Hertfordshire mum marks one year of helping local parents build confidence and friendships

Local mum-of-two Laura Mullen is marking one year since launching Basking Babies in Hertfordshire, where she has created calm, welcoming spaces for parents and babies to bond, chat and build lasting friendships. Since launching her first class in May 2025, Laura has grown from one venue to four, with many of her baby massage and baby yoga sessions now fully booked.

After 20 years working across biomedical science and pharmaceuticals, Laura was ready for a change. She wanted to do something that fitted more naturally around family life, while giving her the chance to work more closely with other people.

“I was ready for a change and wanted to do something I enjoyed more,” said Laura. “I’d always felt a calling to work with mums and their babies, and this felt like a really good fit for me and my family.”

Laura’s own experience of baby massage helped shape the kind of classes she wanted to offer. When her son was tiny, she met another mum at a baby massage class and the pair would always chat during the session, but neither felt brave enough to suggest meeting afterwards. Years later, their sons ended up at the same school and became best friends.

For Laura, that memory has made the social side of her own sessions just as important as the baby massage and yoga. She knows first-hand how valuable those early friendships can be and how much difference it can make when parents are given the time and space to talk properly.

“Making mum friends isn’t always easy,” said Laura. “That’s something I really love about these classes. The babies get all the lovely benefits of massage and yoga but the parents also have time to chat, have a coffee and build those friendships. It makes me so happy to see mums still meeting up after class because I know how much I would’ve valued that at the time.”

As word has spread locally, Laura has seen more parents recommend her sessions to friends, with many families returning for further courses as their babies grow. She said watching parents gain confidence and form friendships with each other has become one of the most rewarding parts of her first year.

“The classes are the lovely bit,” said Laura. “I get to know the mums and watch their babies grow, and you do get really attached to them. When they’ve been with you for baby massage and then yoga, you’re with them for such a big part of their maternity leave, so it’s really special.

As Laura enters her second year, her focus remains on helping more parents feel calm, connected and less alone during the early stages of family life. She is also keen to hear from anyone locally who may be interested in becoming an instructor and helping more families access Basking Babies classes.

To find out more about Basking Babies, or to contact Laura about becoming an instructor, please email [email protected].