The treatment is only one part of the programme, but I am happy to see a definite difference in the tone of my skin when I get home.
cloudtwelve.co.uk BOTÂNICO VIDA Omega Oil, £18.50 / 125ml; botanicovida.com
August 2019
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Dream Forest PEA
An exciting new addition to the kids interiors scene is Pea – with an imaginative range of organic cotton bedding and playful decor. Bringing the beauty of the outdoors in, we love the Adventure Collection, featuring a colourful woodland landscape. frompea.com
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mama
N U R S E RY NOTES Helen Baron’s interior picks for the month ahead
RISING HIGH EO
This Danish brand continues to wow us by taking Scandinavian heritage design in new directions. Their balloon mirrors are an elegant but playful addition to any nursery. £85; notonthehighstreet.com
we love BRUSH STROKES BABY TO LOVE
I don’t think we’ve ever seen bedding quite this beautiful! Illustrated to perfection by Swantje Hinrichsen, the cot sheet features watercolour tints and a crew of sweet seafaring friends. A magical backdrop for baby. £28; thekidcollective.com
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Rainbow Bright RADUGA GREZ
Family-run workshop Raduga Grez makes inspiring, environmentally friendly wooden toys. Evoking nature and memories of childhood, each piece is a mini work of art designed to unlock a child’s creative potential. Stacking waterfall toy, £22; thekidcollective.co.uk
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Animal Magic
NURSERIES
shop focus
B A BY TO LOV E
Meet some adorable musical animals from Baby to Love. They’re not just pretty faces though – with their super soft textures, rounded forms and soothing melodies, they’re designed to stimulate curiosity and sensory development. £29.95; babytolove.co.uk
M U M & DAD FAC TO RY Simplicity, singularity and practicality
ROCKABYE
T
NUKI
Plywood reigns again in the form of the beautiful Tuli rocking crib from Polish designers Nuki. Crafted from high-quality birch ply with a non-toxic water-based finish, it’s a stylishly neutral centrepoint for your nursery. £623; smallable.com
5 of t he b e st K I D’ S TOW E L S NUMERO 74 Organic Bathrobe in Sweet Blue, £56; smallable.com
KONGES SLOJD Terry Bathrobe, £53; smallable.com
LIEWOOD Rabbit Lela Bath Cape, £44.95; scandiborn.co.uk
his Parisian brand offers a beautifully boutique take on nursery furniture. Founded by two friends, one an architect and the other an art historian and interior architect, the aim was to provide modern parents with an alternative to over-embellished or under-considered furnishings and decor. The results speak for themselves. Mum and Dad Factory’s products are beautifully minimal, crafted from natural materials and embodying all the care, skill and style of their designer-makers. A children’s chair is at once timeless and super contemporary, with its powder-coated tubular steel frame and slender birch seat, while a folding tent, crafted from pale cotton stretched taut across a sleek wooden frame, is super fun and easy to store away when not in use. The junior bed is another streamlined wonder, substantially constructed yet so artfully composed you could almost overlook its presence in a room, while the playmats have a similar understated charm, their vibrant hues serving as handy highlights in a more neutral colour scheme. Even better, price points aren’t stratospheric. mumanddadfactory.com
ROSE IN APRIL Brune Waffled Bathrobe, £44; smallable.com
LIEWOOD Hooded Panda Towel, £33.50; scandiborn.co.uk
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oral Atkinson is the founder and creator of Velveteen Babies, a design-led children’s decor brand. She lives in the Harrogate area of North Yorkshire with her husband, Chris and their three children. They moved to their mid-century house two years ago and are working their way through a complete renovation. We took a peek inside their contemporary and dreamily decorated space.
Dreamy
DECOR Absolutely Mama tours founder of Velveteen Babies Coral Atkinson’s stylish house
I n t e r v i e w C A R LY G L E N D I N N I N G
Q How did you come to buy the house and what drew you to it? A When my parents relocated five miles from our old house five years ago, we found that we were spending a lot of time driving back and forth as they support us so much with childcare. When we outgrew our Victorian townhouse, the logical thing was to move closer to them, and we moved our eldest child to a village school near them beforehand. When we were finally ready to buy our next house we were very restricted with area and there was just this one house in our budget and location, so we very much made a practical decision (over looks!) for a growing family – rather than buying the ‘dream’ house. It had all the things our townhouse didn’t – a garden, garage and a good amount of living space, beautiful parkland at the end of the road and a four-minute journey to school. Luckily we can both see through dated decor and saw the eventual potential. Q What was it like when you bought it and have you done any renovation work on it? A It’s a ‘60s A-frame dormer bungalow which had been extended prior to us buying it. The decor was all orange pine, patchy mismatched dull grey walls and fake Victoriana and we knew we’d want to alter the layout and completely renovate. The full-length windows had been bricked up at some point so our first big job was to knock them out and we went back to full-length windows to let the light
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h o me & interio rs INSPIRATION
“Each room has a different identity and I wanted to make use of colour and all the wall art that we own”
stream in. The house had an L-shape living room when we bought it, but we added an internal wall and created a new living room and a separate playroom for the kids, making better use of the space. We’ve pulled out miles of polystyrene coving, and have replastered the whole downstairs. We’ve also completely renovated the kids’ rooms and living spaces. The bathroom is a big job for next year, and our bedroom will be last on the list to tackle. Q What was your decorating vision? A Each room has a different identity and I wanted to make use of colour and all the prints and wall art that we own. I want the house to feel happy. Because it’s an ugly duckling on the outside, I want people to walk in the door and be pleasantly surprised by what is on the inside! I’ve spent so long choosing colours to reflect the different spaces and decor inside, and paying homage to its mid-century roots whilst making it a contemporary and stylish family home.
