Naturally nourishing, utterly intimate & not without challenge, your breastfeeding journey will be as unique as you are.
Here at Seraphine, our clever nursing designs are made with love, to help you & your little one get off to the best possible start.
You are doing an amazing job – our innovative designs are here to ensure maximum comfort & easy access whenever & wherever you need it – all to make your life that little bit easier in those precious early days.
These are some of the hero pieces we recommend to all new nursing mamas:
1. The Bamboo Bras
Made in soft bamboo viscose, these nursing bras are comfortable & breathable, offering a whole host of amazing features – they’re hypoallergenic, temperature regulating, moisture wicking & even offer antibacterial properties!
As a new nursing mama, there’s simply no such thing as too many basic nursing tops. These ones are soft, stretchy & easy to wear – perfect for layering.
A comfy dress is the ultimate easy outfit & right now we’re offering 20% off* a selection of our favourites!
Check out our DRESS EDIT & enter the code: GLOW20 to claim the discount.
*T&Cs apply
4. The Skin to Skin Top
A must-have for new mamas, these tops are designed to help keep your hands free while enjoying the amazing benefits of skin to skin time with your little one… and you can nurse in it too!
A great way to kickstart your nursing clothes collection, the kit includes a simple striped nursing top, a classic A-line dress with easy zip nursing access at the front & a comfy pair of post-pregnancy leggings.
The three styles work beautifully together & are ideal for mixing & matching with pieces from your regular wardrobe.
In the end, it all comes down to what works for you & your baby. As long as everybody is happy & nobody is hungry, you’re doing a fantastic job – keep it up mama!
Originally from Denmark, long-time London resident Helene is the founder of Outdoor Owls, Richmond’s outdoor nursery. She also recently welcomed her first baby – a gorgeous little girl called Else.
We caught up with Helene to talk business & motherhood during a pandemic & to find out more about outdoor education for little ones.
Thank you, I’m over the moon! She is the best little human ever! But I must admit that the first couple of weeks with her were mixed. She arrived just before the Corona crisis escalated so I was partly in a blissful baby bubble and partly stressed about the state of the world.
I also had to navigate a stressful time of temporarily closing the nursery and making sure that my team and our families would be okay through lockdown.
Tell us about Outdoor Owls – where did the idea come from?
My inspiration takes me back to my Danish upbringing, where there is a long-standing tradition of outdoor education and ‘Forest School’, so I guess I brought that idea with me to London.
We believe that not only is it healthy for children to be outdoors but it’s also a much better learning environment for them. With this in mind, we created a holistic, child-centred learning and development programme.
Children are very capable, so Outdoor Owls actively encourages ‘safe risk-taking’ to help build independence. For example, climbing trees (to a safe height) and using tools (under guidance of an educator). Our focus is much broader than simply getting each child school ready – we also want to help them get ready for life!
What does a typical day look like for a child at Outdoor Owls?
We offer full time care from 7:45am – 6pm, 51 weeks a year. It was important for us to create an exciting full daycare option where parents can feel good about leaving their child while they work.
We start the day indoors with breakfast, then get dressed in our waterproofs and into our 6-seater buggies. After a lovely nature stroll, we arrive at our green space where we set up our tipi and basecamp for the day. Then we play, explore and learn for a couple of hours before lunch. In the afternoon, the smallest children can nap in our tipi (complete with camp beds and sleeping bags!) while we continue to play before packing up to return indoors for 4pm. The last couple of hours we spend indoors reading, playing and dancing, and enjoying a lovely warm dinner – appetite is usually high after an active day out in fresh air!
Most days are spent in our green space, but we also organise regular outings to places like Ham House, the local library, a school, a flower nursery… One of our favourite visits is to an elderly home – it’s so lovely to see that the visits are of mutual joy to the children and the elders.
Where to start! The major benefits are health, educational and environmental.
Outdoors, children naturally move around more, building stamina, muscle strength, balance, and coordination. They also develop a stronger immune system with improved gut bacteria, while plenty of fresh air gives viruses less opportunity to spread. Not to mention the mental health benefits, from improved resilience, attention, and self-confidence to reduced anxiety.
As for education, i think of it as a ‘wall-less’ classroom where you can teach maths to a 2 year old by counting sticks and measuring up puddles, and literacy by talking about the things you see in an ever-changing environment. It’s a much more stimulating setting with hands-on opportunities for learning and endless room for curiosity, imagination and creativity!
