When your day starts with a post about getting your ‘Mum-Bod’ one-piece on to take your baby swimming, and ends with a random act of kindness and said costume selling out across the UK as a result of your empowering rally cry, you know you are a part of a special community indeed. And that, MOLOs, is exactly how Wendy Bloom’s Monday took shape.
“Fuck it!” she cried. “If I have to embrace my fear of wearing a swimsuit in public and wearing a sad mum one-piece to cover my wobbly mum-tum, then I shall do it as Mutha Fucking Bat Girl. Taking baby swimming! Note: this swimsuit is doing some serious illusion sculpting. I am not that ripped, skinny or pert!”
The Motherload® members, ‘MOLOs’, flocked. Not only did Wendy actually look bloody fabulous in her Batgirl cozzie, but it was a timely reminder to us all to harness the body we have post-baby, and wear it with pride. Requests for a link to buy the costume soon followed, along with over 2,500 likes on the post.
“OMG! Where can I get this? It’s amazing!’ and ‘Please, please tell me where to buy this, I have swimming next week and I need to be Batgirl!’. Wendy added the link to the post, and before we knew it, Sports Direct had sold out of Batgirl, and MOLOs then bought up the eBay stock as well as ‘Batgirl Swimsuit’ broke the internet.
Wendy then revealed that she had bought not one, but TWO of the Batgirl swimsuits, and that she would love to offer it as a free, random act of kindness to another MOLO. After her best friend also jumped in with another suit, The Motherload® HQ Team jumped into action, and quickly mustered a RAOK thread, with MOLO’s entering by detailing their most recent act of kindness.
With fabulous stories of women helping each other in a time of need, empowering each other and supporting fellow mothers, Wendy had a tough time choosing the deserving winners. After much agonising, at 10pm The Motherload® HQ announced that Heather Davies-Mahoney and Annie Esther Brookes had won the two Batgirl costumes for their wonderful support and kindness towards others.
Heather told us about how she had supported another MOLO, who was attempting to re-establish breastfeeding:
“A woman posted on here about wanting to re-lactate but was struggling with expressing whilst maintaining skin-to-skin & managing her toddler, so I got her address & posted her my (retired) pumping bustier and Freemie in-bra collection cups to give her her hands back. Also stuck some milk production boosting treats in the package but may not know about that yet as only posted on Saturday.”
The MOLO, Lucy, added this post this morning as the package arrived:
“…I posted for the first time last Thursday seeking some help/advice as I am currently attempting re-lactation. I was overwhelmed by the responses, the helpful advice, encouraging comments and kind words. I even got a little bit emotional reading through it all! There was one lovely lady in particular who messaged me directly and today I relieved a lovely bundle from her which contained a pumping bra so I can now pump hands free and be a bit more hands on with my baby and toddler, another no hands pumping device and some oaty treats! I’ve never before spoken to this lady but yet she made this lovely gesture. After taking my 2 year old out to softplay today (our first trip out in over a week as I’ve just been constantly pumping) and being met by some rather judgey mums because I struggled to juggle a toddler who suddenly hated everyone and getting to her with a newborn, this really cheered me up!
I think that really was a true act of kindness and defo deserves a mention! And generally it just shows how supportive this lovely group really can be! Thank you Heather!”
Annie told us how she had helped out her friend by hosting her friend’s daughter’s 5th Birthday:
“Yesterday I put on a party for a 5 year old girl as well as my own child to help her mummy out so her little girl had a 5th birthday party as well ( couldn’t let her down!) Xx”
Her friend and fellow MOLO, Carol, added: ” (I’m) not entering myself but I’d like to nominate a fellow MOLO Annie Esther Brookes as she put on a party for not only her daughter but mine also, she has a heart of gold!”
Time and time again we see our members coming together to help each other out or extend the hand of friendship. It’s this, alongside an ethos of of being non-judgemental and supportive that really makes The Motherload® a very special, and empowering group to be a part of.
Help another mother, or another woman today, and #BeMoreMOLO, because #NoMOLOFliesSolo. To join our brilliant community group on Facebook, just click here and jump straight in!
Like this? You’ll love the amazing story A Random Act of Kindness: Are There Any MOLOs in Utrecht?
About Kate Dyson
Founder of The Motherload®. Wife, mum to two girls, two cats and shit loads of washing in baskets that sit around the house waiting to be ironed. It never happens. Hater of exercise, denier of weight gain, lover of wine. Feminist. You can follow me on Twitter
Photo Credit: Wendy Bloom, Sports Direct
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