Q What did you do to the kids’ rooms? A One room had a beige shagpile carpet and aubergine walls, and the other had royal blue carpet with lime green walls, so the kids’ rooms were the first on the renovation list as they were pretty grim! We literally stripped everything out to the bare bones – new flooring, radiators and complete redecoration. I chose a white oak flooring for both rooms but the style of Willa’s feminine and dreamy bedroom is completely different to the boys’ room which is contemporary with rainbow highlights. I used a beautiful wallpaper by Hibou Home in Willa’s room which is the perfect backdrop for her bed, furniture, toys and decor. The boys’ room is light with a half wall painted in a blue-green. It’s a fairly small shared bedroom and I wanted to keep it from feeling oppressive, so I used the corners of the room to add shelving to August 2019 | 75
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h o me & interio rs INSPIRATION
“The kids love colour and seeing new things appear in their spaces”
give it some identity with pennants, decor and some my garlands to add rainbow touches. Across both rooms, I’ve incorporated pale wood to tone-down the colour and add a Scandinavian feel. Q And how did you choose which Velveteen Babies pieces to feature? A I’m always working them in on rotation! I never finish a room and then leave it alone, so restyling and hanging different pieces of wall art and my garlands is pretty much a weekly occurrence. I use the kids’ rooms to style my work for Instagram posts so spend
quite a lot of time in their rooms when they are out. The kids love colour and seeing new things appear in their spaces. I’m always adding new things from other small design businesses too, as I love to support others. Q Which room is your favourite? A Sitting on Willa’s amazing petal rattan chair (from Tobs and Ror) when the sunshine is streaming into her pretty room is definitely where I immediately feel calm, but I also love the kitchen gallery wall – it’s taken ages to source it all and get it all framed and hung and I’m so happy when I look over at it.
Q How do you all like to hang out at home? A If we are all together then we always make sure we have family time around the table, or all squeezed together on our big old sofa in the living room! (Though the sofa is on overtime, a new one will be our next big purchase!). At the weekend, a family BBQ in the sunshine with the kitchen French doors wide open, sunlight pouring in over my kitchen table and the children building dens and scootering in the garden. velveteenbabies.co.uk @velveteen_babies August 2019 | 77
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Join The Club PELIGONI CLUB
The Peligoni Club celebrates its 30th anniversary this summer with new villas and evening babysitting added to its already impressive childcare offering. Perched upon the olivestrewn hills of North Zakynthos, it’s the perfect way to experience barefoot luxury with little ones in tow. peligoni.com
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escapes
INSPIRATIONS
ISLAND LIFE E L I V I S K I AT H O S
The hotel has announced the opening of its kids club. Children can now enjoy a range of activities while parents relax at the resort’s four white-sand beaches, or soak up the outstanding natural beauty of the surroundings. elivihotels.com
mama’s
T R AV E L NOTES
Helen Baron rounds up the most exciting destinations at home and abroad we love
N OW O P E N T H E G R OV E
3 f o r O U T D O O R AC T I V I T I E S Sonnwies
Les Carrasses
Green Spa Resort
From guesthouse beginnings on the owner’s farm to a modern family paradise. On-site activities include water slides, climbing walls, pony riding, zip wires, hiking, Nordic walking, tobogganing, mountain biking and ice skating.
At this upscale but super familyfriendly chateau you can take a group horse-ride into some of France’s finest countryside. Meanwhile, the kids club offers plenty of outdoor games and even trips to local sites of interest.
