here come the insta mums
We used to see these celebs falling out of taxis, but now they’re giving us teething tips
As we’re writing this, Sam Faiers’ two young children, Paul and Rosie, have just made their joint modelling debut for a childrenswear brand.
Sam posted a shot of the pair looking super-angelic on her Instagram stories with the caption, “So proud of my babies landing their first job together.” It’s nothing we’re not used to – but flashback to just four years ago, and the Sam Faiers we knew was very different. Whether it was partying with TOWIE castmates at the Sugar Hut or posing in an American flag bikini for a Super Bowl photo shoot, Sam had a vastly different lifestyle.
And she’s not the only one who’s gone from reality star party girl to wholesome social media mum. This is truly the time of the Insta Mums. Celebrities such as Ferne Mccann, Casey Batchelor and Amy Childs, among many others, have all had huge image overhauls since becoming mothers – and they are more than happy to share every step of the way with their fans. Sam herself says, “In this day and age, it’s all about social media.”
The 27 year old – who is mum to Paul, two, and elevenmonth-old Rosie – describes her job as being a “reality TV star, a businesswoman and a mum”. And, as revealed in heat’s Rich List last week, those ventures have raked in the money for the Essex lass. Pocketing £350k per series for her reality show The Mummy Diaries, along with her sister and fellow mum-of-two Billie, has helped her rack up an approximate net worth of £5.2million. Fellow EX-TOWIE castmate and friend (sort of) Ferne Mccann is also leading the
Sharing their nappy filled lives is their job
troop of Insta mummies. As soon as she became pregnant with baby Sunday, the change in her brand – and therefore her Instagram – was immediate. The 28 year old went from promoting lingerie, hair extensions and teeth-whitening kits to hashtagging “ad” and “spon” for car seats, baby toys and Simba mattresses – because if anyone needs their sleep, it’s a new mum.
BATTLING THE MUM BOD
While it can be controversial, there will always be countless articles, DVDS and social media posts encouraging mums to jump back into fitness post-pregnancy and “lose that baby weight”. With celebs seemingly under pressure to look good anyway, there is a natural niche market for a fit celeb mum to lead the pack. Enter Binky Felstead.
The former Made In Chelsea star quit the show when she discovered she was pregnant with her first child, so Binky, 28, had to alter her image in order to keep herself in the public eye. And, after the success of her baby-led spin off Born In Chelsea, her career as an Insta Mum was, well, born.
As well as posting regular fitness videos – particularly in her (paid) role as an ambassador for fitness brand Fiit – Binky has even been able to set up a health retreat for mums and their kids. The Mummy Tribe will set you back between £900-£1,250 for three days of fitness, cooking and wellness classes.
Just this year, she posted a picture of herself taken eight weeks after giving birth and a more recent picture (from a collaboration with Inthestyle, of course) with the caption, “Let’s start being a bit real and honest about what our bodies look like after a baby. And let me just add, I wasn’t in the gym to lose weight. It was me time, and I was following a postnatal recovery programme. And I want to point out that the workouts I do now with Ty, and you see me post on Instagram, are not the workouts I did in the first few months after giving birth. I took it slow, listened to my body, worked with…” She then goes on to name drop a personal trainer and two physios who she may or may not have been paid to advertise.
Binky’s post highlights the crux of what keeps these celebs in their jobs: it’s being a “bit real and honest”. Well, we actually have no idea how truthful they’re being, but we still love getting that glimpse into their “real” life – whether that’s body issues, toddler tantrums or date nights.
KEEPING IT REAL
Daniel Price, the co-founder of childrenswear brand My 1st Years, has hugely benefitted from the rise of the Insta Mums. He tells heat, “We have worked with
celebrities from day one – mainly by gifting our personalised products and building natural, organic relationships. We are proud to say that Prince George, Luna Legend and the Kardashian kids have all been seen in My 1st Years. Our first big collaboration was with Sam and Billie Faiers, back in 2016, which was great for awareness and increased our demographic. Our last collaboration was with Binky Felstead after the birth of her daughter India last year – this had a fantastic impact on sales, press and brand reach.”
And Dan attributes the success of their reality star collaborations to the relationships they develop with their online followers. “Ultimately having a family is a life-changing thing, which is reflected organically via their social pages. Other parents, and gift-buyers, are often led by celebrity choices and spending. The benefit of social media is that it opens the doors to the “behind the scenes” of influencers’ lives, which have previously been off-limits to the public.”
These celebrities are their own brand – and in the era of the Kardashians, there is no need for a niche skill set any more. Being a charismatic (and usually pretty attractive) person is enough to gain you fans. And so, when they become mums, their children become an extension of that.
Sharing their nappy filled, chaotic family lives has become their full-time job. We see their offspring go swimming for the first time, get their first tooth and celebrate their birthdays. Social media keeps us coming back for more and they keep giving it to us. And we bloody love it. Long live the Insta Mums.