Absolutely Mama January 2019

Mama JA N UA RY 2 0 1 9 • I S S U E 2 4

Going for

The Magazine for Stylish Mums

BOLD The new nursery trend you need to know about

Woolly WONDERS Keep cosy and carry on in 2019

The best new TRAVEL PRODUCTS reviewed

HIT

Refresh

ISSUE 24 • JANUARY 2019

Julia Restoin Roitfeld on her New Year revamp

THE MAGAZINE FOR ST YLISH MUMS

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DANI S H DES I GN S I NCE 1 9 5 2 | B OCONCEP T. COM B AT T ER SEA R EAC H I HAR R OD S I FINCHLE Y R OAD I NOTTIN G H I L L T O T T EN H AM C O U R T R O AD I GU ILD FO R D I KINGSTON I WE S T F I E L D L O N D O N

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NOW IN STORE Save up to 20% off furniture and accessories to order and make unmissable savings of up to 50% off clearance and ex-display items in our winter design sale! Remember, we can help you make the most of your space with our free interior design service. You’ll receive a consultation in-store and at home, plus 3D renderings of your space.

To book or for more details, visit us in-store.

FROM DENMARK. TO THE WORLD.

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the softest and most comfortable... ever We believe that every moment is worth embracing; from the sleep deprived times to the snuggles fuelled by laughter. At MORI we create products for your little ones with a gentle touch from sustainable materials, so your growing family can embrace each magical milestone.

babymori.com

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05/11/2018 16:24

20% OFF* With code: MAMA20

*Offer expires 31.01.2019.

See website for offer details.

embrace every moment

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mama WELCOME

contents JANUARY 2019

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32 16

AGENDA What’s On

Arts and entertainment for the month ahead

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New Books

January’s publishing pick

ESSENTIALS 22 Cosy Up

Th e cuddliest winter buys

MAMAHOOD 26 Insta-Mama

Life coach Pandora Paloma talks about “intuitive living”

28 Woman in Work ON THE COVER: Julia Restoin Roitfeld, photography by Pamela Hanson

Th e rise and rise of Tiba & Marl

32 Julia Restoin Roitfeld On modelling and motherhood

37 Real Mum Talk

Alex Hunter navigates the mum friends minefield

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HOME & INTERIORS 78 Going for Bold

A refreshing colour palette for your nursery in the new year

FASHION 42 Soft Machine

83 Insidestore

50 Ladies and Gentlemen

TRAVEL 88 Alpine Alternative

WELLNESS 62 Prenatal Exercise

94 World of Wonders

Madeleine Thompson’s singular knitwear for winter

Vital Victoriana-infused pieces from Bebe Organic

Six fitness routines to take up while you’re pregnant

67 Dealing with Shame Helping children work through complex feelings when young

The evolution of a Tufnell Park interiors icon

Escape to the Swiss mountains for a crowd-free summer

Efteling, the Dutch theme park the whole family will enjoy

RESOURCES 110 Happy Talk

Th e ex-academic showing schools the importance of mental health

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Spring INTO 2019

WITH OUR New CLOTHING COLLECTION

*Available in store & online 7th January 2019

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mama WELCOME

PIUPIA BABY P. 48

Editor’s

LETTER WIDE-EYED EDITIONS P.18

MAMAS & PAPAS P. 76

W

inter is here and it’s time to batten down the hatches, but never fear: staying home isn’t so bad when you have plans to make, and we’ve got all the inspiration you need to embrace the big chill. Style-wise, get ready to coo over our cosy essentials, covet adorable Victorianainspired kids’ outfits from Bebe Organic and style out your lounge days in chic knitwear from Madeleine Thompson.

The new year is also the ideal time to hit refresh with a health assessment from the Organic Pharmacy, reviewed later in the issue, while we also have features on prenatal exercise and dealing with shame. And if the weather looks like inducing cabin fever despite all that, stave off winter blues by making sure you have something to look forward to. Discover our recommendations for off-piste summer fun in the Swiss Alps and world-famous Dutch theme park Efteling – and if you’re planning a more immediate escape to warmer climes, make sure you have the kit you need as detailed in our baby travel gear round-up.

Whether home or away, we’ve got you covered. Enjoy the issue.

Hel en Ba r on

KONGES SLOJD P. 22

E DITOR

@hel_bow helen.baron@zest-media.com

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

Senior Designer: PAWEL KUBA Mid-weight Designer: REBECCA NOONAN Designer: CATHERINE PERKINS Finance Director: JERRIE KOLECI Director: ROCHELLE STREATER Managing Director: SHERIF SHALTOUT

Part of the

LON DON OFFICE : 197-199 City Road, London EC1V 1JN, UK

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

absolutely-mama .co.uk Group Editor: KATY GILLETT Editor UK: HELEN BARON Assistant Editor: FlORA THOMAS Social Media Editor: JESSICA SHALTOUT Specialist Manager: ZARINA KAPASI Parenting Portfolio Manager: LEAH DAY Marketing Manager: LUCIE PEARCE Art Director: PHIL COUZENS

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

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10 things we Absolutely

LOV E The products and brands getting our attention this month

Fair Fashion

Ve lvete en Velveteen works with fair-trade organisations whenever possible; their clothing is finely crafted and handembroidered, using a combination of Indian artisan techniques. velveteenclothing.com

PENCIL IT IN

Anya Hind m a rc h Anya Hindmarch’s new home fragrances recreate smells that evoke nostalgia. Using innovative ceramic reeds disguised as pencils, the Chewing Gum Diffuser is disguised as a pencil pot. £99; anyahindmarch.com

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TEAM WO R K

Fendi x Childrensalon In a coup for Childrensalon, the British kidswear retailer has collaborated with iconic fashion house Fendi for a capsule collection of versatile kidswear in shades of navy, bubblegum pink and varsity green. The first kids fashion milestone of the year. childrensalon.com

PERIOD PIECE

T HIN X ( BT W N ) Thinx’ new range of absorbent undies for young women starting their period keeps things comfortable and clean without the need for tampons or towels. Brilliant. thinx.com

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ma m a LOVES

Paper Play

Ba n bay u The range of eco-friendly and sustainable wallpapers at Banbayu takes inspiration from travel, nature and history. Update any room with quirky wallpaper designs. banbayu.com

DRINK ME

No n s uc h This intriguing new brand creates ‘modern elixirs’ – drinking vinegars that combine fruits, herbs and apple cider vinegar for a completely new (and nonalcoholic) drinking experience. nonsuchshrubs.com

or’s Editick P

TOOL TIME

S e b ra The premium nursery furniture brand turns its hand to toys with this rather lovely workbench, featuring shelf and pegs for tool storage, a toy circular saw, mini vice and no sharp edges whatsoever. £222; smallable.com

LOOM BAND

B eatrice L ark in Beatrice Larkin makes throws and cushions from modern textiles woven in Lancashire on jacquard looms. Her patterns take inspiration from traditional weave structures and West African textiles. £260; madeandgood.com

Free Time

Freed om to Exist In the watch market, timeless design usually translates to exorbitantly expensive – but no longer. This fledgling brand offers effortless elegance at an easygoing price point. £99; freedomtoexist.com

WHEELS ON FIRE

Ra l e i g h Sure to prompt nostalgia in parents of a certain age, the retro-styled Raleigh Sherwood balance bike is just the thing to prepare littles for bigger rides to come. £120; raleigh.co.uk Januar y 2019

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Matilda

• CAMBRIDGE THEATRE •

The award-winning musical enters its eighth year in the West End with its acclaimed sense of wildness and wonder unchecked. The songs are effervescent, the staging jaw-dropping and the story unimpeachably brilliant.

Treat yourself. uk.matildathemusical.com

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W H AT ’ S ON

3 S H OWS FO R TH E S E A S O N On the menu: an old-school circus and Peppa Pig’s adventures

Skating, creating and music making are on the agenda for the first month of 2019

Roll Up, Roll Up! Until 5 January Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre

Experience all the thrills of a turn-of-thecentury circus! Featuring sensational life-sized elephants stunningly created by puppeteers from War Horse, putting elephants back in the ring as never before. circus1903.com

Peppa Pig’s Adventure Until 6 January Theatre Royal, Haymarket

Join Peppa as she gets ready to go on an exciting camping trip. This is a show with live music your little ones are sure to enjoy. peppapiglive.com

Editor’s Pick

BACH TO BABY Ongoing • Nationwide locations

Enjoy a magical musical adventure with Bach to Baby, the critically acclaimed classical concert series for the whole family. Little ones can roam about and revel in the wonder of live music, while you enjoy the performances of an outstanding musician (no concert is complete without crying, feeding and dancing). bachtobaby.com

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Mimi and the Mountain Dragon Ongoing • Little Angel Theatre

One snowy morning Mimi discovers an extraordinary baby dragon sleeping in her woodshed. This vibrant play seeks to engage and inspire young minds. skewbaldtheatre.com

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EVENTS

Les Antliaclastes 15-19 January The Pit, Barbican

An eerily delightful folklorish adventure, Waltz of the Hommelettes is faithful to the child logic, adult hypocrisy, cruelty and humour of traditional fairytales. In this magical cabinet of curiosities, with hints of Alice in Wonderland and loosely based on The Elves by the Brothers Grimm, events are controlled by a giant Black Forest cuckoo clock, supernatural in its counting of hours. mimelondon.com

DINO-

TA S T I C

T

Ongoing Dinotropolis, Bluewater

Penguins

his is home to a whole host of adventures, featuring both animatronic dinosaurs and a three-storey soft play Dino Jungle.

Don’t miss the tasty Fossil Café, which serves healthy, delicious food. Older children can dig for fossils in the Discovery Cove, while youngsters can paint and draw to their hearts’ content in the arts and crafts corner.

ON ICE

Saturday mornings until 20 January Natural History Museum

he ice rink at the Natural History Museum, surrounded by fairylights and frost-covered trees, is calling all little ones looking to perfect their skating skills. On Saturdays the Penguin Skate Club runs lessons for over threes. Booking ahead is a must. nhm.ac.uk

T

dinotropolis.co.uk

Galleries for families

FAMILY ART WORKSHOP Various Sundays Parasol Unit

T U R B I N E H A LL

Until 24 Feb Tate Modern, Bankside

M I N I M A STE R P I EC E S

Workshops for families are regularly hosted at the Parasol Unit, based around their thought-provoking exhibitions. Expect a hands-on experience with cutting, sticking, painting and drawing. parasol-unit.org

The Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern is the ideal retreat from the cold during the winter months. The enormous room provides a gigantic indoor run-around space for little ones to burn off steam.

Currently showing Hyundai commission. tate.org.uk

Discover the different people, places and animals in the gallery’s paintings in their interactive workshops. Each of the sessions begins with a journey through the gallery, followed by a fun-filled art-making activity. dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk

Ongoing Dulwich Picture Gallery

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We love

BOOKS

Beautiful books for nature-lovers, birdwatchers, stargazers and little explorers in this month’s releases

Wo r d s F L O R A T H O M A S

Two For Joy O N E FO R SO R ROW

By Mr Gresty

A puzzled magpie called Sorrow sets off on a journey to find his lost “Joy”. This uplifting and original story is designed to help parents support children in understanding their own emotions, and of those around them. It has an introduction by Jo Brand, too. £12;  shop.mrgresty.com

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SPACE EXPLORER M O L LY ’ S M O O N M I S S I O N

By Duncan Beedie

Molly the moth lives in the back of an old wardrobe. She loves her home and her family but she yearns for adventure. By day she helps her mother look after the larvae, and by night she prepares for her space mission to the moon! £6.99;  templar.co.uk

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BOOKS

A TO ZEBRA ANIMALPHABET

By Julia Donaldson

Each page of this exquisite pop-up book draws you further into a beautifully vibrant world of huge elephants, slithery snakes and growling tigers. It’s an interactive guessing game with eyecatching artwork and an exotic array of animals to marvel over. £14.99;  panmacmillan.com

O N E FO R K E E PS S E E I N G S TA R S

By Sara Gillingham

HELLO WORLD

This keepsake volume of visual reference and beauty is perfect for inquisitive young stargazers, mythology-lovers, or anyone with the curiosity to look up to the night sky. Each cluster of stars is featured alongside the story behind its naming and tips on how to find it. £17.95;  waterstones.com

F I R S T AT L A S

By Hannah and Holly

A wonderful fi rst atlas, this title introduces little ones to the world around them. Explore each continent and say hello to the people who live there. Children will delight in discovering new transport, food and iconic buildings from around the world. £8.99;  templar.co.uk

ALL ABOUT FEELING

T W E E T TR E AT

WH EN SADN ES S COM ES TO CALL

By Eva Eland

WO R LD O F B I R DS

By Robert Hunter

When “Sadness” arrives, try not to be afraid – give it a name, listen to it and spend some time together. Maybe all it wants is to know that it’s welcome. This beautiful debut by new author-illustrator talent Eva Eland takes a poignant yet uplifting look at dealing with uncomfortable emotions. £11.99;  foyles.co.uk

Full of fun facts about bird species, you can press each page and listen out for the sounds of tropical birds, birds of paradise and even songbirds from your own back garden. This stunning interactive book is perfect for young nature-lovers. £9.95;  amazon.co.uk Januar y 2019

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Go Places, Big and Small.

Designed for your daily adventures and exciting excursions, the MINU offers modern conveniences in a portable, lightweight stroller. Go where you want, how you want – there’s nothing extra holding you back.

uppababy.com/uk

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Sling Star • FORNESSI •

Newborn-ready, whisper-soft, naturally made and endorsed by every parenting institution you can think of, the Fornessi wrap is right on so many levels. The fact that it’s available in a range of truly tasteful hues and patterns only sweetens the deal. As far as baby carriers go, this is definitely the one to beat. From £59; fornessi.com

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Get

Cosy

Hibernate in style with the cuddliest winter accessories Wo r d s H E L E N BA RO N

Editor’s Pick

Slip-Up MOCCIS

Slippers are essential if you’re to enjoy a British winter, but littles all too often ditch them to run barefoot. Enter the Swedes with a stylish solution: handsewn slipper-sock hybrids that keep tootsies toasty while enabling kids to run, jump and wreak havoc without restriction. From £15; moccis.co.uk

Ocean-going J ELLYCAT

This little seafarer is sure to make a splash in your nursery – and his pose makes him very easy to photograph, if you’re Instainclined. He’s heavy enough to use as a doorstop, and the Jellycat brand means he’s built to last.

