Baby Concierges

baby concierge

Baby Concierges – what are they and how can they help you?

Buying clothes, furniture and equipment for your baby can be confusing, as you have to wade through the hundreds of products out there. What will you really use and what will be a waste of money? Well, help is at hand. Why not let an expert help you out by going for an appointment with a Baby Concierge during your pregnancy?

A Baby Concierge is someone with a wealth of experience of the baby market, who will be able to sit down with you and discuss your lifestyle, then recommend products, equipment and services that will really fit with the way you live. Some will suggest items, other will buy them for you and even deliver and build them in your home. A premium service, it’s like having an expert on hand whenever you need to decide which pram or car seat to choose, what furniture will best suit (and fit) your home and the best places for gorgeous baby clothes.

Eat Sleep Love in Blackheath opened in 2015 and is run by Laura Slater

A: 9 Delacourt Road, Blackheath, London SE3 8XA

T: 020 8269 2525 W: www.eatsleeplove.co.uk Instagram @eatsleeplovebaby Facebook@eatsleeploveltd

eat sleep love babyLaura tells us: “We are a husband and wife team and had always had a vision of running a business together. After having our second child we had both the best and the worst of shopping experiences and wanted to bring an independent baby business to the South East of London. Working so close to home and sharing all of the responsibility both at work and with our kids may be a constant juggle but it is something we both value. We are expecting another baby this summer and so still very much know the excitement and worries of expectant parents and find ourselves saying, ‘we know how that feels, we would want that level of service.’ I love it that people are coming back to us in their second and third pregnancies. We find ourselves having tea and biscuits in the boutique just chatting for hours about kids and parenthood!

“Eat Sleep Love works by appointment so that expectant parents can enjoy a relaxed environment, a comfy chair and a lovely cup of tea whilst we chat about what they need for their baby.

We started the business because we wanted to create a place that we would have enjoyed shopping in and our philosophy is, ‘did we use it, would we use it, would we recommend it to a friend’.

laura slater“The advice that we give comes from our own experiences as well as extensive training from the brands which we offer, making it both relevant and meaningful. We want parents to know that they are making informed decisions that are right for their lifestyle, budget and style preferences. Discussing products and demonstrating them in the store and then again when we deliver them helps parents navigate the often overwhelming variety of products and feel confident going in to parenthood.

“Expectant Parents are welcomed to the Blackheath boutique where they can enjoy privacy whilst browsing products and receiving lots of demonstrations and advice.

“Our customers really value the delivery that we offer. We deliver all of the items ourselves on one convenient day, this often involves building furniture, putting together a pushchair and installing the car seat.

Brands we love…

“I am so impressed by Oliver Furniture, it is incredibly well made and the design offers something really unique; we have hand-picked furniture pieces that offer a variety of styles and that will last. I think that Oliver is a real testament to this.

From Babies with Love is doing amazing job at making baby clothes that have a social responsibility; they give 100% of their profits to help orphaned and abandoned children around the world.

We offer a great range of pushchairs but feel most excited about the new Bugaboo Fox. They have really listened to customers and taken all of the best parts of their previous offerings and created a fantastic pushchair that is easy to use, pushes brilliantly and it comes in an array of fabulous fabrics, meaning that you can have a completely unique set of wheels for your baby.

What’s the most commonly asked question by parents-to-be?

“The main question is: ‘long will it last for?’ From, how long will they be in the car seat, to how long will they wear a sleepsuit for? I think it is really about getting good value from the products that they are buying. One of the key factors in our buying process is longevity of use. For the customer this is not only a cost issue but it is also about storage, which is at a premium in London, plus the sustainability of not just getting a single use for an item.

“Both Leander and Oliver cots have the option to expand to a cot bed and then a junior bed, meaning they will be used for longer. Car seat manufacturers are producing more modular systems where the same base that was used for an infant seat can be used to the next stage car seat. I think it’s great that parents are thinking more ethically about what and how much they purchase.

“We spend time at an appointment talking about what their baby will sleep in and the benefits of Merino Wool Sleeping Bags, how they last for what would seem like forever so can be handed down and you only need two, one to be worn and one for the wash as they are not climate dependent.”

Do you find that you often answer question, fears and worries from your clients?

