No woman should ever feel stressed about shopping, especially when it comes to finding maternity clothing that is stylish, affordable, and works for both during and after pregnancy. Thankfully Kristen, the owner of bump & bae, experienced similar struggles to find maternity clothing she felt good in just like the rest of us. So she created bump & bae, a Canadian boutique in Ottawa that offers maternity, nursing and mama-friendly pieces that you're actually excited to wear. Kristen strives to offer a curated collection of quality pieces that when mixed and matched, can take you from the office to after work dog walks, to Saturday brunch, to weekend getaways. But what I really love is that all her pieces are photographed on real mamas so you can see how they fit on all different women.
Do you have kids? If so how many & age? My daughter Georgia is 16 months J My firstborn is my dog Lou. He is a 2 year old Samoyed and easily as much work as a child!
What's one thing people probably don't know about you? I started a blog for mamas. It’s raw and real with a little comic relief. Hitting publish was a little intimidating, but I am so glad I did.
Are you a stay at home mom? No, I work a 9-5 job at a university. I launched bump and bae a few weeks after going back to work. It’s no surprise I am a hard core Type A.
What is your favourite thing to do for yourself? Something active. Moving my body every single day. Most days it’s a run or a yoga video with a dog walk. Being active is my church so to speak. My place to recharge, to be present.
What is your favourite date night activity? A delicious dinner, with even more delicious wine.
What's one thing you couldn't live without? Coffee. I like it strong, and sip on it for hours.
Who's your IG inspiration? @leannebarlow @katrinascott two incredible entrepreneurs and mamas, who above all are open and transparent on their accounts.
What advice would you give your younger self: You’re doing great. Ugh, we are all so hard on ourselves. I’d give this advice to high school me, university me, but also to myself a year ago as a new mama.
Where is business located out of? I am in Ottawa, Ontario. I am currently predominantly an online boutique, however I offer shopping by appointment and do trunk shows locally.
How did you choose the name for your business? I wanted a name that represented what the boutique is all about; pieces and products for the bump and for once the bae is here.
How do you balance having kids & running a business? Having started back at my 9-5 full time, launching bump and bae, having a wild child, an even wilder dog and making sure I still find time for my relationship with my husband, my family and friends is a lot. I am a serious type A, so I am trying to be gentle on myself these days as I navigate my new normal. I am learning to adjust my expectations of myself. I try to ask myself ‘What can I not do’? I know I can’t do it all, so what can I take off my plate? Life isn’t about being uber productive all the time, and living on the hamster wheel. Kate Northup’s book do less speaks to this approach for busy moms. I highly recommend it. I just published a blog about this.
Where can people find your products? On the website:
and on the Instagram shop @bumpandbae
What advice can you give someone looking to start up their own business? Take the time to research whether your idea is feasible or not. Is there a gap in the marketplace? If not, how are you going to set yourself apart? And most importantly, can this be profitable? There are so many costs to consider, so taking a month or two to take a deep dive into the financials beforehand is important.
What sets your business apart from others alike? I noticed a gap in the Canadian market through my own experience, so I bring passion and personal understanding to bump and bae. I really want mamas to get to know the person behind the business. I have a blog where I touch on real sh*t we are all dealing with, I photograph real mamas in all the pieces and I do fit session videos on Instagram to give you an in depth idea of the products. I’m always here to answer any questions you have about products. I bring in maternity and nursing lines from Australia, Europe and the States so you don’t have to worry about customs or returning items half way across the world. I also carry Canadian-made products for mamas and babes made by rad female entrepreneurs.
What is the most challenging part of running your business? There are so many unknowns, so you have to accept that you are not in control of every little thing. You really need to be vulnerable and put yourself out there. It can feel lonely, but there are SO many incredible female entrepreneurs out there grinding at their side hustle just like you. Connect with them.
What does a typical day look like for you? On weekdays I wake up around 6 to have my time to shower and get ready for the day before my daughter wakes up. I work at a university during the day, so I take full advantage of my lunch break by taking me time to run or go to the gym. I pick up Georgia from daycare after work, and it’s the best part of my day greeting her. At home, my husband and I take turns on the dog walk and whipping up some very simple dinner. After I put the baby down, I work on bump and bae.
Favourite song: Love me some Bruce Springsteen. Tougher than the Rest is my wedding song, so I have such a soft spot for it. You can find a lot of John Mayer, Florida Georgia Line or Maren Morris on my phone. Dream Vacation: the Hawaiian islands. I’ve been to Oahu, so next up is Maui! Favourite Book: Uneducated by Tara Westover was such a great read. Dream Job: Wow, this made me stop for a minute. I have my dream job, owning my own business has been such a powerful goal of mine for many, many years. Launching bump and bae in December is really many years in the making. Favourite Podcast: Jen Sincero and Rachel Hollis’s audio books are awesome.
Dream Car: a vintage mint pickup truck. Favourite Smell: coffee Dream meal: Salty, cheesy bourek is the best. Favourite item of clothing: a great pair of jean shorts. I am a summer baby through and through.
Stamp of Approval:
Ever since I received my items from bump & bae I have been living in them! One thing I really struggled with throughout all my pregnancies is finding, comfortable, affordable and trendy maternity clothing. I wanted to invest in pieces that I knew would last me during and after my pregnancy because there is nothing worse than spending money on clothes that you are only going to wear for a short period of time. I also struggled with ordering clothes online. There are so many shops that sell cute maternity clothing that are not Canadian based but I also worry about duty charges and whether or not the item will even fit and look good on me so I never take the risk and buy.
I was so excited when I came across bump & bae on Instagram. I was immediately drawn to their feed mostly because I could tell that the clothing was photographed on real mamas. After speaking with Kristen some more about her company I fell in love even more. I realized that I am not alone in the way I feel about shopping for clothes during my pregnancy and it was nice to see someone so passionate about bridging that gap for women.
I was gifted two items from the bump & bae line and they are PHENOMENAL for many reasons. The two items I was gifted were the
tee shirt & the
Here's why I love these two pieces;
nothing about pregnancy is comfortable, but these clothes are 100% comfort!
they are high quality pieces that work perfectly both for during and after my pregnancy
the tee shirt is nursing and bump friendly. the shirt will provide easy access for when I am nursing
they are trendy and stylish. it's all about the small details. I love the cuffs at the bottom of the joggers as well as the pocket detail on the bum.
These pieces will definitely be coming with me in my hospital bag to wear home. Another product I purchased and will be joining me in my hospital bag is the
wear. I haven't had to use them yet but I can already tell these are a must have item for every women going through labour. I can't wait to share more about this product after I have had the chance to fully experience them! Now if you've read this far and are in love with bump & bae just as much as I am. Make sure you head over to
on Instagram today to enter our giveaway!