Finally, the time our children spend outside helps them build a positive attitude towards nature, biodiversity and our planet. Hopefully, they grow up to be custodians of it!
Not sure if it will be a ‘balance’ as such, it will probably more be the case of letting it all merge. I am really ambitious about running the nursery and in the last year my working hours have been pretty full on. Going forward I will surely have less time, but the good thing is that I can be really flexible. And since my business is a nursery, the surroundings are child friendly, so I can bring my daughter with me.
I’ve been living in my 3 in 1 Seraphine maternity jackets. I have the hoodie and the parka. During pregnancy they were the only ones that could zip over my belly and they’re also great after birth. The extra pouch on the front means I can snuggle the baby inside which is the best feeling!
I also recommend Seraphine maternity leggings – I’ve been using mine for the last 2 months of my pregnancy and they are even better after birth when you just want to be comfortable. I am conscious of not buying clothes too often so I like pieces like this of good quality that can be used again and again.
Any advice for other mums thinking of starting their own business?
As for anyone starting a business, you need to prepare and plan carefully. Adding motherhood to the equation means less flexibility, so you need to be realistic about the timing of each step.
Finally, I cannot stress enough the importance of a good team. My co-founder and I put a LOT of energy into hiring an outstanding team. I am reaping the benefits now – even through this extremely difficult time when we had to temporarily close and I had just given birth. I could trust the team to manage things in my absence with minimal guidance.
In-person parties might be out right now, but you & your beautiful bump still deserve to be celebrated! While we’re all maintaining our social distance, why not think about throwing a virtual baby shower?
We’ve covered all the basics in our how-to guide.
Watch the Video
Choose your Platform & Invite your Guests
First you need to decide the best platform to host your virtual baby shower. There are plenty of options out there – Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangouts… the usual suspects.
We think Zoom is great – it’s user-friendly with minimal set-up (great for older relatives), and the free version allows you to invite up to 100 guests for up to 40 minutes.
Of course, you can always start a new call when the timer runs out, and the natural pause provides a great opportunity for a bathroom break!
Another helpful way to use that 40-minute limit is to divide up your guests, almost like a seating plan. Video calls can become chaotic with too many people involved, so by breaking up the party into smaller, more manageable groups – 1 for friends & 1 for family, for example – you’ll enjoy more quality time with everyone.
One great way to cultivate that special occasion feeling is to choose a special outfit! Ditch the leggings & loungewear for the day & put on your best maternity party dress. You’ll be the centre of attention after all, so you’ll want to look & feel your best.
One big advantage of a virtual baby shower is that it involves much less prep work for the hosts. In terms of decorations, you only need to think about 1 area of your home – the bit the camera will be pointing at! This is great because you can make a really big impact with minimal resources.
Catering is also much easier – everyone provides their own! Though we think it’s a nice idea to set a theme for the snacks to make things feel a little more cohesive – how about ‘Bring Your Own Afternoon Tea’ or ‘Take out of your choice’.
When it comes to games & entertainment, trivia, quizzes & scavenger hunts work well online – why not ask all your guests to send over a baby picture of themselves in advance & play a virtual round of guess the baby!
Of course, one of the focal points of the party is usually opening up the gifts & cooing over the impossibly tiny baby clothes. There are two ways around this, and which you choose largely depends on how organised you & your guests can be.
Option 1: You ask your guests to send gifts in advance so you can open them up on camera
Option 2: Your guests reveal their gifts on camera & send them on to you after the party
For gifting inspiration, check out our gorgeous collection of baby shower gifts online now.
Of course, you may not feel up to hosting a full video call party right now, and that is completely ok! There are plenty of other ways to mark the occasion.
A small celebration at home with just your immediate family will be every bit as special. If your other half is handy with a camera, you could arrange a pregnancy photoshoot at home. And if any of your friends & family live locally, why not organise a drive by & socially distant gift drop off!
Another idea is to ask your would-be guests to send a short message of advice or encouragement for you & a wish for baby’s future. This could either be online or by post, which you could gather into a keep-sake scrap book. Or you could even ask them to record it as a video & ask a clever friend to edit them together.
Where, when & how a woman chooses to feed her baby ought not to be a taboo topic. Yet many new mums still feel nervous about the idea of breastfeeding in public.
This week we were inspired to see new mamas Amy Willerton & Ashley Graham proudly breastfeeding their babes while out & about.
Model & TV presenter Amy Willerton, who welcomed her first baby, Demelza, back in January, posted this gorgeous picture wearing one of our maternity & nursing tunics, along with a heartfelt caption about her recent struggles with breastfeeding.
