Just like her site, mybaba.com which is full of funny, frank wisdom, Leonora is affable and wise. She talked to The Tot about mixing business with family, why her daughter wants to be a farmer, and why she stopped.

“When I had my second child, I really wanted a place where I could find reliable information about kids and babies. There was so much information out there, I found it hard to make sense of it all. It started out very small – there were only a handful of ‘mommy bloggers’ at that stage – and I was doing everything myself. It wasn’t that long ago but the space has really blown up. Instagram and other kinds of social media really changed everything. For me, it was a wonderful outlet and I think that’s true of other women, too.”

“MyBaba started as a bit of fun. I spent about 20 minutes a day on it – if I saw something fun, I’d post about it. I certainly never imagined I’d be sitting in an office with five employees. It has grown beyond belief!”

“I knew I wanted to have children, but for someone who is mega-organized, I really wasn’t prepared for pregnancy! By and large I kept the same routine. I exercised, I took my vitamins, I ate well. And I did a lot of reflexology massage – it helped immensely.”

“I was very lucky with my kids’ births. I didn’t find giving birth too hard, which I consider a real win! I wanted ‘natural’ births but I did end up having epidurals in the late stages, and it was fine.”

“My life is quite boring, actually. I wake the kids at 7am and we eat breakfast, get dressed, all of that. My husband and I go to work – and we always try to have lunch together every day, which is lovely. I pick the kids up from school, and of course, dinner’s always on the table incredibly early, around 5.30pm. The kids are in bed by 7. Weekends are much more relaxed, we really have so much fun when we’re not working!”

“I was pretty much working the day after I gave birth. That’s how it works. The pros of being your own boss are that, of course, you can set your own hours. But the downside is that you do have to be on, you have to pick up the pieces no matter what else is going on. And I do really think that, if it’s important, you will find the time to do it – I am very busy, but being busy makes me get everything done.”

“One of the best things we do as a family is go away to our farm and plant vegetables. It’s a lovely lesson for them – they each have their own little plot and they grow everything, it’s really such a great thing to do. And it makes them eat their vegetables, because they’re so proud of growing them! Win-win!”

“I receive a lot of advice about kids, in my personal life, and of course, through MyBaba. But the best piece of advice I’ve received was from my own mom, who told me to simply be kind. There’s other stuff to focus on, but kindness is where it all starts. It’s where respect comes from, where community comes from, all of that. And I’m pleased to say that my kids are very, very kind! I also tell them they can be whatever they want to be. My daughter wanted to be a farmer last week, this week she’d like to be a vet. I just think it’s a lovely gift to give a child, to tell them they can choose any path they can.”

“I’ve become a lot more patient since becoming a mom. I was the world’s most impatient person, I really was. But having two under two, I couldn’t afford to not be patient. And I read this amazing article that was all about not rushing your children. I read it and thought, ‘God, that’s me! I do that.’ So I really try, as best I can, to not rush my kids.”

“The hardest thing about being a mom is that time is such a commodity. You don’t have time for yourself – or much of it – because everyone else comes first. I have friends who swear by going away for a few days by themselves and just leaving their husbands with the kids, and I am definitely going to do that. Soon!”

Leonora’s kids in three words

“My son is creative, loving and very stubborn! My daughter is funny, sweet and resourceful. And the funny thing is, they arrived like that. I could have said the exact same things when they were a week old.”

Leonora’s maternity style

“My style didn’t really change; I just wore things in bigger sizes. Having said that, I wish Nine in the Mirror had been around. I did buy a couple of floaty numbers from Matthew Williamson for special occasions.”

Leonora’s five must-have pregnancy items

1. Mama Mio Tummy Butter
2. A Bamford cashmere wrap
3. Aromatherapy Associates Oils
4. Organic milk – I had cravings!
5. Good concealers

Leonora’s five must-have new mom products

1. Pommade Divine
2. Mini La Mode rompers for the babies – they lived in theirs for the first few months
3. Muslin burp cloths
4. Daylesford energy bars
5. A Pink Lining Mum On The Run Bag