“Most of our pregnant customer’s worries are about how all this baby stuff is going to change their house and their lives! They are often buying a new car and renovating or extending their home to make room for their baby, so they have a lot of change happening all at the same time.

“They also worry that they are buying the safest product, with so many reviews and conflicting opinions available it can actually make the buying process quite daunting.

“For us, it’s really about making it a stress-free experience, helping to find the products that are right for them rather than just a big tick list of items that they have been told that they will need. Planning for a baby should be fun and not overwhelming.”

What has been your oddest request?

“One of customers wanted all of her pushchair to be delivered in the original factory sealed boxes. Whilst this is absolutely fine for the chassis which comes in its own box, many of the items are delivered to us in boxes containing multiples of the same item. It required us to hand deliver the pushchair to her and show the unopened delivery boxes before unpacking them to find her item. We have been known to hand deliver car seats and breast pumps to people in hospital.”

What was your favourite incident or something you helped with?

“One of the loveliest appointments that I had was with a couple who were having their baby via a surrogate. They had been trying for a baby for 10 years and had been through many rounds of failed IVF. Shopping for items for their baby was so emotional, even I had a good cry with them when we were picking out towels! They had longed for so many years to be able to buy an outfit to take their baby home from hospital in. For them to have a private space to enjoy this was a reminder of why we do what we do.”

Products recommended by Eat Sleep Love include:

Pushchairs: Joolz, Cybex Platinum, Bugaboo, Uppababy, Babyzen YoYo, Mountain Buggy. We offer and often have on display limited and special editions of pushchairs and can order any colour combination. Car seats: Be Safe, Cybex Platinum Furniture: Oliver Furniture, Leander, Kidsmill, Snuzpod, Moba, Feeding Chairs from Baby Grey and Olli Ella. Changing Bags: Jem + Bea, Storksak, Pacapod. Breast feeding equipment: Medela Breast Pumps, MAM, Lansinoh and Ergobaby Feeding Pillows. Baby Carriers: Ergobaby Omni 360, Baby Bjorn Carrier One, Close Caboo, Cybex Yema, Mountain Buggy Juno. Clothing, swaddles and bedding: Liewood, Mori, From Babies with Love, Baby Acorn, The Bonnie Mob, Little Green Sheep, aden + anais, Cuddledry, Mama Designs, Otto Muslins, Magnus & Mouse, Merino Kids, Eat Sleep Love Handknits

Babynizer in London was founded by Judy Goldberg, who has been helping families for over three years.

T: 07590209410 W: www.babynizer.co.uk Instagram @babynizer Facebook @Babynizer

just goldbergJudy says: “When I was pregnant with my first baby I was far away from my family and I found it extremely challenging to prepare for my baby. I had no idea of what I needed and I would have loved someone to guide me. I found that what worked for my friends was not always what was best for me and shop assistants were so confusing! I then started helping friends who went through the same thing and they found it so relieving to have my advice and support. This is how Babynizer started. I am passionate about helping people, I love to be able to support others and pass on my experience.

“Having a baby, especially for the first time, can be incredibly overwhelming. Stress is the last thing a pregnant woman needs – after all, a happy mum means a happy baby! Babynizer can help relieve the pressure of motherhood by providing one-on-one planning sessions, luxury pre-packed hospital bags, group workshops and more. You and your baby will be in good hands!

“We can help you planning for your baby, choosing the right items according to your lifestyle, organizing and setting up your home for the special arrival. We can also offer a personal shopping experience where we can either take you to the shops and demonstrate items for you, or buy everything for you, deliver and set them up. Last but not least, we make luxury pre-packed hospital bags which are the new mum-to-be must have.

babynizer“We do not keep items in stock as we believe every family is different and has different needs. We are not tied to any brands, so we can give you unbiased advice. We will go to our clients’ home or to their place of work if more convenient.

“We offer a full personal shopping experience. We order, deliver, assemble and demonstrate. We also work with different professionals to be able to cover all areas of expertise when choosing a car seat.

“The most commonly asked questions by parents-to-be are: ‘What will I need for my baby? How do I know which item will be best for me?’ Our clients rely on us to relieve the stress but also to reassure them on what is to come. It is our job to make sure everything is under control!”

