What a week it’s been and it is only now, on the very last day that I had time to reflect and share what I have been up to.
FILMING IN NOTTINGHAM
EXHIBITION STAND at LONDON EXCEL
INTERVIEW PANEL WOMEN LEADERS AWARD FINALIST
LONDON FOR MY FRIEND’S HEN WEEKEND
On Monday I drove up to Nottingham University to be interviewed and filmed as a case study for their European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) which ends in June. I have been lucky enough to have been a recipient of 2 Innovation Support Grants (ISG) and 3 Special Networking Grants (SNG). These enable me to develop our prototype until I had a viable product and for MumPod Company to attend Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace exhibitions to get a feel of the arena in which we will servicing and marketing.
As I was being interviewed, I realised what a great achievement MumPod Company has been and feeling immensely proud to already be exporting just two years in to setting up and only a year since the first model was built.
I was asked the following question:
In your opinion, how do you believe your product or service benefits OR what do you think your product or service delivers to/offers the market as part of the wider life sciences ecosystem in the Midlands?
“It is well documented that breastfeeding is protective to the health of the mother and child by reducing their risks of health conditions such as breast and ovarian cancer and heart and childhood cancers, respiratory and gastrointestinal infections respectively. It has long term protective health benefits on the child against diabetes, asthma, heart disease, obesity, and cot death. By reducing the number of incidences of these conditions the resources of the NHS can be reduced and if a fundamental part of tackling the crisis in the NHS.
Breastfeeding contributes to significant savings to the NHS. Baby Friendly’s report Preventing disease and saving resources found that moderate increases in breastfeeding would translate into cost savings for the NHS of many millions of pounds, and tens of thousands of fewer hospital admissions and GP consultations.
Breastfeeding supports the mother-baby relationship protecting their mental health and infants who are breastfed and are nurtured in a responsive manner go on to have secure healthy relationships as adults.
The benefits are seen in both high- and low-income countries, with a study published in The Lancet in 2016 finding that increasing breastfeeding rates around the world to near universal levels could prevent 823,000 annual deaths in children younger than five years and 20,000 annual maternal deaths from breast cancer. Improving the longevity of breastfeeding reducing the need for formula milk which in turn saves our environment because for every 1kg of formula milk produced 4kg of carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere. However, to ensure those that wish to breastfeed to continue to do so as they return to work strategies need to be put into place to support their needs. Our very first MumPod was installed in Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s King’s Mill Hospital in reply to a member of the pharmacy team finding she didn’t have a secure comfortable purpose-built space for her to express her breastmilk when she returned to work. Therefore, you can see from the previously mentioned benefits of protecting the longevity of breastfeeding we as a company have directly facilitated this in the Midlands area.”
After a horrendous drive back from Nottingham having to negotiate an M1 section closure 2 1/2 hours later I pick up my son from the office, packed the car with our exhibition stuff and headed off to London Excel to don our hard toe cap boots and Hi-vis jackets start on the build.
We gathered around the metaphorical Watercooler and put the world to rights with our stand visitors.
WOULD YOU PREPARE YOUR LUNCH IN A TOILET?
WOULD YOU EAT YOUR LUNCH IN A TOILET?
NO?
We heard numerous stories of women having to express their breast milk in a toilet at work or when in an airport and a shopping centre to name a few, or who wanted a quiet space to breastfeed, especially in those early days, and they would avoid going out. Needless to say they were super excited about our MyPod® lactation pods and we have a good number of new contacts and leads. I look forward to sorting out meetings over the next few weeks to talk about how MumPod Company can help businesses to offer a more inclusive package for breastfeeding parents, whether installing a MyPod, refurbishing an existing room or offering maternity leave and welcome baby gifts to their staff. We spoke to so many people, to the point I lost my voice on the first day. Thank heavens for the Dream Team alongside me who pulled in passers by to share news of MumPod, Sarah Thorne (COO and investor), Elliot Bolt (media and marketing) and Claire Gregory (project officer) all from Queensbury Group my investment partners and business supporters.
At the end of day one we attended a well deserved Champagne reception thanks to the guys The Watercooler. Back to the hotel and an evening of Pizza and proper team building session in the hotel bar. Then up bright and early for another successful day of sharing the MumPod love, finished off by winning some perfume from the great Factorial team and all booked up for next year’s Watercooler Event .
Thursday was a day or trying to catch up on being away from my desk for 3 days and trying to sort out things with an installation, not easy when you are thousands of miles away, but “all will be well”, as my late Dad would have said. Friday started with meeting one of my lactation clients‘ 4 day old baby to set them off on the right track with their breastfeeding journey after a previously traumatic experience with her first baby. It is such a privilege to be able to support parents antenatally, post birth and through those first weeks and months of feeding. I love how I can keep up my profession as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and develop MumPod Company into our growth phase. A quick whizz back to the office as my consultation ran over as is normal with a newborn and take a breath before being interviewed for the Women Leaders Award in the category of Entrepreneur. Without preparation, I was surprised how well it went and think my passion came across if nothing else.
Had a MumPod Team meeting as is usual on a Friday and we now have a huge To Do List but can’t wait to meet with our new connections and sending out more quotes. Finishing the working week with an export client meeting trying to find a solution for a challenge and leaving on a note of positivity and excitement about their launch across the atlantic, a contract we won against our main competitor.
I have had to postpone my Women Leaders Award interview for Healthcare and was on the rota for the bible reading at church on Sunday, so why? My dear friend is getting married and this weekend we had her Hen celebrations. Not being able to do everything is ok and it is hugely important as a business owner to take your downtime and not miss parts of your life that matter. I won’t share all the pictures of our shenanigans but here are some of my eldest daughter and I arriving in London ready for the Ginger’s Drag Bottomless Brunch, watch out for them on the next series of Ru Paul’s Drag Race and now, this is over and out from me!