A five-star bio resort where you can enjoy hiking, tennis, horse-riding and golf as well as a stunning natural swimming lake, set against the backdrop of the Wilder Kaiser Mountain. There’s a farm and waterworld for little ones too.
sonnwies.com
lescarrasses.com
stanglwirt.com
LANGUEDOC
HEVEA
A new launch from the pioneering eco-brand, these innovative flippers are made with partly upcycled raw natural rubber. Flexible and comfy, they come in peach and mint colours. €30; heveaplanet.com
New to our favourite country-house hotel is the refurbished Glasshouse restaurant. A triple-height glass extension has been added, so guests can enjoy views of the garden and terrace as they dine while the kids are in the creche. thegrove.co.uk
TYROL
FA B F I N S
SONNWIES
S T A N G LW I R T
August 2019
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ROAD TRIPPING Zoey Goto and her husband took their two children, aged 7 and 2, on a mini road trip through the lone star state
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TEXAS
“We were instantly won over by the city’s hip but family-friendly atmosphere, and seriously good food scene”
I
t’s Saturday night in Texas and we’re at the famous Tejas Rodeo, sat in a floodlit, dusty stadium surrounded by cowboys on horseback and longhorn bulls. The Stetson-wearing audience whoop their appreciation as the Mutton Bustin competition is announced, and the presenter hesitantly checks if the next contestant is from “London, Texas or London, England?” before the arena door flies open. My 7-year-old daughter bursts forth, determinedly hugging onto the back of a woolly sheep as it races around the arena, cheered on by the 1000-strong crowd! She’s the female contestant who stays on the longest and just narrowly misses out on the shiny gold Mutton Bustin trophy – but she takes her prize ribbon and the knowledge that she did pretty well for a ‘London, England’ kid, back to the hotel that night with pride. Her Mutton Bustin rodeo debut was the perfect introduction to our quirky Texas road trip. We’d arrived in Austin a few days earlier, and were instantly won over by the city’s hip but family-friendly atmosphere, and seriously good food scene. For breakfast we feasted on tacos at Joann’s Fine Foods – a picture-perfect retro diner in the vibrant
South Congress area, then sampled ‘New School Barbeque’ and fed chickens at the LeRoy & Lewis food truck, before mingling with locals at Loro, a relaxed and stylish Asian smokehouse, where the kids played out on the patio, lit by strings of lights. Austin is also home to a fantastic interactive children’s museum called the Thinkery, and dinosaurfans will love hunting for T-Rex in the forest at the Dinosaur Park. Following a week of soaking up the culture and cuisine of Austin, we hit the road and drove two hours to Bandera, a frontier town made up of a couple of streets that could double as the set of a Western movie. Known as the ‘Cowboy Capital of the World’, Bandera is the place to visit to sample the wrangler lifestyle at a dude ranch. We pitched up our wagon and spent a few unforgettable days at the Flying L resort, a picturesque ranch that’s home to a stable of seasoned horses, fields of wild deer and a wonderfully eccentric Wild West themed water park. In the mornings, my eldest daughter and I rode horses along the local scenic trails, through streams filled with catfish and past stunning waterfalls. A stay at the Flying L ranch works well for kids of all ages, as six years and upwards can
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esca p es
TEXAS
WHERE TO STAY AU ST I N Hyatt Regency Austin Situated right next to Austin’s famous Congress Avenue Bridge, home to 1.5 million bats that swoop into the sky at sunset. The hotel goes out of its way to make families feel welcome, with baby’s toiletries, an extensive kid’s food menu and mocktail list, super friendly staff and an outdoor pool overlooking the pretty Lady Bird Lake. hyatt.com
SA N A N TO N I O La Cantera Resort
“It was a wonderfully wholesome couple of days and my two little cowpokes were reluctant to hang up their spurs and hit the road again”
Escape the bustle of San Antonio by staying at this beautiful hilltop resort in Texas Hill Country, just 30 minutes from the centre. The resort is a great option for families, with five swimming pools, a kid’s club, plus a fantastic naturalists program, where children learn about the local wildlife through adventure hikes and craft activities. For a dose of R&R, also there’s a blissful day spa onsite. And relax! lacanteraresort.com
BANDERA Flying L Ranch Resort
trail ride, there are pony rides for children from age 3, plus plenty of animal petting opportunities for toddlers. As evening fell, our nightly entertainment at the ranch included hayrides and feeding the deer, as well as cowboy songs and s’mores around the campfire, led by the charismatic Cowboy Buck. Venturing into Bandera town, we were transported back to a bygone era. Sitting at the bar in the nostalgic general store, we
cooled down with drinks from the original 1950s soda fountain, before strolling over to the 11th Street Cowboy Bar to join their weekly bring-your-own steak night, and attempted to dance the Texas Two-Step to live country music. It was a wonderfully wholesome couple of days and my two little cowpokes were reluctant to hang up their spurs and hit the road again. Driving an hour down towards the Mexican border, we arrived in San Antonio and were greeted with streets lined with a rainbow of fluttering paper bunting and ribbons, as the city prepared for its fiesta parade. After touring the local attractions, including the historic Alamo fortress, and Morgan’s Wonderland, a wonderfully gentle and inclusive theme park where even babies can join the rides, we settled into our family villa at La Cantera, rounding off our trip with a few days of tasty Mexican cuisine and tranquillity. In many ways our Texas road trip felt like three mini-breaks rolled into one, as each destination offered its own distinctive experience – from Austin’s urban sophistication and San Antonio’s Latino culture, to – our personal favourite – living the cowboy dream in Bandera. As the saying goes, everything is bigger in Texas – and that definitely includes family holidays y’all!