What has been your oddest request?

“We get all kinds of requests such as “a tailored gown to give birth in”, “special craving buffet” or “a fancy car to go to the hospital”. We will help our clients as much as we can and go over and beyond to satisfy them!”

What was your favourite incident or something you helped with?

“One of our clients called us whilst his wife was in labour and everything went so fast they did not have time to prepare or take anything with them. We delivered a hospital bag with all the essentials they needed!”

Hayley Sylvester launched Baybiz in December 2003. Baybiz Today… 15 years and 5,000 babies later!

Unit 3 Breasy Place, Burroughs Gardens, London  NW4 4AT

T;: 020 8203 3377 E: [email protected] W: www.baybiz.co.uk Instagram: BaybizNW4 Facebook: Baybizshopping

baybizHayley says: “After helping nearly 5,000 babies, there are so many special families that have come into our lives and many come back two, three or even four times. Mums of multiples, IVF mums and those that have had a difficult journey especially stand out for me and make my job even more special. Connecting clients is also fun as many new mums feel isolated at this time, so we try to connect them whenever requested and know for a fact they continue to stay in touch after many years of meeting. We never see ourselves as just a store that sells baby goods but as a knowledgeable, well-respected team that reaches out and holds hands at a time that can be very overwhelming for new parents.

“As a career mum working as a PR director in London, I was struggling to manage a stressful career whilst trying to plan for my new arrival. I felt starved of the right advice whilst shopping for nursery goods and my time was  also very stretched!

“Nursery Shopping felt awkward, endless and very confusing. I was also tired of shopping in many different stores and would have loved to have visited one store that could offer me everything I needed whilst giving personal advice on items that best suited my lifestyle, budget and needs.

baybiz“I spent three months juggling back at work, whilst holding the thought of my own business and researched the baby market in great depth, liaised with potential suppliers and visited experts in the nursery field. In May 2003, I decided to swap careers and pursue what was fast becoming a dream career as a baby concierge.

“I then spent a further six months sourcing the right premises, building the brand and kitting out the showroom with all the latest equipment and I launched Baybiz in December 2003.

“By consultation only for busy, confused, time poor career mums or multiple time mums that want hands-on, practical advice, Baybiz offers the perfect solution. Situated in north London with onsite parking, open seven days a week, clients come and relax in the showroom at a time to suit them for a free consultation.

“During the two hour consultation, clients are taken through a suggested baby-shopping list and offered detailed demonstrations showing how products perform whilst sitting back and relaxing. Refreshments and comfortable pillows are on hand to make the shopping experience comfortable, fulfilling and enjoyable too.

“Baybiz supplies and offers advice on everything baby and the showroom has a complete range of top nursery brands and equipment including Maxi Cosi, Bugaboo, Uppa Baby, Babyzen YoYo, Baby Grey, Baby Jogger, Kidsmill, Boori and many, many  more, together with invaluable independent advice. We ensure that shopping is enjoyable, time saving and suited to personal needs. Price is key and all Baybiz prices align with the High Street.

“Baybiz completes its service by delivering straight to the front door at a time to suit clients and even assembles all goods, offering an easy solution to suit increasingly busy lifestyles.

“Baybiz offers sound advice on topics ranging from complementary care in pregnancy through to putting clients in touch with local antenatal classes and Nanny and childcare services.

“Clients enjoy the Baybiz experience. We make baby shopping affordable, simplified, informative, relaxing and enjoyable. I and our team of experts have all tested the products we sell and can give advice on the essential items mums-to-be need in place for the arrival of your newborn whatever your budget or lifestyle needs!.

Twin Love Concierge in Central London is run by Shannon O’Reilly-Fearn IMPI-CBP, who has been running it for over four years.

W: twinloveconcierge.com T: 07460 712 580 Email – [email protected] Facebook – @twinloveconcierge

Twitter – @twinconcierge Instagram – @twinloveconcierge

Shannon O'Reilly-FearnShannon  says: “Having temporarily relocated from London to New York five years ago, we found out we were expecting spontaneous identical twins within six weeks of arriving. My husband and I attended a Twins 101 class and it was terrible! Instead of feeling inspired and motivated to be ready for the babies, we left feeling scared and overwhelmed. One Mum burst into tears after the class as she was so disappointed. From that moment I vowed to create a business that could support parents of multiples, give them the education and support needed to make the journey a fun one!

