Honest Motherhood: The Mum Club

When it comes to Mummy-Baby activities, I feel as though I can say I’ve done it all. Music with Mummies, Baby Sensory, Little Fishes Play Cafe… I’ve been around the block, so to speak. So when I was invited to an activity that was not a class, a playgroup nor soft-play, I was intrigued.
The Mum Club? It always sounded so…exclusive. Like a society for a particular kind of Mum, and I wasn’t sure I’d quite fit in. Was there a criteria?
I headed for brunch at Hamlet feeling excited and a little nervous. Would they all know each other? Sat in impenetrable cliques? Would Leo be the only toddler? What if I lost all ability to converse? There’d be no class leader singing and dancing as a distraction…
Inevitably, all doubts were promptly quashed.

I was greeted at the door by host Luzaan Shaw, who immediately put me at ease with her naturally warm and welcoming demeanour. She swiftly introduced me to a table of friendly faces and we each said our names before declaring we would most likely not be remembering them.

The Hamlet staff were just as accommodating, offering me a Mimosa upon arrival – much like at a wedding reception or some other equally lavish event. I felt…special. Like a V.I.P.. Definitely not a tired mother.
A cocktail at 10am on a week day? Gosh. What a treat.
Of course this is what it’s all about.
The whole event is designed and dedicated to ensuring every mum in attendance feels pampered and taken care of. (Which I did). We were a group of women, who’d come to meet other Mums, but also, to be looked after a little.

“Would you like a hot drink?” The waiter asked before I’d even sat down. I realised, as Leo ran off to a small play area nearby, that I might actually be able to drink my latté whilst it was still hot. Another luxury. I was going to like it here.

Leo remained occupied on a play-mat with a few other little ones until the food arrived and he inevitably decided to come and sit on my lap. I had pancakes with all the toppings and only managed to get a small dollop of jam in his hair. (I thought no-one noticed, until I looked up and saw the woman opposite me chuckling to herself.)
Conversation and laughter flowed across the table throughout and I remembered I could in fact talk. The relief.
Goodie bags (the tote variety) lay across each chair with notebooks, stickers (which provided extra entertainment), baby-wipes, fizzy water and more to go inside. I am a sucker for a goodie bag so this all brought me extra joy.

The presence of an on-site babysitter meant that a mother could sit, eat, and chat, knowing her baby was in good hands, only metres away. This was a well-thought-through operation.
Our host Luzaan, a mother of two, walked around happily with a baby in her arms, getting to know each mum individually and allowing the mother of said baby to enjoy her brunch hands-free.
These sorts of gestures may seem small, but to a mother, are the difference between a lovely morning and a bit of a headache. No one wants to spill eggs Benedict on their newborn.

A lively atmosphere and a thoroughly enjoyable couple of hours, it was nice, looking around the room and seeing so many mums having such a great time. We deserve it.
Would I go again? Absolutely.

The Mum Club holds events (brunches, coffee clubs, wreath-making workshops) regularly across the country, with an emphasis on being part of a supportive community and putting mothers needs first.
Brunch ticket: £30
For more details visit: www.themumclub.com