Pobblewob Whale, £30; bobbyrabbit.co.uk

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CUDDLE TIME MAMAS & PAPAS

Take your little one’s knitwear game up a notch with this super-cute blue and white stripe sleep-set from the ever-reliable Brit brand. It’s durable, natural, breathable and wondrously warm – as well as lovely to snuggle up to. Oh, go on then.

2 piece stripe knitted set, £25; mamasandpapas.com

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essen t i a ls KIDS

Storm Proof MONCLER

One of the world’s most feted luxury brands ventures into childrenswear with a pop-up shop at fashion destination Neta-Porter. Expect mini-me styles for boys and girls (including amazing snowsuits and winter knits), all of which will be available for a limited time only. net-a-porter.com

BEAR NECESSITY FLATOUTBEAR

Flatoutbears have been popping up in tasteful nurseries and social feeds for a little while now.

Crafted from 100% sheepskin, they’re naturally soft, incredibly cuddly and the ideal buddy for babes in arms. £38; naturalbabyshower.co.uk

RATTLE & ROAR KONGES SLØJ D

The king of the jungle has been handily miniaturised (and turned into a rattle) by zeitgeistforming Danish brand Konges Sløjd, and makes a perfect gift for new parents of a minimalist persuasion. £14; beyondthestork.co.uk

Counting Sheep BINIBAMBA

The merino sheepskin gilets from this new Brit brand will keep tinies snuggly (and are super-easy to get on and off as you go about your day), while the booties – available for adults as well as kids – up the cuteness ante by about 1,000%. Gilet, £48; binibamba.com

Toe The Line FALKE

Premium sock brand Falke makes the perfect snuggly baby socks, including this rustic winter pair.

They’re available in the perfect shade of oatmeal or a dreamy steel-blue; they’ll keep the cold at bay. £8; falke.com Januar y 2019

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Feminine Intuition • IN THIS SECTION •

We chat to London-based life coach, author and podcaster Pandora Paloma about her daily life and work. Paloma is a proponent of “intuitive living”, with a special interest in diet and improving people’s relationships with food. We’re fans of her one-size-doesn’t-fit-all approach. Read on to find out more...

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“I HONESTLY FEEL LIKE A BETTER MUM KNOWING I’VE HAD A BIT OF ‘ME’ TIME. I DON’T LET MYSELF FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT”

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INSTA MA M A Pandora Paloma briefs us on intuitive eating and living

@rootedlondon • rootedlondon.com

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Q What do you do for a living and what do you love about it?

A I’m an Intuitive Eating & Living Coach, which I appreciate sounds totally unique. It is. I trained initially in nutrition and quickly realised that I wanted to go deeper in supporting people with their relationship with food. I trained in life coaching and CBT and have done other training such as meditation, yoga and reiki. I call upon everything when working with clients and that’s what I love about my job – no two clients are the same.

Diet culture is extremely damaging and what we are seeing now is more and more [people] feeling afraid of food, their body or both.

Many have a very unhealthy obsession with being healthy. I absolutely love seeing women transform their lives and, in turn, their relationship with food. I always say the living comes first. I watch women go from talking so awfully about themselves to literally finding an unconditional love for themselves. I also work a lot on deeply ingrained stories and imprints that people are living, support with comparison (which is increasingly on the rise in our share-more digital age) and helping them really challenge the way they think about themselves and food. I love my job!

Q Tell us about intuitive eating and living.

A Intuitive eating is a non-diet diet – an approach developed to help people who have issues around food, from any type of disordered eating and orthorexia to chronic dieting. Intuitive eating allows you to become an expert on yourself, throwing away the rulebook and putting you in charge of your body and your food consumption. Many of us have ideals around what we should and shouldn’t eat based on past imprints (rules growing up, how you ate as a child, what body

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mama h ood Q & A

size you compare yourself to), which can leave us very confused and lost with what actually works for us intuitively! Intuitive eating removes restriction and works on principles such as honouring your hunger, making peace with food, respecting your fullness and building self-love, worth, trust and compassion. By teaching women to trust their body’s signals, they allow their body to find its natural size and accept it, rather than constantly trying to change it. As soon as we start eating intuitively we free up that energy and time for other areas of our lives. We learn to listen to what our body needs and feed it correctly. We learn to feel and be satisfied.

The living aspect of what I do allows women to connect to their greatest guide – their intuition. This coaches women in all aspects of life, from career to love, teaching them to use their intuition to make choices and live life with their true authenticity vs. someone they think they “should” be. Learning to trust in yourself and your choices is magical and can have a huge impact on all aspects of your life.

Q What do you want to work on more of in the new year?

A 2019 is a going to be a huge year for me! I’m launching a book and this has already opened lots of exciting doors. I’m keen to spread the

message even further on intuitive eating and living and grow the digital aspect of my work, such as my six-week online programme, to reach a wider audience around the globe. I’m also creating a 30-day mini programme and a podcast, Rooted Living, which again will help to spread the word and allow me to speak to people in the industry that really inspire me. My one-to-one client work is my main purpose, so I’m creating more space for that too. I learn so much from my clients: they are my constant source of inspiration. I’m also keen to work more with children, so I’ll be working on that in the latter part of 2019.

Q How do you practise self-affirmation and how does Instagram play a part in that for you?

A For me, self affirmation is a lifelong journey.

I think for a long time “self-development” was seen as the kind of thing only “hippies” did, but now, with yoga, meditation and the like, it feels more accepted by society. It’s so important for me to recognise things in myself that deserve gratitude or some extra work! I am only as good to my clients as I am to myself, so I always strive to be better for myself and them. I have ups and downs with Instagram. When I have lots to say and feel like I’m in the inspiration zone it’s great,

but when I feel without words, Instagram can allow comparison to creep in! I keep Instagram as my scrapbook, a way to journal how I’m feeling and what I’m learning by sharing with others. It can make me feel crap but mostly it helps when I’m having a down day or need inspiration. My non-negotiables for self-affirmation are meditation and journalling, with some affirmations thrown in.

This keeps me in the zone and on my game. I practise what I preach, put it that way!

Q How do you find time for “self-care” now that you’re a mum?

A I am lucky that while my family aren’t around much, my partner is incredibly supportive and we have a solid teamwork mentality. This means we allow each other to have time that we know we need to be better for each other and the family. I work three days a week and so always get a yoga class in then and at some point over the weekend.

I can manage 20 minutes of meditation most days and that’s enough. I try and get a massage once a month and make sure to see friends as much as I can. They feed my soul!

I work in London on Wednesdays, seeing clients, so that evening I’ll always have dinner with friends. My aim is get one weekend every two months that either my partner or I can get away for a night. I honestly feel like a better mum knowing I’ve had a bit of “me” time. I don’t let myself feel guilty about it. It works for me and as mothers we have to do what we feel intuitively works for us.

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bags, and collaborating on other areas, like our bag stickers or our new beauty range.

women in

WORK Anna Tizard and Lydia Barron, co-founders of maternity bag brand Tibe + Marl

Inter view HELEN BARON

Q To what do you owe your success?

Lydia: Initially there was a true gap in the market – a gap for contemporary changing bags for parents seeking unisex designs that didn’t compromise their sartorial choices.

Practicality and fashionability was also incredibly important to the brand from the offset; the aim was to make them look nothing like traditional baby bags while having useful and well thought-out design elements. For example, all our bags are water-resistant and wipe-clean inside and out; they all include a luxury padded changing mat, insulated bottle holder, a multitude of pockets, key fobs, extra snack pockets and metal feet on the base.

They also have double metal zips for easy access with one hand when holding a baby, laptop pockets and a co-ordinating wet clutch or cross-body bag for baby bits, toiletries or other stuff... with both of us coming from a design/retail background, we’re obsessed with fashion, scouring shows and blogs and keeping a keen eye on street style. This is reflected in the aesthetic of the brand.

We also love to push the boundaries of what a “baby changing bag” can be – introducing new styles, such as our bumbags and belt 28

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Q How has the company evolved?

Anna: We’re now in our fourth year of trading and the company has grown quicker than we would ever have anticipated. We are so grateful to our customers and supporters.

This rapid growth has resulted in essential evolution like employing staff (otherwise Lydia and I would have had joint nervous breakdowns!) and moving to a bigger HQ to accommodate us all in a lovely creative environment.

We now employ five members of staff as well as working alongside PR and marketing agencies and an external warehouse team, meaning we have the support to smoothly maintain the day-to-day running of the brand.

This allows us to work on the creative direction, new products and collaborations. It’s a big responsibility having a team of people who rely on the brand, but it’s also emancipating at the same time, and it motivates us to ensure we continue to have success.

Q How flexible does owning your own company allow you to be?

Lydia: We feel lucky every day that we are able to create a healthy work-life balance.

The ability to make our own rules and set our own office hours has been really liberating.

As Anna mentioned, being able to grow our team, our support and our infrastructure as a business has given us the freedom to push the creativity of the brand further, spend more time gathering inspiration and still do the school run several times a week, make all the school assemblies, help on the PTA, take holidays when we want.

Obviously we work really hard, are dab hands at multi-tasking and all too familiar with working late into the night running the business, but being able to set our own hours is a truly great thing and we’re so thankful.

Q How do you keep momentum going and stay fresh in a competitive market?

Anna: We never switch off ! It’s pretty clear we

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Q&A

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current beauty range with Honest Skincare.

We LOVE working on these projects, they are real passion projects that we create to have synergy with our main range, and offer our customers the T+M experience in other product areas. We have two new collabs in the pipeline, one with a beautiful new brand called Binibamba, which creates insanely soft and beautiful sheepskin liners that are made in the UK, and the second one is still top secret – keep your eyes peeled!

have inspired other changing bag brands and seeing this always motivates us to not rest on our laurels.

Our aim was to create a brand that stands apart and is focused on modern individuals who want to retain their identity once they become parents – parents whose only consideration of a changing bag would be a T+M as it aligns with their pre-baby sartorial style. It’s our mission and ingrained in our brand DNA to always be first-to-market with trends, innovation and creativity. One area where we feel really creatively fulfilled is our brand collaborations. To date we have participated in collabs with Selfish Mother (on their charitable tees); Mamas and Papas (we created an exclusive collaboration for them that they retailed worldwide); our ongoing link-up with Selfridges; a sell-out partnership with Scamp and Dude; and our

Q What’s the most fun thing about working for Tiba + Marl?

Anna: We love hanging out in the office working and being creative with our team – they are all experts in their fields, but also a lot of fun. We are all parents so we understand if one of us has had a sleepless night or if someone just wants 10 minutes of quiet! There have been loads of great opportunities working for T+M including trips to Copenhagen, Paris and Florence, where we always make sure we have time for cocktails and shopping. We’ve met loads of amazing women from going to Mothers Meeting events and being on various panels for them – always loads of fun and makes us great contacts.

We’ve always tried to have a laugh and have fun, even through disasters and exhaustion!

Lydia: The travel, freedom and creativity that running T+M enables has been really fun. The fact that every week is different – we work really hard in the office one day, on a location shoot the next, or sneak off for a working lunch somewhere delicious the next. The passion and excitement of seeing the daily growth of something you built from scratch is really exhilarating. The fact that Anna and I get to share that journey – all its highs, all its lows – has been something really special, too, sharing a vision and the drive to build something bigger and better for ourselves and our families. tibaandmarl.com Januar y 2019

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ST YLE Vicky Psarias, founder of Honest Mum, picks a few of her favourite things h o n est m u m .co m • @ h o n est m u m

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT WHAT I DO When I started honestmum.com, all I wanted from my job was the ability to have creative freedom over how I worked. But now what I really love about my job is having a platform to impact, motivate and inspire other mothers.

FASHION ESSENTIAL

My KeriKit Vicki Backpack! With a gorgeous vegan leather leopard-print design, this backpack has finally made me feel organised. It’s honestly the perfect bag for a mum on the go!

BIGGEST INSPIRATION

It has to be my family. My kids are an endless source of inspiration and give me purpose and drive every single day of my life. My husband is my absolute rock, and whether with Mum Boss the book or my blog he always supports my creative endeavours.

THING TO DO

I absolutely love taking long walks through the park with my children during the winter months. Sometimes it can be tempting to stay cosy and warm inside when the cold weather hits but there is something about putting on some layers and getting outside into the crisp wintry air for a family stroll.

FASHION DESIGNER

Ooh that’s a tough one! I absolutely love Alice Temperley. Her dresses are the perfect mixture of boho and relaxed. I also love Dara Ford’s structured, chic bespoke dresses and jackets.

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Model

MOTHER Julia Restoin Roitfeld on growing up in France’s most stylish family

Wo r d s H E L E N BA RO N P h o t o g r a p h y PA M E L A H A N S O N

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rom a family of fashion royalty – her mother, Carine Roitfeld, was editor of French Vogue for many years and founded online style hub CR Fashion Book – Julia Restoin Roitfeld was a modelling superstar by her mid-20s, when she was cast in a fragrance campaign by family friend Tom Ford. She’s since modelled for Cavalli and Lancôme, among others, while pursuing a successful career in art direction and graphic design. More recently, she became a mother to Romy, now six, and launched Romy and The Bunnies, an online magazine and lifestyle boutique devoted to modern motherhood. The site recently received an overhaul and we’re big fans of its curated collection of clothing, accessories and beauty products for both littles and their mamas. So it seemed a good time to catch up with Restoin Roitfeld herself and talk about the new direction.

Q Why did you decide to set up Romy and The Bunnies? And why the relaunch?

A I started to work on Romy and The Bunnies a few months after giving birth and launched it right before Romy turned one. I felt back then there were no websites speaking to myself as a mum or to all the mothers I knew. Nothing felt actual and related to the new kind of motherhood. Hardworking, independent and always keeping a touch of glamour. I am not exactly Januar y 2019

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relaunching the website, but the internet and the use of social media changed so much since I first launched that it just feels that we constantly have to evolve and adapt with it.

Q To what extent has your family influenced your creative direction in life?

A I was brought up in a family with a great sense of design, aesthetic and work ethic. I guess it helped forge what I am and a bit of my taste.