“Working with the very best medical and maternity professionals, we created a curriculum that is renowned today in our Expecting Twins Class. With a team of 14 Associates, we now assist parents in two countries, 17 cities and where we can’t be there in person, we hop online and become their virtual support. The expansion of subjects came naturally to the business as our parents then wanted our help once the babies were born with sleeping, scheduling, feeding (breast and weaning) and more.

“Every member of the TLC Team will say that this job is literally the best in the world! We meet the most wonderful of people, become their mentor and honestly make a difference. Selecting baby equipment is a lot of fun, we know every single buggy/carseat/carrier/bottle on the market, as we test them personally. We are often asked by baby brands to advise on modifications in order to make a better product, which is an honour.

“Personally, being back in the UK has allowed me and our midwife Georgina to start transforming the twin community here, as education and techniques are lacking. Offering London parents the personalised support they deserve is such a pleasure and every day I wake up excited to join the next wonderful journey to multiple!

Twin Love Concierge is the world’s only team of premier multiples specialists. We assist twin (and triplet) parents by ensuring the antenatal and postpartum period is stress-free so that they may enjoy the next stage of their lives. From essential twin baby equipment, nursery and home setup, preparing Mothers for a multiples birth through to breast feeding, sleeping and scheduling expert education.

“Our passion is helping Multiples parents by providing group classes and private services combined with a support network of local expecting and new twin parents. To date, we have assisted thousands of families! Our renowned services are recommended by leading Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Midwives, High Risk Doctors and are 100% guaranteed to alleviate the feeling of being completely overwhelmed.

“The TLC team consists of registered Midwives, Nurses, Lactation Consultants, Sleep Consultants, Baby Planners, Personal Shoppers and more, that are most importantly also Mums to Twins and Triplets.

Our unique offering includes personalised baby concierge services, group and private classes all related to the wonderful world of Twins – from expecting through to toddlerhood.

We offer two services – meetings in group environments or in-home consultations. We fly all over the world assisting parents and if we can’t be there in-person all can be done via Skype/Facetime. We also offer car seat fitting advice and deliver and assemble equipment.”

Brands we love

Given our Twin speciality, the brands we love understand the special situation having twins places parents in. From Weego and TwinGo (twin carriers) through to Bugaboo, Mountain Buggy, UPPABaby (buggies), Aden and Anais for swaddles. Our list could be endless, which is why part of our speciality is refining these choices to work for what’s best for each family – and not having to buy two of everything!

What’s the most commonly asked question by parents-to-be?

‘Is it actually possible to breastfeed two babies’ and ‘Will I ever sleep again’?

Do you find that you often answer question, fears and worries from your clients?

“Absolutely! Parents come to us anxious about how they can look after two babies at once. Our success has been showing and supporting them to enjoy their babies and that in fact, it can be done. Twins is fun, it just requires the correct techniques.”

What has been your oddest request?

One gorgeous mummy requested a naked maternity photo shoot in New York’s Central Park – and we made it happen! Discreetly…

What was your favourite incident or something you helped with?

“Unfortunately, twins are often born prematurely due to the high risk nature of the pregnancy and many times we are the first point of call from partners in hospital worried that the babies have come earlier than planned. We are often racing to the Hospital bringing mummy warm pyjamas or just to bring a cup of coffee and sit with Dad to assure him all will be ok. It’s an absolute pleasure to be that support for so many parents, for us to reassure them that we have been through this ourselves and it’s going to be ok especially with the NICU/SCBU.”

Minime and Luxury is run by Sarah and based in London, the Midlands and Worldwide and has been running for more than 10 years.

W: www.minimeandluxury.co.uk E: [email protected] Facebook: @minimeandluxury Twitter: @minimeandluxury Instagram: minimeandluxury

“Minime and Luxury provides a global bespoke Baby and Children’s concierge service, beginning before conception and continueing along your parenting journey. We operate on a highly personalised level and offer a wide range of unique services. We can organise private store visits, pre-release viewings, bespoke collections and take care of all your children’s wardrobe requirements season by season.

