MeetMUMZ – A Real Mom Initiative To Celebrate The Joy Of Being A Mom

In the series of Real Mom, we share stories of mothers who set a new benchmark by exceeding the limits of society. We wish that these stories encourage our readers and motivate them to follow their dreams. Today, we meet a young mom of two who grew up in a large (and extended) family in Kuwait and India. Ekta is the founder of MeetMUMZ, a happy place for mothers to connect and meet like-minded mothers. This idea of embracing motherhood with confidence and celebrate the joy of being a mom is an inspiration to many. Read on to know more about MeetMumz and Ekta’s journey of its discovery.

Real Mom Ekta Tejwani:

I grew up in a large extended family in Kuwait and India(New Delhi), playing with cousins over the summer break. The fond memories of going to parks, climbing trees, sharing food, celebrating festivals and birthdays together, sleepovers, and sharing space with all my cousins, uncles and aunts are my favourite ones. I was constantly fed by multiple pairs of hands, nurtured and loved in a secure environment, surrounded by my extended family and friends.  

Celebrate the joy of being a mom – MeetMUMZ:

Living in Hong Kong as an ex-pat and a new mother away from home, I yearned for the same warm and fuzzy feelings I experienced growing up, especially for my son.  

Going through an experience of motherhood is something everyone talks about, but no one prepares you for. I decided and persevered to create a community where like-minded mothers could meet, make friends while their kids played happily (mostly!), discuss life goals, talk about shopping trends, etc.

I envisioned building a community for mothers to connect, network, and grow. Like the rest, I indeed struggled through post-partum blues, if not PTSD, like 80% of women in HK in a pre-covid era despite having a fantastic partner and family support. I realized the need for a platform that talked about mothers rather than just the baby. As a result, the idea of MeetMUMZ emerged as a platform that supports mothers in finding their happy space and connects them to like-minded women in the same stage of life. 

Motherhood is more than being a ‘perfect’ mother:

The birth of a child is also the birth of a mother! Motherhood is the most spoken about and blaring industry of our times, while mothers are the least attended and supported tribe. If we talk about the challenges across the spectrum of a mother’s psychological, emotional, medical, financial, and social needs, her struggles are real. At every stage, she also fights the bias based on one assumption that when a woman becomes a mother, she is fully aware and prepared with answers while happily embracing this new change in life and celebrating the joy of being a mom.

Her day begins with multi-tasking, time management, social obligations, research to find the best, achieving milestones, etc. If all this struggle wasn’t enough, COVID acted like a catalyst in making motherhood a journey full of hiccups. 

Hardly do we talk about essential concerns like postpartum care and postpartum depression. Rarely do we remind mothers that ‘perfect’ is a relative term and that a mother need not be perfect. She is already everything that her child needs. It’s high time we inculcate in society that self-love for a new mother is not selfish because she is not just a mother. Also, it is okay to have hard days because all days won’t be the same. 

Being a stay-at-home mom:

Every child has unique needs while growing up, and every mother has a different way of raising her child. There is no right or wrong in this case. Some chose to get back to the office and raise their children, while some chose to stay at home and raise their children. However, the struggles of mothers choosing to stay at home are often overlooked with the assumption that they have all the time to manage things. We ignore the changes that a woman’s mind and body go through when a child is born. I feel society has a significant role to play in changing this narrative. 

The change I wish to see here is a shift in the way a child’s birth is seen. Along with immense joy, the birth of the child must also bring a sense of responsibility in the family and society. They need to ensure that the mother is taken care of and also given room to recover physically, emotionally, and mentally. The partner, family, community, workplaces, relevant brands have a role to play in how to offer support and awareness. In the journey of motherhood, it is crucial that the mother knows that she is not alone. 

Advice for the new ex-pat arrivals:

I shifted to Singapore in December 2020 after spending 8 years in Hong Kong. I have been living in Singapore for one year. Singapore is a cosmopolitan city boasting about diversity in ethnicities and culture which I admire the most. The willingness in people to connect cross-culturally is incredible. 

Childbirth may sound like the other side of the world, but it isn’t. Life is a beautiful journey of which motherhood is a significant part should you wish to walk the line and live the true joy of being a mom. A woman with a child is a lot more than being just a mother. The sojourn of motherhood is challenging, but if we build a community of mothers, the journey will get a lot easier and much more joyous. Meet MUMZ is such a community of like-minded mothers and everything that a mother needs.

Join us to network, consult, shop, and grow. You are important to us!