This iconic dude ranch opened up in the late 1940s and has since graced the pages of Life magazine and been featured in the cult television show The Cisco Kid. There’s plenty to keep families occupied, with nightly Western-themed family entertainment throughout the year and in high season a weekly Chuck Wagon Dinner Show, featuring a Texas BBQ, Country Western band, gunslinger show and roping lessons for the children. flyingl.com
TEXAS ROAD TRIP ESSENTIALS Hertz American Road Trip Planner A great resource for researching family friendly routes and activities throughout the United States.
Clothing for all weather Locals will tell you that “If you don’t like the weather in Texas, wait five minutes” – meaning it can be blazing sunshine one minute and dramatic thunder storms the next. Pack sunscreen and hats, wellies and macs accordingly.
Activity books for in-car entertainment To fully embrace the Texan lifestyle, ‘How to be a Cowboy’ by Alice Lickens has cool Western stickers and a talk-like-a-cowboy guide. Yee-haw!
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FOUR SEASONS
Q U I N TA D O L A G O
Your Time, Your Place For friends, family, or just you
Y e a r - r o u nd fa m ily f r ie ndly r e s ort . Lu x u ry v il l a s w i t h pr i vat e s w i m m ing p o ol or J a c u z z i K id s c lu b , c r e c he a nd ba by si t t ing H e at e d ind o or , o u t d o or & toddl e r p o ol s T w o R e s ta u r a n ts , K id s M e n u ' s FOUR SEASONS FAIRWAYS . QUINTA DO L AGO . ALGARVE . PORTUGAL
For enquiries and bookings please visit www.fourseasonsfairways.com
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escapes
UK GETAWAY
LAKE E S CA P E
Joanna Mackie and her family explore Another Place, The Lake
Things To Do
T
The Hotel
A
nother Place is a striking Georgian home turned family-friendly hotel in the Lake District, set on the shores of Ullswater and surrounded by 18 acres of national parkland. The hotel was renovated 18 months ago with the addition of a contemporary wing comprising 20 additional rooms, as well as the hotel’s swimming pool and informal bar/restaurant, The Living Space.
The Room
O
ur lake-facing family suite was really spacious and the second bedroom had bunk beds, as well as an additional single bed for a third child. In the bathroom there was a large rain shower and huge freestanding tub that made bathtime fun for the children! We appreciated the extra touches, such as fresh milk and Tunnocks Teacakes in our mini fridge and a sleek Micralite travel cot for our baby, which the team kindly set up for us. We were also provided with a Micralite
The Food
all-terrain pushchair to explore the hotel grounds, meaning we didn’t need to bring any bulky items in the car with us.
The Spa
S
wim Club is home to a 20-metre lake-view infinity swimming pool, outdoor hot tub, sauna, cardio room and treatment rooms. After a heavenly hour-long massage using Watergate Bay products, I joined my husband and the kids for a swim. The pool is open to families between 9am-6pm and there is also a shallow end for little ones with a brilliant family changing room that had everything we needed.
T
here are two restaurants to choose from, both of which have spectacular views of the lake. We enjoyed a laid-back lunch in The Living Space and took advantage of the early tea session at 5pm in Rampsbeck Restaurant. Our twins enjoyed choosing from a buffet of healthy, child-friendly options and we saw many parents making use of the plastic cutlery and high chairs for their babies. To have a bit of time for just us, we booked the hotel’s babysitter and dined at Rampsbeck Restaurant, which has a British menu serving regional produce. Breakfast, which was also served here, was one of the best we’ve come across with delicious dishes of fresh produce to help yourself to and homemade waffles, which the children loved!
here is no shortage of things to do within the hotel’s grounds. While my husband enjoyed a paddleboarding lesson, I relaxed with our baby in a hammock overlooking the lake and the twins went to the hotel’s free Ofsted registered crèche. We were really impressed by the facilities and it was immaculately clean. For older children, the hotel can organize family kayaking or horse riding and extra activities are arranged during the school holidays. There are numerous hiking routes in the area and the hotel can advise on the best one to suit your family. It is also worth taking a trip on the Ullswater Steamers across the lake or visit nearby Lowther Castle, which has a wonderful adventure playground suitable for children of all ages.
