If you haven’t yet checked out StyleNest, then go have a butcher’s now. It’s a lovely new online portal for super-stylish mums (and those who’d like to be super-stylish mums…)
We talked about lots of subjects like beauty stuff, breastfeedingwear and books.
They’ve just interviewed me and you can see what I said here.
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The world of beauty is utterly enormous these days (or as my daughter would put it ‘ very huge-mungus’). This is good but frankly, the choice of lotions-and-potions-that-will-make-you-feel-good & beauty-balms-that-will-make-you-look-good can lead to a serious case of overwhelm. I end up not buying anything ‘cos I don’t know what’s best.
That’s why I love Cult Beauty. This easy to use online site is like an exclusive ‘editor’ weeding out the dross and only recommending stuff that really works. They select beauty products which experts from around the world have tried, tested and adored.
This month we’ve got together with the brilliant team at Cult Beauty to giveaway £150 of vouchers. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter to enter, or pop us an email (hello@babeswithbabies.com) with ‘Cult Beauty Competition’ in the title.
My favourite discovery from Cult Beauty is this mascara & I’m addicted. It’s the number one selling mascara in Japan and you can see why. Have been boring all my friends by telling them to get it. I love the glossy, lush dramatic lashes it gives, without lots of clumpiness. Lashes so good, looks slightly like I’m faking it…
Click here to find out how to enter the competition. And don’t forget to let us know on Twitter or by dropping us a note here if you discover any great new products from Cult Beauty. We’re super-keen to find new fabulous feelgood beauty tips. Good luck and enjoy browsing the site! The competition ends rather soon (30th April) so do hurry.
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To understand quite how good a children’s portrait photographer David Bier is, you need to appreciate quite how bad a mother I am.
Here is the parallel universe I wish I lived in: Having organised a photoshoot with my two daughters at my house early one Saturday morning, I ensure the place is spotless with a few beautiful items artfully arranged. I wash my daughter’s hair, pop in the best hairclips and dress them in fabulous, co-ordinating outfits.
And here’s what actually happens. I accidentally have rather too good a time when out with friends on Thursday night, so Friday evening is a wipeout as I’m in recovery. On the day of the shoot, my lovely daughters vociferously resist all attempts at me dressing them like dolls & manage to totally cover three rooms in the house with Barbie and soft-toy detritus in an all-time record space of ten minutes (9.50-10 am when I foolishly leave them to throw some clothes and makeup on myself)…
They say God laughs when one makes plans. He certainly does when two spirited small girls sense their mother’s desire for them to behave impeccably. Sigh.
So David arrives to find me, taking deep breaths and gritting my teeth at the same time. Oh -and did I mention in those same ten minutes, daughter 2 had lost the beautiful hairclips and Daughter 1 had somehow eaten the biscuits I’d put out for David. There are actually biscuit crumbs in the photos…. Double sigh.
And then everything changes. David performs minor miracles in the two hours he’s with us. I’m not just talking about the beautiful photos, I’m talking her about how quickly he charms my two children (who are grumpy with the stress of their mother grumbling at them) and how he effortlessly persuades them to relax, have fun, interact and reveal their true – cheeky -characters for his portraits.
Baby portrait photographers have to be charming, patient and ingenious. David has a huge number of tricks up his sleeve to get the girls laughing. I have heard so many horror stories of friends doing ‘family portrait sessions’ tense and tired in a studio. This was actually kind of fun. I like the fact that some of the images show the girls rather fabulous bunk beds (which we will want to remember in years to come) and the local park. They feel personal and special as a result.
Although I pride myself on the pictures I’ve taken of the girls since they were born (lord knows I’ve taken enough), it was wonderful to have a professional shoot them. Bythe time David left he had made Georgie a little in love with him and even Rosie (who is harder to win over – and frankly, less of a flirt) really chatting to him and giving him her massively beautiful smiles. Yes I’m biased but her smiles are so very precious and it’s wonderful that this moment in time has been captured so perfectly.
Contact David Bier Photography – babysitting services not yet available, sadly.
I do really like our Bb customer service team. They’re all nice, funny and, what’s more, they are all incredibly organised. A trait I thoroughly admire – see my blog on being an organised mum.
Sometimes however, they’re so organised, it’s frankly a little on the scary side. So, when one of our customer service team (who shall remain nameless but you can track her down if you follow us on Twitter) told me she’d bought and wrapped all her Christmas presents by the end of October, it should haven’t have come as a huge surprise. But I was torn, right down the middle, between deep seated respect… and utter horror. Surely, no? Sigh.
If, like me, you’re only just really getting into the shopping (it’s more festive to wait, surely), then we can help. There are mountains of options for gifts out there but at Babes with Babies you’ll discover that we’ve hand-picked some very special, thoughtful Christmas gifts which are perfect for mums, dads and babies. We love to find gifts that will make them feel really special.
