In these uncertain times with many retailers closing their doors, we wanted to take the time to reassure you that we are still here, to help you get the products you need to take care of your precious bundles of joy. The MAM Baby UK Official Shop has no queues and is fully stocked. 

Production of MAM products at our own factory in Europe is still in full progress, and we have taken strict safety precautions to protect our team there. This together with our usual stock buffer should ensure continuity of supply of MAM products. Please be assured that we are following official Government directives and advice and as it stands our UK warehouse is remaining open and still fulfilling customer orders, albeit with a reduced amount of staff. We are also reliant on Royal Mail Services to deliver your orders to you. We ask for your patience and understanding; and to please bear with us, our warehouse and Royal Mail in the speed of which your order arrives as delivery times may be slightly longer than usual.

Click here to visit the Official MAM UK Online Shop.

We Love Babies

For over 40 years, we’ve been developing products that are unique in design and function. Our products are the result of intensive teamwork between experts from medicine, research and technology.  This means MAM products support the individual development of every child and make every day baby life easier.  Every MAM innovation follows this principle so parents can feel confident and babies can feel good.

By Katie Hilton – MAM Expert Midwife & Health Visitor

Katie Hilton is a dual qualified nurse, midwife and health visitor and the expert adviser for MAM UK. She is also a mu’ma herself to one cheeky little man. Here she gives us her top 10 tips to keeping calm during pregnancy

Pregnancy during Lock-down

It’s only natural at the moment to feel stressed and worried about what the next few months will hold, and even more so if your pregnant. To help you get through this period here are some ideas for how you can relax and look after your emotional well-being. Your mental well-being during pregnancy is just as important as your physical health, so try to take care of your mind as well as your body.

Here are my top 10 tips to keeping calm during pregnancy

1. Allocate time for yourself each day

Do something that your enjoy each day, that could be taking a warm bath, listening to some music, gently massaging your bump, meditation, what it is that makes you feel peaceful.

2. Talk to others

Speaking to someone you trust and getting the things off your chest that are worrying you can make a huge difference. Talk about how you’re feeling to either a friend, family member or neighbour.

3. Keep active

Exercise releases endorphins, which are vital in helping you feeling brighter. Pop onto YouTube and see if you can find specific pregnancy exercise classes online or take a short walk ensuing you don’t come into contact with others. Just try to make being active a part of your daily schedule. 

4. Plenty of rest

If you’re exhausted it’s hard to feel calm or cheerful. Be sure to go to bed at a realistic time each night and if you feel the need for a mid-afternoon nap then take it!

5. Ask for help

Pull in the help of others where you can, ask them to cook you meals or help with shopping. Family and friends are there to support you, so don’t feel anxious about asking for their help.

6. Be realistic

We’re all guilty of trying to carry on as normal, trying to do everything and continue as before pregnancy. Saying no to people can be difficult, but you need to prioritize yourself. The people around you will understand, don’t worry!

7. Eat nutritious meals

Enjoy a balanced, nutritious diet with lots of variety. Keeping healthy and eating well will help you to stay well and your baby to grow and develop well.

8. Stay informed

If you’re worried about something contact your Midwife and talk through your worries, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Follow me: Katie Hilton MAM Midwife on Facebook, you can contact me at any time with your questions.

9. Speak to other pregnant women

Sharing your feelings with other pregnant women going through the same experience as you can help you to feel less isolated. Search for local and national groups on Facebook and join these.

10. Focus on the positive

Make plans for the future, think about all the lovely things you’ll be doing with your baby and family and make plans for 12 months time.

So here we are, at the half way mark.

Dare I say it, it seems to be flying by. I don’t know whether it’s because I am feeling more relaxed this time around or because I’m in a bit of denial about the whole thing. When I stop and factor in that we are actually going to have another baby in around 5 months time – nope, I can’t fully get my head around it. Actually, how will I manage day-to-day with 3 children under the age of 4? This has started to come to mind a bit more lately. The girls are so full of energy, playing, running around, fighting over toys, and demanding my full attention, whilst I am feeling so knackered and so sick. Bringing a new baby into the mix feels like a tall challenge right now.

Luckily our scan appointment is just before our holiday. I’m so glad as I think I’d feel a tiny bit anxious about going away and not knowing that everything was alright beforehand. And obviously, I can’t wait a minute longer to find out whether we are having a boy or a girl. We honestly feel like we would be happy either way. But we only know girls. It will feel strange to be having a boy. It has fallen on a day when our youngest is not at nursery. Not ideal but we have to take her to the hospital with us. We pack a couple of books and toys to attempt distraction whilst I am having the scan, but no sooner than we have started, she slides off of David’s lap and makes her bid for freedom across the room. The sonographer explains that she cannot run around in the room and that David will have to take her out if he isn’t holding her. I want him here. I’d hate for him to miss this. Thankfully his second attempt to amuse her takes hold and we can begin. I take comfort in the sonographer’s upbeat voice as she interprets everything we can see on the screen. She had already asked us if we would like to know the sex. And then, without any hesitation she announces that it’s a boy. “Oh yeah, I can see it now”, I say, my eyes fixated on the screen. Wow, a boy! I turn to David and we both smile as we joke about how his big sisters will run rings around him. I feel like he finally has an identity. Not a name yet, sure, but I can stop calling him ‘It’.

Packing for holiday is not going well. We are only heading to Cornwall for a couple of weeks but toddlers require a lot of ‘stuff’. They need clothes, nappies, toiletries, a potty, cups, cutlery, books, toys, favourite DVDs, oh my goodness, the list seems endless. I lay out our suitcases on the floor but it takes me 3 days to fill them as my tiredness keeps getting the better of me. I’m definitely going to forget a few things. There is no way that we are leaving this house with everything we will need. Just not going to happen!