“We are proud to offer an unrivalled Luxury party planning and event management service, from Baby Showers, Birthday Parties, Bar mitzvahs and a super Sweet Sixteen the event will be one your guests talk about for years. Minime and Luxury works with an amazing array of top class suppliers and take care of every detail enable you to enjoy and relax on the day.

“We also offer a travel service. Taking pride in working with a hand-picked selection of travel providers, we can assist with a wide range of travel needs from Yacht and private aviation requirements to creating the holiday of your dreams, utilising our recommended selection of hotels, private villas, private islands and unique travel experiences.
Minime and Luxury also offers a full travel support concierge service ensuring that when you arrive at your chosen hotel, babies and children are fully taken care of; from toys to essential baby equipment ,we ensure that when you arrive everything is in place.

Photography: From bump shoots to family portraits, we can recommend the World’s best photographers and take care of all the details such as props and location and will always ensure our clients retain 100% copyright.

VIP Family Experiences: Our bespoke VIP family experiences are unique from client to client and the world is your oyster, from a full Summer Holiday itinerary incorporating unique theatre experiences, a magical trip through London in your own iconic red bus and holding your own sports day with top athletes in attendance. Minime and Luxury can organise a bespoke lifestyle experience during your vacation wherever this might be.

Staff Recruitment: We can organise sourcing and headhunting of world class Maternity Nurses, Night Nannies, Nannies, Mannies, Tutors and Governesses.

Minime and Luxury offer a bespoke consultancy service to Hotel Groups and Resorts to give advice and recommendations on providing guests travelling with babies and children an unrivalled service.

We work with the client in their home or accompany them to stores and work with a wide range of brands such as Bugaboo, Stokke and Silver Cross and many more. We advise on car seats and have undergone car seat training.

Brands we love

Furniture: Bambizi, The Baby Cot Shop, Dragons of Walton Street and Tartine Et Chocolate Clothes: Moschino, Roberto Cavalli, Burberry, Stella Mccartney, Gucci, Bonpoint, Kissy Kissy and The Bonnie Mob Practical: Bloom, aden + anais, Ergobaby, Bamford baby skincare, Storksak changing bagMy particular favourites collaborations were the Rachel Zoe collection from Quinny, the Aston Martin Silver Cross edition and the Jeremy Scott collections with Cybex. I love shopping at Dragons of Walton Street, Blue Almonds, Trotters and The Baby Cot Shop for clients. For practical items I recommend the Medela breastfeeding range, I adore the love to dream swaddle for newborns, aden + anais and Baby Mori.

We offer a full nursery set up service, unpack and assemble all equipment and make up buggies, car seats, unpack clothing etc.

We often do this service on yachts, second homes and all over the globe.

What’s the most commonly asked question by parents-to-be?

“Tell me what I need to buy?”

Do you find that you often answer question, fears and worries from your clients?

Yes, I find that due to my experience as a private maternity nurse, I can answer a wide range of questions. I also find that now I have my own child, I can relate more to expectant mothers and appreciate their anxiety and concerns. I also think that a great deal of concerns are about nannies, nurseries and post-natal fitness and because I have helped numerous clients on this journey, I feels confident that I can address almost any concerns.

What  has been your oddest request?

Setting up a full nursery in two different countries in two days – but I got it done.

What was your favourite incident or something you helped with?

One of my favourite experiences was helping a client moving from abroad to the UK, which was proving to be very stressful for her. I hired all the household staff, organized setting up her nursery, getting her a great team of professionals for the birth and the photographs afterwards and I still work with her as a childcare and product advisor.
I have worked within the Childcare industry for over 15 years, as a Supernanny, Private Maternity Nurse, Sleep Trainer and Baby Concierge. I have worked all over the globe and my favourites places are the Middle East, USA and the Caribbean. I regularly contribute to the press on a wide range of topics, usually concentrating on children and luxury! I am blessed to have a career I love and the reason for starting Minime and Luxury was to reassure people it is okay remain a “person” when you become a “parent” and enjoy life, travel, and stay up late when you want to – it’s all about creating memories and enjoying your parenting journey. I am passionate about baby and children’s products, holidays, restaurants, nursery interior and style.