Here are five of my favourites.
1. The cool Dad gift (perfect for my brother-in-law + my brand new nephew = lots of cute Dad and Baby pics this Christmas).
2. The one that will make her cry. This is seriously thoughtful and really beautiful. It’s a great heirloom piece to save forever. Tip: if she likes gold and silver mixed, try this one (as worn by Victoria Beckham).
3. The pregnancy gift that isn’t pink. Have you ever tried to find a gift to say ‘well done on your pregnancy?’ There are lots of humorous/useless pressies out there and many of them are rather girlie. This is one of our bestsellers; simple, stylish, grown-up and gorgeous.
4. For a fashionista. A sleek, modern take on the baby changing bag. No spots, flowers, fluffiness, just simple lines and brilliantly considered utilitarian design.
5. Sexy, soft slippers. Slippers are something you never get round to buying yourself. They make such a nice indulgent present but there are some horrors out there. These are neat, sweet and oh-so-soft.
See more fabulous Christmas gift recommendations here. And don’t forget we can gift-wrap it for you if you want to send it directly, or if you’re not such a dab-hand with the sellotape. Happy Christmas shopping! It’s okay to start now I think…
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It’s rare in the world of celebrity mothers to find one who so many people like and aspire to as the lovely Jodie Kidd. She manages to come across as both cool (those legs, that fun lifestyle) but also an incredibly warm person, with a great positive attitude.
Having looked glowing and gorgeous throughout her ‘amazing, incredible pregnancy’ she gave birth to her son Indio Vianini Kidd in September this year, telling the world ‘we couldn’t be happier‘.
A gorgeous shot of Jodie with Indio, courtesy Andrea Vianini
Because we really like her, we were particularly chuffed to bits to hear that Jodie loves Bb, letting us know that she has been ‘telling all her pregnant friends how wonderful our ‘flattering and comfortable’ clothes are (oh, we were very pleased about that). We were also delighted to be able to ask her for some top tips from her recent experience as she’s now a happy new mum:
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Jodie, what’s the one bit of advice you’d give to a friend who is about to give birth?
Eat lots of healthy and nutritious food, look after your body and listen to what it needs.
And, we know you’re going through the exciting (and exhausting) new mum days at the moment. What is your best beauty tip for a tired new mother?
Undisturbed sleep! I also found a great product to prevent stretch marks Guinot’s “Renewing Stretch Mark Body Cream”
Undisturbed sleep – what joy! It’s amazing how blissed out sleep can make you feel when you’re a new mum isn’t it?
And what about your style? Have you found it has changed in the early days after giving birth? Are there any particular clothes or accessories you’ve found work well for you?
I was fairly relaxed with my sense of style anyway as I live in the country but because I am breast feeding and had a C section I am wearing leggings more than jeans and loose fitting wrap round tops for ease.
Bb London Palazzo Pants. Ideal for comfort after a c-section.
Tell us about something you did to pamper or treat yourself during pregnancy?
Having pregnancy massages at Elemis spa. I also loved having organic food prepared by Food Stork delivered – that made me feel I was being healthy but it was yummy too.
Thinking ahead now. What kind of mother would you like to be as the years go by? How would you like your son to describe you when he’s older?
Open minded, calm and intuitive. I hope my son will be able to come to me for advice and to feel he will not be judged but be listened to.
That’s brilliant. I think the ‘calm’ is particularly aspirational and love the idea of children being able to be listened to.
Sage advice from a stylish new mum. Now if only she could tell us how to get legs like hers we’d be sorted…
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In Austen times, clever doctors prescribed ‘spas’ for medicinal purposes. Run-down people were sent to take the waters in spa towns.
I rather think that spa breaks should be mandatory postnatal prescriptions too. Spa breaks can be seen as a little cheesy from time to time, but oh, my, lord,actually they can be incredibly restorative.
Motherhood is so fabulous but it is relentless. Need a tonic? I can’t recommend more highly a little break with friends, chatting in jacuzzis, playing tennis, swimming, massage and a lot of giggling.
This weekend, my favourite uni friends and I met up sans husbands and partners, free of the littlies for a spa break at the Pennyhill Spa (nice enough place but all the more wonderful for just not being anyone’s responsibility).
I have to confess that I’m not brilliant at leaving my babies. Memorably, my parents babysat for me and my OH a week after Rosie was born. We popped down the road for a meal. We lasted an hour (main course, no coffee) because I just felt wrong being away from them. I’m better at this now but still feel bad being away from them for too long a period. It’s eased when the lovely Daddy Cool has the girls though as I see the great Dad bonding opportunity (and see it, very firmly, as ‘his turn’).
So with my OH hanging out with the little girls, I headed off for 24 hours of no responsibility and much relaxation.