Double rooms are available from £200 B&B (family suites are available from £295) another.place
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ST BENEDICT’S SCHOOL a
m i n i m i s
i n c i p e
22ND JULY TO 16TH AUGUST 2019 7.45AM - 6.00PM
FOR CHILDREN 5 - 12 YEARS OF AGE
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www.stbenedicts.org.uk/summerclub summerclub@stbenedicts.org.uk 020 8862 2000 St Benedict's.indd 1 absolutely_prep_summer_club 15052019.indd 1
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resources W H E R E TO M OV E W H E N YO U N E E D M O R E S PAC E p . 91 A LO N D O N S C H O O L S C A M PA I G N TO R E D U C E FO O D WA ST E p . 92
Holiday Fun AGNES & AUBREY
School’s out for summer and Take Me To Museums and Take Me On Holiday have arrived just in time. Stylishly illustrated and brimming with fun facts, the interactive activity books aim to encourage children to engage with the world. £8.95; each amazon.co.uk
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Helping ensure your little one's food is Just right... The Thermapen First Foods digital thermometer takes the guesswork out of preparing baby food and milk. Quickly and easily know the food you are serving to your little one is at the perfect temperature for them to safely enjoy.
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Keep on
MOVING When you need more space, there are several clear paths to follow. Mama goes where the grass is greener
L
ondon is one of the most expensive cities in the world, so finding your dream family home can be tricky. All over town there are patterns of migration, well-trodden paths where families come together to get more value and space for their money. The typical scenario is this: two people are very happily living in Clapham. They own a two-bedroom flat on the first floor of a Victorian conversion, close to the Common and to all the pubs, shops and restaurants they frequent. They have friends nearby; their commutes to work are bearable on the Northern Line and all is well.
But then they have a baby and things change: the commute is replaced with a struggle up the stairs with a buggy, long days spent cooped up at home and evenings cooking in a small kitchen while trying not to wake the baby. The flat is no longer just a base – it has become the centre of their lives, and it feels too small for that. They soon notice the neighbouring buildings that haven’t been converted into flats and realise that what they need is a whole house, with a garden and a hall for the buggy and bedrooms quietly upstairs. Javaid Ahmed, Sales Manager at KFH in Forest Hill now lives with his wife and five children in a five bedroom house in Streatham, but he used to live in Clapham, in a two bedroom flat.
“What’s on your doorstep is more important when you have children”
mama
JAVAID AHMED Sales Manager, KFH
STREATHAM COMMON
PROMOTION
Five bedroom house in Dunoon Road, SE23, currently on the market with KFH at £1.25m
And in fact he’s happier in Streatham. “Most people make three moves before they settle in a house. When people are building their careers, transport is important, so it’s convenient to live in Clapham or Kennington – but then those people realise that they can sell up and buy more in Streatham, East Dulwich and Forest Hill - they can get a whole house and the schools are good.” He loves Streatham and points out even though the transport’s not as straightforward (“it’s trains not tubes so you have to time it right, which isn’t as good as the northern line”), that’s not so much of an issue for family life. “What’s on your doorstep is more important than how to get places when you have children – in Streatham we have the common, a brand new swimming pool, an ice rink and a great community.” Most people will move from a flat to a three bed house, and then they’ll either extend or move again. Forest Hill vendors might move to Beckenham or West Wickham, while Streatham residents are more likely to go to Purley for secondary schools. “You fall into this pattern and it happens naturally. Buyers follow friends who have made the same moves.” These become the well-trodden paths – and they’re quite easy to follow. “Many of us at KFH have our own families and have experienced this too. Where we come in is helping you find a home that fits your needs but also makes you and your family happy for the long term,” says Javaid. If you’re thinking of making a move in London, get in touch with your local KFH sales or lettings team via kfh.co.uk August 2019 | 91
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FOOD WA R R I O R S A campaign piloted in London schools has been harnessing pupil power to reduce waste and inspire a rethink of food shopping, eating and recycling. Now its ideas are set to go Europe-wide
Wo r d s L I B B Y N O R M A N
G
