International Women's Day 2024

It's International Women's Day and we want to celebrate the mums you have nominated as your inspirational mamas. Read their inspiring stories...

Anjali Caddies - CMPA Mama

First up is Anjali Caddies. After giving birth last year, her little girl was quickly diagnosed with a Cow's Milk Protein Allergy. Determined to continue breastfeeding, Anjali, who is already a vegetarian, had to give up all dairy in her diet, with her little one also reacting to a host of other foods including coconut, cabbage and soy. At one point Anjali was only able to eat pasta with homemade pesto every day to avoid a reaction in her baby.

At 6 months, documenting everything carefully in a spreadsheet, she slowly introduced foods, keeping track of what caused a reaction in her daughter and by a year had managed a list of 100 foods she could eat. She still can't have anything with soy, and dairy is slowly being introduced using the milk ladder. Mums of allergic babies will understand how tough it is and Anjali was nominated by her husband Steven who is in awe of the sacrifices she has made to continue to breastfeed - not to mention having a baby who still wakes multiple times a night (and we all know how torturous that can be!)

If you have a baby suffering with CMPA and are in need of help, check out Allergy UK for advice.

Vicar Helen May

Our second of our three mums that we’ve selected as our inspirational mums is Vicar and mum of two Helen May who can be found on Instagram @onmypinkbicycle
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As a mum of a two year old and a 7 month old baby, she still works tirelessly for her local community and is about to start work as a hospital chaplain, on top of her other duties within her parish.⁠
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Helen was nominated by her sister for always being a shoulder for so many to cry on and a huge support to the elderly, as well as those who are housebound or in hospital, giving so much of herself to everyone she works with.⁠
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Helen is an absolute mum

my inspiration, juggling so much with her young family and we are thrilled to be able to treat her with a gift voucher as well as say thank you for everything she does for those in need. ⁠

Sandra Quinn

Sandra is mum to three little boys aged 5 and 3, and her third who was born sleeping at 21 weeks. Having also suffered miscarriages and an etopic pregnancy that resulted in emergency surgery and a lost fallopian tube, while caring for her boys, Sandra epitomises the many mums who just have to keep going in the darkest of days, while hoping for brighter ones ahead.