Dubai mums connect at Gulf News Mama & Me Event

Community-building was the theme of the day at the second Gulf News ‘Mama & Me’ event held at the chic canal-side Lana Lusa cafe. Mums and their little ones gathered for coffee, chat, and a delicious breakfast, all washed down with a good dose of expert advice from the event’s speakers.

For all its rewards, new parenthood is also a confronting time that forces us to reassess our sense of identity.

It can oftentimes be a shock to transition from being part of a team in the workplace, to being at home with an infant who needs you so very much.

Finding opportunities to discuss shared experiences can provide much-needed comfort and reassurance to new mums.

Kosovka Horvat attended Mama & Me with her six-month-old daughter, Milca, to meet other mums in the same boat.

“I have many friends but now they all have older kids and it's nice to have a friend who has a baby like you and catch up,” said Horvat.

Rimma Yechshnova and her one-year-old son Alfie were at the first Gulf News Mama & Me event in August and Rimma says she made two friends on that occasion, so decided to come back again.

“It's something different when you go out, see other mums with kids. It's something away from your routine. It's a special event,” she explains.

She also found it valuable to speak with the experts on hand to be able to ask questions about Alfie’s health and wellbeing. Events like Mama & Me also provide a platform for brands to share their expertise with parents. “Gulf News creates a supportive and fun environment, allowing brands like ours—Stokke, Bibs, Beabe, Citron, and ChildHome—to showcase, connect, and share our expertise about the brands we represent, helping mums and dads in their parenting journey,” said Ali Duhmy, Retail Specialist at Mapyr.

Christina Cromlish also found it to be the perfect setting for learning about new brands and products because both she and her one-year-old son Sami were relaxed and happy, and she was much more able to take in new information than during a busy shopping trip while pushing a trolley and struggling to complete a to-do-list before nap time.

When Cromlish found out about Mama & Me from her friend she thought it would be an exciting opportunity on several levels.

“To get out and not only meet friends and other moms, but also to learn many things, to learn about different things that make motherhood easier, different products, different brands, and also to learn from other mothers, to share our experiences and learn from each other ways that we can help, ways that we can make things easier,” says Cromlish.

Manisha R, Co-founder of Yallamums.com and Sambox, echoed this sentiment. “Events like Mama & Me allow Yallamums.com to connect with the parenting community in a personal and meaningful way, building relationships and trust that go beyond transactions. Engaging with attendees provides valuable feedback and insights into the needs, preferences, and challenges of modern parents, which can inform future product and service offerings.”

Zarah Deleon and her daughter Sarah also enjoyed both the company and content, finding a good balance between social interaction and useful information.

“There's a lot of lovely moms and a lot of products that I don't know from before, and Sarah had a good time with the Little Wonders area.”

Zarah is trying to shift three-year-old Sarah’s routine to waking earlier in the day, so she finds morning activities like Mama & Me to be the perfect way to get them both out and about while the sun shines.

Social occasions like these are important for both mother and baby, as a chance to mix with like-minded people going through similar experiences, chat about the challenges of teething and broken sleep, and likewise share the daily triumphs of achieving milestones, or just having left the house with everything you needed for the day.

“Everyone is kind of going through the same thing, and the more we can support each other and kind of empower, lift each other up, the happier we'll be, the healthier our children will be,” says event attendee Umbreen Shaikh.

Shaikh was at the event with her almost three-year-old daughter Lena, and was very keen to meet other mothers, but she was also wearing another hat, that of positive psychologist.

She offered us her unique personal and professional perspective on why many of the mums attending found it so rewarding to meet others going through similar stages.

“In the positive psychology field, the number one thing that acts as a buffer against loneliness, isolation, all kinds of negative emotions and mental health conditions is social support, so having a strong network, family, friends, community, people that you can turn to when the going gets tough,” says Shaikh.

Dr. Rinkle Jadeja, CEO of Little Wonders Chain of Nurseries, also recognized the event’s focus on community and bonding. “This creative initiative places mothers and children at the heart of every activity, celebrating their special bond in a truly meaningful way. We feel truly honored to be part of such a commendable initiative and deeply value this opportunity to interact with fellow mothers, educators, and nurseries.”

Jessica Viveiro, Owner and Founder of Lana Lusa, spoke about the significance of creating a space for families to connect. “As a mother, I deeply understand the value of having a space where mothers can connect and celebrate. By bringing together families in a setting that values togetherness and community, we aim to create an experience that celebrates the beautiful journey of motherhood.”

Cromlish was also happy to find common ground with like-minded mums.

“I think the early days of motherhood, as much community as there may be, everyone kind of finds it a little bit isolating, at least in the beginning, because you spend a lot of time at home with babies,” says Cromlish.

For expats, many of the challenges are compounded without the safety net of family around, and a sometimes limited support network. For those of us in this situation, finding our tribe is crucial.

Umbreen Shaikh agrees on how necessary events like Mama & Me are in offering a lifeline to mothers going through similar things.

“I think events like this are so important in terms of just bringing women together and creating that sense of community, especially in a place like Dubai where many of us are expats and we don't have our family nearby,” says Shaikh.

Dr. Vandana Gandhi, CEO of British Orchard Nursery, added how events like these help to empower women and build trust. “Events like these exemplify British Orchard Nursery's dedication to fostering strong parent partnerships, building trust and meaningful connections, and empowering all women to grow in their career with our teacher training courses.”

For Sunita Anchan, Founder of Arpan Flowers, the inclusive nature of the event was a highlight. “For Arpan Flowers, an event like Mama & Me, hosted by Gulf News, is a wonderful platform for connecting with mothers from Dubai's diverse communities. It fosters a sense of inclusivity, allowing participants to share experiences, exchange ideas, and celebrate the joys and challenges of motherhood in a community setting.”