etting children to eat a balanced diet can be hard work. But teach messages about sustainability alongside nutrition and they may start to make positive choices, as Small Change Big Difference has discovered. The pilot, which ended in March, has been run in 24 schools across eight London boroughs for two years, using workshops for years 4, 5 and 6. Part of an EU-funded pilot targeting the capital’s schools, households, communities and businesses, Small Change Big Difference has brought together leading sustainability organisations under the TRiFOCAL London banner. Two years on, the schools element, delivered through social and environmental charity Groundwork London, has been named one of the world’s ten most inspiring sustainability projects for young people by education non-profit HundrED. What is so brilliant about Small Change Big Difference
“Small Change Big Difference has been named one of world’s ten most inspiring sustainability projects for young people”
is that it has created a virtuous circle, getting a young army of pupils aged between eight and 11 engaged in delivering sustainable food ideas to school, home and community. Caroline Chapman, the education specialist who delivered the programme for Groundwork London, says children have enjoyed the experiential design and the feeling of being
in charge. The programme has provided measurable results in a six-week schedule of weekly workshops. The starting point has been teaching children about avoiding waste and recycling. A dry and sometimes worthy topic, but not if you add in games – including a hugely popular food waste version of snakes and ladders. Armed with key facts, children have become ‘food warriors’ in school lunch halls, collecting and weighing edible and inedible food waste by year group. Next task has been to investigate foods being wasted and ask why. While adults might find poring over leftovers less than palatable (especially the early ‘show and tell’ where a whole bin of kitchen waste is tipped onto tarpaulin), Chapman says the pupils have relished the challenge. “It has meant competition between year groups to achieve the most waste reduction, also encouraging pupils to finish their plate,” she says. The results have been dramatic, with some school year groups reducing their lunch-hall food waste by 87 per cent over the six weeks. Chapman says that messages to pupils
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have focused on positives. “To make the project more relevant to children, the school workshops were called ‘Yes to Taste, No to Waste.” Although children were initially more engaged by ideas around sustainability, they then made the connection back to eating well. “After learning about healthy and sustainable eating, where they sampled different smoothies made using leftover and ‘wonky’ fruits and vegetables, children became excited by trying new foods and the majority started making smoothies at home.” In fact, taking the workshop lessons home has been integral to the programme’s success. Children received a workbook and were asked to achieve one or more pledges each week. These included trying a new fruit or vegetable, managing the family fridge using FIFO (first in, first out), cooking with leftovers and composting or recycling. Then there’s the family shop – children were encouraged to think about foods using a game called ‘good for
you, good for the planet’. This looked at food in terms of energy to produce (transport, CO2, etc) versus nutritional benefit. Armed with this information, they could then help choose the best options for the family shopping trolley. Home pledges were fed back to year groups to keep the challenge going. “Pupils have taken pride in being given responsible roles,” says Chapman. “Some were pledge monitors, counting how many different pledges each pupil achieved and adding a star to the ‘pledge chart’.” Parents bought into pledges too. A starting point was children going home armed with bottom-line statistics about the cost per London household of food waste (up to £800 per year). Parents were asked to co-sign their child’s workbook and some started composting or cooked with leftovers. The final goal for each school has been to design a campaign day – planning and then promoting an event that involved the community. Among the many brilliant ideas have been a school smoothie bike
PIZZAS MADE WITH LEFTOVERS
using surplus fruit and one school created a community fridge to share surplus food. After each event, pupils have embedded a schoolwide action plan, giving the initiative longevity. Small Change Big Difference is now inspiring other food sustainability projects across major European cities. And a schools information pack will become available across the UK this autumn, so hopefully many more schoolchildren will get involved. smallchangebigdifference.london groundwork.org August 2019 | 93
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We’re here to help when you and your family are ready to find your new home. Visit kfh.co.uk 9864_KFH_Spring Campaign_Absolutely Mama_Banner_420x28_art_v2.indd 1
Henry Fawcett Community Nursery (Leaf ) Clayton St, London SE11 5BZ 020 7582 0509
to know Mama’s guide to London’s best nurseries and preschools
Base Zero Nursery Happy Days 109A Randlesdown Rd, Gramsci Way, London, SE6 3HB 020 8461 3510 The Villa 54 Lyndhurst Grove, London SE15 5AH 0207 703 6216 Chairbears Day Nursery 9-12 Deptford Broadway, London SE84PA 020 8305 6588
SOUT H W EST N O RTH WEST
