When I found out I was pregnant with my first child I immediately began researching pregnancy and other related subjects. I was completely overwhelmed with the sheer volume of what Google had to offer and didn’t know which way to turn. The most useful advice came from friends, family and professionals who had been through the same journey I had taken a seat on — a journey that almost half a million people take each day.
I am now the mother of three young children and whilst I’m not professing to be an expert on motherhood or babies, every day is part of the learning curve and this website will share what has worked for me in the stages I’ve hit so far.
My Baba aims to help women with their decisions, to cut through the great mass of information available and simplifying things that SHOULD be simple. Motherhood should be a joy….choosing a pram should not make you feel that you are on the edge of a breakdown!
Nine years on and My Baba has grown into one of the UK’s leading pregnancy, parenting and lifestyle publishers, a platform for mums and mums-to-be that offers a wealth of information and professional advice around pregnancy, parenting and beyond.
I hope My Baba will help you in choosing the best for you and your baba.
Ellie Thompson Editor
Ellie Thompson is editor of popular online UK parenting and lifestyle magazine My Baba. My Baba is a platform exploring all things fertility, pregnancy and parenting, and is jam-packed full of expert advice, product reviews and more.
Ellie is a 40-year old mama of two little ones, 4-year-old Madison, and 2-year-old William, both conceived via IVF cycles, after many heartbreaking months of trying to conceive. Ellie documented both IVF journeys with her husband Jamie via My Baba and @jellidiary, with videos of every appointment, each step, and the pregnancy tests. Infertility can be a very lonely and incredibly sad and frustrating place, and as a result Ellie set up and runs Facebook support groups IVF/TTC: A Place To Talk, as well as Pregnancy Buddies and parenting group Up Around The Clock. The pair also co-host a new fertility podcast The JelliePod, documenting their third and final IVF cycle this summer, as well as interviewing guests and experts on their own IVF/TTC journeys. Keep up with all things My Baba, and follow Ellie on Instagram and Facebook.
Most recently, I’ve been busy exploring topics and blogging about things most relevant to me now, including making the choice to opt for stem cell storage, how I’ve found breastfeeding so incredibly hard and dealing with the dreaded reflux and cows’ milk protein intolerance – or CMPA, as it’s affectionately known.
My Baba is an online magazine dedicated to bringing attention to all sorts of relevant topics, including taboo subjects like infertility. We want to discuss absolutely everything. No matter what stage you’re at, whether you’re busy trying to conceive, growing a bump, deciding on your birth plan, learning how to wean your baby, dealing with toddler temper tantrums or settling your child into nursery, you’ll find the website a one-stop-shop for advice and information.
I feel privileged to be at the heart of My Baba. It’s a website that brings mothers and mothers-to-be together to benefit from the best tips, advice and support.
Welcome to My Baba.
Christina Walter Assistant Editor
Christina Walter is our product features editor and researcher here at My Baba. She’s Ellie’s sister, and mum to 10-year-old George, and 8-year-old Maisie. Besides finding and testing out the latest products and reporting back to our readers in the shape of My Baba’s awesome product feature columns, Christina shares her amusing day-to-day experiences of family life.
My Baba began in 2012. How has it changed over the years?
My Baba started very much as a simple blog, sharing things that I came across and things that worked for me as a new mother. Now we offer huge amounts of advice from professionals and experts in the field, reviews of all the latest baby products, the very best in kids’ fashion and toys, travel advice, competitions and so much more.
I absolutely love how diverse the site has become. A few examples of posts include Nanny Anita’s How To Make Slime, the six safest exercise for a strong active pregnancy, and a piece we wrote about natural skincare for tweens. We really try and cover all angles of parenting and I am so proud of the wide range of content we create.
Four years ago, we launched a children’s multivitamin probiotic with fertility expert Zita West that you can buy here.
What’s the most important piece of advice you’ve learnt on the parenting journey?
A mother’s instinct is rarely wrong. I always listen to my gut.
Whose advice couldn’t you have lived without?
Friends and family have always been a huge support to me; in particular, my mother whose advice I should take more often.
What are the key pieces of advice all mums need to know about?
This is what you’ll need to pack in your hospital bag.
I wish that the Bump Class book had been out when I had my first child and they kindly let us have a copy of their hospital list, which you will find here.
14 pieces of advice you need to know before you have children is a must-read!
We’ve also put together a list of 99 products recommended by mums that is really helpful for figuring out what you’ll need
What’s your favourite family recipe? Do you have any go-to baby recipes?
My fail-safe family recipe has to be a roast chicken with Hasselback potatoes and a huge salad.
Beth Bentley’s guide to weaning book Young Gums is brilliant for healthy baby recipes.
We’re really hot on trying out the latest food and drink products at My Baba, so if you’re ever looking for inspiration, check out what’s in our Ocado basket.
Who has been your favourite interviewee on My Baba and why?
We’ve interviewed some incredible people over the years. A few of my favourites have been Cherry Healy, Anna Whitehouse, Giovanna Fletcher, Laura Wills, Matt Allwright, Marie-Chantel, and Fashion Bug Blog founder Laura Willis.
As a parent, what are you currently worrying about?
I think the day you become a parent you start worrying and my parents say you never stop. Something that’s really praying on my mind at the moment is internet safety. I’m finding it impossible to navigate a way around parental controls. I have a whole section on @mybabainsta on the subject.
What’s next on the agenda for My Baba?
I’m really excited about the launch of our My Baba podcast, Parental Control, where I talk to experts about current and ongoing issues that affect us throughout parenthood and hopefully find some solutions along the way.
Introduce a whole new world of fun to their playtime with this incredible personalised wooden doll’s house gift set. Complete with furniture to decorate the living room, kitchen, bedroom, nursery and bathroom, and an adorable wooden family, this set is truly the ultimate doll’s house for little storytellers.
Make this charming doll’s house gift set all theirs by adding a sweet plaque to the front with their name on it.
Christmas Gifting / 30 November, 2023
Christmas Preparation / 29 November, 2023
My Baba Measure / 29 November, 2023
