I WAS A MOTHERCARE BABY!

As it's the weekend, I like to blog about something "Retailey" I don't think there is such a word but there is now....

Mothercare is a specialist retailer of products for mothers-to-be, babies and children up to the age of eight. Mothercare opened its first store in 1961 in Surrey. 

Initially the business focused on pushchairs, nursery furniture and maternity clothing, but it subsequently expanded its range to include clothing for children up to the age of five and later up to the age of eight. It now offers a wide range of maternity and children's clothing, furniture and home furnishings, bedding, feeding, bathing, travel equipment and toys through its retail operations in the United Kingdom.

Mothercare celebrates over 50 years of taking care of both expectant mums and their babies and that makes me

 a "Mothercare Baby".

Mothercare over the last 50 years had been through the hands of many of the UK high street retail giants like Habitat,Boots and Bhs (British Home Stores). Mothercare purchased Early Learning Centre in 2007.

In the UK Mothercare is known by all... and over more recent years they have spread their "mothering" arms around the world through franchises in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Far East under the 'Mothercare' brand name.

Last year on a trip to Cape Town I saw a selection of Mothercare products in a Woolworths store.The trial stores for the Mothercare brand were Sandton and Canal Walk and I am happy to say that they have recently rolled out the distribution to include more of the larger stores and Gateway is one of them...

They have a dedicated branded area and includes far more products than I originally saw in Cape Town a year ago.....even though my "babies" are no longer "babies" (soon to be 19yrs & 14yrs) I couldn't help but try out a few of the pushchairs and check out the baby grows..."broody" you may ask...NO!, but maybe grandchildren will come along in the distant future.....

At the time I had my eldest the selection and range of baby goods in South Africa was..I thought, very poor...thankfully Mothercare and a family friend came to my rescue. 

The Mothercare catalogue was posted to me and my order returned and then I waited with excitement for the cot/bed, baby bedding, 5 in 1 high chair and other goodies to arrive...

Arrive they did and they have stood the test of two boys and the test of time! 

The Cosatto cot/bed is stored away as a family "heirloom" and will hopefully some day herald the third generation of Mothecare babies in my family... 

Oh! how I wished we had Mothercare in South Africa back then...
luckily for all South Africans you now will have the opportunity to have a 
"Mothercare Baby".

For more info re Mothercare items sold in Woolworths visit

 www.woolworths.com