I’m definitely feeling the flutter of baby’s movements now. I couldn’t be sure to start with. It’s such a nice feeling. I find myself smiling and placing one hand on my belly whenever I feel those little jolts from within.

I really couldn’t be happier right now and keep having this overriding urge to shriek with excitement. But let me just say, this is no linear journey – it has it’s downs as well as it’s ups. There are a few things still counter balancing my hormonal urges to shriek with excitement – like various cooking smells. Urgh! My youngest keeps demanding fish pie for dinner.

Motherhood and my bump

Every woman’s experience of pregnancy is unique, we all have differing coping strategies. My pre-conception, and indeed misconception of pregnancy, was of glowing expectant women, happily anticipating the birth of their babies. Maybe with the odd, strange craving or pair of swollen ankles thrown in for good measure. But I guess this is just the bits that you see. The good bits. It’s all the unseen moments of discomfort and despair that piece together the more realistic account of those 9 months.

Pregnancy first time around was a hard enough battle for me. Well, the first 24 weeks certainly. I suffered with severe morning sickness that had me bed bound. I would struggle to even keep a glass of water down. Too ailing to make it to the bathroom, other than to throw up, I would easily go a week and a half without showering. My pillow pressed hair became a matted mess of tangles, as I lay day-after-day, trying to sleep through the sickness and nauseating headaches.

Every little bubble of my energy was focused on me. I was pretty much oblivious to what was going on in the rest of the world. I had no capacity to cope with that as well. It just didn’t matter, as long as I got through this.

I did get through it. At about 25 weeks my appetite started to return, the sickness faded away and for the first time in 4 months I was able to get up, get dressed and follow social protocol once again. It felt great and I was able to finally enjoy my pregnancy with all the anticipation and excitement that I had hoped for. I took care of myself: I ate well, attended pre-natal yoga classes and napped in the afternoons.

So with baby no.2, I naively expected more of the same. That’s roughly what I got, but this time with the addition of a one year-old depending on me for her every need. Boy, those first 2 trimesters hit me hard. The sheer exhaustion that strikes you in those early days had me flat out on the sofa for most of the time. I would muster every ounce of energy and enthusiasm to set-up an activity hub of toys and books on the rug in front of me so my little girl could play, whilst I lay sprawled out, trying to conserve enough energy to make it through to the next nappy change or mealtime. I have to say; my food and smell aversions didn’t help me here. The mere hint of a whiff of a dirty nappy was enough to send me running to the bathroom, and just opening the fridge door was asking for trouble. Luckily, a couple of months in and she was determined to feed herself, so meals were prepared quickly and stored in the fridge. Her MAM bowls with the covers were a great help r this and I could fill up her MAM cup so she could drink by herself.

I felt terrible guilt that she was missing out on the things that we used to enjoy doing together. The baby classes and groups that we used to attend came to an abrupt end. My lovely mum-in-law would take her to her favourite class once a week; buying me some much needed shut-eye. I worried about other things too. Lifting her in and out of the car seat and her cot were now daily tasks that I didn’t encounter last time around. I soon developed debilitating pelvic girdle pain and simple things like a stroll to the park with the buggy became impossible.

It was definitely a lot harder to look after myself, and my bump, whilst already in the role of motherhood but it did prepare me a little for what our family life was about to become with Two little ones tugging me in opposing directions.

Pregnant?  Enjoy the benefits of pregnancy yoga!

Pregnancy is the perfect time to make healthy lifestyle choices.  Giving your unborn baby the best possible start in life is such a good incentive to eat well, and stay fit.  Maternity experts, including the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, recommend that all healthy pregnant women should aim for at least half an hour’s exercise on at least five days a week.

If you weren’t active before you became pregnant, yoga is a good way to introduce exercise into your life – it will improve your strength, flexibility and circulation, helping to prepare your body for the birth of your baby.

And if you already exercise on a regular basis, it’s worth considering regular prenatal yoga sessions to enjoy the special benefits yoga provides for Mammas-to-be.

Pregnancy fitness experts FittaMamma say, ‘We love prenatal yoga and would always recommend it as a fantastic exercise for pregnant women.

‘You’ll find the breathing techniques you practise during a pregnancy yoga session are hugely beneficial, especially when it comes to managing the pain and discomfort of childbirth.

You don’t need to be super-fit or extra bendy to enjoy the benefits of yoga and it needs minimal equipment, just a yoga mat, a blanket and something comfortable and stretchy to wear.’

Need any more reasons to introduce yoga into your life?

• Studies have shown that women who practise yoga during pregnancy are less likely to develop high blood pressure or go into premature labour.
• Many poses will help create more space in your pelvis for your baby and can help ease back pain and heartburn.
• There are a number of poses that can assist or even speed up labour, easing your baby’s entry into the world – and help speed recovery after the birth as well.
• Any exercise will encourage the release of ‘feel good’ endorphins, raising your mood and alleviating stress and anxiety
• Many women find yoga promotes more restful sleep.
• Joining a dedicated beginners prenatal yoga class is a great way to meet other Mammas-to-be.
• If you can’t join a pregnancy yoga class find time to practise yoga at home – check out FittaMamma’s pregnancy yoga videos.

 Not sure what to wear?

Choose something comfortable, stretchy and supportive – the FittaMamma range of maternity fitnesswear is designed especially for pregnant women. Their Pregnancy Yoga Top will stretch when you stretch without riding up over your bump and their leggings will support your bump without falling down when you bend down.

Unroll your yoga mat and enjoy!