NORTH
E AST
North Bridge House Nursery School/Pre-Prep 33 Fitzjohn’s Ave, Camden Town, London NW3 5JY 020 7267 6266
Les Trois Oursons 4 Collins Yard, London N1 2XU 020 7099 0452
Hatching Dragon Nursery School 1 Viscount St, London EC1Y 0AA 020 7256 9365
Little Stars Nursery 58 Allen Rd, Stoke Newington, London N16 8RZ 020 7254 4367
Sahan Preschool Day Nursery 12 Stukeley Rd, London, E7 9QZ 020 3719 7002
The Mulberry House School 7 Minster Road, London, NW2 3SD 020 8452 7340 Living Spring Montessori St Michael’s Church Annexe, St Michael’s Road, London, NW2 6XG 020 8830 7331 Nuffy Bear Nursery Brondesbury Park Fitness & Wellbeing Centre, Sidmouth Road, London, NW2 5JY 020 3432 8708
Sylvia's Happy Childcare 119a Chevening Road, London, NW6 6DU 020 8960 2217
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Puddleducks Nurseries Puddleducks House, r/o 75 Friern Barnet Road, London NW3 5JY 020 7267 6266 Hackney Care For Kids 61 Evering Rd, London N16 7PR 020 7923 3471 William Patten Daycare Nursery William Patten School, Stoke Newington Church St, Stoke Newington, London N16 0NX 020 3844 4227 Creative Explorers Day Nursery 18 Gisburn Rd, London N8 7BS 07956 809748
Oliver Thomas Nursery School 1 Mathews Ave, London, E6 6BU 020 8552 1177
The Lyceum Nursery 6 Paul Street, City of London, London, EC2A 4JH registrar@lyceumschool.co.uk lyceumschool.co.uk 020 7247 1588
SOUT H E AST Dulwich Montessori Nursery School St Stephen’s Church, College Road, Dulwich, London SE21 7HN 0208 766 0091
Eaton Square Nursery School, Belgravia 28 & 30 Eccleston Street, London SW1W 9PY Eaton Square Nursery School, Knightsbridge Rutland Gardens, London SW7 1BX Eaton Square Nursery School, Pimlico 32a Lupus Street, London SW1V 3DZ nursery@eatonsquareschool.com eatonsquareschool.com 020 7931 9469 The Knightsbridge Kindergarten St Peter’s Church, 119 Eaton Square, London SW1W 9AL 020 7371 2306 The Willcocks Nursery School Holy Trinity With All Saints Church, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2BA 020 7584 5054
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reso urces DIRECTORY
London. Property. We get it. 07/05/2019 10:37
Melrose House 55 Finlay St, Fulham SW6 6HF 020 7736 9296
Wee Ones Nursery 4 St Ann’s Cresent, London SW18 2LR 0208 870 7729
Hatching Dragons Westminster Units 3&4 Westminster Quarter, 2 Monck street, London, SW1P 2BQ 0203 912 2902
The Orchard Day Nursery 201-203 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, SW19 1NL 020 3880 7373
Tadpoles Nursery School 68 Park Walk, Chelsea, London SW10 0NQ 020 7352 9757 The Barnes Village Nursery 3A Station Rd, London SW13 0LP 020 8878 5111 Gwendolen House 39 Gwendolen Ave SW15 6EH 0203 441 2450 London Early Years Foundation 121 Marsham St, Westminster, London SW1P 4LX 020 7834 8679 One World Nursery 9 Knowle Cl, London SW9 0TQ 020 7924 9505 Dee’s Day Nursery (Wimbledon) 2 Mansel Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 4AA 020 8944 0284 Learning Ladders Nursery Ground Floor, Falkner Court, Francis Chichester Way, London SW11 5HX 020 7622 9300 Kiddi Caru Day Nursery 2 Piazza Buildings Empress State, London SW6 1TW 0207 386 4505 Tiggers Nursery School, Putney 87 Putney Bridge Rd, London SW15 2PA 020 8874 4668
Tiny Thinkers Childcare 192 Tudor Drive, Kingston upon Thames KT2 5QG 0203 441 2450
W EST Little Chepstow Nursery 108 Lancaster Road, W11 1QS 0207 243 0243 Rolfe’s Nursery School The Little House, 34a Oxford Gardens, London, W10 5UQ 020 8969 5805 New Studio Pre-School Kelfield Mews, Kelfield Gardens, London, W10 6LS 020 8969 5805 Denbigh Under Fives Group 5b Denbigh Road, Denbigh Road, London, W11 2SJ 020 7221 5318 Kids Unlimited 34 Ladbroke Grove, London W11 3BQ 0845 365 2918 St Peter’s Nursery School 59a Portobello Road, London W11 3DB 020 7243 2617 Ladbroke Square Montessori School 43 Ladbroke Square, London W11 3ND 020 7229 0125 The Square School 18 Holland Park Avenue, London W11 3QU 020 7221 6004
Holland Park Nursery School Kenley Walk Hall, Kenley Walk, London W11 4BA 020 7792 0323 Jack in the Box Kelmscott Community Hall, Ashchurch Grove, White City, London W12 9BT 020 8811 8099 Stepping Stones Nursery 5 Gayford Road, London W12 9BY 020 8811 1646 Bright Sparks Montessori School 142 Sinclair Road, London, W14 0NL 020 7371 4697 Vanessa Nursery 12 Cathnor Road, London W12 6JA 020 8743 8196 Little Owls Nursery 108 Lakeside Rd, London W14 0DY 020 3266 0044 The Kensington Kindergarten St Barnabas Church, 23 Addison Rd, Kensington, London W14 8LH 020 7371 4848
Iverna Gardens Montessori Nursery School Armenian Church Hall, Iverna Gardens, London W8 6TP 020 7937 0794 Caterpillar Montessori PO Box 105 11 London W4 5WU W4 5LG 020 8747 8531 Maggie and Rose 55 Finlay St, Fulham SW6 6HF 020 7736 9296 Millie’s House Nursery and Pre-School Distillery Lane, Fulham Reach W6 9US 020 8748 4303 Windham Nursery School Windham Road, Richmond, Surrey, London TW9 2HP 0208 831 6060 Merchant Square Day Nursery 13 Harbet Rd, Paddington, London W2 1AJ 020 7402 2227 Busy Bees at Hammersmith 3 Bute Gardens, London W6 7DR 0208 741 9945
Millie’s House Nursery and Pre-School Distillery Ln, London W6 9PL 020 8748 4303