Q What is your relationship with your mum like? Is she your biggest style influence?

A She is more an influence with her hard work than her style per se. We actually have very different styles but I do value her advice of course. I think what we have in common is that, despite appearances, we both really don’t care about trends and following them – what’s the new bag to wear – and just dress for ourselves, not to impress others. [We aim to] feel good in what we see...

Q What special insight into the fashion industry has your upbringing given you?

A It used to be more about teamwork. People had less ego about working as a team and not taking all the credit for something.

Q Do you ever feel pressured to live up to an ideal?

A I think we all do. And social media doesn’t help. It always makes you feel like you don’t do enough... it’s very important to disconnect and know it’s not reality. It’s just a vitrine... people post their good days, their good angles; not many will post about their bad days. People need to be aware of it, otherwise we all feel like we are not enough. No one is perfect; I am definitely not perfect, but I like to look at the glass [as] half-full rather than half-empty. An

ideal would be to be in a relationship and have more kids... my reality is that I am blessed to already have the most amazing daughter and extremely lucky to be able to raise her in one of the most exciting cities [Restoin Roitfeld is based in New York City].

Q How old is Romy now? How would you describe your experience of motherhood?

A She is just over six. Being a mum is the most rewarding experience. I have always wanted to be a mother and have always dreamed of having a little girl – [my] dream came true.

It’s not easy to be a single mum every day, but that’s all I know really as her dad and I separated early on. The upside is that our relationship is extremely close and special.

On top of that, her dad [and I] get along and we still get to share all the special moments as a family... first day of school, etc.

Q Has there been a phase or age that you particularly enjoyed – or found difficult?

A They are all different and amazing.

Q How do you think Romy and The Bunnies has helped expectant mothers?

A I have received messages from expectant mothers thanking me for showing that it was possible to have a career while enjoying motherhood... [that’s the] biggest compliment.

Q What are the criteria for choosing who you interview on the blog?

A I actually believe every mother has a story to tell... I like to believe it’s a nice support system to read about how different mothers in different situations and different countries manage it all!

Q Do you think the concept of “having it all” is a myth?

A Not really. We have to start to enjoy what we have... and stop stressing about what we don’t have!

Q What’s your favourite thing about being a mum? And how do you and Romy like to spend time together?

A She is six now and things are so easy. I can really take her everywhere. I love our mother-daughter trips where it’s just her and I creating memories. Weekend morning cuddles are also a must! As well as a Sunday evening Disney movie in bed! romyandthebunnies.com Januar y 2019

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“I HAD COFFEE WITH A LOCAL WOMAN ALSO DUE IN A FEW WEEKS. IT WAS LIKE A BAD DATE”

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real mum talk...

Making Friends

Alexandra Hunter on the trying business of making friends with other mamas

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ike almost every other pregnant couple I have known, my thenpartner and I signed up to antenatal classes for two main reasons: to learn more about a subject we both knew precious little about; and to make new friends locally, who would also be at home with their tinies when everyone else was at work.

Female friendships are complex and wonderful things; my girlfriends are some of the most important people in my life. We have shared the highs and the lows of our lives and our relationships have been nurtured and developed over many, many years. Sadly, as you grow older,

your friendship hubs disperse. Your old friends often can’t be there when you’re having a meltdown due to mastitis at three in the afternoon, because they’re in a business meeting – and anyway they’re not local.

Knowing you’ll be home on your own for a lot of the time with a small baby, while the people you love carry on leaving the house at 7.30am and returning 12 hours later is daunting to say the least.

I felt under tremendous pressure to make new mum friends as I had been warned how isolating having a baby can be – and honestly, it was hard. We got to our first NCT class and I was scouting the room for the women I thought I could make friends with, already knowing that there were some – certainly kind, intelligent

and brilliant – women I would have nothing to say to. You have two things in common with people in NCT: you’re local and pregnant. But is that enough to form solid friendships, and fast?

Part of the struggle of being a new mama is admitting to others how hard it is and asking for help. That requires a whole heap of honesty, normally reserved for those you know won’t judge you. Opening up to a group of strangers about how it really feels when they are all pretending everything is going swimmingly for fear of being judged themselves is a difficult dynamic to navigate.

I remember having coffee, heavily pregnant, with a local woman who was also due in a few weeks and getting home and crying. It felt like a bad date.

She was lovely but we just didn’t click and I had so hoped that we would.

Every mama friend I’ve spoken to has felt the same, and most antenatal groups tend to form splinter groups after a few months. Two of my favourite mama friends are in fact from NCT and I would have been lost without their support over the last two years. They have offered wine, support, playdates and numerous WhatsApp messages. When I realised they were happy to sneak Prosecco into Kew Gardens for playdates I knew I had found friends for life. These women are no longer my local mama friends, they are among my closest friends. Like all of the best friendships, they have been built on trust, honesty, tears, support and love. You will find your crew, but as with internet dating, you just have to keep looking.

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Small Pleasures •SMALLS •

Ever looked at a little one swathed in deliciously soft, silky-smooth Smalls garments and experienced a pang of envy? Well, envy no more – because the wool specialists have mastered merino for adults, too. The new grown-up range features classic styles in rich autumnal hues, ideal for layering against the winter weather. lovemysmalls.com

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ST Y L E NOTES

Helen Baron on the brands to start the new year with a bang

TWIN PEAKS OUTSIDE THE LINES

Affordable womenswear rarely looks as good as this.

Teddy sweaters, faux fur gilets and Breton stripes make for looks that are as practical as they are pretty. And if you fancy twinning, you’ll find matching styles in Outside the Lines’ kids range...

we love

outside-the-lines.co.uk

SCARLET FEVER MONCLER

The Net-a-Porter ski and snow shop offers everything you need for a stylish stint on the slopes this winter.

Moncler’s “Genius” glossy shell jacket, created in collaboration with Simone Rocha, is the cherry on top of a gorgeous edit. £1,405; net-a-porter.com

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Wonder Wool DONNA WILSON

We love the knitwear collection at Donna Wilson, which features sweaters, scarves and other cosy accessories in the designer’s uniquely quirky (but always on-point) signature style. This season’s creations are inspired by the British coastline – and are guaranteed to become your best friends when winter starts to bite. donnawilson.com

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Sneak Up ROSCOMAR

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nd Bra us Foc

New footwear brands are ten-a-penny at the moment, but few offer designs as timeless yet arrestingly contemporary as Roscomar. The brand is inspired by world travel and operates according to strict ethical and eco-conscious principles – the vegan models are especially ace.

Slosh Mariana Trainer, £79; roscomar.com

Quinton Chadwick Jess Quinton and Jane Chadwick produce unique contemporary knitwear

CARRY ON, BABY

Q Your brand is known for its bold, graphic patterns. How did that come about?

A We both trained as textile and fashion designers, so pattern, colour and texture have been lifelong obsessions. Jess worked for Missoni after leaving the Royal College of Art and this experience taught her the importance of balancing colour in design. We have since developed a signature style at Quinton Chadwick, which is a contemporary, bold take on traditional patterns.

JE PORTE MON BEBE

A refreshing contemporary take on the baby carrier is this clever seat that’s made from plush fabric with a builtin hood – so you can cover or uncover baby’s head as weather and circumstance demand. Clever. €115; jeportemonbebe.com

5 of t he b e st FO R M OT I VATI ON BAN.DO “I Was Told There’d Be Wine” exercise mat ; £29; uk.bando.com ALPHABET BAGS “You are Doing Great” enamel pin, £7; alphabetbags.com

ALPHABET BAGS “Under Control” canvas tote, £13; alphabetbags.com

Q Your ethos is very much about British manufacture. How do you make that work?

A We are proud to use only small, family-run British factories as we want to help preserve heritage skills and the craftsmanship of the knitting and textile industry in the UK. We would never use mass production because for us provenance is everything and has become our brand USP. Where possible we hand-finish our knits here in our London studio, and we believe our customers really appreciate this attention to detail.

Q How would you describe your design aesthetic?

A Modern Heritage or Traditional Modernist. It depends on our mood!

BAN.DO “Dreams Do Come True” T-shirt, £34; uk.bando.com

BAN.DO “After This We’re Getting Tacos” exercise mat, £29; uk.bando.com

quintonchadwick.com

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Rosalind top (£295) stockist Mojo and MCCOY Elara pant (£295) stockist madeleine-thompson.com

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SOFT M AC H I N E The new seaon’s knitwear is stripy and colourful with a serious retro vibe m a d e l e i n e - t h o m p s o n .c o m Photographer M A R IE NOOR BERGEN S t yli s t I SA B E L L E SAU BA D U

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Kamino cardigan (ÂŁ474) stockist modaoperandi.com; Kessel pant (ÂŁ320) stockist madeleine-thompson.com

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Ida top (£295); Jedha cardigan (£350); Eris pant (£295) stockist net-a-porter.com

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Bianca Cardigan (£350); Kessel pant (£320); Yavin headband (£99) stockist madeleine-thompson.com

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Dia top (ÂŁ385) stockist net-a-porter.com and Harrods; Achrady Knickers (ÂŁ163) stockist net-a-porter.com

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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

PLANET COOL HUNDRED PIECES

we love

Family concept store Smallable has one of the best edits of independent brands online. So it’s no surprise that their own exclusive collection for kids and teens aged 2-16 years, Hundred Pieces, really delivers on quality, comfort and standout design. smallable.com

L E O PA R D LOV E THE BONNIEMOB

Created with Refugee Support, a percentage of profits from The Bonniemob’s charity collection goes towards helping new mums living in heartbreaking circumstances in Greek refugee camps.

Their animal print jumpers come in mini and mama sizes. thebonniemob.com

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Little Layers PIUPIA

Eco-friendly brand Piupia has launched a small capsule collection of tactile pieces, perfect for winter layering. Made from 100% Oeko-Tex certified organic cotton (with absolutely no nasties), think earthy tones and super-soft textures – from quilted jersey to plush fleece. piupia.co.uk

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Winter Woollens AS WE GROW

Designed for sub-zero weather, Icelandic brand As We Grow makes the cosiest knits for little ones. Their traditional woollens are woven with wintry motifs, such as snowtopped mountains, and are made in Peru from natural, biodegradable materials. aswegrow.is

MARIECHA NTAL

FRENCH CLASSICS

Luxury childrenswear brand Marie-Chantal opens a new boutique on Motcomb Street

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LE PETIT GERMAIN

No one does simple, stylish childrenswear like the French, and Le Petit Germain ticks all the boxes when it comes to beautifully made staples.

Inspired by treasured family heirlooms, expect traditional knits, sailor jumpers and the sweetest dungarees. smallable.com

5 o f t he b e st C OSY K N I T S

LUNA & CURIOUS Pom Pom Hat, £25; lunaandcurious.com

MAED FOR MINI Iced Knit Sweater, £51; scandimini.com

CASHMERE AND WOOL JUMPER Bobo Choses, £70; smallable.com

oused in a dreamy pastelpink building (and perfectly at home among its neighbours, including Christian Louboutin, Eres and Caroline Bucci), is the luxurious new MarieChantal boutique on West London’s Motcomb Street.

It’s a space befitting of its owner, the Crown Princess of Greece, who founded her eponymous childrenswear line in 2001. Designed

by Fran Hickman (the creative talent behind Moda Operandi’s showroom, Goop’s recent pop-up and the Emilia Wickstead store on Sloane Street), step inside and you’ll find soft blush cabinets, gilded furniture and the sweetest outfits hanging from the walls, illuminated by the soft glow of low hanging lampshades.

The launch comes at a busy time for mother-of-five Marie-Chantal, who has recently started a book project and redesigned the brand’s website and packaging. However, she always has time to spend instore, so make a visit and you might just find a princess ringing up your purchases at the till. mariechantal.co.uk

CARAMEL Wallaby Baby Trouser, £78 caramel-shop.co.uk

CHOCOLATE SOUP Fleece Mittens, £29; smallable.com

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LADIES & GENTLEMEN Make a smart start to the new year with hints of Victoriana in warm, natural shades bebe-organic.com

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All Vegan •WILD FOOD CAFÉ•

Get your fill of delicious, healthy, plant-based grub at the newly opened branch of Wild Food Café in Islington.

Find gluten-free wood-fired pizzas, a superfood cocktail bar, and all manner of dishes that feature freshly foraged wild and artisanal ingredients, slow raw food processes, and organic, heirloom produce. If this place won’t get your kids to eat their greens, nowhere will. wildfoodcafeislington.com

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WellKidPP18 AbsolutelyMama FP Ad.qxp 06/12/2018 11:23am Page 1

NEW

Expert nutritional support from Wellkid®

Multi vits

Omega-3

Vitamin D

2018-08-07 ADWKDPPCONP E

Peppa Pig™ range of vitamins in delicious soft jellies that kids will love.

• Multi-vits including vitamins A, C, D, as recommended by the UK Department of Health† • All suitable for vegetarians and vegans • For children aged 3-7 years old

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From Boots, Superdrug, Holland & Barrett, chemists, supermarkets and www.wellkid.com/peppapig *Nielsen GB ScanTrack Total Coverage Sales 52 w/e 16 June 2018.

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†

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06/12/2018 13:48

wellne s s

HE ALTH

BLESSED BE THE NURTURISTS CO.

Bristol-based social enterprise, The Nurturists Co., has launched a range of mama-to-be Blessingway kits. It’s designed to empower you to host your own guided gathering, with crystals, flower garlands, smudge sticks, and more. It’s a spiritual alternative to the traditional babyshower. We love. £125; thenurturistsco.com

mama’s

WELLNESS NOTES Healthy snacks and wellbeing solutions for mums and munchkins

MINTY FRESH ZENDIUM

Our mouth’s natural defence system is the inspiration for Zendium toothpaste. It’s free of nasties, and after 14 weeks it’s shown to positively influence your microbiome. £5.99; amazon.co.uk

KITCHEN M U S T - H AV E V I TA L B A B Y

The new BPA-free BabyFood Pro steams, blends and even warms bottles. Turn fresh ingredients into healthy meals in minutes for baby from birth to age one and beyond. £99.99; vitalbaby.com

Stay Calm B A B YO PAT H Y

Babyopathy has launched three new essential oils to support mums-to-be throughout pregnancy: Thin Blue Line for the first trimester; Birth Day from 38 weeks; and To Infinity and Beyond from the fourth trimester on. £6.95; babyopathy.com Januar y 2019

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Prenatal

MOVES Six of the best ways to exercise with your bump comfortably and safely Wo r d s b y t h e M I N D B O DY T E A M

WEIGHT TRAINING

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ight weight training helps to tone up muscles and strengthen your core, so is a great prenatal exercise for the early stages of pregnancy (if weights were a regular part of your training schedule before).

