New Mummy shares secret of positive baby experiences with other parents

A developing business has opened a new outlet at Stonham Barns Park retail village to bring a range of natural baby care products, wellbeing ideas and toys to new parents in the region.

Mamiina – derived from the Italian word for ‘Mummy’ – is the creation of Simona Pounds (32) who was born in the USA, moved to Italy and is now settled in Suffolk with her fiancé Steve and daughters Maddalena (3) and newborn baby Ilyana.  The products including teething toys, teething jewellery, soothers, baby weaning toys and baby toys have been hand-selected from manufacturers around the UK and European countries including France, Sweden and Spain.

The whole ethos of the business rests on finding the right solutions to some of the challenges of parenting – like teething and weaning – so that parents can enjoy a smooth and happy relationship with their young children while they are growing up.  As well as selecting the best products available for babies and toddlers of 0-36 months and older, Simona shares regular parental-advice blogs with her customers.

Simona’s story starts as a love story.  She met her fiancé to be Steve – from Stowmarket – while she was living in Milan through mutual friends, and the relationship saw the couple travel between Italy and Suffolk for around a year.  Finally, moving to Mendlesham to be together, Simona went on to have their first-born child Maddalena.  ‘I was previously a teacher, teaching English to foreign students until the pandemic restricted international movement and so the opportunities for teaching were very limited.’

‘As a new mother my life was transformed looking after a new baby and it was this that made me consider selling baby related items that helped me to do the right thing for my little girl.  Parenting is not easy and so some high-quality, ultra-baby safe products can make such a difference to life.  I was looking to supply natural material products including those made from silicone, natural rubber and wood.  These products come in environmentally friendly packaging where possible so parents can reduce the plastic that can come with standard baby products.’

The couple started the business in July 2020 in the middle of lockdown while Simona was researching the safety and effectiveness of baby care products.  Building up a presence on social media, they found that they were able to extend their core range of products from those catering for babies and toddlers from 0-36 months to include sensory toys and the future might include the introduction of a range of baby clothes.

Says Steve Bullman, a web developer for his own company Arbtalk Media www.arbtalkmedia.co.uk ‘At the moment around 80% of the sales come through the webshop but we feel that opening a physical shop will generically grow the business to its next stage.’

Simona is finding that she can combine her passion for baby products with building the best future for her family.  She says, ‘I love it that I can combine being in business with motherhood.  I now truly feel that I belong in Suffolk with its beautiful landscapes and coastline.  I particularly like country and woodland walking with the family.  And when we need a break from work, we can travel to Italy to see my family.  We have the best of both worlds, and I wouldn’t change it for anything.  My hope is that the business continues to grow, and, while it does, we help other parents to live their best life with their young children.’

For further information on Mamiina go to mamiina.co.uk or contact Simona Pounds on 07585 093 311.