Welcome to the first in a series of blog posts designed to showcase some of the fabulous local baby and family focused businesses serving families like you here in Gloucestershire. Today we’re starting with the lovely Kayleigh from Mama & Me Baby Massage, Yoga & Reflexology.
Kaleigh, can you tell us a bit about your business and what you offer to new mums locally?
I run weekly baby massage, yoga and reflexology classes across Gloucestershire. They’re two hours long which means parents get plenty of time to socialise while bonding with baby. I also offer monthly baby spas in Gloucester as a luxury addition! I am also a qualified Infant Sleep Consultant, Weaning Specialist & colic and reflux specialist which means I can help families with personalised advice adapted to their needs.
That sounds fab and the baby spas sound amazing! Please tell me more!
I thought of baby spa while pregnant with my second baby. I loved teaching my weekly classes and wanted to add a bit of extra luxury and that’s where my idea of the baby spa came into action! I had so many mums say they always felt nervous bathing their baby on their own, or felt like bath time was rushed or stressful so I decided to provide an experience where mum and baby have two full hours of uninterrupted sensory bath, massage, yoga & reflexology surrounded by flameless candlelight, moodlighting, starlight and spa music for the ultimate experience.
That sounds so lovely. So what inspired you to start your business?
I had my first baby in lockdown and suffered with post-partum anxiety – it was such a lonely time. I found baby massage helped Roman massively with his colic and as I started attending groups, i realised how important they were for my mental health as a new mum. I then designed a class where there was time to both bond with baby and socialise, while learning lifelong skills and getting specialised advice – in a judgement free setting.
That is so important. What do you think sets Mama & Me from other similar businesses in Gloucestershire?
My classes are “all in one”. Baby classes can be so expensive when you split them up into baby massage, baby yoga, baby sensory, weaning/sleep workshops etc etc. I offer this all in one single class so mums can experience it all in a longer two hour class – with 30 minutes before & after the routines to chat with like-minded mums, enjoy hot coffee (what every new mum needs!) and make friends for life. We also have baby scales in the classes so you can keep track of their progress each week.
The classes are also suitable from newborn all the way up until 9 months (approximately), so it’s something mums can enjoy for their entire maternity leave.
Do you have a memorable story you could share that highlights the impact of your classes?
I had a mum attend with her 6 week old baby. He cried with awful colic throughout the first class and I found her in the lobby sobbing. We had a chat and I found she was at her wit’s end with his colic and her mental health was at an all-time low. I gave her advice regarding colic, put her in touch with the relevant professionals (such as a local tongue tie clinic) and told her that she MUST come back, that I’d help her. She came back and as the weeks went on, the more massage she did and the more settled he became. Fast forward – we sang her baby ‘happy birthday’ on his first birthday in class. I am still in touch with her now and she tells me (and everyone else) that I saved her from postnatal depression and that her baby was a completely different baby after attending the classes. She made friends for life too. I’m just so happy I could help her!
That’s wonderful! What is the most common feedback you get from clients?
There are so many 5* reviews saying that they love how long the class is that they never feel rushed or stressed if they are running late. Lots always say how they found their village in my classes!
Love this. What advice would you give to new mums who are navigating the early days of parenthood?
To get out of the house and find their village. Being able to chat with mums in the same boat can make all the difference and make a new mum realise that it’s NORMAL if their baby feeds around the clock etc!
Absolutely. Are there any other ways that you support your clients beyond your classes?
Yes! I’m always at the end of the phone if they are going through an awful sleep regression, colic & reflux flare up or if they’d like to check in on a certain routine we did in class.
That must be so comforting. Do you have any recommendations for other resources that are particularly helpful for new mums?
Yes – Gloucestershire Breastfeeding Support Network and other lactation consultants are really helpful for mums navigating their way through their breastfeeding journey.
Oh I definitely agree with that. Tell us what is it that you find most rewarding about doing the job that you do?
I love watching mums blossom in motherhood and seeing and hearing how much they enjoy my classes. I designed them to support maternal mental health and for babies who may be unsettled with colic and reflux, so it’s always so rewarding hearing mums report back that both they and their babies are feeling so much better together.
I bet! Do you have any future plans for the business?
Yes! We’re currently expanding to offer classes all over Gloucestershire – Gloucester, Newent, the Forest of Dean & soon to be Cheltenham to provide a service to ALL mums!
Exciting times! Finally, for anyone who’s reading this who’d love to come along to your classes, what’s the best way of them getting in touch with you?
Call or message me on 07833430326, or send me a message on Instagram or Facebook @mamaandme.bmy.
Brilliant! I’m sure you’ll be getting some messages from there. Thank you so much for your time Kayleigh. It’s been lovely chatting to you!
0 Comments