However, it’s advisable to stop after your second trimester.

If your doctor has agreed it’s safe for you to continue weight training, it’s best to avoid using heavy weights and any exercises that involve lying on your back, such as a bench press.

Carolyn Logan, coach and sports therapist at MINDBODY studio CrossFit London, explains: “The main issues to note are when there is a feeling of strain or excessive fatigue that is different to the norm. As the baby grows in the uterus it starts to push other things out the way, sometimes it can push against big blood vessels in the abdomen.

Since these blood vessels are behind the uterus, the syndrome can be made worse by lying on the back.”

Alex Miller, CrossFit London coach, adds: “The prenatal period is actually a good time to step away from heavy loading to give your body a break from intense stimulus. While we know heavier loading is the best way of

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making a change to your body, there are plenty of other ways to stay strong. Our go-to for teaching movement and ingraining great form is to perform exercises at a controlled tempo.

For example, take five-six seconds to lower a weightless bar and five to ascend. You’ll find that you can keep your strength and improve both movement quality and body composition without having to load the bar. Focusing on comprehensive movements, like squats, can help strengthen the body correctly and even help towards reversing abdominal diastasis recti.”

YOGA

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oga, one of the most popular prenatal classes, helps to strengthen your core muscles, ease back pain and maintain muscle tone. It’s a gentle exercise that’s also kind to your joints and helps you to relax and de-stress.

Jill Simpson, founder of MINDBODY studio Ebb&Flow, explains: “The prenatal classes we offer focus on postures and techniques to help strengthen the body and mind in a safe way and are designed so you can join them at any stage of your pregnancy. We address the key areas of pelvic floor, aching neck and shoulders, loss of stamina and maintaining flexibility. I would really encourage expectant mothers to practise

yoga, as it can improve sleep, reduce stress and help maintain a healthy posture during pregnancy too.”

PILATES

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ilates is one of the most effective prenatal exercises as it targets the muscles that generally weaken during pregnancy. Erica Foulds, a master trainer at MINDBODY studio Ten Health & Fitness, explains: “During pregnancy, the body is constantly changing. Pilates is an effective and safe way to build the strength and endurance that will help you cope better with those changes. It’s also great for keeping the pelvis strong to assist the process of a natural birth; labour can last for several hours and core muscles will fatigue easily if they have not been trained throughout pregnancy. Mothers-to-be who regularly exercise their core muscles can therefore expect shorter labours and reduced lower back and pelvic pain, so I would definitely recommend it!”

As Pilates is also non-impact – when compared with other forms of exercise – the risk of injury is reduced, so not only is it physically beneficial and advisable, but knowing you’re exercising safely can also help to reduce anxiety and provide reassurance during classes.

absolutely-mama.co.uk

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“BRISK WALKING IS THE BEST EXERCISE AS IT’S GENTLE BUT KEEPS YOU FIT”

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Erica adds: “[Our] prenatal classes will be varied and less intense than our standard classes. They are structured around the changing requirements of a developing pregnancy to provide an effective workout from the first trimester through to full term, all the while staying completely safe for mother and baby.”

She does warn, however, that if you’re in your third trimester and have not attended classes during the earlier stages of your pregnancy, it’s not safe to start now.

PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES

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ny mum-to-be will be very familiar with pelvic floor exercises. These exercises are incredibly important during pregnancy, as they help to strengthen the muscles that come into great

strain in pregnancy and childbirth. Stress incontinence is a problem many pregnant women suffer with, which can mean you leak small amounts of wee when exercising, coughing and sneezing. Luckily, pelvic floor exercises have been proven to help relieve stress incontinence if done on a regular basis.

Jill says: “Begin by sitting, standing or laying down in a comfortable position and squeeze and lift your pelvic floor muscles (these are the ones you use when you’re trying to hold in a wee)!

Hold this contraction for up to ten seconds, then relax. Repeat ten times and aim to do three or four sets each day.”

LIGHT CARDIO

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hile some women wouldn’t dream of doing cardio when pregnant, light aerobic exercise is an effective prenatal exercise. Brisk

walking is the best exercise (for women who did not have a strenuous fitness regime before pregnancy), as it’s gentle but keeps you fit and healthy without jarring your knees and ankles.

Aim to go on a brisk 30-minute walk four times a week.

A keen runner before you were pregnant?

There is absolutely no harm in continuing to run into your pregnancy. Go easy and if you start to feel wheezy and out of breath – stop. If you never ran before pregnancy, then don’t start now! You should find another route of exercise instead, such as an aerobics class.

SWIMMING

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wimming is incredibly effective in working your heart and lungs without putting too much pressure on your joints. It can even help relieve swollen ankles, making it an ideal prenatal exercise for many women.

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our healthy foodies have joined together to create one massive compendium of family recipes that has become a must-have for every busy parent. TV chef and health consultant Christine Bailey, award-winning nutritionist Charlotte Watts, healthy living author Gemini Adams and vegetarian cookery author Nicola Graimes have put together 500 quick, easy family recipes that are very practical and can be made in bulk. Here are just four budget-friendly soup recipes that are perfect for winter.

Chicken Noodle Soup Serves 4

A Cup of

COSY Snuggle up one of these wintry evenings with a big, heart-warming bowl of soup

R e c i p e s C H R I S T I N E B A I L E Y, C H A R L O T T E WA T T S , GE M I N I A DA M S A N D N ICOL A GR A I M E S

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Ingredients

• 55g fine egg noodles • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 onion, finely chopped • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped • 1 carrot, diced • 1 bay leaf • 200g skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces • 5 cups chicken stock • 2 tbsp reduced-fat crème fraîche • 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley • salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS 1 Cook the noodles following the package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water. 2 Put the oil in a large pan and add the onion. Half-cover the pan and sauté the onion for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the celery, carrot and bay leaf and sauté for another 3 minutes. 3 Add the chicken and sauté for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is golden all over. 4 Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Stir in the crème fraîche and cooked noodles and warm through. Season and add the parsley, if using.

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RECIPES

Sweet Chestnut Soup Serves 4

Spicy Beetroot Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 600g sweet chestnuts, peeled • 8 ½ cups water or stock • 2 shallots, finely chopped • 2 slices of celeriac, diced • 4 tbsp olive oil • 4 tbsp vegetable margarine or butter, diced • sea salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS 1 Boil the sweet chestnuts in a saucepan with the water or stock for 5-10 minutes until they begin to disintegrate. 2 Meanwhile, gently sauté the shallot and the celeriac with the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat until they begin to brown. Add the shallots and the celeriac to the pan with the chestnuts and cook for a further 10 minutes. Blend and season (adding a little more water or stock, if necessary). Stir in the margarine or butter, check the seasoning and serve hot.

Serves 4

Chunky Italian Soup Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tbsp grapeseed oil • 2 tsp ground cumin • 1 cinnamon stick • 1 tsp ground cloves • 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper • 500g raw beetroot, diced • 500g tomatoes, diced • 4 ¼ cups vegetable stock or water • Sea salt to taste • Scant ½ cup crème fraîche or coconut cream

DIRECTIONS

Ingredients

1 tbsp sunflower oil • 1 large onion, chopped • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped • 4 carrots, thinly sliced • 140g split red lentils • 1 tsp ground cumin • 1 tbsp mild curry powder • 5 cups gluten-free vegetable stock • salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the spices and stir for 10 seconds. Add the beetroot, stir for a further 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes. Stirfry for 1 minute before adding the stock or water.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes, then season. 2 Take off the heat, remove the cinnamon stick, blend in a blender and add the crème fraîche or coconut cream. Serve with croutons or toast.

DIRECTIONS 1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion over a medium-low heat for 7 minutes half-covered, until softened. Add the celery and carrots and cook for another 3 minutes. Rinse the lentils. 2 Stir in the spices and lentils and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer, half-covered, for 35 minutes until the lentils are very soft and mushy. Occasionally skim off any foam created by the lentils during cooking. 3 Purée in a blender or using a handheld blender. Season to taste.

The Big Book of Quick Easy Family Recipes

By Christine Bailey, Charlotte Watts, Gemini Watts and Nicola Graimes, £16.99; watkinspublishing.com

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THE BIRTH OF YOUR BABY

IN TRUSTED HANDS THE LINDO WING, ST MARY’S HOSPITAL

The Lindo Wing, St Mary’s Hospital South Wharf Road, London, W2 1NY T: +44 (0)20 3312 6224 E: imperial.lindo.maternity@nhs.net W: imperialprivatehealthcare.co.uk Part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. All our profits are reinvested to support our NHS services

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MENTAL HE ALTH

NO SHAME An expert weighs in on how to help your kids deal with uncomfortable situations when they’re young…

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Like millions of parents, you’ve no doubt confronted situations like the following: • Your daughter says that the friend she asked over to play didn’t want to come.

• Your son bursts into tears when he tells you he didn’t get a part in the school play.

• Your daughter wants to bail on a birthday invite after falling on her face in front of a group of kids, including the birthday girl.

• You discover an exam with a C- grade hidden in your son’s room.

These familiar encounters with pain are a part of growing up. You might be surprised to learn that such experiences usually inspire feelings of shame, though not shame in the way you’re used to thinking about it.

According to those who study the biology of emotion, shame is actually an entire family of feelings that share a “painful awareness of self”. Embarrassment, self-consciousness, guilt, remorse, humiliation, shyness, mortification – these are all members of the shame family. They can be mild or intense; they sometimes pass quickly or they might haunt us for days. All are painful.

For all human beings, shame feelings arise in four typical situations, what I call the Shame Paradigms: • Unrequited Love (that friend your daughter liked didn’t reciprocate the feeling) • Exclusion (your son didn’t get a part in the play and felt left out)

“S H A M E I S AC T UA L LY A N E N T I R E FA M I LY OF F E E L I N G S T H AT S H A R E A ‘ PA I N F UL AWA R E N ES S OF S E L F ’ ”

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• Unwanted Exposure (she had an awkward fall in public while others looked on) • Disappointed Expectation (that C-) Many parents will respond to the above encounters by saying something like this (and I’ve heard myself doing it): • She doesn’t sound very friendly. Why not invite Joseph somebody else over?

Burgo, Ph.D. has • Never mind, you’ll get a been a practicing psychotherapist for part in the next play. more than 35 years. His book Shame is out • That does sound pretty now, £14.99. embarrassing. It’s fine if you don’t want to go.

• I read your paper and the comments – I think your teacher was hard on you.

The first two forms of consolation make sense, although you should also acknowledge their pain and

Wo r d s J O S E PH B U RG O , P h D

make room for them to feel hurt before moving on too quickly. Comforting our children is natural.

But accusing the teacher of unfairness teaches your child to blame other people instead of taking responsibility. That Cgrade might actually reflect a need to spend less time on social media and more time on homework; feeling appropriate shame about poor performance might motivate your child to work harder. Don’t criticise your son for his poor grade but ask whether there might be a lesson to be learned, perhaps about the importance of hard work and self-discipline.

Allowing your child to stay home after suffering an embarrassment teaches her that avoiding situations where shame might arise is an effective strategy for coping.

Such an approach teaches our children to become anxious and wary of future situations where shame might arise, and this can easily thwart their ambition. Instead, sympathise but encourage your daughter to be brave rather than to isolate herself.

Helping our children to persevere in the face of pain will make them more resilient as they grow, and more able to cope with those inevitable encounters with shame awaiting them in life.

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mama’s

B E AU T Y NOTES Get a new look this new year with all the latest in hair, makeup, beauty and pampering...

we love

HAIR TO DAY ANTHONY LABAN

Anthony Laban Home is a boutique salon, a chic and stylish environment based in a courtyard, offering revolutionary new techniques to achieve gorgeous hair. anthonylabanhome.com

GENDER NEUTRAL JECCA MAKE-UP

The first product from cool new brand Jecca Make-Up is this gender-neutral, oil-free, matt Correct & Conceal palette, available in two shades (light and medium).

Founder and make-up artist, Jessica Blacker, says: “Makeup has no gender. At Jecca we overlook gender and celebrate individuality.” £20; jecca-makeup.com

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Morning Brew ISLA APOTHECARY

This newly reformulated version of the Coffee + Cinnamon Body Polish by Isla Apothecary takes advantage of the natural benefits of green coffee oil. It’s full of linoleic acid and vitamin E, which are meant to boost cell-turnover, tighten and smooth, as well as protect against free radicals. £34 (300g); islaapothecary.com

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Sleep Tight

BE AUT Y

lth Hea ck Che

H E AV E N S K I N C A R E

The new Prism collection makes use of its Prism Light Defiance Technology. It’s designed to protect cells from the full light spectrum and free radicals while boosting collagen. That includes the Heaven Skincare’s Overnight Success, which releases oxygen into your skin overnight, redefining the meaning of “beauty sleep”. £91 (50ml); shop.heavenskincare.com

ORGANIC PHARMACY

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Wo r d s H E L E N BA RO N

GOT THE HEMP DR. BRONNER’S

If we’re to dub one thing the ingredient du jour, it’d be hemp oil. This Pure Castile Liquid Soap, famously loved

by Meghan Markle, uses the certified organic variety, and works for any cleaning task – for your face, your hair, even your pets or dishes. £11.69 (473ml); drbronner.co.uk

5 of t he b e st SH OWER OWE R E S S E N T TII A L S THE BODY SHOP Ginger Scalp Care Conditioner, from £6.50 (250ml); thebodyshop.com

MOLTON BROWN Vetiver & Grapefruit Bath & Shower Gel, £22 (300ml); moltonbrown.co.uk ROSENTAL ORGANICS Red Clay Konjac Sponge, £7.95; ecco-verde.co.uk

L’OCCITANE Aromachologie Nourishing Care Shampoo, £19 (300ml); uk.loccitane.com

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HIMALAYA HERBALS Purifying Neem Scrub, €5.50 (75ml); himalayadirect.com

he Organic Pharmacy now offers a half-hour Express Health Assessment. A BioEnergetic device scans the body and outputs profiles on adrenal function, serotonin, immune function, hydration and pH level – as well as levels of systemic toxicity. A full assessment also audits vitamin and mineral deficiencies, organ function, hormone balance, viruses, bacteria, fungus, parasites, digestive disorders and food intolerance. Your practitioner can then prescribe homeopathic supplements, made with uncompromised, pharmaceutical-grade ingredients.

