In My Breastfeeding Era: Amelia, Founder of Nomadic Mother
In My Breastfeeding Era: Celebrating every mum redefining what breastfeeding can look and feel like.
This week, we meet Amelia, founder of Nomadic Mother, a fashion-trained designer who creates beautiful, thoughtfully designed pieces that go beyond breastfeeding. Soft, comfortable and non-restrictive, all Nomadic Mother dresses available on Latchette feature hidden breastfeeding access zips, because every mother deserves to feel good in what she's wearing.
1. How many children have you got?
I have two children, a son and a daughter. Both have been a vital part of Nomadic Mother in completely different ways. My son came first and it was the experience of having him, navigating pregnancy, postpartum and breastfeeding as someone who had spent years working in fashion, that shaped the idea and every design decision that followed. My daughter arrived later and was very much along for the ride while I put all of those experiences and thoughts into action. She was actually in my very first Nomadic Mother photoshoot as I was full term pregnant with her on the day we shot it. Two weeks after she was born I was back at it, with her beside me in her Moses basket while I altered patterns and in her pram on the tube to factory meetings in London in those early weeks. She has been part of Nomadic Mother from the very beginning, whether inside or out, without even knowing it.
2. How long have you been breastfeeding for (or did you breastfeed for)?
If I am totally honest my breastfeeding journey was shorter than I wanted. I really struggled and with limited support, for many different reasons, I had to stop earlier than I had hoped with both my children. However while I did breastfeed I experienced so many things, the first time breastfeeding in public panic, the painful cracked nipples and engorgement, getting dressed with just that in mind and nothing else. These were all reasons and issues I design with in mind. Nothing tight around the bust, allowing for size fluctuation in every design, easy one handed access which still allows you to feel fully clothed, and pieces you will want to reach for rather than just feel forced to wear. Because my pieces have been designed by someone who has been there, who gets it, and who wants to solve those problems for you and be the brand I wish had been around for me.
3. What inspired you to start Nomadic Mother?
The idea for Nomadic Mother first came about after I had my son. I had worked in the fashion industry as a designer for the previous five years, a career that I had lived and breathed and worked hard for throughout most of my educational years. After I had my son I felt rejected by the industry, not only because of the lack of stylish maternity wear but the lack of representation in fashion imagery and campaigns, and the lack of jobs for mothers in design teams across the industry. I soon realised why I had not worked with a single mother in pretty much every job I had had. I felt angry, unrepresented and rejected by the whole industry I had worked so hard to be part of. So I set up on my own. It was so important to me to design for mothers and what they actually needed. To be the change I wanted to see and create products I had so desperately needed myself. I wanted women to feel beautiful at whatever stage of life they are at, which is why I use real women in all my photography, real mothers, real pregnancies, real stories. So that women are not only celebrated but my customer feels celebrated too, and not the way I did.
4. What makes your pieces special for breastfeeding mums?
They are special, they are beautiful, and they offer something that goes beyond the basic item. Something that is not just pure practicality with nothing left for the mother. As mothers we give up a lot. We put everyone else before ourselves, our time, our effort, our energy. I just wanted to create a breastfeeding piece that allowed a woman to feed with ease and be practical in that way, but also offer her something she would feel beautiful in and actually want to wear. Something she can easily throw on and feel good in whatever she is doing that day. There are enough milk stained t-shirts and leggings out there and I do not know about you but they never made me feel particularly good about myself.
5. What's one thing you loved (or still love) about your own breastfeeding journey?
My favourite thing was the sense of power it gave me, the real connection with nature it pulled me towards. As women we do not always get the recognition we deserve, but here I was keeping this baby alive with just my body, and not just keeping it alive, I was giving it everything it needed, nourishing it, allowing it to thrive. And that really is something. If we can do that, we can do anything.
You can shop Amelia's full collection on Latchette, where all Nomadic Mother dresses feature hidden breastfeeding access zips. Find her pieces here.
