Where do mums-to-be in the know turn for expert pregnancy and parenting advice? My Baba is certainly one of the places to start. We caught up with founder Leonora Bamford to go behind the scenes, discover the story behind My Baba, and find out what keeps her inspired.
When did My Baba launch?
I can’t believe it’s been well over four years now!
What led you to launch My Baba, and how has it been received?
I launched My Baba as a very simple blog called The Baba Blog when my second child was born. It was a daily piece of content covering all things mother and baby. I was really shocked by how well it was received. Within a few months, we had built a substantial following, and that’s when we started asking interesting experts and guest bloggers to get involved in writing for us.
Who is My Baba for?
Our target audience, from analysing our data, is mainly women aged 25–44, with a sprinkling of men. We are mainly England-based, but our readership spreads across 198 countries. Anyone thinking about having a baby, pregnant women, mothers, fathers, grandparents... we like to think we’ve got something for everyone!
What’s a day in your life like?
During term time, it’s pretty hectic. I’m up at 6.30am to get myself ready before the kids wake at 7am. Then it’s a mad scramble to get ready in front of Fireman Sam, followed by a quick breakfast and out the door by two minutes past eight. It’s pretty much a military operation!
My husband and I drop the kids at school and carry on to work, where I’m usually at my desk for a few hours, catching up with Ellie on the latest content going live for the site. The best bit is meeting really interesting people in the same sector.
I pick the kids up from school and skip home for homework, a delicious family dinner and bed for the kids at 7pm. I like to catch up on social media and any important emails once the kids have gone to bed. If time allows, I like to go for a run with my husband before flopping into bed, hopefully before midnight.
Where does your inspiration come from?
I’m really lucky to be surrounded by inspiring people. It is cliché to say that my children inspire me on a daily basis, but they really do! We get to meet so many interesting new brands, which always sparks the imagination, and I work a lot with my husband, who is easily the most inspirational and creative person I know.
Was it one thing or a group of things that made your business such a success?
You’re making me blush! I don’t know if I could call My Baba a success yet. We’re at the walking stage, but quickening the pace all the time! People in the mother and baby sector are incredibly warm, and we’ve managed to work with some really interesting brands, which always helps take you to the next step.
Last year, fertility guru Zita West and I launched my first product, a children’s multivitamin and multibiotics powder that you can sprinkle on cereals and yoghurts or mix into milk, water or juice. It’s going down really well and we’re looking into what the next step might be.
How do you find balance? When do you feel most like yourself?
I guess all mothers have to do a bit of a juggling act. Although the weeks are often totally mad, I love to wind down and relax at the weekend, especially with the children. There are also some days in the holidays when we decide not to even get up and simply relax as a family in our PJs all day. That’s my idea of bliss!
What has been your proudest moment so far?
There have been a few really proud moments for us at My Baba. One was the vitamin launch last year, where we had royalty attending. Another had to be seeing our gigantic stand at Bubble London, where we were invited to be media partners. It’s London’s biggest trade show for kids, so that was pretty cool.
It’s been quite a busy year already, and we also collaborated with Meningitis Now on a #KNOWYOURSIGNS celebrity campaign, which had millions of hits on social media and helped spread the word so people know what signs to look out for.
Who do you admire and why?
My mum. I admire all the women in my life, especially my mother, who wrote her first book aged 60 last year and got to Amazon’s Top 10 in Crime and Thriller in its first week.
What is your favourite quote?
“Always expect the unexpected.” A wonderful motto for both motherhood and business!
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