My adrenal function was low, which didn’t shock me, but I was surprised to see low hydration levels as I drink plenty of water.

I’m advised the quality of water is important, even in hot drinks; heavy metals can block the uptake of minerals. Positive news is my immune function is good. I was prescribed holy basil for stress, calcium and magnesium to improve sleep, and Omega 3/6. And also provided with a list of natural cleansers, as well as important vitamins and minerals. A handy reminder for my well-meaning start to the new year. theorganicpharmacy.com

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AROUND 15-20% OF UK CHILDREN SUFFER FROM ECZEMA

Got the

ITCH

London-based beauty blogger Julia Ferrari is a long-time eczema sufferer and mum to a little boy who also suffers. These are her top tips on how to soothe this tricky skin condition...

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s parents of eczema-prone babies and those who deal with the skin condition themselves will know, this dry, red and flaky skin can drive you insane, making you feel frustrated, exhausted and demotivated. It’s particularly difficult for a parent to watch their little one get increasingly irritated and angry, trying to deal with a maddeningly itchy feeling they just can’t shake.

Whether you suffer from, have suffered from, or are parents of children suffering from eczema, you’re definitely not alone. NHS consultant dermatologist Tee Wei Siah confirms: “childhood eczema is very common and affects 15-20% of UK children”. So, here are some of the tips and products that have helped me navigate the minefield that is eczema...

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wellness SKINCARE

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AVOID HEAVILY FRAGRANCED PRODUCTS

“ WH E N IT COMES TO ECZ EMA- P RON E SK I N , F RAGRAN CE I S TO B E AVOID ED WH E R E P OSSIBLE”

s a beauty blogger I’m always up for trying a new scent (sprayed on hair not skin to avoid irritating it), however I just don’t believe babies need to be introduced to perfume so early in life. And when it comes to eczema-prone skin, fragrance is to be avoided where possible. NHS consultant dermatologist Tee Wei Siah highlights the National Eczema Society advice that fragrance is a common trigger of eczema. With that in mind, I’d rather keep my baby’s exposure to fragrance to a minimum and stick to fragrancefree products such as Baby Dove Sensitive Moisture Lotion (200ml, £1.90; dove.com/uk).

A

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APPLY AN EMMOLIENT REGULARLY

- OOK FOR OILL

BASED BODY WASHES

CHOOSE YOUR SKINCARE PRODUCTS FOR MUM AND BABY WISELY

athtime can quickly turn into a headache for parents of babies suffering from eczema, with a bit of trial and error needed for when it comes to finding which products work and which set off a flare-up. In the bath I use soap-free head-to-toe washes, however I’ve recently discovered La Roche-Posay Lipikar Gentle Cleansing Oil (200ml,

B

NATURAL MATERIALS PREVENT ECZEMA OUTBREAKS

nce you’ve given your baby a bath it’s important to thoroughly pat skin dry in the creases, where eczema tends to develop. Moisturising is key, so aim to apply a rich emollient morning and evening. You might even find that moisturising can become part of the nappy change routine if your baby’s skin is particularly dry and requires several applications throughout the day. La Roche-Posay Baby Lipikar Baume (200ml, £12.50; laroche-posay. co.uk) is a hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested moisturising balm providing 24-hour hydration for even the most dry and sensitive skin.

O

£10; laroche-posay.co.uk), a gentle soap-free oil that protects the skin from drying out. Depending on the area you live in you may also want to consider installing a water softener, as hard water can exacerbate the skin condition.

SEEK OUT NOURISHING INGREDIENTS

veeno is one of those brands that’s well known to eczema sufferers and has always been part of my key tools to keep skin under control. It’s no different for my baby’s skin. Founded in the US by two brothers who worked with a dermatology centre to create a natural bath additive containing 100% colloidal (very finely milled) oatmeal, the range is ideal for dry and sensitive skin. The skincare benefits from oats include moisturising dehydrated skin to soothing sensitive skin and creating a protective barrier on the skin’s surface. The change of temperature that comes with seasons or excessive central heating plays havoc and can exacerbate any dryness, so I use Aveeno Baby’s soap-free Daily Care Gentle Body Wash (500ml, £5.99; aveeno.co.uk) to moisturise and soothe dehydrated skin.

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CHOOSE NATURAL FIBRES

ight and loose clothing will allow skin to breathe, especially in hot weather.

Natural fibres such as cotton, linen and cashmere work best against baby’s delicate skin. I’ve learned to steer clear of tight polyester tops and acrylic sweaters. For babies and children Little Green Radicals (littlegreenradicals.co.uk) offers comfortable designs using organic fairtrade cotton. The brand often focuses on colourful prints, but you can also find simple white clothing for your little one. And if your newborn has a tendency to scratch away at their skin some mittens will definitely come in handy.

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For more beauty tips, follow Julia; @freshbeautyfix Januar y 2019

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Trusted by families in London and across the world.

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wellness NUTRITION

Green

WARS

If your child won’t eat their greens, you need patience – not bribery or subterfuge – to win the war. Here’s what you need to know...

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ike the best garden perennials, childhood tantrums over vegetables sprout year on year. But while your mother may have cajoled or even threatened a life of pasty skin and failure to make the first team unless you polished off that pile of Brussels sprouts, she was on the wrong track. Force-feeding children five a day is not the way to rear an upstanding member of the saladeating community. In fact, you risk leading your child off the green and leafy path for life.

1. ZERO BRIBERY That familiar refrain of: “Eat your greens and then you can have some pudding” may have been part of your childhood but it’s a

mixed message you should not pass on to your children, say the experts. Not only is this a big fat bribe, but it’s also using food as a reward – setting up a whole set of dubious associations. Nicola Johnstone, paediatric dietician and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association (BDA), says that when children are very young rewards (star charts, a trip to the park) work well, but never use sweets, puddings or any other edible treat as this may shape their attitude to food. “You want to make eating a good experience,” she says. “So use positive reinforcement even if they only eat a small amount of the food you want them to eat”. By the same token, never threaten to withdraw food as punishment.

2. NO CHEATING While that cunningly concealed courgette in bolognese sauce may tick your own nurturingparent box, many experts now agree that disguising food is not the best approach to help a child move from picky to balanced diet.

It’s hard work for you, as you dream up ever more elaborate schemes to hide the veg, and also risks upsetting your child’s trust in you as an honest parent if they discover you have secretly included something they hate.

And adding vegetables to cakes may be in vogue (and produce fine results) but it’s an add-on and not a substitute for eating greens as nature made them.

3. GREEN IDEAS Cooking vegetables in different ways – or serving them raw – may help if texture is the problem.

Johnstone suggests you involve children in the preparation as much as you can – for instance, get them tossing a salad. Familiarity is a big part of acceptance, which is why letting children grow their own often inspires them to have a go at eating their greens.

Sitting around a table together and sharing the same meal is positive reinforcement in itself. It’s important not to draw attention to what your child is not eating, and that also means ignoring bad behaviour. This approach can pay off once children get to school: “Toddlers sometimes do better when they get to school because it’s a structured environment and they want to fit in with their peer group,” Johnstone says.

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“ U SIN G SW E ETS AS A R EWARD MAY N EGATIVELY S H APE YOU R C H I LD’S WHOL E ATTITU D E TO F OOD”

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4. THE LONG GAME Some children go for years avoiding certain vegetables, so play the long game. They are also capable of being as specific in their tastes as adults. But, who knows, that vegetable-phobic child may one day declare – like Barack Obama – that broccoli is their alltime favourite food.

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Under Cover •ABEL•

This clever tent is designed as a modular structure, allowing you to add or remove panels as required.

Keep it half-open and use as a corner reading den or close it up to give kids their own secret space. Made of beech, ash, rubber and cotton-blend fabric, its gypsy stylings are sure to enchant and delight. £187; smallable.com

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N U R S E RY NOTES New year, new nursery? Our pick of the month’s best accessories

SITTING PRETTY

I M AG E IS IN FOLDER

M A M A S & PA PA S

Looking more like a high-end piece from a designer furniture showroom than a nursing chair, this beauty provides all the support you could wish for plus a soothing rocking motion babies will love. And it won’t make your nursery resemble a hospital ward! Result.

Hilston Nursing Chair, £499; mamasandpapas.com

we love SKY HIGH NOODOLL

Turn tidy-up into storytime with these fun storage shelves from Noodoll. Available in designs including an airplane and a cloud, each laminated plywood shelf is large enough to take several toys for a ride. £70; minifili.com

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Brick by Brick B R I K KO N

This is smart: a set of wooden construction pieces that can be combined to create a fairytale cityscape – and which are compatible with Lego blocks, allowing for all manner of imaginative adornments. £62; smallable.com

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Swing Time S O LV E J

NURSERIES

nd Bra us Foc

This classically styled swing is crafted from weatherproof natural materials, and the soft seat makes it ideal for tummy-swinging. It’s suitable for indoor or outdoor use – and if your little is under three years old, there’s an equally stylish baby version, too. €140; solvejswings.eu

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S P I N A YA R N WO O L C O U T U R E C O M PA N Y

Fancy getting crafty in the name of home embellishment?

This starter pack contains all you need to create a trio of cute clouds for the nursery wall. You can choose from a selection of themed colourways and, don’t worry, you don’t have to be an accomplished knitter. £19.99; woolcouturecompany.com

5 of t he b e st BA BY S L E E PI N G B AG S NUMERO 74 Baby Sleeping Bag, £62; smallable.com

BABY MORI X CENTRAL ST MARTINS Animal Family Clever Sleeping Bag, £69.50; babymori.com

MAMA DESIGNS Pineapple Multi-tog Sleeping Bag, £38.99; scandiborn.co.uk

NOBODINOZ Oslo Sleeping Bag, £49; smallable.com

ENCORE!

t’s one of those moments parents like to savour: choosing a child’s first doll’s house. And for those of a more minimalist persuasion, the choices are obviously fewer in number. But with French brand Encore!, we’ve found one very worthy winner.

Crafted from sustainable timber, the Encore! Forest Hut has a clever folding design that gives little ones easy access while also allowing them to shut the doors and put their doll denizens to bed. The brand also offers more modern-looking modular doll’s houses with open sides – but it’s with the accessories that Encore! really comes into its own.

The brand’s dolls take the form of fabric rabbits in cute Gallic garb.

Each bunny has a name – Henriette, Fernand, Augustine, etc. – and more personality than the usual identikit figurine, with their spectacles and striped Breton tops ensuring top marks in the charm stakes.

Also available is a range of impossibly cute doll’s house furniture and mini accessories, from dinky wooden buggies and grocery delivery bikes to a wood-burning stove and armchairs. Together, they make the Forest Hut as cosy as any real-world hideaway. Our favourite is the little wooden vegetable patch, complete with mini carrots – now your bunny family can venture out for a spot of gardening. Is it odd to be jealous of the life of a doll? smallable.com

NOBODINOZ Zig-Zag Sleeping Bag, £44; smallable.com

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h o me & interio rs INSPIRATION

Extract from BE BOLD: Interiors for the brave of heart by Emily Henson and published by Ryland Peters & Small, £19.99.

Photography by Catherine Gratwicke

Going for

BOLD Revamping your home in the new year?

This new book by Emily Henson will inspire you to be bold with your interior choices

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his Victorian terraced house on a quiet street in West London has recently seen some exciting changes. It is the first property that Rachel and Chris Roberts and their young family have been able to make truly their own, redesigning it top to bottom with the help of Office S&M, an architectural firm they commissioned to create a stylish, child-friendly home.

The busy professional couple – Rachel is a doctor and Chris a financial analyst – bought the house in 2013. Like many of us, their homes have always been decorated in dribs and drabs, never exactly the way they wanted. In 2016, they enlisted the help of London-based architects Office S&M to help create their dream home. At the time, the couple had three daughters and wanted to

extend the loft to add another bedroom so that all the girls would have a room. They also planned to open up the kitchen to make it more suitable for family life. Now Rachel and Chris are parents to four girls: Vesper, aged six, four-year-old twins Taylor and Celeste, and newest addition Clara, six months old. When we visited, Rachel and Clara – a gorgeous, happy baby – were our hosts, but I am assured that when all the girls are home (and there isn’t a photo shoot taking place), noise levels are higher and toys are strewn everywhere.

I feel better knowing this because, as it is, the house is pretty perfect – a home that has been carefully considered and with no space wasted. Banquette seating was fitted in the kitchen, handy for stashing the aforementioned toys, while cupboards were built into the walls in the living room, filled with baskets that hold crayons, colouring books, train sets and princess dresses. With four young children, organisation is key.

A strong and varied colour palette was chosen for the

01 LIVING ROOM At the front of the house is the living room, its walls cloaked in an intense and saturated blue from Farrow & Ball that also coats the cabinets and shelves that flank the fireplace. A black and white rug from the Plantation Rug Company, patterned silk cushions and a woven toy basket enliven the room further. The butterfly prints are from Rockett St George.

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Scandinavian inspired children’s design

www.scandiborn.co.uk Find us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @Scandiborn

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h o me & interio rs INSPIRATION

interior, from dark teal to flamingo pink to cerulean blue. Woven through many of the rooms is a thread of vibrant pineapple yellow. An accent colour is such an effective trick for tying together different colour palettes and it can be as simple as adding a cushion in the linking hue. In the entrance hall, the floors are laid with encaustic tiles from Bert & May, the only area to be treated to pattern. The stairs and walls are coated in various shades of teal, with that sunny yellow hue punching through on the banisters.