The reasons why I love this kind of thing.
a) Motherhood is so physically tiring. Carrying a baby around can tire out backs and make arms so sleepy. Properly physically looking after your body is a real treat and incredibly important. Saunas, spa tubs, massage. Heaven.
b) Turning the clock off is liberating. Family life follows a busy non-stop timetable. You’re always thinking about the next step (and what shall we do for supper? And can we get to x in time? ). My girlfriends and I ignored the clock and drifted on relaxed time. I adored the feeling of ‘no watch, no responsibility’ even though it went very very very quickly…
c) Friendship is precious and easy to neglect. The five of us have been friends for many a moon (since we were feckless university drunkards, if truth be told) but now we have a lot going on and squeezing in chat is a challenge. This weekend we could chat, compare, contrast, catch up. Our children have to be a priority but you do need your friends to be there and it’s great to give even the oldest, most well-established friendships a little bit of maintenance. As Rosie’s school song says: Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver but the other is gold…
These are people who knew me when I was so young and my priorities were so different. Sometimes I think it surprises us all how grown-up we’ve become. Sometimes it’s good to throw off the uniform of a mother and jump into a whirlpool of freedom.
So, watch out for side-effects of this prescription. May cause happiness, exhilaration and a more well-established set of friendship.
Ideally, take this medicine once a month. Annually at minimum. Always with meals (and a few cheeky glasses of bubbles…)
Dr Sophie
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As we’re constantly on the quest to find ways to make motherhood feel good at Bb London, food does feature a lot on our minds (and a bit on the blog). And as we’re particularly concerned with new mothers then we do also talk about breastfeeding. So I though that this week we should bring the two things together… boobs and grub, all in one neat blog post.
When I was breastfeeding, I remember that cake was a very important part of my diet.* I had the most enormous constant craving for cake which I’m sure was my body telling me that it was a good idea (when pregnant it was broccoli and milk which seemed much more logical).
This week’s gorgeous guest poster is the clever Elena Cimelli who has written some sensible advice on nutrition when nursing. Here’s her personal (and professional) thoughts on it.
As ever, please let us know your thoughts by commenting below or on Twitter.
Sophie
*Come to think of it, cake still is a very important part of my diet…. hmm.
Breastfeeding: (lactogenic) food for thought by Elena Cimelli, author of ‘The Contented Calf’.
Breastfeeding is such a personal and emotive topic, with every woman having a unique experience of and feelings towards it. It is almost impossible to write about, other than to relate what happened to you. That said, I still hesitate every time I put finger to keyboard. But here goes:
I have to say when it came to breastfeeding, I was incredibly lucky. Fifteen minutes after my daughter was born, she was latched on to my breast, where she stayed for much of the next 10 months. I was able to successfully breastfeed exclusively for six months (both on the breast and pumping for bottles) and continue on for another four once we started to introduce solids. It wasn’t all plain sailing. I had three terrible bouts of mastitis – one of which saw me hospitalised overnight on IV antibiotics! But, overall it went well, I had enough milk and I’m very grateful.
I can’t say for sure why I had a good experience while it can be so very difficult for others. I think part of it has to be that I had no expectations at all. I was totally formula fed, and have managed to make it past 30 OK. I’m not particularly sickly, I don’t believe my iQ has been impaired and I haven’t ended up in therapy with “my mum didn’t love me” issues! So perhaps that lack self-pressure helped?
Elena and Evie - sleeping on a full belly
Breast milk production and breastfeeding is a complex process. Indeed, in their book “Making More Milk” Diana West and Lisa Marasco introduce the concept of ‘The Milk Supply Equation’:
1. Sufficient glandular tissue
2. Intact nerve pathways AND ducts
3. Adequate hormones AND hormone receptors
4. Adequately frequent, effective milk removal and stimulation
= GOOD MILK PRODUCTION
Maybe it was just luck that meant that all the above factors were in place for me?
Looking at the equation more closely, there’s not much we can do about the first two – that is just luck of the draw. And if a new mum has breastfeeding problems, Midwives, Health Visitors and Breastfeeding Counsellors can help with the fourth point.
But what do most new mums really know about hormones? And in particular, what do they know about the role diet can play in lactogenesis (the process of making milk)? Interestingly enough, when I look back at what I was eating while I was breastfeeding, a lot of the food was lactogenic – foods that promote breast milk production. Perhaps this helped me too?
The process of making milk (lactogenesis) involves two hormones – prolactin and oxytocin. Prolactin stimulates milk production and oxytocin promotes the ‘milk-ejection reflex’ or ‘let-down reflex’.
In terms of lactogenic foods, one group helps increase the level of prolactin in our bloodstream. With regards to oxytocin, stress hormones suppress its production. However, eating meals and snacks throughout the day can help reduce stress levels, as hunger can induce stress. There are also foods thought to help remedy problems with let-down or flow, which Hilary Jacobson lists in her book “Mother Food”.