She wrote: “Yesterday was my first PUBLIC feed with Dem. Seems mad as she’s 6 weeks old but basically I haven’t been brave enough yet...”
She credited US model & body positivity champion Ashley Graham for giving her the confidence to breastfeed in public. Ashley recently posted this similar snap of herself feeding her new son Isaac in a café in Brooklyn.
“Thank you @ashleygraham for drinking coffee with your baby the other day so I could feel more comfortable drinking tea with mine.”
Amy also goes into how she managed to reverse her milk drying up by switching from combination back to exclusive breastfeeding for a while. Find out more by reading Amy’s full caption on Instagram.
Amy recently opened up about her breastfeeding journey on IGTV. Watch the full video above to find out what’s been working for her & Demelza.
Seraphine Mums Talk Breastfeeding in Public
Here at Seraphine we’re big believers in #fedisbest and doing whatever works for you & your little one. We have many mums on our team, so we asked them to share a bit about their own breastfeeding journies.
This is what they had to say about breastfeeding in public:
We design our nursing clothes to be comfortable, practical & stylish, so you can have the confidence to breastfeed whenever & wherever your baby is hungry.
And of course, breastfeeding in public doesn’t always have to mean baring a boob. We offer all kinds of nursing access, from discreet zips, poppers & buttons to easy lift-up layers.
And for those who don’t feel completely comfortable nursing in public, one of our stylish nursing shawls is the perfect choice!
Whether it’s formula, pre-pumped, breastfeeding in public or a combination of all of the above, how you feed your baby is YOUR decision.
Dust off your Charleston skills ladies, we are officially back in the 20s! As we enter the 2020s many parents are looking back to the glitz & glamour of the jazz age for a touch of vintage baby-naming inspiration.
When it comes to colour names, the last decade was all about bold bright shades like Scarlet, Violet, Saffron & Blue. But 2020 is ushering in a new age of softer pastel hues.
The name Grey, in particular, has been climbing up the charts & can work for both boys & girls.
Of course, not everyone’s looking as far back as the 1920s for naming ideas. One of this year’s top baby name trends is a little more recent!
Many of those becoming parents this year were kids or teenagers in the 90s & some are choosing nostalgic 90s inspired names.
Names we love:
Brittany Nicole Austin Amber Nicholas Kyle
4) Baking Boom
According to the SSA (Social Security Administration), Baker is one of the fastest climbing baby names in the US at the moment. And Baker is just the cherry on the cake when it comes to the blossoming baking baby name trend…
Keeping on top of
things isn’t always easy. It’s hard enough alone, but add your partner, kids
& childcare options into the mix and it can start to feel like you’re
fighting a losing battle!
Enter, Coorganiz – the new family organisation app designed by mums, for mums.
Set up in 2017 by entrepreneurs and mothers Anne-Béatrice Sonnier and Emma Berger, the app is designed to help parents manage their busy lives more easily, coordinating between partners, grandparents, nannies and anyone else who helps out with baby.
You can share your little one’s schedule – from doctor’s appointments to your childcare rota – especially helpful for those heading back to work. And as your child grows, the app can handle all their weekly activities, play dates, appointments & more.
Everyone in your group will have up to date info, with automated reminders for all your events – Coorganiz takes care of it all.
On top of this, you can share shopping lists, to-do lists, notes, documents, images & contact numbers with everyone who needs them. So you can be sure that everyone looking after your little ones is on the same page & has access to all the info they need.Coorganiz is available both on the App Store and Google Play as well as on your desktop with everything you need to organise your family life.
Almost 100,000 parents
are already using Coorganiz to help them stay organised. Why not give it a try
& see what all the fuss is about!
Nothing says royal baby quite like a Seraphine maternity dress – we were the preferred maternity brand of the Duchess of Cambridge throughout all three of her pregnancies after all!
This blue lace dress is inspired by one of ours, which was worn by Kate Middleton, The Duchess of Cambridge when she was expecting Prince Louis.
She wore our gorgeous lace dress to meet the King and Queen of Norway on her official royal tour of Scandinavia back in 2018.
Kate’s Top Maternity Coats
Our Wool Maternity Coat in camel is also featured in the movie, which makes sense – the Duchess of Cambridge was a big fan of our maternity coats while she was pregnant.
She wore our Natasha Cashmere Blend Maternity Coat during both her second & third pregnancies. She also looked stunning in our Marina Maternity Coat as she arrived in New York at the start of her first official royal visit to the US.