Towards the back of the house is the kitchen extension, from which I plan to steal many an idea for my own home. The colours here are punchy but not jarring. The crisp white walls are a backdrop for sage green cupboards, a deep plum banquette and pale pink herringbone tiles with bright yellow grout. Finished with pops of yellow throughout, the effect is incredibly satisfying. Up the stairs, the teals and yellow continue until you reach the girls’ floor. One bedroom is painted a soothing pink, its rear wall punctuated by three arched windows. Next door in the bathroom, basic white square tiles are given added value with black grout, and yellow accessories are dotted throughout – doorknobs, a mirror, a stool, even the heated towel rack are all a sunny yellow shade. A smaller area of pink tile softens and warms the look.

This home shows that when you commit to a colour palette, it pays off. Simple ideas are elevated when linked by colour, and the luscious tones satisfy the eye.

With simple materials used in fresh, modern ways, heaps of confident colour and a few luxurious splurges, the Roberts have built a happy home with room for their family to grow.

02

03 04

02 K IDS’ ROOM On the top floor, a bedroom was added for the growing family, with three arched windows painted in a sunny yellow shade. The shutters block out the light and add a sweet charm. The walls are painted in Farrow & Ball’s Calamine, a pink that is soothing rather than saccharine sweet.

03 BATHROOM The girls’ bathroom is simple and efficient yet fun and playful. The basic white tiles are grouted with black, a wise choice since white grout stains quickly. The sink area is laid with smaller pink tiles, linking to the girls’ bedroom. A peppering of that joyful yellow, via the knobs, towels, mirror, towel rack and even the stool, completes the look.

04 K ITCHEN Simple materials have impact when treated in original ways.

Pink tiles look fresh when laid herringbone style and finished with yellow grout. The oakfronted cabinets are painted in Farrow & Ball Green Smoke.

The bamboo and plastic Grain pendant lights are by Muuto.

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h o me & interior s PROFILE

Factory

W

hen Andrea Bates first set up her own shop, she wasn’t expecting it to become a destination store. And neither was she expecting to become a furniture dealer stocking several exclusive pieces from Scandinavian designers, nor to be launching her own ranges. But the gradual transformation from Future and Found to insidestore has marked a significant shift, not just in the name change but in the character of the shop itself.

Andrea remembers her first day. “I literally opened the doors and waited for people to come,” she says. The shop was born from her realisation that there was nowhere even to buy a card in Tufnell Park in 2012, so with a background in retail (having worked for Heals and Paperchase) she conceived of her own shop, which would sell design-led decorative accessories, homewares and stationery as well as quirky things that she’d find at car boot sales and liked. The name, Future and Found, reflected the mix of old and new.

A move to a larger site nearby opened the shop up to further possibilities and the new incarnation has rebranded. It’s less “found” and more “future” – and as a stockist of brands like Hay, Muuto and lots of independent designers, many of them

girl

Mama meets Andrea Bates, founder of Tufnell Park’s insidestore Wo r d s E V E H E R B E R T

Scandinavian, this is a design store with a pared-back aesthetic as well as a love of detail and character. Among the greys and neutral shades there are flashes of fluoro, and best-selling pieces include a French ceramic collection discovered by Andrea on Instagram. The new and expanded space behind the shopfront includes a courtyard and an old factory building that’s designed as a flexible showroom, currently arranged as a show apartment and a space for interior design consultations, events and workshops.

Andrea is in the process of developing her own brand designs, starting with a range of bed linen – and her focus remains on seeking out high-quality, design-led pieces for a discerning yet budget-conscious local customer base. It seems to be working: people come from all over London to what has become a destination in itself.

I N S I D E STO R E Insidestore, 225 Brecknock Road, NW5 insidestoreldn.com Januar y 2019

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Stylish family hideaways: honestly reviewed by parents, loved by kids.

i-escape.com/kids Our Kids Collection is a 900-strong selection of stylish family-friendly hotels and rentals. We understand that parents still want to stay in beautiful boutique hideaways after the kids arrive. We only choose those which work best for families and we visit them in person and create a detailed review for each, full of insider tips, and with our signature Highs and Lows. Each featured property also has a child-friendliness rating and a list of their facilities and equipment so your family holiday runs smoothly.

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O F F - P I ST E S U M M E R : A N A LP I N E E S C A P E p . 8 8 L A K E S I D E LUXU RY AT T H E COT SWO LD S ’ LOW E R M I LL E STAT E p . 101

Deep Blue

• GENNADI GRAND RESORT•

If your thoughts are turning towards summer (why not?), what better incentive to book ahead than this resolutely family-friendly resort on the Greek island of Rhodes. The beachside location, magnificent pool, family-sized suites and Greek hospitality are all guaranteed to please – and the entire place is run on eco-conscious principles, too. gennadigrandresort.com

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Happy lives here!

We want you and your little ones to holiday just the way you want to: safe, stress free and in locations you love.

It’s why we’ve developed our own exclusive resort experience alongside our range of beautiful, family friendly properties.

We hand pick every destination to meet your young family’s needs—from pool safety to playtime—and they’re fully equipped with everything you need, so you can travel light and feel at home as soon as you arrive.

Discover the Tots difference and let us help you find your perfect, fun-filled family holiday.

All private pools barriered

FREE baby and toddler kit

30 point child safety check

Call us

0800 808 5487 Browse and book at

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INSPIRATIONS

SKI SUPREME C H A L E T I L U L I S S AT

Keep the Christmas spirit burning with a last-minute trip to this stunning ski lodge, situated in Courchevel, one of France’s most legendary locations. three-bedroom, quirkily modern take on traditional log cabins, it’s luxurious yet cosily intimate – ideal for a reviving January jaunt. lecollectionist.com

mama’s

T R AV E L NOTES The most exciting destinations at home and abroad

we love

UP THE COUNTRY

M U D DY P U D D L E S

Jetting off for some New Year fun in the snow? Make sure littles are equipped for the action with this warm and weatherproof Blizzard jacket. Great value from a British brand you can trust. £85; muddypuddles.com

FOUR SEASONS

This beautiful English country hotel in Hampshire offers a luxe spa and amazing dining alongside family activities – including the chance to “own a pony for a day”.

Kids will love every moment. fourseasons.com/hampshire

3 FA M I LY- F R I E N D LY M A L D I V E S R E S O RT S Baglioni Resort Maldives

Sheraton Full Moon Resort & Spa

D H A LU U ATO LL

N O R T H M A LÉ ATO LL

This private resort is on a private island in a UNESCO biosphere reserve – and the Private Reserve villa is the largest and most jawdropping available, with a kids’ playroom and water-slide.

The first Italian-owned hotel in the Maldives opens in March 2019, offering a range of chic accommodation options and a kids’ club for littles aged 3-12.

No, it’s not a Photoshopped dreamscape. Luxurious cabins over crystal-clear water – plus a dedicated kids’ centre and range of watersports options. It’s all real.

soneva.com

baglionihotels.com

marriott.co.uk

Soneva Fushi BA A ATO LL

ICE COLD

SHERATON MALDIVES FULL MOON RESORT

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HIGH FLYERS Why families in search of activity holidays should head to the mountains, whatever the season Wo r d s PE N D L E H A R T E

P

icture the scene. A mountain path, the sun shining, the sky felt-tip blue, the mountains impossibly green, the fir trees identically tall and the wildflowers blooming. It’s as if we have fallen through a portal and into a Disney animation that shows an idealised version of Switzerland living its best life, only this is the actual world and it really is like this.

It’s kind of sad that the clarity of the air, the luminosity, the perfect colours and the sheer natural beauty around us is so overwhelming to a group of jaded Londoners that our only point of reference is a digital simulation. We really do struggle to believe that it’s real.

These are the Swiss Alps, a destination widely perceived to belong to winter due to the British travel industry’s insistence that mountains are only for skiing. This means that travelling to the Swiss Alps in summer has all the advantages of low season – no

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crowds, cheaper flights, availability – while retaining everything that you need from a family summer holiday: hot weather, beautiful scenery, outdoor activities and delicious food. Less obvious than the allconsuming ski industry, there is a strong tradition of summering in the mountains but as long as people continue to focus on beaches as the summer imperative, the Alps will retain their slightly off-piste feel when there’s sunshine instead of snow. Villars Sur Ollon has a long-standing history as a ski resort but in summer it takes on a whole new identity. While winter offers one main activity, summer offers countless different ones.

So, what to do? When there’s a mountain around, it’s natural to want to ascend it and in Villars the train takes you straight up to the ski station at 1,300 metres, which is an excellent starting point for a hike.

Small groups of cows with gently tinkling cowbells have been perfectly positioned, the wildflowers artfully styled by nature

CHALET ROYALP, VILLARS

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SWITZERL AND

~

“THE SWISS ALPS IN SUMMER HAVE ALL THE ADVANTAGES OF LOW SEASON, PLUS EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR A SUNNY FAMILY HOLIDAY”

~

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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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ALPINE LAKE

~

and the path designed to lead to an insanely beautiful lake, with a dreamy restaurant alongside it. You could spend the day here but we’re after a little more adventure, so we hire mountain scooters.

Picture a mountain bike without a seat and pedals, and you can imagine the scooter. The idea is that you stand up, bend your knees a bit and hurl yourself down the mountain.

It looks innocent enough: my nine-year-old daughter and I are confident cyclists and are fully expecting to master this quickly.

CHEESE FARM AT ALPAGE DU COL DE LA CROIX

“WHILE WINTER OFFERS ONE MAIN ACTIVITY, SUMMER OFFERS COUNTLESS DIFFERENT ONES”

~

But off-road mountain scooting is more of an extreme sport than we’re quite ready for. The terrain is – by definition – steep and the track is by turns rocky, gravelly and grassy. The scooter lurches downhill and my instinct is to brake heavily, but brakes are a further challenge. Brake too much and you’ll skid, potentially throwing yourself at the rocky ground, but without braking you’ll build up terrifying speed and still potentially hurl yourself off balance. There’s no easy option, but neither is there time to think because you have to keep your entire brain on the scooter as the world whizzes past you. Of course it’s partly an age thing: these fears are not shared by my daughter, who is careering down the mountain without a backwards glance, entirely unburdened by

SWITZERL AND

thoughts of whether she’ll fall, how much to brake or whether she’s likely to skid.

Her fearlessness is exhilarating. This is a lesson in confidence as much as in balance and co-ordination. We are overtaken by a professional-looking group of teenagers, unrecognisable beneath their extreme protective gear, whose sheer speed is either impressive or horrifying, depending on your outlook (or your age).

Back in Villars, there is a beautiful public pool, indoor and outdoor, which has slides and amazing views as well as an on-site spa and an inflatables course. Also on site is a year-round outdoor ice rink. We are staying at the Chalet Royalp, which provides us with free access passes that get us in everywhere, including on the train.

Our next day is spent visiting a cheese farm and sampling the mountain dairy offerings before heading to Parc des Diables for a high ropes course in the forest. And so it goes on. Lakes, mountains, forests.

Our activity-filled days are laced with fondues and showstopping scenery. So who needs snow?

ABSOLUTELY WAS A GUEST OF THE LAKE GENEVA REGION lake-geneva-region.ch Rooms at Chalet Royalp Hotel & Spa available from CHF290 (£230) per night, b&b, based on two sharing chaletroyalp.com. For more information on Switzerland visit MySwitzerland.com SWISS offers more than 170 weekly flights from London City, Heathrow, Gatwick (seasonal), Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Dublin to Zurich, Geneva or Sion (seasonal).

One-way fares start from £67, including all taxes, fees and surcharges. For more information visit swiss.com The Swiss Travel System provides a dedicated range of travel passes and tickets exclusively for visitors from abroad. swisstravelsystem.co.uk Januar y 2019

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H OT E L A N D S PA

BABY & TODDL E R BR EA KS IN COR N WA L L You play, relax and catch up on some sleep. We’ll take care of the rest

CRÈCHE

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WARM POOLS

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SOFT PLAY

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2-ROOM FAMILY SUITES

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TRIED & TESTED

The best new products for easy travel in 2019

escap es REVIEWS

AMAWRAP BABY SLING

CYBEX EEZY-S TWIST TRAVEL STROLLER

Cybex Eezy-S Twist Travel Stroller £270; johnlewis.com

Why we love it: Anyone cynical about the versatility and resilience of lightweight buggies will find their doubts disappear with this little gem.

Weighing in at just 7kg, it’s easy to fold and carry, wonderfully light to manoeuvre and narrow, too – which makes it perfect for transporting by plane, train or automobile. Lightweight doesn’t have to mean flimsy, as the solid chassis proves, and the seat offers both 360-degree rotation and lie-flat adjustment – unheard of in buggies of this class. Top marks.

Any drawbacks? The straps can be a little tough to adjust and it’s not the cheapest travel buggy on the market.

ERGOBABY METRO CITY COMPACT STROLLER

Eufy Security SpaceView HD Baby Monitor £TBA; eufylife.com

Why we love it: This monitor offers 720p resolution (far clearer than the usual 240p resolution monitors), audio alerts when baby cries and an additional lens for a wider field of vision when baby becomes mobile – meaning you don’t need to splurge on a new accessory. Remote control operation also allows you to pan left and right and up and down from up to 460 feet away, so it’s perfect for keeping an eye on the kids when staying in a hotel suite or villa.

Any drawbacks? The strength of the wireless signal depends on where you’re staying – thick walls or metal structures can reduce the range.

Amawrap Baby Sling

From £39.99; amawrap.com

Why we love it: Sometimes on holiday a full-on baby carrier (or buggy) is just too much hassle, and a traditional sling is the easier option.

The range of slings from Amawrap fit the bill perfectly. Available in a full spectrum of colours and pretty prints, they’re constructed from 100% cotton and ensure that baby sits in a

EUFY SECURITY SPACEVIEW HD BABY MONITOR

comfortable and safe position – with no pressure on the hips. Easy to tie and easy to wear, they’re great for bonding and enhancing skin-to-skin contact while exploring foreign climes.

Any drawbacks? Works best when the weather’s not too extreme, and can be a sweaty affair with larger babies.

ErgoBaby Metro City Compact Stroller

£299.90; ergobaby.co.uk

Why we love it: The Metro City Compact by Ergobaby weighs a whisper over 6kg, offers a simple one-hand fold and brings the brand’s ergonomic expertise to bear for the ultimate in comfort. Plush and practical in equal measure, it has full recline for baby and mesh panels for ventiliation.