You can find out much more about breast milk production and diet at www.contentedcalf.com/breastmilk, plus in the two books mentioned. It really is a very interesting topic, and definitely worth being aware of if you’re breastfeeding. The Contented Calf Cookbook includes a list of lactogenic (and anti-lactogenic) foods. But if you’d like some inspiration of how to include lactogenic foods in your diet straight away, just visit the recipe section of the Contented Calf website, and simply register to get more exclusive recipes, absolutely free!
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WIN a copy of this book and other great prizes in this FREE prize draw.
Note from Sophie: You can also see my mum’s best cake recipe for another great treat when feeding!
“Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.”
Coco Chanel.
Observing the best-dressed women in Stockholm last weekend, I was full of respect for their pared-down fashion aesthetic.
Less is lovely.
It wasn’t their clothes that stood out so much; it was the way they made their wearer look. Tops and dresses with stunningly simple lines showed off beautiful faces. Everything clean and classic but beautifully cut.
I do think one of the mistakes we Brits often make is to think that simpler pieces can be bought cheaply & that they matter less. The truth is that stylish dressers often spend more money and time finding well-cut staples, made of beautiful fabric. This is where elegance lies.
Stylish, simple gorgeously-cut pieces are the best investments for maternity and breastfeeding-wear too. I firmly believe it’s better to have a few fabulous pieces in your pregnancy and postnatal wardrobe than lots of so-so ones.
Choose carefully and find clothes which flatter and feel good. A clean, lean look can also give you a lot of versatility; wardrobe heroes with minimal lines will look premium, elegant AND can be worn simply by day and zhushed up for parties.
The Mariposa top is a good example. A stunningly simple, beautifully cut black top in a delicious fabric (and with discreet and easy breastfeeding access).
I’m lucky enough to have just spent a weekend in Sweden’s gorgeous capital city Stockholm. Sweden has been having a bit of a design moment in interiors for a while but it’s also having an impact on fashion, with iconic brands like Acne making a real mark (despite its unlikely brand name) – seen here worn by Kirsten Dunst.
I’ve spent a lot of time with Swedish friends recently and this is the second time I’ve been to the capital. The first was just with my lovely husband on a date weekend and truth be told, it was a lot more relaxing than the second one with the girls. Both were fun though. There’s an amazing children’s museum dedicated to the work of Astrid Lingren (Pippi Longstocking) which is fabulously done & well worth a visit. I love Pippi Longstocking – she’s a strong, funny and very inspiring female role model for girls in this world full of passive Barbies.
What really struck me, on both trips though, was the gorgeous ‘look’ of the women there; there’s a vibe which is very different to London, New York, LA or Paris. If you’re a Lady Gaga type or a die-hard fashion victim, you’d probably be disappointed, but for those of us who are interested in looking good rather than slavishly following trends I think there’s a lot to learn from the Swedes. They’ve certainly come a long way since Abba.
The general rules they seem to follow have a lot in common with the Bb design philosophy & are very useful for pregnant women or new mums.
So I thought I’d share four ‘rules’ from observing the stylish Swedes; useful to consider for anyone looking to make their wardrobe work hard and to feel their most fabulous.
Stockholm Rule No. 1: Play To Your Strengths
Many Swedes have enviable legs, lean and long (grrrh, slightly hate them). So this is why skinnies (with long boots or Converses) have been a huge look for them over the last couple of years – and when I was there in September they still were.
In summer, cute shorts were the look. The Swedes totally rock denim and little mini cute denim shorts look great. What is also smart is that the skinnies and the shorts were both teamed with beautiful billowy shirts and tops, giving an elegant silhouette which avoided the look being too slutty.
It’s like the classic make-up rule of choosing lips or eyes; balance it out for a gorgeous look that isn’t de trop.
Still-shapely legs? Looser tops with more tapered legs are a good postnatal look as the tops skim over a rounded new mum tum.
Preggers with good leggers? Our Supershorts are only £19.95 in the sale and great for a hot summer look.
The stylish Swedes who weren’t so blessed in the long limb department, sensibly made the most of their necklines with beautiful detailing showing off their décolletage instead. This is genius & again, a really good pregnancy and new mum tip – particularly as a burgeoning bump often comes hand in hand with an increased ‘Treasure Chest’ up top!
Show off your neckline: I love the detailing on our Chloe Crossover tops (pretty neckline and sleeves) which shows off shoulder blades and draws attention up to your face. Oh – and half-price in our current sale too…
So, it’s the ‘Play to Your Strengths rule (and one that needs to be updated as your body shape changes) – whether its a lovely neck, great chest or good legs. But always choose one part only to avoid overdoing things so I guess the addendum to the rule is ‘Choose One Bit Only’.
Result? You feel confident and your look has a beautiful balance. Even if, like me, you feel more like a turnip than a sexy Swede.
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