There’s nothing like a festive movie night this time of year, so why not give it a watch over the Holidays & play spot the Seraphine style!
Getting ready to welcome a new baby is an exciting time for
the whole family, and reading up on what to expect throughout pregnancy & after
is a great way to help you, your partner & your little ones feel more
prepared.
These are our top pregnancy books for mums, dads & big siblings-to-be.
When people think of pregnancy books, this is the one that most likely springs to mind.
Now in its 5th edition and having inspired a global franchise & blockbuster Hollywood movie, ‘What to Expect’ has been a trusted companion of mothers-to-be since it was first published in the 80s.
The simple question & answer style proceeds
chronologically from conception, throughout your nine months (with a chapter
dedicated to each) and into the postpartum period.
If you’re interested in the idea of natural childbirth, then this one is a must-read.
With 30 plus years of experience as one of the world’s leading midwives, Ina May offers inspiring birth stories mixed with practical advice. All geared towards taking the fear out of childbirth & helping you learn to trust your body to do the job it’s made to do.
This book is perfect for the mum who likes to be fully informed but not patronised or preached to.
It covers topics from pre-conception all the way through to the postpartum period in a no-nonsense and unbiased way – aiming to help you to make informed personal choices that are right for you and your baby.
A Sunday Times Bestseller & the inspiration behind Giovanna’s popular Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast, this is not so much a parenting advice book as a window into Giovanna’s own personal experience of motherhood.
It’s an upbeat and encouraging look at all aspects of life with young children, which aims to leave you feeling that you’re not alone.
A comprehensive month by month guide that breaks down how the baby is developing, what the mother is likely to be experiencing & what the father should probably be thinking, feeling and doing at every stage.
It’s full of handy lists, bullet points and interesting info that dads-to-be are sure to enjoy
It’s comprehensive, down to earth dad-to-dad advice.
This one focuses purely on the big day & how dad can make himself useful during labour.
Written by a husband and wife team, each subject gets a ‘his and hers’ perspective which makes for a fun read. It’s also quite compact & quick to read – great for a busy dad-to-be.
A lovely book, perfect for helping children prepare to welcome a new sibling.
It describes pregnancy through the eyes of a child, explaining why mummy might be feeling tired or eating funny things. It’s written completely in rhyme with colourful pictures throughout.
Nadia Raafat is a pregnancy yoga instructor, mindfulness coach, qualified doula and a mother of four.
We caught up with her to talk yoga poses for pregnancy, birth stories and the power of empowerment.
1) Tell us a little about your background – How did you get into yoga & mindfulness?
As a former National rhythmic gymnast and dancer, I always used my body to express myself. Movement, balance, creative expression through the body – these were the things that made me feel alive.
I gave up aged 15 and was, physically-speaking, lost in the proverbial desert for some years, but upon discovering yoga aged 29, I felt my body coming home.
2) Why did you decide to specialise in pregnancy?
During my first pregnancy, I was too busy working late and navigating the drama of an unplanned pregnancy to take care of myself. I was young and naive and didn’t realise how much inner preparation is required for childbirth. I had a difficult birth experience and an emergency section.
When I debriefed the birth I could see where
I had let myself down and where I had been let down by my carers. When I got
pregnant again I promised myself I would honour the pregnancy and birth this
time.
I found the most inspiring pregnancy
yoga teacher, learned hypnobirthing, hired an independent midwife and decided to
have a home-birth.
I went from being a frightened and disempowered pregnant woman to an embodied birthing goddess. It was such a healing experience and a call to action for me. I trained immediately afterwards and started teaching pregnancy yoga when my son was 9 months old. That was 14 years ago.
3) Can you tell us more about your role as a Doula?
During that first childbirth experience, I had felt really unsupported. I felt frightened and overwhelmed. I knew that this was not how a young first-time mother should labour.
When I heard about birth doulas, I recognised immediately their importance in supporting women through pregnancy, birth the transition to early motherhood. I trained with some of the original doulas and the great Michelle Odent – a pioneering obstetrician who went on to become the first male doula and is credited with bringing water births to maternity units both in the UK and France.
4) Have your own pregnancies impacted the way you support other women through theirs?
Every pregnancy is different and each one
of mine has thrown up complications that have positioned me outside of the normal
care pathway. This taught me how important it is for each mother to navigate
her own unique position as she moves through the maternity system and not to
relegate herself to little more than a statistic.