It’s sturdy enough to handle anything the urban environment can throw at it, is cabin luggage-approved and offers optional newborn kit, if needed.

Any drawbacks? Sometimes the fold isn’t as smooth as you’d expect, and when folded it’s slightly larger than the leaders in this class.

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~

“IN THE NETHERLANDS A VISIT TO EFTELING IS A RITE OF PASSAGE”

~

T Park Life The Netherlands’ largest theme park may be little-known in the UK, but it’s certainly worth considering. Absolutely Mama visits Efteling

Wo r d s PE N D L E H A R T E

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here’s something magical about waking up somewhere when you’ve arrived in the dark and have no idea what you’ll see from the window.

Especially when you’re staying in a theme park.

We open the curtains in our third-floor hotel room with no idea of what to expect – and we’re rewarded with a dreamy rustic scene: small wooden huts clustered around a clearly man-made lake. It’s very controlled and clean and slightly surreal.

We love it immediately. An eager queue is already forming for the shuttle bus: hotel guests are offered VIP early entry tickets to the rides, which means breakfast at 7.15am.

We’ve missed that slot, but as it turns out, anyone who has survived Legoland has nothing to fear from Efteling’s queues.

Europe’s fourth-largest theme park remains virtually unknown in the UK but in the Netherlands a visit to Efteling is a rite of

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passage. Conceived in the 1950s by children’s illustrator Anton Pieck, it’s a theme park with heritage and a strong fairytale tradition that sets it apart from the heavy commercialism of some of these places. When we arrive it’s teeming with Dutch grandparents, parents and children groups, many of the oldies reliving their childhood memories with their grandchildren. But that’s not to say that Efteling’s appeal is historical. The original Fairytale Forest remains, but there are enough new daredevil rides to appeal to the seasoned theme park enthusiast (and frighten their grandma).

The Fairytale Forest is where we start and it is actually magical, and not just if you’re aged five. This is a large woodland inhabited by animated installations retelling lots of classic fairytales, and our daughters – aged 12 and nine – are as entranced by it as they would have been when they were five. Some of it is dark and genuinely scary, like when the Little Match Girl dies and becomes a hologram, and when the wolf wearing grandmother’s nightie and lying in her bed turns out to be breathing heavily, and when a convincing mist envelops the pathways. There are talking trees and fairytale touches at every turn; memorable exhibits include Rapunzel letting down her hair, Rumpelstiltskin chanting eerily and the hilarious sedan chair nudity of the Emperor’s New Clothes.

It seems that we’ve missed a few of the classic tales: The Gardener and the Fakir leaves us baffled (it turns out to have been specially written for Efteling) and we had

never encountered The Chinese Nightingale before. But Efteling isn’t exclusively about cute. We queue for probably 40 minutes to try what is reputedly the park’s scariest ride, the Baron, described as a “dive coaster” and with a minimum height requirement of 1.4m.

From the queue we can hear people screaming and if we could have seen the vertical drop they were screaming about, we’d probably have abandoned the idea. This ride is pure terror – or pure joy for people who like that kind of thing. Happily, we weren’t in the front row, and even more happily it’s over very quickly. Less extreme rides include the Bobsleigh and the Vliegender Hollander, which are rollercoasters of a less terrifying variety, and several narrative-based rides, including the “dark ride” Symbolica, which is a sort of interactive magical

INSPIRATION

dreamscape, and the Villa Volta, a cursed house that spins around you – or maybe you spin around it – leaving you dizzy and confused.

What we liked most about Efteling was its easy infrastructure and size. It’s small enough for one day to be enough and spacious enough not to feel crowded, while the queueing isn’t overwhelming.

In egalitarian northern European style, there are no fast-track passes for sale, but there are shorter queues for people on their own (filling up lone seats) and the Python even allows you to book a time slot via the Efteling app at no charge.

On top of all that, there aren’t as many souvenir shops as there could be and the problem of rubbish is solved ingeniously. Ask a Dutch person for their childhood memories of Efteling and they’ll probably mention the bins: these are huge grinning faces with wide open mouths.

When you throw your crisp packet in, a friendly voice thanks you. This inspires children of all ages to run around voluntarily litterpicking – an instant solution.

Except of course there aren’t crisp packets everywhere, not just because the Dutch are tidy and have a sense of civic duty, but because there’s a notable lack of junk food at Efteling. Sure, there are sweet shops, but there are also fruit stalls, and the restaurants offer relatively healthy fare.

At the end of the day we take our seats for Caro, a new circus performance with a touching narrative and lots of acrobatic spectacle that turns out to be better than Cirque du Soleil, before heading back to our family room at the surreal yet comfortable Loonsche Land hotel, where the children retreat to their bunkbeds gratefully.

A two-night stay at Hotel Loonsche Land in February 2019 starts at €605 for a family of four, including breakfast and three days’ unlimited access to Efteling. Efteling is 100km from Amsterdam/90km from Antwerp and easily accessible via train or car. efteling.com Januar y 2019

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mama PROMOTION PUT Flyte Portable Bath, £35 kidly.co.uk BABYBJORN Baby Carrier Mini, from £74.99 babybjorn.co.uk

SKIP HOP Pronto Travel Changing Mat, £30 kidly.co.uk

SAMSONITE Dream Rider, £49 samsonite.co.uk

BINIBAMBA Buggy Liner, £98 binibamba.com

MOUNTAIN BUGGY Bag Rider, £79 amazon.com

travel

ESSENTIALS Taking baby on holiday made easy by Mama a Mames lov

OXO TOT 2-in-1 Travel potty, £17 kidly.co.uk

BABYZEN YOYO+ Buggy Bag, £84.95 johnlewis.com

HAUK Sleep n Play Centre, £67.85 preciouslittleone.com

BABYMOOV Travel Bottle Warmer, £19 kidly.co.uk

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Activities Abroad

Specialists in providing thrilling, yet safe, family activity holidays since 2002, they don’t feature kids’ clubs on their tours as at Activities Abroad the belief is that family holidays are about enjoying shared experiences and creating special memories together. Perfect if your family wants to explore new cultures, witness incredible wildlife or enjoy some thrilling activities. artisantravelcompany.com

MAKING MEMORIES WITH ORIGINALTRAVEL.CO.UK

make a

SPLASH We’ve done the research so you don’t have to. Check out our selection of the best travel companies out there.

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Holiday Tots

Holiday Tots specialise in finding the perfect holiday accommodation, whether you are looking for baby’s first holiday or a family getaway.

They are a small award-winning team who are experienced and passionate about travelling with little ones, and have built up a collection of over 400 holiday options, from private villas to quaint cottages. Take a look and be inspired... holidaytots.co.uk

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mama PROMOTION

Four Seasons

Turquoise

Four Seasons Fairways, one of the Algarve’s most prestigious villa resorts, boasting a mix of two and three bed villas (132 in total) has announced the opening of their new Clubhouse.

With a recent makeover it now features a glass walled wine cellar, indoor-outdoor bar, two heated swimming pools and a spectacular ‘Upside Down World’ Kids’ Club. fourseasonsfairways.com

The Turquoise Holiday Company truly believes that travel is the best of schools. Many of them are parents, so they understand how to ensure the smoothest of holidays. They encourage all clients to visit their office to see their resident mums and dads for a coffee or glass of bubbly, for a few minutes of peace. (And a large toy selection!) Let their family look after yours. turquoiseholidays.co.uk

Sands Resort

There’s much to consider when planning holidays with your baby, but the Sands Resort in North Cornwall has it all covered. Spacious rooms, cots, a crèche, warm pools and soft play will make your holiday one to remember. And whilst your little one is in the safe hands of the friendly childcare team you can enjoy a dinner for two or a relaxing massage. sandsresort.co.uk

i-escape

Original Travel

i-escape Kids Collection is a 900-strong selection of stylish family-friendly hotels and rentals. They understand that parents still want to stay in beautiful boutique hideaways after the kids arrive. By visiting each property and creating detailed reviews full of insider tips, i-escape always choose the best property for your family. i-escape.com

The brilliant team at Original Travel takes the time to understand what you really want from your holiday. They provide the transformational details that turn time away from home into lifelong treasured memories.

By taking great pride in creating bespoke itineraries for your family, they finesse every detail so your holiday is totally hassle-free. originaltravel.co.uk

Tots To Travel

Tots to Travel take having fun on holiday seriously. Their team specialises in finding and developing their own beautiful properties for families who want to holiday with their babies. They’re committed to giving parents the opportunity and confidence to go anywhere with their little ones, by providing everything they need for a seamless and safe travel experience. totstotravel.co.uk

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UK GETAWAY

LAKEFRONT LUXURY Exploring the idyllic and familyfriendly Lower Mill Estate

Wo r d s A L E X H U N T E R

T H E E S TAT E

L

ower Mill Estate is a hidden gem of a holiday resort, just an hour and a half away from Central London. Built on the site of an old quarry, properties are situated on a vast nature reserve in the Cotswolds boasting eight lakes, miles of walking routes and exceptional facilities – making for sophisticated and wholesome family holidays. Although the properties offer every modern comfort, the estate has a wonderfully old-fashioned feel to it. Children roam on bikes sans parents, the max speed limit is 10mph and everyone from guests to staff seem happy to be there.

T H E A PA R T M E N T

O

ur apartment was set up as a home with fluffy towels, a well-stocked kitchen, comfortable beds and a barbeque on the terrace, you feel relaxed from the moment you walk in. Being surrounded by the lakes and nature at such close quarters creates a feeling of calm.

T H E S PA

T

he family spa is incredibly popular with all ages.

There’s an outdoor eco

pool filtered by water lilies, as well as large indoor and outdoor heated pools. If you want to warm up after a refreshing dip there is a sauna and steam room. A technogym is on-site and yoga tuition can be booked.

Treatments range from facials and massages to manicures and waxing. I opted for a gel manicure; my therapist was wonderful, the room calming and the pedicure lasted forever.

THINGS TO DO

M

illstone Park is a short walk or cycle from the properties.

Ballihoo Restaurant & Clubhouse overlooks communal tennis courts and the fantastic playground, so you can sip your coffee in comfort while keeping

an eye on your tinies. There’s also a small but well-stocked shop here for essentials.

The nearby Activity Hub is where you can hire bikes and watersports equipment and find out anything you need to know about the estate and local area. We had bikes with trailers – brilliant for whizzing round.

THE FOOD

S

erving local produce for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Ballihoo offers delicious food in a relaxed environment that’s family-friendly. We sat by the log fire for dinner and enjoyed delicious duck rillettes and a perfectly cooked steak while the children had a menu of their own.

H A B I TAT E S C A P E S 2-bedroom villa from £569 for a 2-night stay; habitatescapes.com Januar y 2019

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‘ Enjoying childhood and realising our imagination.’

“My time at Dallington has helped me to grow in body, mind and soul – this is something that I am immeasurably grateful for. Dallington has given me a push in the direction of success and I am thankful for all they have done. I will do the best I can to repay them, the best I can, by leading an honest and dignified life.”

Nick (Year 6 pupil) Dallington is a family-run co-educational independent school, with a nursery, in the heart of London.

Personal tours each day of the week, except Wednesday.

Headteacher, Proprietor and Founder: Mogg Hercules MBE Email: hercules@dallingtonschool.co.uk Phone: 020 7251 2284 www.dallingtonschool.co.uk

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resources

A S K T H E E X P E R T S p10 4 • M I N D F U LN E S S I N S C H O O L S p1 10 • TA LK I N G H E A D p1 14

Quiet Time • IN THIS SECTION •

Mindfulness is on our minds this month, with Dr Andy Cope talking to us about his pioneering work on mental health awareness in schools.

The power of positive thinking doesn’t mean much if you don’t have time to think, however, which is why we’re also excited to discover the “pause” policy at St James Prep, where students are given time to think and be silent during the day.

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06/12/2018 11:28

Adele MARIE

Ego Hair, Queen’s Park’s favourite salon egohair.co.uk

Ask the

EXPERTS Q

&

A

Parenting and medical professionals, as well as leading entrepreneurs, answer some of your most pressing questions 1 04

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Q What are the benefits of organic shampoos?

A There are plenty of benefits to using organic shampoos and conditioners which extend far beyond the clean conscience they inspire. Firstly, you avoid harmful chemicals. Commercial shampoos often have a wide number of chemicals such as sodium and aluminum lauryl sulfate, derivatives of lauryl alcohol, propylene glycol and olefin sulfonate. These chemicals can have several negative effects on the hair and scalp. Not only can they cause irritation in the sebaceous oil glands, they can also dry out the hair which leads to split-ends and a dull look. Sodium lauryl sulfate is also considered to be especially harmful as it is absorbed by the body and may have further negative consequences.

Secondly, organic shampoos and conditioners are excellent for sensitive skin. Since organic shampoos are made of natural products, the likelihood of allergic reactions and causing skin sensitivity is low, making them perfect for those with allergic and sensitive skin.

Another benefit of going organic when it comes to haircare is its environmental credentials. Organic shampoos do not pollute the environment, instead they break down into organic compounds.

These compounds then decompose into the soil without causing any harm to plant and animal life.

Finally, organic shampoos stimulate hair follicles. The stimulation leads to accelorated hair growth, plus, it promotes the growth of new hair, all of which will leads to thick, shiny locks.

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reso ur c es ADVICE

Heather MORRIS

Heather Morris is a Registered General Nurse and State Certified Midwife. She is mum to Freddy, Harry and Jack. . metanium.co.uk Q My little one has just got her fi rst tooth coming through and she’s got nappy rash. Are the two related?

A Although there’s no clinical evidence of a link between nappy rash and teething, many parents say they’ve noticed an association between the two. It could be that the extra saliva produced when a baby is teething leads to looser stools and, in turn, a greater chance of nappy rash developing. Others claim that a hormonal imbalance arises during teething, when the stress hormone

endocrine is produced, which leads to fluid imbalance in the gut, causing diarrhoea. Whichever camp you fi nd yourself in, it’s always worth trying to prevent nappy rash occurring in the fi rst place. Try to maximise the time your baby spends with no nappy on, so that fresh air can get to her most sensitive skin. You can also try using plain warm water and cotton wool to wipe your baby’s bottom instead of typical wipes, and, fi nally, try to always use a barrier ointment or spray at each nappy change.

