Shopping for a little one can be overwhelming, especially if it’s your first. That’s why we offer free Personal Shopping sessions in store. So you can get up close to parenting essentials and figure out what you’ll need. We wanted to see if it was up to the challenge. So we asked Parent Approved Panellist, Harley, to give it a try. Here's her Personal Shopping review.
As a child, I loved to shop with my mum. Now I’m a mum, that love to shop has multiplied by ten. I love nothing more than being a mum, shopping for my own children.
I have been visiting my local Mamas & Papas store regularly since 2014. It was the first shop of its kind that me and my husband visited after discovering I was pregnant. I still remember the butterflies in my stomach the moment I walked through the doors. I fell in love with all of the stunning clothes, immediately pinning what I would be buy once the gender was revealed. This was closely followed by feeling overwhelmed looking at the huge range of baby items. Not knowing as a first-time parent what was actually needed, I obviously suggested to my husband that we needed it all. It was for this reason, plus the fact that I had gotten rid of a lot of the girls’ items (before I fell pregnant for the third time) I jumped at the opportunity to book a Mamas & Papas Personal Shop.
My Personal Shopping review
Since having my girls, there are a lot of new products on the market that I wanted to check out. Also the thought of one to one expert advice in a private, comfortable area with complimentary refreshments and treats *music to every mamas’ ears* was obviously very appealing.
A few days before my visit to the store, my personal shopping assistant Amelia gave me a call. She wanted to find out if there was anything I was particularly interested in looking at. As well as checking what I needed in preparation for baby number three’s arrival. That way she could prepare ahead of our meeting. When I arrived at the store it was lovely to put a name to the face and meet Amelia. She greeted me with such a warm welcome. It instantly made me feel at ease in one of the store’s luxury personal shopping areas.
Luxury Personal Shopping Space
The space was very well thought out for parents to be. It had a huge television screen that displayed product demonstrations and design insights. That included how their products are put through their paces at their own test lab. I happily rested my tired legs on the sofa with a cup of tea (and yummy muffin) whilst we got acquainted. There was also a gift box waiting for me on the table. It contained a gorgeous neutral baby grow with a matching blanket and baby rattle which was such a lovely touch. Amelia had also put together a rail of seasonal clothing pieces for me to look at before we went out into the store. I actually chose baby’s coming home outfit from the rail before even looking around!
We spent a good while chatting about what styles/colour palettes I was into. We covered what items I did/didn’t need and Amelia really took the time to get to know me personally. She wanted to help me find the perfect pieces to suit my lifestyle/needs. As well as understand which direction to lead me in round the store.
Clothing
First, we browsed the clothing. I tried to keep my head on and not get carried away. However, I immediately fell in love with the ‘welcome to the world’ collection. It comprises gorgeous, neutral tones in a huge range of delicate pieces. I earmarked a few lightly knitted pieces for the early days, along with matching hats and booties for the outfits. We also picked up a three-pack of fun sleepsuits and vests as after two girls. I'm actually building my baby boy’s wardrobe from scratch as he can’t have any hand-me-downs. Unless he looks good in pink!
Bathtime
Next, we looked at the bathing essentials and accessories. It had only dawned on me when I was filling out the checklist that although I had bought a baby bath and lots of toiletries, I hadn’t bought any towels. Nor did I have a thermometer - which I think is always a good idea when bathing a baby.
I spotted the pale blue towel with an elephant’s head for the hood straight away. I let Amelia know that was the one I wanted to save us carrying the items around the store. She was popping them onto her tablet so she knew what I had chosen. Amelia then pointed me in the direction of other bathing accessories. There, I picked up a thermometer, a grooming kit and a bright, funky changing mat to keep downstairs. I’ve always kept one in our living area to save any accidents on our cream rug!
As I had already decorated baby's nursery and furnished it with the pretty much all of the ‘dream upon a cloud’ range, I only had a quick look at the nursery setups. I didn’t think the husband would be too pleased if I went home with any more nursery bits. Unlike clothing, I wouldn’t have been hiding them in a wardrobe *insert winking face*.
Pushchairs
Next, it was down to the pushchairs. I had already told Amelia on our phone call that I was interested in looking at the Ocarro. I still had the double pushchair that I used with the girls. Now they are older and happy to walk, I figured I could downsize. After seeing the Ocarro lots on social media I knew I wanted to see it in the flesh. As we walked towards the travel section I was instantly drawn to the Ocarro X Moon. It was displayed in the middle of a stand, almost as though it was waiting for me!
Amelia took her time showing me all of the wonderful features of the pushchair and design. She put it up/down and into its different positions whilst answering the many questions I had. It was then my turn to ‘test drive’ it and there is a reason it’s award-winning. It’s fabulous and just what I was looking for! Amelia showed me the different colourways and a few other pushchairs to make sure I was choosing the right one. She also pulled out a buggy board with a seat that fits onto the Ocarro. I didn’t actually know about that so I was very grateful for her bringing it to my attention. My daughter Poppy is almost 3 but she still gets tired legs (if only someone could push me on it!) so it was immediately a must-have.
In Summary
The whole experience really was lovely. Even for a third-time parent, it was great to get the advice and support without feeling under pressure to buy things I didn’t necessarily need. Amelia was so friendly and professional making it easy to feel comfortable and chat to her openly during the shop. I would 100% recommend this free service to any parent or even grandparent to be. It’s a great way to get clued up on what’s available. Also, Mamas & Papas have several exclusive bundles and discounts when you have a personal shop with flexible payment options. It’s so easy to book. Just enter your postcode on the website, choose the store best for you and a date/time to suit. Then leave the rest to the wonderful staff who are more than happy to help.
Thank you to Mamas & Papas and Amelia especially for a truly momentous experience. I hope you found my Personal Shopping review useful. x
It’s always nice to hear that people have enjoyed our service as we work very hard to ensure it’s the best it can be. We’re thrilled Harley got so much out of it and loved her Personal Shopping review. If it sounds like your sort of thing, then book a free place now – if you’re not too sure, why not book a free place at one of our Parent to Be events and get a feel for the place first?
