What happens when your business explodes in popularity, you find out you're pregnant, and you catch COVID—all at the same time? Annabel takes us on a deeply personal and often hilarious journey through the chaos of running Cutter & Squidge during the pandemic, navigating a surprise pregnancy, and the rollercoaster of childbirth.

From trying to take her laptop into the induction room with her, to facing the unexpected twists of labor resulting in a caesarean, she shares the power of trusting her instincts (and her doctors), the reality of postpartum recovery, and many intimate, unfiltered moments—like when your husband has to help you take off your pregnancy pants. We dive into the cultural traditions of Chinese confinement, the lifesaving magic of a night nurse, the struggles of breastfeeding (shoutout to the incredible Sharnae!) and the bittersweet shift from “I want mummy” to “I want daddy” as baby grows up.

It’s a raw, real and heartwarming look at the juggling act of motherhood and a successful business. Stay tuned for laughs, lessons and a whole lot of love.

Welcome to our first ever Partner POV from Bloom Stories. Too often, a father’s journey to parenthood is overlooked or trivialised—but dads go through an enormous transformation too, right alongside their partners. Both experiences matter, and both deserve to be heard.

By sharing real stories from a partner’s perspective, we hope to offer insight, support, and a sense of connection— to help fathers navigate parenthood with confidence. Because when both mums and dads are empowered, families can truly thrive.

One of the joys of listening to Lydia's story was hearing how critical and powerful a role her husband Simon played in supporting and shaping her journey, we know you are going to love this one.

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s possible to have a truly joyful and positive, pregnancy, birth and post partum period, Lydia’s story is for you. I lost track of the number of times we use the word joy in this conversation - a testament to Lydia's resilience and can-do attitude, but also to her husband Simon who was an incredible champion throughout it all.

We think you’re going to love it.