“TRY USING WATER AND COTTON WOOL TO WIPE YOUR BABY’S BOTTOM INSTEAD OF WIPES”

Darren BREEN

iMEDicare vibrancepelvictrainer.co.uk Q How can I prevent and treat my weak pelvic floor?

A Emerging research suggests that high-impact exercise is closely linked with incidence of urinary leakage, all the while it is increasing in popularity amongst women in the UK. The physiology of high impact stress incontinence is complex, but the majority of women experience symptom relief through pelvic floor strengthening.

The best way to treat a weak or leaky pelvic floor is with daily targeted pelvic floor exercises. These days, there is a whole host of products on the market that can assist you. The most

important aspect of your attempts to stregnthen your pelvic floor is to ensure correct technique. Then, it’s a case of practise followed by persistence. It can take anything from a few days, to a few weeks or months to achieve a completely leak free pelvic floor. A new device now available in the UK is called Vibrance, distributed by iMEDicare.

Vibrance is a vibration feedback kegel educator. It works by vibrating each and every time you contract your pelvic floor muscles correctly.

A beeping system alerts you to the fact that you’re contracting for long enough, and if you feel the gentle vibration, it means you are spot on with technique. You are likely to see results faster using this litle machine, rather than struggling along while using a poor technique. All it takes is one or two, very simple five-minute daily routines. You can also purchase resistance sleeves which serve to add difficulty. They also keep you motivated to improve pelvic floor tone faster and achieve a leak free lifestyle – sooner rather than later.

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All children can achieve

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reso ur c es ADVICE

Dr. Aamer KHAN

Co-founder of the leading Harley Street Skin Clinic harleystreetskinclinic.com Q How can I protect my skin from the elements during colder months?

A Great skin thrives on routine.

Often patients come to me complaining of excessively oily skin, but what it is really a sign of is extreme dryness. Your skin is very intuitive, if it’s struggling to stay hydrated then it will make up it with an influx of oil. Changing your routine simply breaks the cycle, making it almost impossible to keep skin under control. Once you fi nd a skincare regime that

works for you, keep to it, making small adaptations as seasons change.

You should be aiming to use gentle cleansers and moisturisers twice a day to help re-educate the skin. It will fi nd its stride soon enough.

How you apply your moisturiser is also very important. Friction between your skin and hands generates heat, which can cause water particles in products to evaporate before they absorb into the skin. Eye serums should be delicately pressed onto the skin, and any product which needs to be worked in should be applied gently in circular, upward motions.

Many people fall short of their daily water intake due to sheer monotony.

A lot of the time the incentive just isn’t exciting enough. I suggest investing in an infuser bottle to help hydrate whilst keeping things interesting.

Packing your water bottles full of fruit has a whole host of biological benefits, too. While lemon will help to replenish the body’s natural electrolytes, strawberries are loaded with vitamins. And they taste great!

Sally WADE

is the founder of Treat Trunk, the healthy snack subsciption and delivery company treattrunk.co.uk A My child doesn’t like vegetables, what can I do?

Having a child who doesn’t like vegetables can be really stressful, especially when they refuse to eat any at all. Fortunately, there are many ways you can help to encourage them.

Get Creative – Grating, mashing or blending vegetables into foods your child will eat can help get their taste buds used to them.

Increase their nutrient intake in other areas – By increasing nutrient dense foods you can be assured their growing bodies are getting what they need.

Snack Healthy – Kids love to snack, and the range of healthy, childfriendly snacks available in the UK is huge.

Eat vegetables yourself – Kids love to copy us, so modelling a healthy relationship with vegetables is one of the best things you can do.

Grow Veg – Even if it’s one small pot of carrots, get your child involved with the whole process and they will be more likely to want to try the fi nished product.

Let them help in the kitchen – When children have helped created a dish (even if it’s just a REALLY chunky salad) they are also more likely to try some during the meal. You can buy child safe knives for this purpose Don’t Stress – Th is is likely just a phase and by reducing any stress around vegetables they are more likely to try them in the future.

“MODEL A HEALHY RELASTIONSHIP WITH VEGETABLES” Februar y 2019

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HOT WHEELS

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Littles who throw a fit everytime they’re strapped into a stroller rather than being allowed to run freely along the road will love this: a pint-sized trike that doubles as a canopied buggy when they get tired. So much fun – and with its handy shopping basket and supercompact fold, it’s practical, too. smarTrike smarTfold 300+, £99.99; argos.co.uk

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This new website offers a trio of support packages for new parents. Choose from a written guide to the early weeks and months, direct email access to experienced midwife (and site founder) Anneke, or both.

It’s great gift for those about to join the parenting fray. From £34.95; babykomu.co.uk

I SHOULD COCO S I M P LY C O C O N U T S

These wipes tick the usual boxes – dermatologically tested, approved for sensitive skin, biodegradable, made with 98% natural materials – while adding their own enticing USP: they’re infused with coconut oil, making them even more soothing for tiny tushies. £2.45; simplycoconuts.co.uk

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I

’ve had difficulties finding a flexible highchair that works to our needs.

I’ve done combination weaning with Jasper (11 months), so he’s been both traditionally weaned and dabbled in baby-led weaning. There are pros and cons to both, but I’ve found a good highchair really does help. That’s where this Snax highchair comes in.

First, the patterns are adorable; I’m all for practicality, but it does help if the product fits in with my aesthetic. The chair also has super-soft padding and handy straps to ensure your little one is well-supported and can’t wriggle out.

With six height settings, it fits both my dining table and my breakfast bar – and if you’re having a chilled meal you can even wheel it over and adjust it to sofa level.

There are also three recline settings, and a handy storage basket underneath the seat – I keep all Jasper’s bibs and some wipes there. Another plus is the tray insert, which is removeable for easy cleaning. I also use it to hold hot food while it cools.

One of the main issues I’ve had with cushioned seats in the past is keeping them clean. Fortunately, you can easily wipe down the Snax. And when not in use, it’s easy to fold the chair away.

All in all, we really liked the Snax highchair. It felt much more secure, compact and modern than others I’ve tried. Jasper liked it, too – we’ve had no seat tantrums yet!

Snax Highchair, £79 mamasandpapas.com

Januar y 2019

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06/12/2018 11:33

Positive

V I B E S One recovering psychology academic is on a mission to help schools tune into positive thinking – which he says drives academic results, changes mindsets and improves mental health

Wo r d s L I B BY N O R M A N

D

r Andy Cope spent 12 years at Loughborough University researching his PhD into positive psychology and the thorny issue of happiness. It was, he says, an experience that made him unhappy.

“When we talk about mental health, we tend to mean mental ill health and much of the literature surrounding this whole topic of happiness focuses on people who are unhappy.”

What Cope realised some way into his PhD was that there was precious little study into people who are happy and positive about their lot – the kind of people who spring out of bed every morning and tackle life’s obstacles cheerfully – and so that’s one thing he looked into.

He says: “It turns out that naturally happy people have exactly the same problems to deal with as everyone else.

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The difference is how they deal with the problems”.

PhD concluded, he moved out of the world of academia (although he still describes himself as a “recovering academic”) and into coaching and disseminating his knowledge. With several books under his belt, including The Art of Being a Brilliant Teenager and recently published Shine, he also delivers workshops on positive psychology – working with the likes of Microsoft, Sky and Waitrose – as well as offering programmes within schools.

Now the same positive-thinking research distilled from his academic years and his presentations has been translated into a non-profit aimed at helping schools to help themselves.

Working with the National Learning Trust, Cope and his team have devised Brilliant Schools as a means to help imbue positive messages within the fabric of schools.

Cope is careful to distinguish his work from mindfulness. He says: “Mindfulness is a fraction of what we do.

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~

“NATURALLY HAPPY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS TO DEAL WITH AS EVERYONE ELSE. THE DIFFERENCE IS HOW THEY DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS”

~

Positive thinking needs to be built into the curriculum. Humans generally have a natural negativity bias, so if we have one bad experience in a day our brains tend to delete all the good bits and just focus on the bad.”

Turning negativity on its head is what the Brilliant Schools programme aims to do. It is designed as a subscription service – Cope describes it as a Netflix for wellbeing. Currently designed for primary years onwards – although the message is universal – it delivers videos and discussion-point material that can be used in classes and assemblies. It has material designed specifically for teachers and parents, too, because Cope believes that if you want a happy school then all stakeholders need to buy into it.

While the positivity message may be clear and simple, material is underpinned by the latest academic thinking in psychology and cognitive behavioural therapy – focusing on building resilience and giving children, their parents and educators strategies for understanding and coping with life’s stresses. Cope says: “We live in a fast and full-on world that is affecting children and adults, and in

many schools you see the impact in emotionally extended teachers and mental health issues in even very young children. We can’t just sit it out and hope for things to calm down. We have to adapt to today’s reality and develop coping strategies”.

Material is designed to be fun and engaging, with lively graphics by Amy Bradley and simple takeaways, but that doesn’t dim the value of what is being taught. This is big-picture stuff – inviting children to set really big goals for the future (climbing Everest, playing for England), which are what Andy describes as “reasons to get out of bed in the morning”. Then there are bitesized targets: setting a plan for what you want to achieve every single day; doing an act of kindness every single day that will make you feel good about yourself. Then there are the markers for sustained life satisfaction – such as always doing things better than you have to.

Cope says these messages carried through the curriculum are a gamechanger. “Brilliant Schools is designed for schools to manage for themselves in workshops and assemblies, but is essentially a distillation of what our team present in workshops and keynotes. My experience is that this approach is transformational – happier children, better results and a more positive outlook for everyone.”

With support from the National Learning Trust, Brilliant Schools has a price point designed to make it as widely accessible as possible, and will use subscription funds to expand the library of material. While some schools are buying their own subscription, others are being supported through parent groups. It’s early days, but Cope hopes that Brilliant Schools will hook up schools with corporate and business partners willing to invest some of their CSR budget to forge closer local community ties. Cope says: “As a nation, we don’t want to fix young people after they are broken, but help them stay whole. That’s what Brilliant Schools is about.”

BRILLIANT SCHOOLS For more information about Brilliant Schools, visit brilliant.school Januar y 2019

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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 Melrose House 55 Finlay St, Fulham SW6 6HF 020 7736 9296

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reso urces DIRECTORY

Hatching Dragons Westminster Units 3&4 Westminster Quarter, 2 Monck street, London, SW1P 2BQ 0203 912 2902 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 Wee Ones Nursery 4 St Ann’s Cresent, London SW18 2LR 0208 870 7729

The Orchard Day Nursery 201-203 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, SW19 1NL 020 3880 7373 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

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

Vanessa Nursery 12 Cathnor Road, London W12 6JA 020 8743 8196

Windham Nursery School Windham Road, Richmond, Surrey, London TW9 2HP 0208 831 6060

Little Owls Nursery 108 Lakeside Rd, London W14 0DY 020 3266 0044

Merchant Square Day Nursery 13 Harbet Rd, Paddington, London W2 1AJ 020 7402 2227

The Kensington Kindergarten St Barnabas Church, 23 Addison Rd, Kensington, London W14 8LH 020 7371 4848

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 One World Montessori and Pre-Preparatory 69 - 71 Brook Green, London W6 7BE 020 7603 6065 Little Cherubs Nursery School Our Lady Of Victories Church Hall, 16a Abingdon Road, London W8 6AF 07810 712241

The Corner House Day Nursery 82 Lavington Rd, London W13 9LR 020 8567 2806 Bunny Park Day Nursery & Nursery School 37 Manor Court Rd, London W7 3EJ 020 8567 6142 Hatching Dragons Twickenham 2 The Green, Twickenham, London, TW2 5AA 0203 912 2901

Carmelite Parish Centre Pitt Street W8 4JH 07810 712241 Iverna Gardens Montessori Nursery School Armenian Church Hall, Iverna Gardens, London W8 6TP 020 7937 0794

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Happy Talk How one London school is pioneering new approaches to mental wellbeing

F

ollowing growing concerns about mental health problems among young people and with health education becoming a mandatory part of the curriculum for all primary and secondary schools from autumn 2020, the mental wellbeing of students is now top of the agenda for many primary schools across the country.

At St James Preparatory School, peace of mind and the happiness and wellbeing of all is intrinsic in everything we do, feel and believe in.

Since our foundation we have always maintained that an all-rounded, balanced education is better for the child; that academic success, creative development and spiritual thinking are not mutually exclusive.

This broad and balanced approach to education, along with the “pauses” or regular time of stillness, which we practise at the beginning and end of every lesson and periods such as assembly and lunch, helps to remind all our pupils of the stillness that is beyond the activity, noise and stresses of the day. It’s also a chance to start again, for some, particularly if the previous lesson has presented challenges, helping them move on.

We are delighted that from September this year we have been able to offer our youngest pupils the chance to appreciate the benefits of stillness with the opening of our new Nursery School. With increasing academic pressure on pupils from often a very young age, laying these important foundations from the very start of their educational journey will help

“The mental wellbeing of a pupil goes far beyond creating space to reflect and fall still ”

r es ou rc es EDUCATION

them grow into confident 360-degree thinkers.

However, the mental wellbeing of a pupil goes far beyond creating space to reflect and fall still. It is also about providing a stimulating environment, which, in the early years in particular, brings them outdoors to connect with nature. We see amazing differences in some children: some who just didn’t engage in the classroom suddenly come into their own when they get outside and are running around in the fresh air, getting their hands dirty, discovering creepy crawlies and climbing trees.

St James Nursery School will make regular use of the Forest School that St James Prep helps to develop in Marcus Garvey Park, right outside the nursery front gates. As the children move into the Prep School, outdoor education continues to play an important part of school life, with weekly visits to either our forest in Marcus Garvey or Gunnersbury Park Nature Reserve. Our older children also go on residential weekends and holidays where they learn about caring for the land and the importance of biodiversity.

All parents want their children to be happy. But they also want great academic results. This is achievable, but we have found that it works best in a varied curriculum that includes a range of stimulating trips, holidays and workshops, and an outstanding arts programme. This blend encourages an overall love of learning and peace of mind. That way the pupil can get great results. They just don’t get stressed about it.

C AT H E R I N E T H O M L I N S O N Headmistress St James Preparatory School

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