**A mum’s work is never, ever done – and here at Closer we believe these amazing women should be recognised for their hard work! **
Which is why we want to reward hard-working, dedicated and inspirational mums – and we need your help.
For Closer’s Mum of the Year awards 2016, we’ve shortlisted six celebrities, six bloggers and six ‘normal’ mums for you to choose from.
They come from all walks of lives, and each have very different stories, but one thing they all have in common is the love and devotion they show to their children.
Here’s the Blogger mums in the running!
Maverick Mum
When Rebecca was 18-years-old, she had big plans to take a gap year after school and travel. However fate intervened, and the only place she travelled to was the maternity ward at my local hospital.
But, while Rebecca may be a maverick when it comes to motherhood, there’s no doubt that she’s a truly inspiring young woman.
“I’m not a conventional mother. In fact, I’m still getting used to the fact I reproduced…
“[Despite that,] I’ve learned one thing - just because something isn’t conventional, doesn’t mean it can’t work,” she explains.
Not only has she proven to be an amazing mum to little Reuben, but she’s also gone back to university part-time, is working hard to make money, and she’s also created an amazingly honest blog, which aims to entertain and encourage all of those unconventional mummies out there in the world.
Mother Of All Lists
Clemmie Telford (aka Peckham Mamma) claims that all she does is write lists, but, honestly her blog is SO much more than that.
It’s packed full of fast, funny and furious observations about the thrills and spills of her journey into motherhood - and it’s easy to see why she’s gained such a huge following.
As she explains herself, she writes about “stuff like post-partum hairloss and arguing with your other-half because he NEVER takes the stair pile up.”
She adds: “[It’s] Mundane, hopefully amusing, and, most importantly, written in short bullet points. Who has time to write or read long paragraphs these days?”
Exactly!
Gas And Air
Clemmie Hooper is a registered midwife AND a mum-of four, which means that her blog is packed full of real life birth stories, tips on how to prevent tearing during labour (ouch!), and mothering young children.
She recently welcomed twin baby girls, blogging her incredible journey from conception to birth - and her tips on maternity wear, hypnobirthing, and hilarious observation about the 3am night feeds definitely went down a treat with her avid followers.
Why?
Because Clemmie is VERY frank about the realities of motherhood, that’s why.
She explains: “I often feel like the swan gliding across the lake gracefully with not a care in the world but underneath the water, my feet are swimming at a million miles an hour.”
Best of all? It all comes straight from the midwife’s mouth - which means that she is full of advice about lots of difficult topics, many of which aren’t often discussed in public media.
Perfect for mums AND mums-to-be, Gas And Air is definitely worth checking out asap.
The Unmumsy Mum
Sarah - aka The Unmumsy Mum - is, without a doubt, one of the most hilarious mummy bloggers of all time.
Her blog is very honest, occasionally swear, and always brilliant, delving deep into what life as a mum is really like (the predominate theme being 'Isn't this hard?!’).
And it’s definitely proven popular with other mums out there, as she now has a HUMONGOUS following on Facebook.
As she puts it: “[My blog] has 'taken off' rather more dramatically than I could ever have imagined and I now hang out on Facebook quite a lot.”
She adds: “When I'm not blogging (or wrestling with small-people-who-won't-put-their-shoes-on), I write a column for Exeter Life magazine and have just finished writing a book. “
Sisterhood & All That
Blog: http://www.dontbuyherflowers.com/sisterhoodandallthat/
When Steph Douglas had her first baby, she received eight bunches of flowers - which was nice, but not all that useful.
She explains: “We didn’t have a lot of space and we certainly didn’t own multiple vases. I had to give them away or bin the least fresh to make way for the most recent.
“I also felt completely overwhelmed with everything – the baby, the visitors, the bodily functions – and trying to arrange flowers and then dispose of them was all a bit much, however pathetic that sounds. I found that other parents felt the same and Don’t Buy Her Flowers was born.”
She’s now running a site which provides thoughtful gift packages for new mums, all while blogging about the realities of motherhood, men & relationships on the side.
And, from detailing exactly how sex changes after you have babies, to asking women to remember that they’re all in this together, it’s the sort of blog that makes you feel ‘yeah, this is EXACTLY what I’m going through!’.
The Double Mama
Siobhan - aka the Double Mama - is a mother-of-two, a KG Hypnobirthing teacher, and the founder of The Positive Birth Company.
Her blog is packed full of information on how to prepare for birth, hypnobirthing videos, shopping lists for newborns, hilarious observations about motherhood, birth stories, and amazing interviews with inspiring mums from all walks of life.
As she humbly puts it herself: “I’m basically a juggler that can’t actually juggle.”
We disagree wholeheartedly; if anyone can juggle, it’s Siobhan - and her blog is well worth checking out if you’re hoping to try hypnobirthing during your own labour, looking for practical advice, or just up for a giggle.