The Corner House Day Nursery 82 Lavington Rd, London W13 9LR 020 8567 2806
One World Montessori and Pre-Preparatory 69 - 71 Brook Green, London W6 7BE 020 7603 6065
Bunny Park Day Nursery & Nursery School 37 Manor Court Rd, London W7 3EJ 020 8567 6142
Little Cherubs Nursery School Our Lady Of Victories Church Hall, 16a Abingdon Road, London W8 6AF 07810 712241
Hatching Dragons Twickenham 2 The Green, Twickenham, London, TW2 5AA 0203 912 2901
Carmelite Parish Centre Pitt Street W8 4JH 07810 712241
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REVIEW
Wo r d s L E A H DAY
THE LATEST ARRIVALS FOR PARENTS, FROM THE BEST BUGGIES TO THE COSIEST CARRIERS
reso urc es
NEW KIT
Travel Buggy
BUGABOO ANT Starts at £429
Pushchair
CYBEX PRIAM / E PRIAM Frame and seat pack from £679.95 Lux carry cot from £269.95
PROS The motorised function to take the weight out of pushing up and down hills is incredible, especially when carrying shopping The sensors on the handlebar detect when you are struggling to push and the motor takes the strain for you It’s light and easy to steer Fabric is wipeable Good size basket and we love that it’s enclosed to stop belongings falling out when folded Fully flat, comfortable seat The light Priam footmuff is very cosy and easy to attach/remove Easy buckle A good fold for a large pram, can also be carried on your shoulder which is a clever feature Good handlebar height for 6ft plus people
The footrest, when up, makes a handy little shelf for a drink and toys Great height of the chair – can sit at the table CON S Hood could be bigger, when lying flat it doesn’t shade very much from the sun or block out light and noise Lie flat seat is a little tricky to get to go down, gets stuck on the second setting When the footrest is up, the length seems a little small
PROS Perfectly compact The seat can be positioned for either forward or rear facing Great basket storage and the extra accessible compartment when folded makes reaching essentials a breeze The seat is lightweight but padded for extra comfort When folded, the handlebar can be used to easily pull the stroller like luggage which is perfect for travelling whilst juggling the baby With the adapters, you can clip on the car seat – which is rare for a compact stroller Lays flat CON S When positioned in flat mode the seat seems a little open for a very young baby For a compact, it’s slightly heavy but the easy wheeling function does reduce the need to carry it It takes a few attempts to perfect the art of folding it quickly – so a few practice runs before running for a flight would be advisable August 2019
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REVIEWS
Car Seat
CYBEX CLOUD Z I-SIZE Starts at £224.95 Carrier
PROS The lay flat function is brilliant Extremely comfortable and very well padded It has a 180 degrees swivel function for ease of putting baby in and out The structured hood with sun visor is very effective Easy to use isofix base Colour options are excellent Sleek and stylish design The side impact bars are sturdy and great for peace of mind CON S The lay flat button is a bit stiff At 5.1kgs, it’s a little on the heavy side
NUNA CUDL £195
Car Seat
BUGABOO TURTLE £219 (including adapters) Isofix base £129
PROS Extremely well padded and looks very cosy for napping Fits on all Bugaboo systems with the adapters Stylish design and the covers are removable and washable The hood is amazing and the extra sunshade is a godsend for keeping baby cool and safe Easy grip leather handle and fits comfortably under your arm CON S Quite heavy, especially once baby is a little bigger
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PROS Magnet closure design, which makes getting your little one in and out super easy Adjusters on front shoulder straps make repositioning for breastfeeding easy Really comfortable, with Velcro adjustable strap at back Has a cosy built-in hood There’s three positions (front facing in, front facing out, back) Has an integrated booster for newborns, which easily unzips as your little one grows (so no need to buy extra accessories) Handy zippered pocket for easy access to your keys, dummies etc Has removable bibs for easy washing CON S Quite a functional looking carrier, although it’s a great unisex option Took a couple of attempts to put it on, but once you’ve figured it out it’s easy
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The International Hip Dysplasia Institute acknowledges this baby carrier as a hip healthy product.
Keep them close Introducing You can’t hold your baby all the time. Even though you may want to. CUDL™ makes it easy to keep baby close and secure, all while keeping your hands free. It’s comfortable and customisable with mesh fabric, padded shoulder straps and waist belt and the magnetic buckles ensure an easy and secure attachment. Keep baby facing in and snuggled up starting with an integrated infant booster for newborns, which then easily unzips as your child grows. As baby wants to explore the world, have them face out (up to 18 months) or switch to backpack mode (up to 36 months) for growing toddlers. Find out more at nuna.eu
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