A key part of my birth preparation programme is empowering women to learn about the system, the NICE guidelines, and how to access the latest research and to make decisions from an empowered and informed place.
5) What makes yoga & mindfulness so beneficial for new & expectant mums?
Yoga is widely regarded as the optimum physical practise for pregnancy; it offers all the strengthening, support and flexibility a pregnant body requires without any undue strain or pressure.
It also teaches self-awareness and is perfect
as a birth preparation programme, as it shows you how to use your body during
labour to relax through movement, make space for the baby, and use the breath
to enter and surrender to the experience.
Mindfulness is the new hot ticket in Childbirth Education and the ultimate accompaniment to pregnancy yoga. It helps to cultivate a grounded and steady mind that is less affected by negative conditioning and unhelpful thought patterns…whatever they are; from anxiety to low self-esteem; from fear of labour to simply managing overwhelm – a very common experience for new mothers.
Cat-Cow for spinal flexibility, Pelvic Tilts or Rolls to energise and mobilise the pelvis and lower back, Dog pose, to stretch and straighten the spine, Childs pose (legs wide) to open up the lower body and let your breath expand and release your lower back, Supported Squat (heels on blocks) to open up the lower pelvis and stretch the pelvic floor, Dynamic Low Lunge (supported where necessary) to open up the hips, and hip-flexors, stretch the hamstrings… it’s also a great preparation position for childbirth and Wide Angle Standing Forward Bend (supported in the third trimester); this is an inversion which can help release and lengthen the spine, calm the mind and stretch the pelvic floor and hamstrings.
The essential aspect is that breath awareness and body awareness is brought to all of the poses that you do.
7) Do you have any top mindfulness tips to share with expectant mums?
Yes. Each morning before you get out of bed,
sit comfortably, close your eyes and take 10 breaths, counting each one on both
the inhale and exhale. Do the same just before you go to bed at night. In time,
progress to 20 breaths.
Learning to anchor the mind on the breath
and on being with what is (without resistance) is the most important skill for labour
and childbirth and, looking forward, motherhood and Life!
Mindfulness is for Life not just for childbirth! 🙂
Her Yoga and Mindfulness for Pregnancy & Birth DVD is available through Amazon.
Nadia Raafat Teaches a 12 week Yoga & Mindfulness for Pregnancy & Birth Course with weekly classes running in both Battersea and Kingston. You can find out more online at Nadiaraafat.com
If your little one is set to arrive in the next month or so, it might be time to start narrowing down the list of names.
With chilly misty mornings that burn off into golden sunny afternoons – Autumn is without a doubt one of the most beautiful seasons. Here are our top 10 autumn-inspired baby names…
The third and final tree name on our list, Laurel is a beautiful botanical name – a naturally feminine alternative for the more common Laura or Lauren.
Symbolising peace and success, we think could be a lovely option for your little lady.
A strong boy’s name of English origin, this one brings to mind grassy fields & wide open spaces.
We think it’s a stylish choice for a little explorer.
Eden
A biblical name meaning paradise, Eden conjures images of lush gardens in full bloom.
It’s been steadily gaining in popularity in recent years, and while you’re still more likely to hear it for a girl, we think it’s also beautiful for a boy.
Another gorgeous unisex name, Rain or it’s slightly more sophisticated cousin Raine has a cool, bohemian vibe about it.
We love the fresh feel and think it would make a perfect middle name for a boy or a girl.
Pascal
A classic French name, traditionally given to boys born around Easter or Passover.
We also love the feminine version of this name Pascale.
Magnolia
Another classic floral name, Magnolia blossoms are amongst the first to appear each spring.
Offering feminine charm and a whole host of adorable nicknames – Maggie, Nola, Noa, for a start – we believe this one is set to enjoy a revival.
Bud
A common shortening of Buddy but not often seen as a name in its own right, we think Bud is an adorable option for a little boy.
Bringing to mind the first buds of spring, it’s perfect for a spring baby, putting a unique nature spin on the name.
Sage
Another nature name that works perfectly for both boys & girls, Sage manages to feel totally fresh & modern while conveying some truly ancient meanings.
Wisdom with an earthy, herbal twist – we think it’s beautiful.
Clover
A nature name with a little more spark than your classic Rose or Daisy, Clover is a lovely choice for a little girl.
Associated with good luck, it conjures up images of lush green grass & sunshine.
Whether you opt for one of these lovely Spring baby names or you have something else in mind, we wish you all the best for welcoming your new little one!
